(see below)
Exercises in Religious Freedom
Wed, 2014-12-03 12:41
#1
bagkitty
Exercises in Religious Freedom
Wed, 2014-12-03 12:42
#2
bagkitty
Apparently not all Christians are like this...
Arizona pastor predicts ‘AIDS-free Christmas’ if all gays are killed, as God commands
... but a hell of a lot enable hatred like this by their silence.
Wed, 2014-12-03 14:40
#3
Timebandit
Ugh. Anderson is one hateful motherfucker.
Wed, 2014-12-03 17:45
#4
At another point in his sermon, Anderson had a foot-stomping, shouting tantrum about the idea that people can be LGBT and Christian. There will never be any gays in his church, he said, not ever, ever, ever.
“No homos will ever be allowed in this church as long as I am pastor here,” he insisted. “Never! Say ‘You’re crazy.’ No, you’re crazy if you think that there’s something wrong with my ‘no homo’ policy.”
How long before he comes out of the closet?
I am setting my watch.
Fri, 2014-12-05 12:48
#5
How long before he comes out of the closet?
I am setting my watch.
Probably when he gets caught in a public washroom.
Sat, 2014-12-06 07:54
#6
Probably when he gets caught in a public washroom.
My personal favourite remains the virulently homophobic Republican who, when caught with a rent boy in an airport, protested that he was carrying his luggage.
Edited to add, that was George Rekers, formerly of the Family Research Council.
http://gawker.com/5531027/the-virulent-anti-gay-activist-who-brought-a-r...
Mon, 2014-12-08 13:07
#7
bagkitty
It looks like he is more than happy to crawl out from behind the safety of his pulpit to do a totally unapologetic interview with the local NBC affiliate:
Pastor defends his anti-homosexual sermon.
Although I am not sure I take a lot of comfort in his clarifying that execution of LGBT individuals is not something he and his congregation should be doing but, rather, should be a governmental responsibility.
Meanwhile, down in New Zealand:
A pastor has admitted sending an abusive email to a prominent gay author in which he prayed for the author's death.
Logan Robertson told Auckland writer Jim Marjoram: "I pray that you will commit suicide, you filthy fag."
Just another of Christianity's "loving people" no doubt.
Mon, 2014-12-08 13:29
#8
Mon, 2014-12-08 14:40
#9
bagkitty
Thanks Bacchus, that provoked one of those grins that was so wide I could hear a little cracking sound in my temporomandibular joint.
Mon, 2014-12-08 14:48
#10
*bows deeply* My pleasure. Its one of my favourite memes
And I have TMJ as well
Tue, 2014-12-09 11:11
#11
Timebandit
@Bacchus - <3
Tue, 2014-12-09 11:40
#12
Maysie
Sorry to break up the love-fest (great photo Bacchus).
From Dec 4 2014: Michigan House Passes Religious 'License To Discriminate' Bill
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act, akin to one that made nationwide headlines in Arizona but was vetoed, appears to merely force the government to step aside if a person's "deeply-held religious beliefs" mandate they act, or not act, in a certain manner.
Supporters of these bills claim they allow people of faith to exercise their religion without government interference, but in reality, they are trojan horses, allowing rampant discrimination under the guise of religious observance.
For example, under the Religious Freedom law, a pharmacist could refuse to fill a doctor's prescription for birth control, or HIV medication. An emergency room physician or EMT could refuse service to a gay person in need of immediate treatment. A school teacher could refuse to mentor the children of a same-sex couple..
Tue, 2014-12-09 11:56
#13
For example, under the Religious Freedom law, a pharmacist could refuse to fill a doctor's prescription for birth control, or HIV medication. An emergency room physician or EMT could refuse service to a gay person in need of immediate treatment. A school teacher could refuse to mentor the children of a same-sex couple..
Probably unconstitutional, so the lawsuits would ultimately force rationality back into the situation.
Plus the power that would give to Native Americans would make things utterly untenable for the whiteys.
