Haggard ReDux: Sometimes the Homo-sex Came From Within New Hope Church!

Ted Haggard: From One Comic Scandal To Another!

Hypocrisy is running rampant through America's religious communities these days. And exposing hypocrisy is...fun! At least for those of us who can point it out!

(From the Denver Post, Jan. 23, 2009)

Disgraced evangelical leader Ted Haggard's former church disclosed Friday that the gay sex scandal that caused his downfall extends to a young male church volunteer who reported having a sexual relationship with Haggard — a revelation that comes as Haggard tries to repair his public image.

Brady Boyd, who succeeded Haggard as senior pastor of New Life, said the church reached a legal settlement to pay the man for counseling and college tuition, with one condition being that none of the parties involved discuss the matter publicly.

We considered it more compassionate assistance — certainly not hush money.

Compassion from a Christofascist? Now that's a new one. If it's anything like the compassionate conservatism we had under George Bush, then it's rather hollow. What about Mike Jones? He's angry. VERY angry. He experienced the hypocrisy of the gay community as well as New Life's hypocritical attempt at a cover-up. He was made a pariah by both sides. And he never received appreciation for his resolve and courage.

A documentary, The Trials of Ted Haggard, is to be aired on HBO within several days. With this new twist, we wonder how this "in depth and insightful" piece will be viewed. Instead of HBO, FOX News should have produced it. They're so good at comedy.

Just a thought.

The Sins Of Rick Warren: Sin #1 "Wives Must Submit!"

Attention all wife-beaters! It's O.K.!
Pastor Rick Warren says so!

Sin #1:

Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback (mega-mucho-great big) Church thinks God hates divorce so much that he'll let the wife take a beating as long as she "submits" and acquiesces to the husband even if he's an a**hole. To Warren, the only reasons for divorce are adultery (the husband's) or abandonment (hey, if the guy's not around who's there to submit to?). Those are the only reasons because they are the ones listed in the Bible.

Abuse is no excuse.

Then what, pray tell, is a battered wife to do? Pray. And if the beating is REGULAR, then you can separate while BOTH you and your husband seek holy guidance.

What is a good enough reason ivorce? Well, according to Rick Warren’s Saddleback church, divorce is only permitted in cases of adultery or abandonment—as these are the only cases permitted in the Bible—and never for abuse.

As teaching pastor Tom Holladay explains, spousal abuse should be dealt with by temporary separation and church marriage counseling designed to bring about reconciliation between the couple. But to qualify for that separation, your spouse must be in the “habit of beating you regularly,” and not be simply someone who “grabbed you once.”

That "grabbed you once" might mean he crushed your skull with a baseball bat. But hey, it's O.K.! Jocelyn Anderson, author of Woman Submit! Christians and Domestic Violence asks "How many beatings would have to take place in order to qualify as regularly?” She correctly sees Warren's attitude as laying groundwork for an epidemic of domestic violence.

Wives, it's time to say something to Pastor Rick: F**k You!

Just a thought.

Pope Benedict: "Holocaust? What Holocaust?"

Aw, Those Holocaust Deniers! Always Good For A Laugh!

NOT!

Pope Ratzinger (Benedict XVI) is certainly showing his true colors with this one:

VATICAN CITY (AP)

— Pope Benedict XVI has lifted the excommunications of four bishops consecrated without papal consent 20 years ago by the late French ultraconservative Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, the Vatican announced Saturday.

One of the four bishops was shown this week in an interview saying that the Nazi gas chambers probably didn't exist. The report prompted Rome's chief rabbi to ask the Vatican to halt plans to rehabilitate him.

AP has that last bit slightly askew: reinstate, yes, rehabilitate, no.

"Bishop" Richard Williamson is a Holocaust denier and today was reinstated by Pope Benedict XVI. His anti-Semitism is well known (as can be seen explaining his views - as "scientific" of course).

That he was reinstated by Benedict is not really a surprise (remember that Benedict was a Hitler youth and his position before becoming Pope was as head of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith (the descendant of the Inquisition.) In fact, delving into Williamson's life is just as interesting, because his mentor was the infamous Archbishop Marcel-Francois Lefebvre.

