Box Turtle Bulletin
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyNovember 19th, 2009
Brian Brown, the Executive Director of anti-gay activist group, National Organization for Marriage, recently sent out an email entitled Beating Down the Beatitudes in DC? in which he calls on recipients from around the nation to call and email District of Columbia officials and insist that gay people not be treated with equality and dignity in that city.
The email starts like this:
All Christians are called to follow the Beatitudes. Since our nation\’s founding, America in particular has benefited from the fact that churches have united together to feed the poor, clothe the naked, care for the fatherless and motherless, and comfort the sorrowful.
He rambles on with the lies that the Catholic Church in the District has put out about how treating gay people like people will stop them from giving hot soup to the homeless. But it wasn’t these prevarications that caught my eye, I’m used to NOM’s hyperbole.
What I noticed was something else entirely. Brian Brown seems to have no clue what the Beatitudes actually say. Presented as part of the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes are not a call from Christians to help the poor. Rather, they are consolation and a promise of a better future: (Matthew 5:1-12)
Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Now there are several places in Scripture where the followers of Christ are admonished to attend the physical needs of those around them. And it is true that Christians have often taken those commands to heart. But the Beatitudes are not among them.
I might be more convinced that Brown and Gallagher were motivated by a deep spiritual conviction rather than base animus if they didn’t evidence such biblical illiteracy. And I wonder if any of their followers even noticed… or cared.
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Vancity
November 19th, 2009
It is important to recognize the following facts:
(1) No one is preventing Catholic Charities from operating.
(2) No one is preventing Catholics from contributing funds to Catholic Charities.
(3) No one is suggesting that Catholic Charities should lose its charitable status (as far as I know).
(4) No one is suggesting that Washington, D.C. should eliminate altogether the funds that are currently flowing to Washington, D.C. Catholic Charities; it is merely proposed that said funds should be re-directed to OTHER charities, in the event that the Roman Catholic Archbishop decides to refuse to accept public funding from the Washington, D.C. government.
(5) The moral imperative to “feed the poor, clothe the naked, care for the fatherless and motherless, and comfort the sorrowful” does not require public funding for any one particular charity.
Lindoro Almaviva
November 19th, 2009
What I find most insulting about this is the fact that they do not see gay people in the beatitudes. they see themselves as being in the blessed side of the beatitudes rather than in the offensive side.
David C.
November 19th, 2009
@ Lindoro Almaviva
Well, yes, of course they do. They see themselves as the Faith, as the True Followers of Christ, the standard of measurement by which to determine conformance to the Holy Doctrine and the Revealed Word.
These are the ones that would be seen of men, praying on the street corners. They have completely missed the message of Christ, almost at every turn, though it be plain.
David C.
November 19th, 2009
NOM is no better than a protection racket. It threatens the dire consequences of imaginary bogie-men, then fleeces people wanting protection from the bogus threat.
Most if not all of NOM’s sponsors claim to be Christians, so naturally, NOM has tailored its message to produce their act. It seems that NOM had a little glitch with trying to manipulate the referenced text to craft a message, revealing themselves as hacks that exist solely to separate those that are ignorant of the tenets of their own beliefs from their money.
This shows me that the Maggie and Brian Show should close, and its producers should step out from behind the curtain to take a final bow.
Ben
November 19th, 2009
Maybe you should include some kind of link to the email. With your (low) credibility, I don’t trust your translation. I’m guessing that Mr. Brown did NOT say that homosexuals should not be treated with equality and dignity. You added that part. Nor did he say (or the Catholic Church say) that treating homosexuals like humans will stop the church from giving soup to the homeless. You, again.
Nor did you actually include what Mr. Brown said about the Beatitudes. How can I be the judge of his supposed “Biblical illiteracy” if I can’t even read what he said? What are you afraid of?
This is a tried and true tactic of the homosexual Left–to somehow suggest that “real Christians” are thoroughly pro-Sodomy and only “Biblical illiterates” are not.
Please let us read his actual words. Without that small amount of context, this post becomes meaningless. If you want to be taken seriously…oh, never mind.
