There Were No Bachelorette Parties at The Abbey in WeHo Last Night
The Daily Agenda for Saturday, May 26
Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend
The new Exodus message
Sometimes comments to an article can make your day
This, I Did Not Expect
Now this is the sermon I've been waiting to hear
This is what Tony Perkins's Head Looks Like On A Platter
Featured Reports
What Are Little Boys Made Of?
In this original BTB Investigation, we unveil the tragic story of Kirk Murphy, a four-year-old boy who was treated for “cross-gender disturbance” in 1970 by a young grad student by the name of George Rekers. This story is a stark reminder that there are severe and damaging consequences when therapists try to ensure that boys will be boys.
Slouching Towards Kampala: Uganda’s Deadly Embrace of Hate
When we first reported on three American anti-gay activists traveling to Kampala for a three-day conference, we had no idea that it would be the first report of a long string of events leading to a proposal to institute the death penalty for LGBT people. But that is exactly what happened. In this report, we review our collection of more than 450 posts to tell the story of one nation’s embrace of hatred toward gay people. This report will be updated continuously as events continue to unfold. Check here for the latest updates.
David Benkof: Behind the Mask
At first glance, David Benkof appears to be a young gay man who believes that same-sex marriage will damage the institution of marriage, that there are better options for gay couples than marriage, that the community should join him in prioritizing other more pressing issues, and that the marriage discussion is harming the efforts of gay couples in red states to get recognition for their unions. He also claims that he’s a gay columnist, that he speaks for an influential collection of gay thinkers, and that he is part of the gay and lesbian community and that he shares our goals and dreams. But none of that is true.
“Repeat After Me”: The Reparative Therapy Echo Chamber
The April 2008 edition of the pay-to-publish vanity journal Psychological Reports featured a new report from NARTH. Written by NARTH president A. Dean Byrd, past president Joseph Nicolosi, and Richard W. Potts, the report carries the unwieldy but self-descriptive title, “Clients perceptions of how reorientation therapy and self-help can promote changes in sexual orientation.” While the title describes what the authors meant to show — how clients describe the benefits of reparative therapy — the report itself actually illustrates something very different: the ex-gay movement’s remarkable ability to instill an almost robot-like parroting of ex-gay rhetoric among their clients.
Testing the Premise: Is MRSA The New Gay Plague?
The Toronto Star said that a new study “discover[ed] a new strain” of a super-bug “hitting gay men.” Headlines in Britain screamed, “Flesh-eating bug strikes San Francisco’s gay community,” and anti-gay extremists across America spread the alarm that gays were introducing another plague into “the general population.” But there was a small problem with all of this: None of it is true!
Paul Cameron’s World
In 2005, the Southern Poverty Law Center wrote that “[Paul] Cameron’s ‘science’ echoes Nazi Germany.” What the SPLC didn”t know was Cameron doesn’t just “echo” Nazi Germany. He quoted extensively from one of the Final Solution’s architects. This puts his fascination with quarantines, mandatory tattoos, and extermination being a “plausible idea” in a whole new and deeply disturbing light.
From the Inside: Focus on the Family’s “Love Won Out”
On February 10, I attended an all-day “Love Won Out” ex-gay conference in Phoenix, put on by Focus on the Family and Exodus International. In this series of reports, I talk about what I learned there: the people who go to these conferences, the things that they hear, and what this all means for them, their families and for the rest of us.
Prologue: Why I Went To “Love Won Out”
Part 1: What’s Love Got To Do With It?
Part 2: Parents Struggle With “No Exceptions”
Part 3: A Whole New Dialect
Part 4: It Depends On How The Meaning of the Word "Change" Changes
Part 5: A Candid Explanation For "Change"
The Heterosexual Agenda: Exposing The Myths
At last, the truth can now be told.
Using the same research methods employed by most anti-gay political pressure groups, we examine the statistics and the case studies that dispel many of the myths about heterosexuality. Download your copy today!
And don't miss our companion report, How To Write An Anti-Gay Tract In Fifteen Easy Steps.
Testing The Premise: Are Gays A Threat To Our Children?
Anti-gay activists often charge that gay men and women pose a threat to children. In this report, we explore the supposed connection between homosexuality and child sexual abuse, the conclusions reached by the most knowledgeable professionals in the field, and how anti-gay activists continue to ignore their findings. This has tremendous consequences, not just for gay men and women, but more importantly for the safety of all our children.
Straight From The Source: What the “Dutch Study” Really Says About Gay Couples
Anti-gay activists often cite the “Dutch Study” to claim that gay unions last only about 1½ years and that the these men have an average of eight additional partners per year outside of their steady relationship. In this report, we will take you step by step into the study to see whether the claims are true.
