Comments on: Christian Youth Group Participates in Day of Silence http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/04/27/1896 News, analysis and fact-checking of anti-gay rhetoric Thu, 23 May 2013 06:14:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: L. Junius Brutus http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/04/27/1896/comment-page-1#comment-9990 L. Junius Brutus Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:21:00 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/04/27/1896#comment-9990 Joel, I personally do believe in the sincerity of Dr. Throckmorton. Maybe he is trying to channel the anti-gay impulses that young evangelicals have with or without his help into a less destructive course. Otherwise, I don't see why he would put this e-mail on his website and be happy that what he said inspired a young Christian lady to act like... well, Christ would. Dr. Throckmorton is an excellent example of how Focus on the Family, AFA and others would be acting if they truly cared about combating the harassment of gay teenagers. Of course, they don't. They know that if gays can live without fear of violence, discrimination and rejection, they wouldn't be buying into their quacky and wacky 'cures' for being gay. And the more gay people are living out and proud, happy and normal lives, the more people come into contact with those, the harder it becomes for them to demonize gays. If I remember correctly, those who opposed lynching laws didn't defend lynching. Instead, they claimed that it wasn't a problem. Same thing the religious right does with hate crimes and anti-gay bullying. Ignore it. I truly think that they couldn't be more happy with it. It's more than about keeping 'sexual orientation' protections out of the law. Joel, I personally do believe in the sincerity of Dr. Throckmorton. Maybe he is trying to channel the anti-gay impulses that young evangelicals have with or without his help into a less destructive course. Otherwise, I don’t see why he would put this e-mail on his website and be happy that what he said inspired a young Christian lady to act like… well, Christ would.

Dr. Throckmorton is an excellent example of how Focus on the Family, AFA and others would be acting if they truly cared about combating the harassment of gay teenagers. Of course, they don’t. They know that if gays can live without fear of violence, discrimination and rejection, they wouldn’t be buying into their quacky and wacky ‘cures’ for being gay. And the more gay people are living out and proud, happy and normal lives, the more people come into contact with those, the harder it becomes for them to demonize gays.

If I remember correctly, those who opposed lynching laws didn’t defend lynching. Instead, they claimed that it wasn’t a problem. Same thing the religious right does with hate crimes and anti-gay bullying. Ignore it. I truly think that they couldn’t be more happy with it. It’s more than about keeping ‘sexual orientation’ protections out of the law.

]]> By: Joel http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/04/27/1896/comment-page-1#comment-9964 Joel Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:12:26 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/04/27/1896#comment-9964 "To me, her actions were very different (and in my opinion much better and more honorable) than what Throckmorton had been proposing." I see no point in the GOlden Rule. It is implicit in the day of silence. This girl is an example, how much closer can you get in empathy? Of course... i believe its more subtle yet equally relgiously, anti-gay orientedly charged as its Day of Truth brethren. “To me, her actions were very different (and in my opinion much better and more honorable) than what Throckmorton had been proposing.”

I see no point in the GOlden Rule. It is implicit in the day of silence. This girl is an example, how much closer can you get in empathy?

Of course… i believe its more subtle yet equally relgiously, anti-gay orientedly charged as its Day of Truth brethren.

]]> By: Regan DuCasse http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/04/27/1896/comment-page-1#comment-9924 Regan DuCasse Mon, 28 Apr 2008 19:30:07 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/04/27/1896#comment-9924 John and Jason, you make the most important point of what she learned from her participation. Very few of us, however well intentioned truly have an opportunity to feel what 'the other' might be feeling. Even anecdotal incidents of harassment or intimidation (say a single white person being treated that way by a mob of blacks), still would be hard pressed to understand what a LIFETIME of threat from it can to do a person. Let alone institution and legal discrimination. This young person GOT IT, and very often the adults in her life are not leading by example of walking in someone shoes, and REALLY experiencing, even for two minutes, what another experience could teach. And as we all witness often too, experiencing what the other might or does...ISN'T tolerated for any length of time. But instead of seeking remedies, our detractors simply dig in their heels and want to continue the injustice. BTW...Exodus is crowing about their participation in the Day of Truth. And therein folks, is exactly the point. John and Jason, you make the most important point of what she learned from her participation.
Very few of us, however well intentioned truly have an opportunity to feel what ‘the other’ might be feeling. Even anecdotal incidents of harassment or intimidation (say a single white person being treated that way by a mob of blacks), still would be hard pressed to understand what a LIFETIME of threat from it can to do a person.
Let alone institution and legal discrimination.
This young person GOT IT, and very often the adults in her life are not leading by example of walking in someone shoes, and REALLY experiencing, even for two minutes, what another experience could teach.
And as we all witness often too, experiencing what the other might or does…ISN’T tolerated for any length of time.
But instead of seeking remedies, our detractors simply dig in their heels and want to continue the injustice.

BTW…Exodus is crowing about their participation in the Day of Truth.
And therein folks, is exactly the point.

]]> By: AJ http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/04/27/1896/comment-page-1#comment-9923 AJ Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:51:42 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/04/27/1896#comment-9923 "Yesterday, the LGBT community saw something revolutionary - they saw Christians loving them." There is nothing revolutionary about this. There are many Christians who love the LGBT community. In fact, there are many Christians who are members of the LGBT community. There is, you see, a non-homophobic, inclusive form of Christianity available to Christian believers: it's called liberal Protestantism. See, evangelicals are not the only Christians out there, fundamentalist spin to the contrary notwithstanding. So she should have written: "Yesterday, the LGBT community saw something revolutionary - they saw EVANGELICAL Christians loving them." Truth in advertising is always best for the customer. “Yesterday, the LGBT community saw something revolutionary – they saw Christians loving them.”

There is nothing revolutionary about this. There are many Christians who love the LGBT community. In fact, there are many Christians who are members of the LGBT community. There is, you see, a non-homophobic, inclusive form of Christianity available to Christian believers: it’s called liberal Protestantism. See, evangelicals are not the only Christians out there, fundamentalist spin to the contrary notwithstanding.

So she should have written:

“Yesterday, the LGBT community saw something revolutionary – they saw EVANGELICAL Christians loving them.”

Truth in advertising is always best for the customer.

]]> By: Brady http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/04/27/1896/comment-page-1#comment-9912 Brady Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:37:34 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/04/27/1896#comment-9912 That was a very moving letter for me. I'm very impressed by the way she handled herself. Truly amazing. That was a very moving letter for me. I’m very impressed by the way she handled herself. Truly amazing.

]]> By: Jason D http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/04/27/1896/comment-page-1#comment-9908 Jason D Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:07:41 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/04/27/1896#comment-9908 Oh look, someone taking a walk in my shoes, that's refreshing. Oh look, someone taking a walk in my shoes, that’s refreshing.

]]> By: John http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/04/27/1896/comment-page-1#comment-9903 John Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:42:32 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/04/27/1896#comment-9903 What most struck me in reading her account was that she participated in the Day of Silence as a participant in the Day of Silence. She did not put herself out there as doing something alternate to the Day of Silence. She put tape accross her mouth and was harrassed by someone who probably thought she was gay. To me, her actions were very different (and in my opinion much better and more honorable) than what Throckmorton had been proposing. What most struck me in reading her account was that she participated in the Day of Silence as a participant in the Day of Silence. She did not put herself out there as doing something alternate to the Day of Silence. She put tape accross her mouth and was harrassed by someone who probably thought she was gay.

To me, her actions were very different (and in my opinion much better and more honorable) than what Throckmorton had been proposing.

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