Tue, 2014-12-09 19:51
#14
Maysie
jas, first of all I never said that, it's a quote from the linked article. It's misleading to re-quote it as if I said it.
Second, this is the LGBTQ forum, so kindly keep your vile racism against Indigenous people to the thread about the courts stepping in. I've left it to you and your fellow racists to enjoy.
Plus the power that would give to Native Americans would make things utterly untenable for the whiteys.
Vile and despicable.
Sorry for the drift, bagkitty.
Tue, 2014-12-09 20:20
#15
Second, this is the LGBTQ forum, so kindly keep your vile racism against Indigenous people to the thread about the courts stepping in. I've left it to you and your fellow racists to enjoy.
Right, yeah. I guess my racism in that thread is way outta control, eh?
Vile and despicable.
Umm... yeah, no.
Wed, 2014-12-10 15:16
#16
bagkitty
They're all predators, and given the chance to snatch one of your children, they would do it in a heartbeat.
Wed, 2014-12-10 15:36
#17
bagkitty
@ Maysie - I didn't consider it drift in the slightest - I think it is a new, and extremely disturbing, trend... codifying "religious" exemptions that would permit overt discrimination under the banner of "religious belief". You bring up the example of Michigan - you don't have to go so far afield to find examples though, look at hte Prentice Tories here in Alberta trying to insert the same reasoning into their recent Bill 10.
If you were talking about your response to the word burst that appears at the end of post #12... If you feel capable of handling it go for it... I tried to glean some sense out of it several times and failed completely - in my mind it doesn't even qualify as a non-sequitor, just a meaningless outburst.
Wed, 2014-12-10 17:06
#18
@ Bacchus #7
And it's not just a snappy internet meme. He actually gave a demonstration of the principle in Matthew 8.
On the exemption thing, don't they have one in Ontario for JPs not wanting to recognize marriage equality?
Of course a medical excemption is of more immediate concern, and probably would be challenged. Though it is nothing new, in an informal sense. Doctors have been playing god with women's reproductive health since forever.
Wed, 2014-12-10 17:27
#19
If you were talking about your response to the word burst that appears at the end of post #12... If you feel capable of handling it go for it... I tried to glean some sense out of it several times and failed completely - in my mind it doesn't even qualify as a non-sequitor, just a meaningless outburst.
??
I don't think I was trying to write in code or anything. But whatever. You found it a meaningless wordburst; Maysie found it highly offensive.
Purple jam pants. There. Does someone want to read something into that?
Wed, 2014-12-10 18:02
#20
Fucking purple racist.
There I said it.
Fri, 2014-12-12 06:00
#21
Fri, 2014-12-12 11:48
#22
bagkitty
Just how bad is homosexuality? Well let's check in with Pastor Scott Lively (who gets frequent flier points for his "contributions" in advising the homophobes in both Uganda and Russia) where he explains that homosexuality is worse than mass murder.
So, is homosexuality worse than mass murder from God’s standpoint? Read it for yourself. God’s justification of the genocide of the Canaanites by the hand of the Hebrews is found in Leviticus 18. It is a list of sexual sins, including incest, bestiality and, of course, homosexuality (which — even in this context — is singled out as “an abomination”), ending with the admonition: “Do not defile yourselves by any of these things; for by all these the nations which I am casting out before you have become defiled. ‘For the land has become defiled, therefore I have brought its punishment upon it, so the land has spewed out its inhabitants.”
God Himself employed mass killing to punish sexual perversion. Very harsh in human estimation, but who are we to judge God? (Importantly, killings by God are not technically murder since He is always justified in His actions.)
On the plus side, a federal court in the United States has denied Pastor Lively's petition to have charges against him (brought under the Alien Torts Statute by Ugandan plaintiffs accusing him of contributing to crimes against humanity) dismissed.