Infamous? This was a "man of God" who favored dictators. He was a staunch supporter of France's Vichy government (the puppet of Hitler's Germany), he was a rabid Holocaust denier, and hated the precepts of the Vatican II ecumenical council. He openly favored Franco and his fascist regime. In other words, he was exceptionally far to the right. He was a father of today's Christofascism. In today's parlance of celebrities, just think of him as Mel Gibson's dad.

Let's associate then, shall we? Because of his extreme authoritarian views Lefebvre was an enemy of popes John XXIII, Paul VI, John-Paul I and John-Paul II. His protege and successor was/is Bishop Richard Williamson. Williamson, along with Lefebvre was excommunicated 20 years ago by John-Paul II. Now-pope Benedict XVI has reinstated him.

Benedict/Ratzinger is scheduled to visit Israel in May of this year.

He should make other plans.

Perhaps the Oświęcim synagogue* in Poland.

In his native tongue, however, it would be called ...Auschwitz.

Just a thought.

*In 1939, more than the half of the population of Oświęcim was Jewish. The community was more than 400 years old and there were more than 20 synagogues. The last native Jew in Oświęcim died in 2000.

The Knee Jerks

And these Spasms Will Go On and On

The Knee Jerks. Hmmm...sounds like a parody of early roch 'n roll names, like Sid Ceasar's The Hair Cuts. The problem is, these people and events aren't parodies. They're REAL!

We knew that the inauguration of Barack Obama would have repercussions: violent, nasty, strange and just plain stupid repercussions. I was looking for Sarah Palin's name among some of the press releases, but she, alas, must be broiling some mooseburgers.

From the violent:

Five recent attacks by white supremacists on blacks and Latinos in the San Jacinto Valley are part of a violent backlash to the election of Barack Obama as the first black president in U.S. history, police said.

Church Arson Motivated By Anti-Obama Rage

(The Republican, January 19, 2009)

One of three men arrested for burning down a black church a few hours after Barack Obama was declared the winner of the presidential election last November told investigators he set the church ablaze because he was angered by the prospect of a black president.

To The Virulently Verbal:

"Pray Obama Fails" by Joseph Farah, WorldnetDaily

I want Obama to fail because his agenda is 100 percent at odds with God's. Pretending it is not simply makes a mockery of God's straightforward Commandments.

FRC- Tony Perkins

After granting a 24-hour stay on the execution of the unborn, President Obama delivered today on his promise of taxpayer-funded promotion of abortion. This afternoon, the new administration inked the order overturning the "Mexico City policy" and unleashing millions of federal dollars to international abortion groups. Of course, it was no accident that the new president postponed the act until the last possible minute on Friday, knowing the repeal would be buried in the weekend headlines. Issuing it now means that even the presidential blackberry will get more media coverage than his international abortion bailout.

Editor's Note: The election of America's first black president has triggered more than 200 hate-related incidents, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center – a record in modern presidential elections. Moreover, the white nationalist movement, bemoaning an election that confirmed voters' comfort with a multiracial demography, expects Mr. Obama's election to be a potent recruiting tool – one that watchdog groups warn could give new impetus to a mostly defanged fringe element...

Rush Limbaugh:

I would be honored if the Drive-By Media headlined me all day long: "Limbaugh: I Hope Obama Fails." Somebody's gotta say it.

We've all been taught that true patriotism comes from dissent. But are these people dissenting? Qualify that: are these people dissenting reasonably? Knee-jerk responses are not dissent. So, who is the patriot and who is the traitor?

Just a thought.

New Dirt About An Old Con: The Hitler Movement of Saddleback Church Reaches Africa

God: Rick, go to seek more influence, power and fame.

Warren: O.K.

What's with Christian Right people uttering ridiculous and inappropriate statements? Have they all been "Pat Robertsonized"? Is it a new theological trend to utter stupid attacks and convolute Scriptures to the point that they are some verses are unrecognizable? "Purpose Driven" Rick Warren is now the insane pastor of the moment. He characterizes himself as someone who's purpose it is to globalize Christianity in whatever way possible and help the sick and the poor. His mantra is "Whatever It Takes." To me, however, "Whatever It Takes" sounds quite ominous.

