LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY catvincent)

From Professor Kim's News Notes, several links and this quote:
' Mc Clurkin is a Grammy-winning Gospel artist who will be performing at next week's Republican National Convention. Mc Clurkin has been an outspoken for a number of years about his belief, born of his personal experience, that people choose to be homosexual after experiences of childhood abuse and neglect. Mc Clurkin's argument is consistent with that of groups such as the National Association for Research and Therapy for Homosexuality and ex-gay ministries such as Exodus International.

The commenter (quoted in the linked piece) cites sources from the 700 Club and elsewhere that say Mc Clurkin is organizing black churches to support Pres. Bush's push for a constitutional amendment that bans same-sex marriage. '

And here's Ex-GayWatch's links on him, including this gem of a quote from youth 'leader Scott Davis responding to McClurkin's (unavailable online) testimonial':

"Donnie’s story of abuse and confused sexual identity is a reminder
of God’s call on Exodus to be part of preventing homosexuality among
youth. We cannot merely help those who have developed homosexuality; we
must help prevent the development of homosexuality among our youth. Fore
the sake of our children, we need to vote for civic leaders who defend
sexual morality and who work to build up American families instead of
tearing them down."

Sounds Dominionist enough for me...

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY catvincent)

From the NYT, via americablog:

As religious conservatives gather in Washington this weekend for the “Values Voters Summit,” Senator Barack Obama’s campaign announced its latest effort to attract people of faith to the campaign: a gospel concert tour.

"All three of the dates of the “Embrace the Change” tour are in South Carolina, where Mr. Obama is locked in battle with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton for black voters.
Gospel acts including Mary Mary, Donnie McClurkin and Hezekiah Walker, Byron Cage and the Mighty Clouds of Joy are scheduled to appear."

Is there a single US presidential hopeful *without* Dominionist ties or connections of some kind? Hilary's campaign team, Ron Paul's KKK and other friends... is there anyone you'd want to vote for?

(Except - maybe - Stephen Colbert? Wouldn't be the first joker in the job.)

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY jim_ghote)

I'm linking this over from somebody else's post in my F-List, as it needs to be spread around.

Killing a guy because they thought he was "gay"? Even if he was, doesn't give these morons any right at all to commit the crime.

Just as bad is the lack of press over this (details in article).

X-posted to: My own journal and dark_christian

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY pretentioustfu)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070602/ap_on_re_us/conjugal_visits;_ylt=AlNSvgIvF5JX5THl4igobwVH2ocA

Gay partners get conjugal visits, and the spokesman for the dominionist Campaign for Children and Families tips his hand. . . or something else.

( Article full text behind the cut )

Maybe they should change their name to Campaign for Children and Families and Prison Guard Threesomes.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY vanar_en_daeor)

Thursday, May 3, 2007
http://hrc.org/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=36630&TEMPLATE=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PASSES HISTORIC HATE CRIMES BILL

Act Would Strengthen Ability of Law Enforcement to Investigate, Prosecute Hate Crimes

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives today voted to pass the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, H.R. 1592, in a vote of 237 to 180. The proposed legislation, which has the endorsement of 230 law enforcement, civil rights, civic and religious organizations and the support of 73 percent of the American people, was introduced in March by Reps. John Conyers, D-Mich., and Mark Kirk, R-Ill., along with more than 100 other members of Congress. The Senate will soon consider an identical companion bill called the Matthew Shepard Act.

“This is a historic day that moves all Americans closer to safety from the scourge of hate violence,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “Today, legislators sided with the 73 percent of the American people who support the expansion of hate crimes laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

( Read more... )
===============

Note: This is the good news follow-up to my other post. :)

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY vanar_en_daeor)

Wednesday, May 2, 2007
http://hrc.org/Template.cfm?Section=Home&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=36619

RELIGIOUS RIGHT’S DESPERATE LAST ATTEMPTS TO STOP HATE CRIMES BILL

Extremists Embrace White-Supremacist Filmmaker, Invoke Virginia Tech Massacre, Lie About Congressional Record and Use Christ’s Name in Vain

WASHINGTON — As the U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote tomorrow (Thursday) on H.R. 1592, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, anti-gay extremist organizations have embarked on a desperate last attempt to derail passage of the bill. Marking a new low in politics, these groups have embraced the work of a known white-supremacist filmmaker, callously invoked the Virginia Tech massacre, blatantly lied about the congressional record and even used the name and image of Jesus Christ in vain.