Timothy Kincaid
November 19th, 2009
What, Ben, aren’t you on the NOM mailing list? I would have thought so.
Well, here’s the exact language.
See, Ben, complete ignorance about the language and nature of the Beatitudes. So sad. Such illiteracy.
Oh, and for the record, I’m not part of the “homosexual Left”. That would be the other authors here.
one final ps. My credibility holds up pretty well, Ben. I’m pretty sure that my word has more sway than yours.
Dan T.
November 19th, 2009
NOM is just fulfilling the part about how if “people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of [Jesus]”, you will get great reward in Heaven; because of their insults, persecution, and lies, gays will get their heavenly reward!
paul j stein
November 19th, 2009
All the churches are about is the CASH MONEY! NON TAXED! THAAAATS ALL FOLKS! THE MONEY CHANGERS ARE RUNNING THE TEMPLE AND WILL STILL BE TOSSING JESUS OUT ON HIS ASS TODAY 2000 YEARS LATER! Oh and locking him up at the airport and detaining him at GITMO, on trial for subversion……
Ben
November 20th, 2009
How about “Blessed are the merciful for they will be show mercy”? Perhaps that is what he was referring to.
No, I’m not on NOM’s mailing list, although maybe I should be. Sounds like Mr. Brown has really hit the nail on the head here. Especially this line:
“They are saying to all of us: if you believe that marriage is the union of a man and a woman you are a bigot, and we will treat you as such, and punish your religious institutions.”
How can you contest this? Isn’t that the point of this blog? Anyone with the slightest objection to a bizarre, unnatural behavior that (until very, very recently) was universally rejected is now some kind of bigot? Isn’t that exactly the message of the Box Turtle Bulletin?
No, Timothy Kincaid. Your credibility sucks because Mr. Brown did not say any of the things that you said he said. I don’t trust you to translate his words for me. I want to hear what he has to say, not what Kincaid says that he said.
One final note: do you not find the last line of the Biblical passage a tad bit ironic?
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
The persecutors are you! It’s like Jesus knew all of this 2000 years ago! How prescient.
R Holmes
November 20th, 2009
“Anyone with the slightest objection to a bizarre, unnatural behavior that (until very, very recently) was universally rejected…”
Wow – has anyone ever managed to display ingorance of both history and biology in so few words? This must be some kind of record.
Go Ben! *standing ovation*
Jason D
November 20th, 2009
“They are saying to all of us: if you believe that marriage is the union of a man and a woman you are a bigot, and we will treat you as such, and punish your religious institutions.â€
How can you contest this?
Simple, Ben, it’s a lie and it’s wrong.
My parents are married in a “union of a man and a woman” and I believe in it. I don’t think they’re bigots.
Gay people don’t object to marriage being the union of a man and a woman — we object to the notion that marriage is ONLY the union of a man and a woman. There is a huge difference one you, NOM, and many bigots don’t get. It’s not bigotry to believe marriage is the union of a man and woman it’s bigotry to believe that marriage is ONLY the union of a man and a woman. It’s bigotry to point to an entire class of people and say “your relationships don’t count.” Especially when there’s no reason you can apply to gay people that doesn’t apply in some way to straight people.
Isn’t that the point of this blog?
You’ve not read much have you? The purpose and goals of this blog are to act as a refutation of misinformation about LGBT issues and to forment factual discussions about LGBT issues — or at least that’s my understanding.
Anyone with the slightest objection to a bizarre, unnatural behavior that (until very, very recently) was universally rejected is now some kind of bigot?
Also factually inaccurate. During the elizabethan age, it was not unusual for aristocrats to have male lovers and for them to be very public about it. Shakespeare wrote about half his sonnets about his male lover. There is also evidence throughout history that certain tribes and cultures have accepted, in one way or another, LGBT people. Native Americans often made LGBT people their Shamans because it was believed they were more spiritually connected and special. Universally rejected? Hardly.