(Sarah Posner, Crooks and Liars)

Warren vocally opposes gay marriage, does not believe in evolution, has compared abortion to the Holocaust and backed the assassination of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Warren has done a masterful job at marketing himself as a "new" kind of evangelical with a "broader agenda" than just fighting abortion rights and gay marriage.

Warren represents the absolute worst of the Democrats' religious outreach, a right-winger masquerading as a do-gooder anointed as the arbiter of what it means to be faithful.

If Warren is so passionate about AIDS and humanity, where was he during the "gay plague" years? I wrote to an assistant of Kay Warren's (Warren's wife heads up the AIDS global agency) and asked where these people were when wee needed them here at home:

(Elizabeth Styffe asst to Kay Warren)

We do not believe you can care about global HIV until you also care locally. We have a very active HIV Initiative that mobilizes people to care in very practical ways both locally and globally. I'd be interested in hearing the ways you think we can improve, change and grow. I'm in this for the long haul. As a member of the Orange Country HIV Planning Council, I am constantly learning and working with Kay to make an impact and care and engage others in doing the same. We want your feedback...people living with HIV are our passion.

Bullshit.

When talking about AIDS, the focus is ONLY on Africa: it's safer because it's poorer, its far away, and it's considered a new field to plow in terms of conversions. Over 70% of the "Christian" churches in this country do not have HIV/AIDS ministries at their churches. And much of that includes ministries to Rwanda and Uganda.

More disturbing about Warren is his insistence that his followers be the followers of Hitler:

During his Anaheim stadium speech Warren, sometimes called 'pastor Rick' talked about a number of visions and communications he had received from God. By calling on his church members to follow Jesus with the fanatical dedication with which the Nazis, or Hitler Youth, gave to Adolf Hitler, Rick Warren appeared to be in effect asking his Saddleback members to be fanatically dedicated to Warren's own leadership, given his role in divining God's intent for the Saddleback church flock. During his speech, Rick Warren also explained that God had personally instructed him to seek, for the good of the world, more influence, power and fame.

Remember the slogan: Whatever it takes.

Obama's Agenda and The People Who Hate Him For It

The Agenda

Each President is confronted with new and unique challenges. Learn more about the Obama-Biden Administration's positions on everything from health care and the economy to alternative energy and foreign policy.

Neocons and Christofascists hate change - unless the change is in their direction - usually in reverse.We knew that organizations like the Family Research Council run by James Dobson's toady, Tony Perkins would jocky for position to shoot down absolutely everything President Obama proposes. The thing that scares the Christofascist Right is that Obama is working exceptionally fast to undo eight years of mismanagement, cronyism and corruption. Yes, the administration is using a steamroller and the Right was off guard licking Sarah Palin's wounds while Obama's transition team segued seamlessly into the next generation of Americans.

I've annotated Perkins' latest "frantasy" (frantic fear mixed with delusions of an America that never was)

(From Tony Perkins and The FRC, Jan. 22, 2009)

Alhough the Obama administration is a little over 24 hours old, the new President has already set to work undoing years of pro-life and pro-family policy. Minutes after Obama took the oath of office, the transfer of power was made complete on the White House website. The page, once home to a host of family values (1), now welcomes an extreme collection of anti-life, anti-woman,(2) and anti-family agendas(3). Under the caption "civil rights," Obama pledges to fight for nationwide civil unions (4), repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, homosexual adoption(5), the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (6), expanded "hate crimes,"(7) and over 1,100 costly same-sex benefits (8). He promises to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"(9) as well as block a federal amendment to preserve marriage(10). In exchange for the support of groups like Planned Parenthood, the abortion business is also due for a rich payoff from the 44th president, including his support of abortion-on-demand(11), more funding for "family planning" programs, embryonic stem cell experiments, and tax-funded abortion(12).

