Ex-Gay Therapy Gets Hit In The Pocketbook

I've long said that the way to fight hate groups is to bankrupt them and this news may be the forerunner to events leading tom the demise of ex-gay therapy:

The Southern Poverty Law Center filed a first-of-its-kind lawsuit today accusing a New Jersey organization of consumer fraud for offering conversion therapy services – a dangerous and discredited practice that claims to convert people from gay to straight.

It also names the total jerk Joseph Nicolosi and his "therapy" techniques.

Uganda's "Kill-The-Gays" Pastor Accused Of Extortion And Bribery To Push Bill

"Poo-Poo Pastor" allegedly resorted to extortion several times.
May know who killed activist David Kato

Rev. Martin Ssempa may have a hard time getting his beloved "kill the gays" bill passed, even though he's tried for years to have Ugandan homosexuality criminalized and some gays put to death. Last week, it seemed that, with the help of Ugandan legislator, David Bahati, the bill would surely go through Parliament, but there were rumors that the bill would be killed. Yesterday, taking matters into his own hands, Ssempa brought what he said were two million signatures in support of the bill and even brought two "ex-gays" to testify how they had been indoctrinated by slain gay activist David Kato.


The two "ex-gays," Paul Kagaba and George Oundo summarily spoke to speaker of Parliament, Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi in the company of Ssempa and Bishop Julius Oyet. They both related how they were "indoctrinated" by Kato by being raped by him after which  both became gay activists for a time until brought under the pastoral influence of Ssempa.


Ssempa, it seemed, had made his final, definitive argument for the (now internationally infamous) "kill the gays" bill.


Then an hour later, George Oundo was able to speak to the New York Times:

“David Kato was murdered; it was a plot,” Mr. Oundo said. “I don’t support the bill.”
I’ve always been gay,” Mr. Oundo said, in a timid but growing voice. “I didn’t choose it.”
“David Kato was the first one who taught me to protect my human right,” Mr. Oundo added.
Mr. Oundo said that his presence alongside Mr. Ssempa at Parliament had been to “protect” himself and that he had been contacted only that morning by Mr. Kagaba about the meeting and offered about $42 to attend. He said Mr. Ssempa had offered him about $2,000 in 2009 to repent and switch sides in the debate, but later reneged. Either way, Mr. Oundo became a poster-child for Mr. Ssempa’s anti-homosexuality movement.

Mr. Ssempa declined to comment on the allegations.

Mr. Oundo's last words to the Times: “If I live or die, I am gay, and if I am buried, bury me gay,” he said.


Martin Ssempa is an enigma of sorts: his siblings died of AIDS and he told himself that it was their promiscuity that caused their death. At the time, he was a celebrity: a national break dancing champion. He eschewed fame for membership in a local Baptist Church and performed in plays to educate students about AIDS. He studied sociology and received a Masters of Arts Degree at Philadelphia Biblical University. NOTE: there is no reference to Mr. Ssempa ever receiving a Masters of Divinity from PBU or any other institution. His own website DOES NOT MENTION ORDINATION OF ANY KIND, yet he insists on being called "Pastor" and dons all the trappings of ordained clergy (see picture above).


Ssempa also gained some international influence by working with George W. Bush's PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) and Pastor Rick Warren's Saddleback Church. It should be noted that, for some unknown reason, the two had a falling out and Warren has since distanced himself from Ssempa.


While campaigning against homosexuality, Ssempe repeatedly portrayed gays as people who regularly eat feces and practice extreme forms of anal sex, earning him the sobriquet of "Eat Da Poo-Poo" Pastor. He has also been known to accuse his rivals of pedophilia and homosexuality. Such accusations, once substantiated, can lead to catastrophic straits and everyone in Uganda knows that people have been brutally beaten, ostracized and, like David Kato, killed. 


George Ounda's accusations may lead to an inquiry (if Ounda is willing to testify), but any full-blown investigation is doubtful: Ssempa's influence runs as high as President and Mrs. Mousseveni. Ssempa also has connections with the U.S.'s Christian Right: "Prophet" Lou Engle and organizations like Family Research Council and American Family Association. 


I've written before about Rick Warren's influence in Africa, particularly Uganda, so something puzzles me: just what was it that made Warren cut off association with Ssempa? It must have been something quite serious because after all, Ssempa has long held to Warren's motto:


"Whatever It Takes." 