The FRC’s Briefs Are Showing
Tony Perkins’ Family Research Council submitted an Amicus Brief to the Maryland Court of Appeals as that court prepared to consider the issue of gay marriage. We examine just one small section of that brief to reveal the junk science and fraudulent claims of the Family “Research” Council.
Review: The Gay Report
When Karla Jay and Allan Young published The Gay Report in 1979, it quickly a favorite source of statistics for many anti-gay extremists. But before you accepts these statistic at face value, you should examine the inner workings of this survey very carefully. What you learn might surprise you.
Daniel Fetty Doesn’t Count
The FBI’s annual Hate Crime Statistics aren’t as complete as they ought to be, and their report for 2004 was no exception. In fact, their most recent report has quite a few glaring holes. Holes big enough for Daniel Fetty to fall through.
News, analysis and fact-checking of anti-gay rhetoric
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The Gossip-Boy web site has uncovered evidence of a major upcoming anti-gay campaign by Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett and a local pastor who advocates court-ordered “education programs” to “cure” gay people.GB: Blair, I am familiar with him personally, is a terrific choice. The man will stand his ground and will certainly help keep the faggots in line. He’s a pretty big boy. Ha ha.
Piper
December 8th, 2008 | LINK
This guy is friggin scary. It angers me that people like him are out there spreading such hate and giving liberal Christians a bad name. RE-EDUCATION CAMPS? Wow. that’s all I can say, WOW!
Rick
December 8th, 2008 | LINK
Please explain to me how it is possible for “a real man of God” to make a career out of hating others?
AJD
December 8th, 2008 | LINK
It’s nice to finally see proof of what I’ve been thinking all along: That the “nice” religious right people are just as hateful as the Westboro Baptist Church.
I’m not sure if what the GB guys did would be considered an ethical journalism tactic, but at least their use of the “Borat method” was effective…
GDad
December 8th, 2008 | LINK
That’s amazing. I can’t imagine that any such effort would make it past the first court case, unless they were in front of Justice Roy Moore in Alabama.
SharonB
December 8th, 2008 | LINK
Why do you think a lot of states still keep the anti-sodomy laws on their books, even though Lawrence struck them down?
It’s part of their final solution to the homo-problem.
AJD
December 8th, 2008 | LINK
This is scary enough that I sent a message to the people at GB encouraging them to forward a transcript and/or audio file of the call to national media.
V
December 8th, 2008 | LINK
Yep, men of God.
They love us, you know.
Watch the ex-gays and defend them.
L. Junius Brutus
December 8th, 2008 | LINK
“The planned anti-gay drive is reportedly part of Mayor Cornett’s longer-term strategy for the 2010 governor’s race. According to unnamed insiders, the Mayor hopes that by waging this campaign targeting gays and lesbians”
Sounds familiar?
Sounds like John Briggs.
Swampfox
December 8th, 2008 | LINK
Oklahoma must be hell for those that are coming to terms with their homosexuality.
David C.
December 8th, 2008 | LINK
I don’t want to apologize for, or paint all “evangelicals” with the same brush, but everybody needs to do a little homework to learn where these people get their “values”. Doing so is critical to future strategies aimed at thwarting vilification of gay people for political gain, especially where it is through an instrument of Faith.
~~
Here is an excerpt from a more “mainstream” interview with Richard Cizik, vice president for governmental affairs for the National Association of Evangelicals, an organization that represents 52 denominations and 45,000 churches:
(Frontline Interviewer): What are the other [tenets of evangelicalism]?
“The third aspect of evangelicals, which I think is very important, is that they attempt to share that faith they have with others in a broad manner of fashion through charitable activities, through witnessing their faith. [It's] very important to witness for Jesus Christ to others. But that witness can take many forms. Certainly one form, apart from charity efforts and the rest, is political involvement. We think that’s simple obedience to the call of Jesus Christ — to be an active citizen in one’s society. There’s no question about it. …” [Emphasis mine]
You can read all of the interview here.
After a small amount of effort, I was unable to determine with full certainty whether Olivet Baptist Church was “covered” under one of the National Association of Evangelicals member denominations or organizations.
Extreme examples like the one being reported here in BTB are the norm for some of the more rabidly anti-homosexual sects of evangelical Christianity. This is not however the case for all Christians: the more moderate and tolerant voices from within mainline Christianity will be needed to persuade the more strident sects to stop supporting anti-gay policies.
Gay Oklahomans need to identify those mainline and moderate Christian organizations in their state and call on them to work through their faith connection with Olivet Baptist Church pastor Steve Kern to persuade him and his flock to renounce false-witness against gay people, and withdraw their support for any political candidate that bares false-witness against any person or group.
