The Daily Agenda for Thursday, May 23
It's Not the Principle, It's the Prejudice
Congratulations Mitch!
Gay Couples Excluded from Immigration Bill Markup
How To Spot A Swivel-Eyed Loon
The Daily Agenda for Wednesday, May 22
House of Commons officially passes marriage equality
British Commons Approves Marriage Equality Bill
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 500 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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Neon Genesis
January 2nd, 2013 | LINK
Evangelical churches don’t need to speak out against gay marriage when they have organizations like NOM and AFA to speak on their behalf. Why risk embarrassing yourself by saying/doing something outrageously extreme when you can let other groups do all your dirty work?
Hunter
January 3rd, 2013 | LINK
This thought keeps hanging around at the back of my mind: How many RC bishops in this country do you think are entertaining the idea that they’d like to be the first American pope? Like maybe George and Dolan? (Both of whom have a lot of catching up to do if they’re going to overtake Cordileone.) And what better way to drum up support in the Curia?
The Protestant sects don’t have that kind of political consideration.
Nathaniel
January 3rd, 2013 | LINK
I think this is a useful insight into the distinctions that drive protestant evangelicals compared to the RCC, and certainly serves as one explanation of the seeming silence of those evangelicals. However, your comment comes on the heels of Franklin Graham’s comments regarding the “moral cliff.” Indeed, ever tragedy of recent times has spurred the condemnation of certain ‘vices’ by evangelical voice-boxes. I find it hard to believe evangelicals are ready to take the marriage fight lying down. As Neon Genesis pointed out, it makes sense for them to take a back seat to the ample anti-gay groups, which are run as much by evangelicals as by RC lackeys. And while I can’t speak for other denominations, the SBC hasn’t much work to do on the front now that all their states are safely ensconced behind anti-gay constitutional amendments. They have always thought of New England as a lost cause anyway, and forget the liberal haven of the West Coast.
Well, actually, I think I can say something of some of the other denominations. Lutherans, Presbyterians and Methodists are more hierarchical than Baptists, and have enough to deal with from heretical ministers, congregations, and even districts. The hierarchy would certainly want to keep quiet about any dissent within the ranks. The RCC is only beginning to endure this battle; possibly because Catholic congregants are already used to nodding their heads in church then going about their lives as they see fit.
Mary
January 3rd, 2013 | LINK
Over the past year, I have read several interesting blog post by Reformed Presbyterian and Independent Fundamentalist Baptist women (i.e. VERY conservative), who are urging like-minded folks to reject “government marriage.” According to their analysis, government marriage has been corrupted by gay marriage, and the pious should only pursue religious marriages. Those in common law marriage states can still legally claim all the governmental benefits of marriage by simply “holding themselves out” as married. Even in states without common law marriage, I doubt anyone at the IRS is checking up on these couples to see if their marriages are registered with a state.
So, I’m not sure that quiet on gay marriage represents softening on the issues, as much as hunkering down and seeking a new strategy.
markanthony
January 3rd, 2013 | LINK
Interesting theory Timothy, although I would agree with others here that you are being a little optimistic. There are several other reasons that Catholic leaders are more prominent in the news media. (BTW, I’m a RC who grew up amongst the Southern Baptists)
Beyond some of the reasons listed above, I think its worth noting that Catholic leaders are being forced to argue with their own flocks. Clearly the Catholic population is split or tilting in favor of marriage, while I don’t get the impression that Southern Baptist population differs from its leadership on this issue. SB leadership just don’t have to throw fits to get noticed on this issue.
Also, there may be some media selection (bias?) at work here. A RC bishop, with all his regalia, can legitimately claim to speak on behalf of millions of adherents. He can even order his pronouncements to be read during services. SB leaders seem to act more like representatives and referees, business suits and all, for a collection of like minded churches and seminaries. Even if Catholic Bishops don’t actually commend their flocks in lock step, they make much flasher headlines.
Josiah
January 6th, 2013 | LINK
Another consideration in light of the point about the RC church having a hierarchy (as well as the Lutheran Missouri Synod and LDS churches) is that they are not as dependent on their congregations for their livelihoods. Financially, churches that do not have complex denominational structures are for more reliant upon their local congregants for the “tithes and offerings” for their weekly paychecks. It gets harder and harder to fling around ridiculous and unfounded cliches about gay people when your congregants are increasingly finding that such “threats” among their children and friends are not what those preachers said they were. Eventually, even those who have moral issues with gay relationships are not going to sit kindly and listen to some preacher bash their loved ones. They may not change their theology, but they may invent convenient excuses not to place as much money in the plate each week.
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