Fri, 2014-12-12 11:54
#23
bagkitty
When I was a wee bagkitten, the nuns at the school I attended tried to teach us about Christian Charity. I am not sure this is quite what they meant.
Fri, 2014-12-12 14:29
#24
Timebandit
Lovely.
A monk Whatcott. Just what we need.
Fri, 2014-12-12 19:28
#25
For example, under the Religious Freedom law, a pharmacist could refuse to fill a doctor's prescription for birth control, or HIV medication.
Unfortunately, pharmacists have that right here:
A pharmacist is permitted to decline providing certain pharmacy products or services if it appears to conflict with the pharmacist’s view of morality or religious beliefs and if the pharmacist believes that his or her conscience will be harmed by providing the product or service.
Usually it's birth control pills or the morning after pill. I've never heard of pharmacists refusing to fill prescriptions for antiretrovirals, though I can see how it would be consistent behaviour for someone who believed that AIDS is "God's punishment for homosexuality."
Fri, 2014-12-12 19:32
#26
When I was a wee bagkitten, the nuns at the school I attended tried to teach us about Christian Charity. I am not sure this is quite what they meant.
I love the comments in Joe My God.
Headline: "IGNORANT BIGOT OUTS SELF WITH PRINTED FLYERS!"
Sat, 2014-12-13 10:34
#27
Unfortunately, pharmacists have that right here:
A pharmacist is permitted to decline providing certain pharmacy products or services if it appears to conflict with the pharmacist’s view of morality or religious beliefs and if the pharmacist believes that his or her conscience will be harmed by providing the product or service.Usually it's birth control pills or the morning after pill. I've never heard of pharmacists refusing to fill prescriptions for antiretrovirals, though I can see how it would be consistent behaviour for someone who believed that AIDS is "God's punishment for homosexuality."
What a ridiculous rule.
Religion is a very scary thing. It lets people do all kinds of evil nasty stuff and clear their conscience of any immoral act by asking for forgiveness from an imaginary friend.
Sat, 2014-12-13 11:37
#28
@ Sineed.
Yup. That's part of what I was talking about. I have also heard of doctors refusing to perform sterilizations on people they considered too young.
Of course a friend got the pill as a teen (years ago) for the wink/nudge reason of irregular periods.
Sat, 2014-12-13 12:15
#29
bagkitty
[...]
I love the comments in Joe My God.
Headline: "IGNORANT BIGOT OUTS SELF WITH PRINTED FLYERS!"
Sineed, yes it was a good comment, but it helps to really capture the spirit of the site if you include the peanut gallery (everybody else on the site) trying to one-up each other...
(replying to JaniceInToronto)
In the old days, monks had to reproduce each hate-leaflet by hand, like God intended.
Sat, 2014-12-13 13:52
#30
[b]North Carolina church members indicted for kidnapping and assaulting gay manMatthew Fenner, 21, says he was strangled and verbally assaulted to be "freed" of his "homosexual demons"[/b]
Five members of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) in Spindale, North Carolina, have been indicted on kidnapping and assault charges for allegedly attacking and beating a fellow church member, who is gay.
Matt Comer at QNotes reports that a grand jury on Tuesday indicted Justin Brocke Covington, Brooke McFadden Covington, Robert Louis Walker, Jr. and Adam Christopher Bartley on second-degree kidnapping and simple assault charges. Sarah Covington Anderson was also indicted on second-degree kidnapping, simple assault and assault by strangulation charges.
[i]etc ...[/i]
http://www.salon.com/2014/12/13/north_carolina_church_members_indicted_f...
Sun, 2014-12-14 11:11
#31
Not sure if this really belongs here but I don't want to start a new thread. I do have to say that Kirk Cameron had pretty much fallen off the radar screen - except for the odd article about "Child Stars, where are they now" that mentioned he had become a born again preacher I haven't even heard his name for years.
http://churchandstate.org.uk/2014/11/kirk-cameron-wants-to-force-christm...