James David Manning's Sermons Are Growing More Violent By The Minute

"Allah Ain't Akbar, But Jesus Is"

Listen/watch the rants of "Rev." James David Manning and you'll realize that the Matthew Shepard Act (hate crimes legislation) was passed none too soon. Watch his video and decide if this is intended to incite violence. I wish I could have posted it, but Manning and ATLAH have been banned from YouTube (I wonder why?)

Since my last article on Manning, I have attempted to contact Manning via email provided on his website. I have even subscribed to an email newsletter. To reiterate, I have asked him:

Please provide the following documents:

• Certificate of Graduation from The New Rochelle College
• Award Certificate for Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary
• Letters from probation officers in the State of New York and the State of Florida stating dates of incarceration and the crimes for which both stays were meted out
• Proof of employment from Proctor and Gamble
• Proof of employment from Ford Motor Company
• Passport with dated stamp showing entry into the United Kingdom for the year 2004

So in the comment box for this video I wrote:

These comments are astounding proof of Pastor Manning's influence. So many of them are filled with such hatred (most of which is unfounded) not only for Obama, but for humanity itself. The latest video practically tells everyone to go out and kill Muslims and as many as possible. For example:

November 8, 2009 at 2:38 pm

Right on, Dr. Manning! All Muslims should immediately be kicked out of the armed forces, especially the ones “in the rear with the gear,” like that fake psychiatrist who killed 13 at Ford Hood. And all GAYS should be kicked out too!*

What's with the "fake psychiatrist"?? Does this commentor have knowledge that no one else has? Nidal Malik Hasan was a licensed psychiatrist who dealt with some very serious issues in dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Sydrome of all the men stationed at Fort Hood:
Colorado Springs Gazette:

Hasan, it appears, was dealing with a number of stressful issues. For one, he counseled soldiers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, one of the most challenging and emotionally draining tasks for a mental health care provider.

I posted a counter argument concerning the latest video:

Getting to the subject of "fake", however, I am now going to unleash a torrent of bad language, faulty reasoning, hatred, and all around foul feelings directed primarily at me. But here goes anyway: Has anyone actually checked the documents of "Rev." Manning? Just because he has that "Rev." in front of his name, because he's on cable TV, just because he says "God," "Bible" "Jesus" so many times does not mean he is who he claims to be. Oh yes, you've heard about his life of crime before and that he found Jesus while serving time. That shouldn't bother anyone. It is very commendable that he deals so honestly (up to a point) with his congregation. But the various biographies don't add up.

I then reiterated everything I stated in the previous article and added this:

Why am I being such a jerk about all this? Spirituality in any form is a wonderful, personal and deeply complex thing. Every being on earth has a right to it. Spirituality is an essence within us. (And yes, even atheists can be spiritual in their own way). There are, however, so many people to whom spirituality is too complex, too frightful (because they've been led to fear the unknown) they naturally turn to others for help. Ministers, preachers, priests, imams, rabbis, monks, holy men are supposed to help them. And some do. While some have their agenda for power.

One of the gravest sins a human being can perform is the sin of fraud to a community of believers. They have questions and concerns and he tells them that he has the answers - through God, of course.

I think "Rev." Manning may be a fraud. He certainly owes his congregation explanations as to why there are discrepancies in his biographies. If he is not a fraud, he will be perfectly willing to come up with the above documents. Enquiring minds want to know. Thank you. And God bless you.

Manning and his ATLAH are on Facebook and Twitter. The tweets he posts are a tribute to birther zealotry. ATLAH has been banned from YouTube.

Today is DAY 3 of challenging Manning. No response yet. Neither have I been shot at or struck by lightning.
We'll see.

* It seems this guy is an aficionado of haters because here was his response on Facebook:

Dr. Manning, you and Michael Savage are the two greatest living entities on the face of the Earth and should both be added to Mount Rushmore. When you and Savage are gone this country is doomed. Live long and prosper. God bless you and here's to hoping you have lots of security nearby to keep you safe and sound.

Challenge To Birther, Obama Hater And Alleged "Reverend" James David Manning: Show Us YOUR Documents!

Or At Least Tell Us Why You Think Al Sharpton And T.D. Jakes Are Witch Doctors

I was going to include this with a piece on right wingnut stupidity, but the subject is too serious: it reeks of mindless hatred hiding behind Scripture.