And no, bigotry isn’t objection. A bigot, as Merriam-Webster notes is “: a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance”
And just in case you don’t know what tolerance is:
“2 a : sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one’s own b : the act of allowing something : toleration”
Donnchadh
November 20th, 2009
Many cultures -the Masai, Confucian China, several native American peoples- have or had various degrees of recognition of homosexual or homogendered sexual unions. And no, that’s not the same thing.
Wherever Christian and Islamic missionaries went, they stamped out these practices. Radical minorities imposing their definition of marriage, anyone?
Regan DuCasse
November 20th, 2009
Ben,
What do you know about your heterosexual neighbor’s behavior?
How do you qualify that they are moral, normal or even people worthy of marriage at face value?
You might think homosexuality is bizarre and unnatural, but you KNOW that or are CERTAIN of that….how?
And even then, how do YOU or any other human being from any other primitive, barbaric and reactionary 6,000 year old culture is so certain it’s bad, evil or not a part of nature’s obvious variations and diversity?
I shouldn’t have to go there to reach SO far back in history to remind you that things have changed. We are a culture that has in just the last 40 years attended to understanding that there is no amount cruelty or discrimination due an entire group of people for a distinct difference, but one that does, nor causes harm in or out of proportion to the inverse of their sexuality (heterosexuality).
You don’t know a thing about your heterosexual neighbors, but being hetero is enough for you to judge them worthy human beings of every right and protection the Constitution and Bill of Rights has to offer?
And homosexuality is the only thing you know is worthy of exclusion from the same?
Ben, to say yes to the latter DOES require bigotry. Bigotry that is incompatible with common sense.
Gays and lesbians, rightly, are requiring you to be consistent in how you judge your hetero neighbors.
For this country to commit to it’s own mission statement.
Gay people have been around since humanity itself began.
Religious belief has been fluid, cruel and inconsistent and isn’t enforceable in this country, nor should it be.
Religious belief has historically been more dangerous to mankind than homosexuality.
And I’d rather put my faith in the compassionate track record of equality and assumed freedom, thank you.
You wouldn’t be able to be who YOU are without it either.
So have some respect for those gay men and women who understand all that better than you and Brian Brown apparently do.
JimInMa
November 20th, 2009
Go tell a black person that you think they’re evil and don’t deserve a constitutional right to get married, and you’ll be smacked in the face and probably arrested.
But 40 years ago you would have done just that and had the “majority” agree with you.
Timothy Kincaid
November 20th, 2009
Ben,
I doubt that you were being ironic. I don’t sense that level of sophistication in your comments.
But had you been, I could have shared your amusement. Because, indeed, mercy is the least of NOMs intentions.
Gay couples have provided legitimate complaints about how their lives are inhibited and miseries are imposed upon them. We all have heard of obscenities such as denying hospital visitation, unequal taxation, separation from children, and even refusing to release the body of the deceased.
Gay couples plead for a way to live our lives free of encumbrances in a manner that those who oppress us take for granted.
And the response of NOM and the anti-gay industry is, “No mercy!!”
No, of course not.
Many, many people are not supporters of marriage equality for reasons other than bigotry.
Some fear change, others see this in terms of “those city people are pushing their values on me”. Some folks just don’t know any gay people and have no perspective from which to reconsider presumptions. Others rely on the advice of their religious leaders or community leaders. Some are genuinely concerned about children or culture. And some have deeply held religious convictions that may be in conflict with their observations.
These are not bigoted responses. Nor do we define them as such.
In fact, you’ll not find that the authors at BTB refer to many people at all as bigots. Unlike NOM at its adherents, we believe that words have meaning and that truth and honesty are more important than spewing rhetoric.
But there is such a thing as bigotry. And when it occurs, it’s worth noting.
Ben, bigotry is when you measure your response based upon what group it impacts. When you deny rights according to whom you dislike. When you assume heinous accusations to be true solely because you want them to be. When you care nothing for principle and only care about harming that group you have assigned as “enemy”.