Rob Lll
December 8th, 2008 | LINK
David C, I think you mean *bearing* false witness.
Although “baring” false witness sounds like it could be fun. :)
David C.
December 8th, 2008 | LINK
Rob Lll,
Yes, I saw that after I posted the thing. Unfortunately I can’t edit the post to correct it now. That particular homophone has a way of tripping me up at the most inconvenient moment.
Maybe Jim or Timothy could edit it for me now that I can’t. Sheesh, talk about egg on your face, how about the whole omelet.
KZ
December 8th, 2008 | LINK
“According to unnamed insiders, the Mayor hopes that by waging this campaign targeting gays and lesbians, he will gain the good graces of fundamentalist voters and ‘walk away a hero to certain people’”
…and to certain other people, he’ll walk away a (insert expletive of your choice here).
John
December 8th, 2008 | LINK
“re-education camps? More like imprisonment and brainwashing. Does he think he’s lawmaker, cop, judge, jury, and (mental) executioner? I suppose he’s going to ban the Surrey With The Fringe On top as “too gay”.
Attmay
December 8th, 2008 | LINK
What do you expect from a state that authorized police to break into people’s homes and seize video copies of an Oscar-winning foreign film?
Lynn David
December 9th, 2008 | LINK
Perhaps not much less so than when I was there in the late 70s and the 80s. You’d think all those good Christians who asked me to go to strip clubs should get the idea. Actually, I think my boss got the idea, and that might be the reason I think I got a raw deal from that company.
GDad
December 9th, 2008 | LINK
David C. said:
That’s really funny.
Your original comment about reaching out to moderates is very insightful.
Henry
December 9th, 2008 | LINK
if you search on youtube “Cornett Ellen” you will find that the mayor appeared on the Ellen Degeneres show to talk about his city being dubbed” the fattest in America”. i kid you not. He even hugged Ellen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQS1yz18IPg
Alas, a blog » Blog Archive » Link Farm and Open Thread Number Umpity-Dumpity
December 9th, 2008 | LINK
[...] When they think they’re talking in private, that’s when they really speak their minds about “homos.” Influential Oklahoma fundimentalist Steve Kern says: “Courts can force drug offenders into treatment centers and violent people into anger management. There’s no reason our courts can’t do that with homos.” Via Box Turtle Bulletin. [...]
Taylor Ford
April 8th, 2009 | LINK
This comment has been deleted due to excessive profanity, along with numerous other violations to our Comments Policy. — JB
Ray Roedell
May 6th, 2009 | LINK
I am sick of monies being used to discriminate against citizens of Oklahoma City and Oklahoma.
Evidently Rev. Kern has not read the messages of Jesus speaking about LOVE.
A Prior Mayor had gay flags, benches etc. removed and waged a costly “war.”
Monies that even Judas would have wanted to be used for the poor.
The problem with Conservative Republican Chistians
1.Is that they claim to be “Conservative” which would usually keep the government smaller AND OUT OF our homes/bedrooms
2.They are both totally opposite of how a Christian is supposed to do/act.
3. Republicans want less Government etc. and they are imposing in our homes, bedrooms, lives, etc.
This is a cultural “war” of not our wanting BUT I’ll be damned if I will allow some homophobic Minister and Mayor to disrupt my Life
In any “war” there are traitors and we all can understand what happens to them!
Ray Roedell
May 6th, 2009 | LINK
I am sick of monies being used to discriminate against citizens of Oklahoma City and Oklahoma.
Evidently Rev. Kern has not read the messages of Jesus speaking about LOVE.
A Prior Mayor had gay flags, benches etc. removed and waged a costly “war.”
Monies that even Judas would have wanted to be used for the poor.
Who is the bigger sinner
1. a Minister, his wife and Church using monies that would be better spent elsewhere.
2. a sill May that being in sports has probably seem more locker room foolishness
3. gay people.
The problem with Conservative Republican Christians
1.Is that they claim to be “Conservative” which would usually keep the government smaller AND OUT OF our homes/bedrooms
2.They are both totally opposite of how a Christian is supposed to do/act. Shouldn’t these people be preparing for their rapture or removing the beam in their own eyes?
3. Republicans want less Government etc. and they are imposing in our homes, bedrooms, lives, etc.
This is a cultural “war” not of our wanting BUT I’ll be damned if I will allow some homophobic Minister and Mayor to disrupt my Life
In any “war” there are traitors and we all can understand what happens to them!
AyameTan
January 14th, 2011 | LINK
Yet more proof that social conservatism is social fascism. :(
YANA
May 13th, 2012 | LINK
“Man of God” my ass. There IS no God. People like this make me certain of that.
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