1. "Family values" in this case would be George W. Bush's family of big business and old cronies.

2. Anti-woman? President Obama and Vice President Biden will work to overturn the Supreme Court's recent ruling that curtails racial minorities' and women's ability to challenge pay discrimination. They will also pass the Fair Pay Act, to ensure that women receive equal pay for equal work. Oh, right, tha'ts sooo anti-woman.

3. There's nothing in the Agenda that is anti-family. Perkins: go look somewhere else.

4. Obama bent your way, Perkins, when he could have gone all-out gay marriage and infuriated you. The attack aginst civil unions only makes FRC and its supporters look like right-wing bigots (which, of course, they are).

5. Perkins still dreams of "Leave it to Beaver" as the model for all American families. Get over it, Perkins! Loving, caring, nurturing families can be made out of single parents, and diverse pairings of couples and groups.

6. This act merely extends the laws of discrimination to the LGBT community. Again, Perkins just looks hated-riddled and homophobic.

7. Hate crimes are hate crimes, for God's sake. They could (and should) be expanded to be inclusive of everyone who is a group which is specifically targeted for violence. Perkins has blood dripping from his fingers from this one.

8. "Costly" to whom? Perkins wants to shield big business, that's all.

9. "Don't Ask Don't Tell" weakened the military because it helped to kick out some very valuable military men and women. Gays can't help it if they were better trained to do some things, like translating Arabic - something which military dimwits didn't think about and now are babbling pidgeon-Urdu, Arabic and Farsi to people who laugh at them.

10. "Preserve Marriage" - that was DOMAs silly job. You and Rick Warren are one-note hate-mongers with your Marriage = One Man One Woman for 5000 years. This is total bullshit that you're feeding to the unwashed masses (esp. unsuspecting trailer trash).

11. "Abortion on Demand"? Huh? Nothing like that in the Agenda.

12."Tax-funded" abortion. The small amount that the government gives to programs like Planned Parenthood is usually portioned to programs other than abortion. By the time you get down to it, "tax-funded abortion" is practically nothing!

And so with this little guideline, boys and girls, we can see that Christofascists all over the country are opining for the "good ole' days" that never were. And they'll stoop the lowest and stop at nothing to achieve their own AGENDA.

Just a thought.

Ab-O: The Program That Keeps Failing and Failing and Failing

TEENS: Abstinence Is Cool!!
"HUH"?!?!

(Nina Funnel - Sydney Morning Herald)

In the US and Britain, girls as young as 10 are being invited to attend dances known as "purity balls" where, escorted by their fathers, they sign contracts promising to remain virgins until their wedding nights. In return, the fathers also sign a contract, pledging "as high priest in the home", to protect and provide for their daughters, on the provision that they remain virgins.

For thousands of years, telling teens to abstain from sex is talking to the proverbial brick wall. How dense do some people have to be to stop from banging their heads against that same wall? And how stupid are parents who think that their teenagers will stick to abstinence-only programs, take "The Pledge" and rely on their parents to tell them all they need about sex? When will we get to the point that, the day after the wedding the bride's father exhibits the bloodstained sheet in the public square?

In her book Princesses And Pornstars, the feminist author Emily Maguire claims that by bowing to economic pressure, many US schools may end up mortgaging the health and safety of students.

Citing numerous studies, Maguire argues that while there is no evidence to suggest that abstinence-only programs succeed in reducing the likelihood of teenagers having premarital sex, there is significant evidence to suggest these programs reduce the likelihood of sexually active teens practising safe sex.

The problem is that students given the "abstinence-only" line often miss out on vital information regarding contraception, sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. Not only does this place teenagers at a much greater health risk but it also contributes to a culture of ignorance and secrecy about sex.

Sounds a lot like the United States, where rates of teen pregnancy were dropping steadily until abstinence-only sex ed became all the rage. Now study after study shows that while such programs may help kids put off losing their virginity for a little while, it makes them much less likely to use birth control when they do start having sex, thus increasing the risk of pregnancy and the spread of disease.

I'll have more about Rick Warren and Africa in the next post.