Monday, September 6, 2010
Via JMG: SACRAMENTO: Thousands Of Bigots Gather To Pray Against Gay Rights
Dominionist, extremist, Christofascist preacher Lou Engle gathered several thousand bigots in California's capital today to pray against same-sex marriage and for "authority over Jezebel and San Francisco values."
The Sacramento event, Engle said, helped to highlight immoral laws being passed out of the Capitol and called on traditional marriage to be restored. "If marriage is going to be upheld between a man and a woman, which we believe is the best for families and children and society, then right now, it seems we need divine intervention," Engle said in an interview between appearances on stage. "That's part of the reason we're coming here, to pray, but also to take a stand and be a prophetic voice to stand for truth."The above-linked story notes that "offering stations" were set up throughout the audience. Jackpot. Another Lexus for Lou Engle, who, should you have forgotten, is one of the American evangelists responsible for Uganda's "kill gays" bill.
UPDATE: JMG reader Andy sends us the "trailer" for yesterday's event. Scary.
Via JMG: This Week In Holy Crimes
Over the last seven days...
California: Pastor Robert Cowen sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for molesting two pre-teen sisters under the guise of Bible instruction.
Arizona: Pastor Christopher Furey charged with multiple felony counts of child molestation.
North Carolina: Pastor Darryl Todd charged with multiple felony counts of statutory rape of a 14 year old girl.
Pennsylvania: Father Felix Owino charged with molesting an 11 year old girl.
South Carolina: Pastor Bill Cabe charged with molesting an 11 year old boy. Cabe was recently released from prison after serving seven years for swindling $8M from his congregation.
Texas: Pastor Apostle Nathaniel Calhoun charged with multiple felony counts of sexual assault on a child.
Britain: Father Eugene Lewis sentenced to four years in prison for sexually abusing three pre-teen girls.
Kansas: Father John M. Fiala charged with four felony counts of child molestation. Fiala is being sued in Texas for sexually assaulting a 16 year old boy at gunpoint.
Ohio: Pastor Rodney Stewart busted in internet child sex sting. Stewart used a webcam to send lewd self photos to a detective posing as a 15 year old girl.
Pennsylvania: Pastor Laneer Fisher charged with molesting two teenage boys.
Washington: Pastor Derwin Pasley pleads guilty to molesting three teenage boys.
California: Pastor Jeffery Waisner sued for molesting a 14 year old girl. Waisner's church is also named in the suit for harboring a known pedophile.
Tennessee: Father William Casey indicted for aggravated rape of a fifth grade boy.
This Week's Winner
Ohio: On trial for embezzling over $1M from his church, Pastor David Thompson said that he was authorized by God to take the money. "As the pastor and as the overseer I was mandated first and foremost from God." Thompson allegedly mortgaged church property to buy himself a Hummer, a BMW, a Ford Expedition, a Cadillac Escalade, and a boat. Thompson also used church funds to send his children to private school and add a pool to his home. Thompson faces 87 years in prison.
Via JMG: AMSTERDAM: Hundreds March In Protest Of Rise In Anti-Gay Violence
Led by well-known drag performers, hundreds marched in Amsterdam today in protest of the city's recent rash of violence against LGBT citizens. The rally was organized by the LGBT group Right To Feel Safe. Posters with the details of each of the attacks were affixed to street poles at the incidents' locations along the march route. A fuller account of today's action can be found in Dutch here.
(Tipped by JMG reader Tim)
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Via JMG: California Senate Debate: Carly Fiorina Vs. Sen. Barbara Boxer On Gay Marriage
Fiorina recap: Marriage is between a man and a woman, blasts Judge Walker, supports civil unions, supports DOMA, supports repeal of DADT. "My position [on marriage] is consistent with that of the president."
Via JMG: AUSTRALIA: Anti-Gay MP Fred Niles Caught In Pornography Scandal
Rev. Fred Niles, the longest-serving member of the New South Wales parliament and one of Australia's leading anti-gay activists, is front-page news in Sydney today after an audit revealed that he'd used his government computer to view pornography. A really LOT of pornography, it appears. An audit of NSW parliamentary computers, which has already resulted in the resignation of a Labor minister, reportedly showed up to 200,000 suspect hits linked to Reverend Nile's parliamentary log-on. Today he admitted one of his staff members had viewed online porn "for just a few seconds" for research purposes. But he insisted neither he nor any member of his staff had been "sitting there perving". "My senior researcher has conducted a lot of research into the pornography industry at my request because we have bills dealing with increasing the ban on pornographic materials," he said. "I have not accessed or viewed any of those sites but my researcher has."Niles claims that the porn hits came from links found on the site of the Australian Sex Party, a grassroots group formed to advocate for same-sex marriage. The Sex Party rejected Niles' claims as ridiculous and have called for his resignation. Niles has fought many LGBT rights laws in New South Wales and has called for abolishing the Sydney Mardi Gras as a "public parade of immorality and blasphemy."
