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 lobbyApril 3rd, 2007
Pam Spaulding has published a second interview with Joe Murray, a former staff attorney for the American Family Association. Murray has shown a remarkable change of heart in these interviews. Where he once wrote, “The Sodomy Squadron has been flying high, for the Supreme Court has deemed sodomy a fundamental right,” He now says this:
Look, there is no need to see gays as the enemies; such a view is not healthy. I used to believe that gays were part of a grand cultural conspiracy, out to replace the Christian culture, but found this to be untrue.
For the most part, gays want exactly what I want — a family, respect, happiness, the right to follow their dreams. Is this too much to ask? Would granting these rights shred our cultural fabric? Surely not.
Pam and her readers asked Joe Murray several questions on a wide range of topics.
On what motivates anti-gay activists, some of whom seem to exhibit a single-minded obsesion:
I cannot and will not speak to the character of someone’s heart. I will, however, make on observation.
I have found that when individuals have such high levels of obsession with an issue and completely allow a single issue to take over, there are either some subconscious issues at play or it is just basic fear. This statement is not geared towards Miss Schlafly, but human beings in general. Until one comes to terms with his subconscious or fears, the obsession continues. At least that is what I have learned over my short life.
On anti-gay activists’ fundamental dishonesty in how they lobby against hate crime legislation:
As for hate crimes, I am absolutely sickened by the propaganda campaign that has found its way onto the political landscape. FRC, AFA, and TVC are already scaring supporters into thinking that the hate crimes law will result in preachers leaving the pulpit and checking into prison. This is absurd.
Now, I do not know the motivations of these folks, and I will not say what is in their hearts, but how can trained professionals really think that the hate crimes bill will shred the First Amendment?
Further, just read Conyers’ bill – it does not punish thoughts, it punishes actions that were the product of hateful thoughts. In other words, just thinking or stating a thought will not place you in a paddy wagon.
On his own change of heart, and lessons that gays and lesbians can draw from it:
I would also caution gay folks from channeling their understandable anger towards the Church. Gay Americans (and Christians) have every reason to be upset with the way they have been treated over the years. They have been treated like second class citizens, and there is not justification for such behavior.
But when some gays lash out against the Church, they lash out against something held dear by many people and take the bait of those seeking to portray all gays as anti-Christian at heart. And whether such anger is reasonable becomes moot as the images plastered in action alerts shape the minds of Main Street Americans.
…images of radical folks bashing the church, dressing as nuns and mocking key tenets of my faith did not help my turnabout. But it was my internal restlessness that caused me to open my eyes, and my heart, to the possibility I missed something.
And this admonition for the Church:
…There is no doubt in my mind that anytime an entire group of individuals are singled out and demonized because of a trait they have no control over such persecution must be resisted at every level.
One would think that spokespeople of a faith whose early pioneers were fed to the lions would be a little more conscientious of this fact.
Another great, informative interview. And you can read the first part of that interview here.
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Lynn David
April 3rd, 2007
Now if we could just get the AFA to give us a reaction to Murray’s thoughts.
psgoodguy
April 5th, 2007
if the church were just acting like a church there would be much less backlash toward them from the gay community. however, when the church becomes a political party the gloves come off and they are fair game for criticism, analysis and pushback just like anyone else in the political arena.
but they want to have it both ways. “we can say whatever we want, involve ourselves to the hilt in the political discourse, raise millions of dollars to humiliate you… and HOW DARE YOU attack us. we’re the church, damnit!”
homie don’t play that game.
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