It also smells suspiciously of fraud.

A minister who preaches the reclamation of property and heritage to African Americans, while hiding behind Scripture and possibly bogus credentials could be considered lower than the President he bloviates about.

On Oct. 26, “Rev.” James David Manning delivered a speech posted on You Tube that was one of the most flagrant “kill Obama” harangues to come out of a “pulpit” since Barack Obama came on the political scene. “If Obama lives, America dies” has now hit the Internet with gale force winds while the MSM ignores it as just another right wingnut screaming rude and unintelligible rants. His interview on FOX's Hannity and Colmes in March of last year was so riddled with faulty reasoning that even Sean Hannity dismissed him as simply someone who had no tact (nor decency) when it came to attacking the would-be candidate and his family. (Watch the video below)

Manning's bio on his website reads, in part, like a wikipedia article. Word for word. With some deletions and additions both minor and major. A mistake on the part of the website's webmaster, but a major blunder on the part of Manning since the article begs questions and the ATLAH website gives conflicting material in other places.

And the wikipedia article is none too flattering:

Manning also holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree from his own ATLAH Theological Seminary, an unaccredited educational institution.

The website deletes the words "his own". It should also have deleted "an unaccredited educational institution." In the eyes of most Americans, this means no institution at all. What if one of the "Seminary" graduates decides to apply for ministerial duties at another church: not a ghost of a chance - especially when you take a look at the courses.

So Manning gave himself his own Ph.D. and its probably worthless. Another faux pas: the ATLAH website states "Attended Oxford Round Table at St. Antony’s College in the University of Oxford ,16 August 2004" while the wikipedia article states "According to Manning, he attended the Oxford Round Table ..." Click on the link and you'll find the Oxford Round Table is NOT affiliated with the University of Oxford. It is a California-based company currently involved in litigation over misrepresentation. Additionally, it looks as if someone from ATLAH had a hand in the wikipedia article.

Manning's time in prison for armed robbery in two states (New York and Florida) also throws his bio off in several ways, but for some inexplicable reason, simple arithmetic elludes right wingnuts. If (as his own website parroting wikipedia says) he became a Christian while in prison "before his release in 1978" how could he have gotten his Master of Divinity at Union Theological Seminary while founding ATLAH in 1981? A Master of Divinity usually takes six years to complete.

BTW: Those six years include New Testament Greek, church history, canon law, Hebrew and Christian education - none of which "Rev." Manning seems to know anything about.

But the most egregious discrepency in the ATLAH website:

James David Manning is the energetic and visionary pastor of the ATLAH World Missionary Church located in ATLAH, New York. He has founded three schools and developed a national church ministry. He holds a PhD in philosophy, the author of The Oblation Hour book, a former Marketing Executive with Proctor and Gamble and the Ford Motor Company.

HUH?!

Apparently it's been a very difficult task for "Dr." Manning to keep his bios straight: his "official" bio on the website mentions nothing about being an executive for two Fortune 500 companies and neither does the wikipedia article! So, let's challenge the dear "Dr./Rev." for some documents just as he's been asking for the birth certificate of President Obama.

To "Rev." James David Manning:

Please provide the following documents:

• Certificate of Graduation from The New Rochelle College
• Award Certificate for Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary
• Letters from probation officers in the State of New York and the State of Florida stating dates of incarceration and the crimes for which both stays were meted out
• Proof of employment from Proctor and Gamble
• Proof of employment from Ford Motor Company
• Passport with dated stamp showing entry into the United Kingdom for the year 2004
  

You do NOT need to provide an award certificate for your alleged Ph.D. since we need to save paper. And even if you can't produce these documents, please clarify:

• Why you think that Al Sharpton is a witchdoctor.
• Why your studies courses are still available only on cassette (especially How To Become A Prophet)
• Why a course on "Aliens" is included in your ATLAH Theological Seminary courses. (And by "aliens" do you mean illegal immigrants or the beings with super-large brains as in Mars Attacks!?)
  

To the earnest and worthwhile residents of Harlem: if you haven't already, please start delving into the "credentials" of this man and other "men of God" in your community. Words from Scripture coupled with words of abject hatred could be a clue that the man you trust isn't preaching on your behalf.

Resumes aren't always truthful. Neither are bogus "ministers."

Just a thought.