Sun, 2014-12-14 13:18
#32
bagkitty
@abnormal
Joe.My.God has been keeping track of him, you can see more at the link. And for what it is worth, I don't think your post #30 drifts away from this thread at all....
I believe Towleroad takes more than passing notice of him too (another link). I was going to suggest while at this particular link to check out "Kirk Cameron Shows You How to Shove Jesus Down A Gay Person's Throat: VIDEO", but the link to the video appears to be broken. *Sigh*
Mon, 2014-12-15 16:46
#33
Timebandit
Here's an article about the protest responding to Anderson's hateful anti-gay sermon, with some added information on what a scumbag he is - apparently it's okay to misrepresent yourself to Holocaust survivors to make an anti-Semitic film for Jeebus.
Last month, the Anti-Defamation League issued a statement about this film, which Anderson is co-producing with Paul Wittenberger, whom the ADL calls a conspiracy-oriented filmmaker from Los Angeles. ADL stated that it was “deeply troubled by the upcoming release of a new ‘documentary’ geared toward Christian audiences that purportedly will focus on ‘the history of the Jews,’ but in fact will likely serve as a tool for denigrating Jews and Judaism.”
http://www.jewishaz.com/community/pastor-scams-jewish-clerics-for-film/a...
Wed, 2014-12-17 16:18
#34
Fri, 2015-03-06 18:24
#35
This seems to belong here as well
[img]https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/11046772...
Fri, 2015-03-06 19:07
#36
I'm not sure there's much to be gained by trying to assert that "the faithful" are simply sufferers of some undefined mental illness.
Though I think it's also true to say that if you tell a mental health professional that you take your moral marching orders from an invisible, magical friend who tells you what to do and how to act, and whose name ISN'T God, you might get yourself a 72 hour hold.
Fri, 2015-03-06 20:04
#37
bagkitty
Always forgetting the polytheists.... what if Thor, Freyr and Odin are all giving you instructions at the same time? And what if they contradicting each other?
Fri, 2015-03-06 20:22
#38
I'm not sure there's much to be gained by trying to assert that "the faithful" are simply sufferers of some undefined mental illness.
Tell that to Dawkins. He made a fortune on that subject.
Fri, 2015-03-06 20:41
#39
He made a fortune on that subject.
Well played. Others have made fortunes with stories of wizard-boys and such.
Fri, 2015-03-06 23:12
#40
Always forgetting the polytheists.... what if Thor, Freyr and Odin are all giving you instructions at the same time? And what if they contradicting each other?
Most people who celebrate Christmas and Easter don't flip out at those contradictions or bulldoze cities. For that matter, even when Protestants and Catholics were burning each other they still invoked the classical deities.They get more mention than Jesus in Shakespeare.
Really, I think that is a problem that is specific to the fundies.
Sat, 2015-03-07 18:05
#41
Always forgetting the polytheists.... what if Thor, Freyr and Odin are all giving you instructions at the same time? And what if they contradicting each other?
I should hope that true polytheist believers have the right to demand that the deities first settle it among themselves with A BATTLE OF THE TITANS!
Or, if not that, that they have a meeting with some coffee and muffins and try to come to some sort of compromise.
Thu, 2015-03-19 12:29
#42
bagkitty
News out of California: Gay Death Penalty Ballot Measure Will Probably Be Advanced
The proposed referendum includes this stipulation: "Any person who willingly touches another person of the same gender for purposes of sexual gratification be put to death by bullets to the head or by any other convenient method." Jesus is love.
Thu, 2015-03-19 12:45
#43
Always forgetting the polytheists.... what if Thor, Freyr and Odin are all giving you instructions at the same time? And what if they contradicting each other?I should hope that true polytheist believers have the right to demand that the deities first settle it among themselves with A BATTLE OF THE TITANS!
Now, this church I would totally join.
Thu, 2015-03-19 18:32
#44
The proposed referendum includes this stipulation: "Any person who willingly touches another person of the same gender for purposes of sexual gratification be put to death by bullets to the head or by any other convenient method." Jesus is love.