The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act would strengthen the ability of law enforcement officials to investigate and prosecute hate crimes when a crime is committed because of a person’s sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or disability. The current hate crimes law applies only to violent crimes committed due to the victim’s race, color, national origin and religion.

According to the FBI, 25 Americans each day are victims of hate crimes — that means approximately one hate crime is committed every hour. One in six hate crimes are motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation. The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act has broad public and bipartisan support — including 73 percent of the American people and more than 210 law enforcement, civil rights, civic and religious organizations — and has previously passed both houses of Congress in recent years, but was ultimately derailed by Republican leadership bowing to pressure from Republican extremists.

In recent weeks, religious right leaders have been caught outright lying about the hate crimes bill: claiming that no federal hate crimes law yet exists (it does, has for 40 years and already includes them (i.e., people of faith)) and that the proposed amendment to the hate crimes law would criminalize hate speech (it does not). Some of these same leaders have also been caught disseminating the anti-gay works of a white-supremacist filmmaker. And just last week, the head of the Family Research Council invoked the Virginia Tech victims to argue against the hate crimes bill. Details of these incidents can be found below.
( Read more... )
========================

Note: The good news is, that the bill did indeed pass (see my other posting). A step in the right direction. :)

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY inkedgeekfreak)

The house passed a bill that would add gender and sexual orientation protection to the current Federal Hate Crimes list. It is an expected show down with President Bush and his veto powers.

This wouldn't make the news for this community until you scroll down the article and read James Dobson's comments on this:

Dr. James C. Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, warned that the true intent of the bill was "to muzzle people of faith who dare to express their moral and biblical concerns about homosexuality." If you read the Bible in a certain way, he told his broadcast listeners, "you may be guilty of committing a 'thought crime."

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY lunalelle)

Before everyone continues the craziness of closeted Donnie Davies and his overt fundie homophobia, I suppose it's important for everyone to know that he's been 'outed' as Dallas-based actor Joey Oglesby, an ex-member of a troop of comedians that specializes in a "comedy stew of dance, homophobic/gay experimentation, male chauvinism, obscure racism, and spiritual revelation."

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY velvetpage)

http://www.authorsden.com/categories/article_top.asp?catid=37&id=23988

A Southern Baptist pastor is arrested for propositioning a male prostitute undercover cop.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY jehovahsfitness)

Imagine a secretive religious group with ties to dictators and weapons manufacturers whose ranks include many US senators. Sound like a bad conspiracy theory? I wish. The group is called the Fellowship. You probably know them from their fruits, most notably the National Prayer Breakfast. What I want to know is why I hadn't heard of these guys sooner. Seriously, they've been in the press since 2002 and they've just now come to my attention. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I wouldn't be surprised that their desire to remain an "invisible" groups has something to do with it.

http://www.toobeautiful.org/lat_020927.html
http://www.harpers.org/JesusPlusNothing.html?pg=1
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_Fellowship
http://www.alternet.org/story/16167/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fellowship_Foundation

Edit: Looks like Sunfell posted about it over a year ago, but I think a reminder is not uncalled for.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY jehovahsfitness)

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. We need more like him.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/15054276.htm

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY jargon_john)

BYU Prof. Let Go for Gay Marriage Stance

PROVO, Utah (AP) - Brigham Young University has decided not to rehire a part-time instructor because he publicly opposed the Mormon church's stand against marriage for same-sex couples.

Jeffrey Nielsen, a philosophy instructor at the church-owned university, said in an op-ed piece for the June 4 edition of The Salt Lake Tribune, "I believe opposing gay marriage and seeking a constitutional amendment against it is immoral."

Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have spent millions of dollars campaigning against gay marriage and on May 28 called on members to support a constitutional amendment banning it.

Nielsen, a Mormon, said he learned of the school's decision regarding his employment in a June 8 letter from Daniel Graham, chairman of the Department of Philosophy.

"Since you have chosen to contradict and oppose the church in an area of great concern to church leaders, and to do so in a public forum, we will not rehire you after the current term is over," the letter said.

BYU spokeswoman Carri Jenkins confirmed that Graham decided not to rehire Nielsen because of the op-ed piece.

Nielsen said he is sticking by his views - and his religion.

"I have no desire to be anything but a member of the church," he said Tuesday.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY diala)

I talked about this in my journal, and I figured that it would be best mentioning it here.

The Timothy Plan

The Timothy Plan® is a family of mutual funds offering individuals, like yourself, a biblical choice when it comes to investing. If you are concerned with the moral issues (abortion, pörnography, anti-family entertainment, non-married lifestyles, alcohol, tobacco and gambling) that are destroying children and families you have come to the right place.

The Timothy Plan® avoids investing in companies that are involved in practices contrary to Judeo-Christian principles. Our goal is to recapture traditional American values. We are America's first pro-life, pro-family, biblically-based mutual fund group.

While cultural conservatives focused their efforts on schools, churches, state houses, and Main Streets, environmentalists, animal rights activists, homosexuals and feminists wielded their power as corporate shareholders to change corporate policy.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY inkedgeekfreak)

MSNBC poll, should gays be honored in text books?
currently its 59% voting no

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12754608/

As if sexual orientation makes you less to society.


ARGH!

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY inkedgeekfreak)

Looks like the GOP is gearing up to turn out more fear based votes for the midterm election.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/05/18/senate.gaymarriage.ap/index.html
second source
http://www.planetout.com/news/article.html?date=2006/05/18/1

Explains a showdown between Specter and Fiengold over the decision to send an anti-gay marriage amendment to the floor.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY keith_dragon) From the Front Lines in Atlanta, Georgia:

We still have a long way to go for equal rights, but at least, there is some resistence cropping up to the Dominionist goals.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-05-17-gay-marriage_x.htm?csp=34

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

This Daily Kos diary talks about how the ACLU helped out a blogger who had a bit of fun with an 'ex-gay' ministry's billboard.

Here's Justin's blog entry about the whole dustup.

The 'billboard', btw, is hilarious.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY exotic_princess)

Israeli rabbi says bird flu is God's punishment for being cool with gay marriage

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY kiji_kat)

Report: Gay Prevention Programs Harm Teens

( Full text behind the cut in case the link dies )

(x-posted to kiji_kat)

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY jehovahsfitness)

The other night I watched the movie Kinsey about Dr. Alfred Kinsey whose ground-breaking studies on human sexuality rubbed many of his era the wrong way. Qucikly, I found it easy to relate to.

( spoilers )
We have a challange that did not face Kinsey in his time. Just as with the "intelligent" design issue, certain individuals are trying to use pseudo-science to promote a religious agenda. Repeated experiments have shown time and again that homosexuality, masturbation and other sex-related phenomena considered immoral by some occur in nature. Kinsey notes how homosexuality is anything but unnatural, as many believed and continue to believe.

Rather than own up to the fact that they have been fallen prey to a bigoted mindset, many continue to assert that homosexuality is, dispite the consensus of maintream scientists, unnatural and unhealthy. The likes of Dr. James Dobson ignore scientific evidence that would refute their claims, essentiallty rejecting science. As with "intelligent desgin" we have another religious philosophy which has put on the disguise of science. The challenge these days is that those on the religious right have realized that blatant religion cannot win out against science in our modern society, so they have taken to underhanded tactics.

We cannot allow our society to revert to the days when natural sexuality was denigrated to the point that it has caused psychological harm. My question for you, is how can we do it? By what means will love really win out?