You need to ask yourself, Ben, are your objections to gay equality based on principles you apply to all, or are you just expressing animus to a selected group of individuals based on a shared attribute?
Because while many many people are not bigoted in their opposition to my equality, some are. Are you?
Helen in Ireland
November 20th, 2009
Ben, I think that one thing that you will find at this blog (BTB) is that commentators who disagree will find their remarks not only posted but responded to with reason and honesty, where the true facts are not only presented but verified with links to original documents. You will be heard, and answered. The answers may not be to your liking, but your viewpoints ARE heard and retained here by Timothy and his fellow writers.
However, during the recent campaign to affirm equality in Maine, many ‘pro-traditional marriage’ sites DELETED, without response or reason, numerous polite posts and responses from the gay community which tried to lay out the refuting argument. NOM, AFTAH and other site of similar ilk are awash with ‘affirmative’ comments, many of which are laced with homophobic and bigotted language.
The gay community in the US have never tried to deny any other citizen’s rights. They have never denied them their humanity and dignity under the law of the US constitution.
Unlike NOM and the people you espouse.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
I believe that the ‘people’ referenced in the above are the fundementalist Christian activists who use Christ’s teaching in such twisted and intolerant verbiage against the gay community. Christian fundementalism has hijacked a tolerant, embracing Jesus just to abuse his words to their own end – and we would like Him back please.
Aaron
November 20th, 2009
“One final note: do you not find the last line of the Biblical passage a tad bit ironic?
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
The persecutors are you! It’s like Jesus knew all of this 2000 years ago! How prescient.”
How interesting! As a gay Christian, I interpreted it in a totally different manner. You see, if you think about it, all we really want are additional rights which have no effect upon you. Gay marriage and hate crime laws could be ratified in every single state, and, really, your life wouldn’t change one iota. Meanwhile, I have been forced to watch representatives of the Body of Christ (of which I am a member) make up reasons why we don’t deserve to be given even the most basic protections. A good example are those who claim that we are exaggerating about how bad the persecution against glbt people, when, in fact, the FBI figures are quite clear (please, look them up). I don’t need to list more examples, most of them are on this website. In a similar vein, I am often told by ignorant christians that simply being gay is enough for me to burn in hell. I forgive them, they are ignorant. But, for me, this verse relates quite well to the persecution that I have encountered from people more or less of the same mindset as yourself. I really don’t think we are persecuting you, as far as I can tell, we are simply asking for the freedom to pursue happiness as we understand it. I certainly have no wish to limit your rights to say as you will.
Peace, Love and Joy, my brother.
Ephilei
November 21st, 2009
Timothy’s exegesis is correct. The Beatitudes aren’t commandments to be followed, they state what happens in the world regardless of human intervention. The active party in these verses is God. God comfort, fill, show mercy, etc.
Jason D
November 22nd, 2009
Aaron,
That’s the thing gays have never championed or lobbied to reduce or eliminate the rights of straight people.
In fact, nothing we are fighting for takes anything away from straight people.
except one thing.
Privilege.
See, equality levels the playing field. And when the playing field is level, all those special perks of being part of the ruling class are no longer perks you get to lord over others, or tuck yourself into bed at night with that feeling of “at least I’m not one of THEM.”
These people in power never had a right to those privileges, never really earned them, but feel they are entitled to them nonetheless.
Christian Fundamentalists used to be part of the mainstream. They could trust that everyone felt like them and everyone disdained the same people as them.
Now that they are losing power, now that cutural and society are shifting they’re outraged that the rules of the game has changed and that they actually have to justify themselves, explain themselves, and treat other people like…well…people.
There are all these written and unwritten rules that we’re not following, and they are PISSED about it.
They’re not losing rights, they’re losing the mainstream, they’re losing their privileges.
They can’t come up with one, legitimate, logical, legal, constitutional reason for their opposition to equality — NOT ONE! They’re mad they even have to justify their bigotted views to us in even the most simple ways.
I mean, don’t we get it? They’re the ones in charge, and that’s the way things are supposed to be! They’re not supposed to change, we are, to suit them.
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