(Tipped by JMG reader Dennis)
Via JMG: Photo Of The Day - Chris Colfer
Glee's Chris Colfer made Rolling Stone's photo essay of this season's "best characters and most memorable scene-stealers." HELLO.(Tipped by JMG reader Stacey)
Via JMG: Inside The Gay Brain
Over at Box Turtle Bulletin Rob Tisinai tips us to this fascinating BBC clip in which openly gay actor John Barrowman undergoes a brain scan while looking at nude images of men and women. Researchers can conclude the primary sexual orientation of their subjects by measuring the brain's electrical responses as the images are viewed. We hereby issue an open challenge to Peter LaBarbera, Matt Barber and Charlie Crist to undergo this test!
Via JMG: DENIED: Appeals Court Rejects Attempt To Force State Defense Of Prop 8
The California Court of Appeals has just denied the attempt to force Schwarzenegger and Brown to defend Proposition 8. "Petition summarily denied by order." The suit was brought by the anti-gay Pacific Justice Institute on behalf of Pastor Joshua Beckley, with a supportive brief from former U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese. The court's full ruling should be posted here by the end of the day.Via Huffington: Glenn Beck the Faith-Healer Continues to Scam His Followers
Throughout his gripping new book, The Backlash: Right-Wing Radicals, High-Def Hucksters, and Paranoid Politics in the Age of Obama, Philadelphia Daily News reporter and blogger Will Bunch augments the notion that Glenn Beck is playing a fictional character named "Glenn Beck." A faker. Specifically, Bunch draws together evidence indicating that Beck is nothing more than a morning zoo deejay whose latest money-making stunt is to portray a new kind of televangelist, offering political and religious salvation for profit.
Via Courage Campaign
Dear Daniel --
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee -- a likely front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012 -- is calling for the religious right to "turn this nation back to God, as Jesus is our only hope."
Yes, Huckabee actually said that in a video criticizing Judge Vaughn Walker's historic Prop 8 decision and imploring right-wingers to show up in Sacramento this weekend at "The Call" -- a mega-event designed to rally the religious right in response to the court ruling striking down Prop 8. Ten years ago, "The Call" event drew more than 400,000 people to Washington, D.C.
For Americans concerned about the separation of church and state, this leading presidential contender's words are harrowing. But what's even scarier is the man behind "The Call" that Huckabee is promoting: Lou Engle.
Apparently Huckabee is not
"What happened to California will release a spirit that is more demonic than Islam, a spirit of lawlessness and anarchy. And a sexual insanity will be unleashed into the Earth."The marriage equality movement is strongly supported by people of faith and supports the freedom to worship. But we will not condone religious fanaticism bordering on an incitement to violence. It's un-American.
We can't let Mike Huckabee and Lou Engle get away with their attacks on LGBT families or Judge Walker's Prop 8 decision. That's why Courage staffers are going to "The Call" this Friday to expose Lou Engle's extremism for the world to see on our Prop 8 Trial Tracker web site. Will you contribute $25, $50, $100 or more today to help us fight back and defend Judge Walker's decision?:
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http://www.couragecampaign.org/FightBack
As activist Fred Karger highlighted recently, Huckabee's support for Engle comes just a few months after Huckabee compared same-sex marriage to incest, drug abuse and polygamy, going on to say that gay and lesbian couples should not be allowed to parent, because kids "aren't puppies."
Huckabee isn't the only right-wing leader attacking Judge Walker and his historic Prop 8 decision.
On Tuesday, the extremist Pacific Justice Institute asked a California court to force Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown to defend Prop 8 in court. Then 27 California Republican Assemblymembers wrote a letter to Schwarzenegger, pressuring him to defend Prop 8 as well.
From Mike Huckabee and Lou Engle to the Pacific Justice Institute and the National Organization for Marriage, Judge Walker's Prop 8 decision is under attack by the religious right. That's why we need your support now to cover the cost of our Prop 8 Trial Tracker coverage of "The Call" so we can hold these religious extremists accountable. Please contribute $25, $50, $100 or more now to help us fight back and defend Judge Walker's decision:
http://www.couragecampaign.org/FightBack
Thanks for standing with us today. As an organization dependent on the donations of our supporters, we really can't do it without you.
Rick Jacobs
Chair, Courage Campaign Institute
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