It would appear that the State of California has various rules about public petitions like this, to the effect that they may just have to move this petition to the next level.
I wonder if they have any rules about petitions as regards making the names of the signatories public?
If you're going to be such a bigot that you think homosexuals need to be summarily executed then don't be shy about it later on when you're running for office, looking for a date or applying for a job. Say it loud, say it PROUD!
Fri, 2015-03-20 13:57
#45
The proposed referendum includes this stipulation: "Any person who willingly touches another person of the same gender for purposes of sexual gratification be put to death by bullets to the head or by any other convenient method." Jesus is love.It would appear that the State of California has various rules about public petitions like this, to the effect that they may just have to move this petition to the next level.
I wonder if they have any rules about petitions as regards making the names of the signatories public?
If you're going to be such a bigot that you think homosexuals need to be summarily executed then don't be shy about it later on when you're running for office, looking for a date or applying for a job. Say it loud, say it PROUD!
Well, since the petitioner, Matt McLaughlin, obviously doesn't mind having his name publicized, I'm sure he could find at least a few dozen followers who would be equally cool with having their involvement known to the general public. NEXT..
Fri, 2015-03-20 13:58
#46
I've known a lot of homophobes, but very few, if any, wanted to kill gays as a matter of government polcy. Anyone who would sign that petition is probably so far-gone in their bigotry, they'd relish the opportunity to court public villification.
Fri, 2015-03-20 19:10
#47
bagkitty
VOTD: given what has been going on the Excited States to the south of us over the past year or so, I would wager it is more than likely they will be lined up to sign, claiming they are exercising they religious freedoms. Remarkable how hard it is to distinguish the fringes of the major monothesistic faiths....
Sat, 2015-03-21 18:40
#48
Remarkable how hard it is to distinguish the fringes of the major monothesistic faiths....
They seem to mostly differ on:
1. Which supernatural guy is the most important?
2. Which day of the week is the special day?
3. Bacon: yea or nay?
Sun, 2015-03-22 01:10
#49
bagkitty
Magoo, it is not what they disagree amongst each other about that worries me.
Sat, 2015-03-28 14:27
#50
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence's decision to sign into law a measure that could allow businesses to turn away gay and lesbian customers in the name of "religious freedom" has left the NCAA fretting ahead of next week's men's basketball Final Four in Indianapolis."We are especially concerned about how this legislation could affect our student-athletes and employees," NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a statement Thursday afternoon.
He said the NCAA will "work diligently" to ensure competitors and visitors at next week's Final Four are not "negatively impacted by this bill." Emmert also said the organization, which is based in Indianapolis, will "closely examine the implications of this bill and how it might affect future events as well as our workforce."
Indiana is the first state this year to enact a measure that's being pushed in a dozen others, and Emmert's comments were just the latest in a series of stinging criticisms issued after Pence signed the bill in a private ceremony with Republican state legislators and socially conservative lobbyists Thursday morning.
Already, the gamer convention Gen Con and the Disciples of Christ church group had threatened to pull their conventions out of Indianapolis. Tech giant Salesforce said it would halt its plans to expand in the state, too.
Sat, 2015-04-04 13:14
#51
Apparently the Indiana law has been amended (final approval is still needed)
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/indiana-lawmakers-unveil-changes-to-religio...
The Indiana amendment prohibits service providers from using the law as a legal defence for refusing to provide services, goods, facilities or accommodations. It also bars discrimination based on race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or U.S. military service.
The measure exempts churches and affiliated schools, along with non-profit religious organizations.
House Speaker Brian Bosma said the agreement sends a "very strong statement" that the state will not tolerate discrimination.
The law "cannot be used to discriminate against anyone," he said.
Assuming that the CBC got it right, this goes beyond saying that the law can't be used as a legal defense. It actually bans discrimination in a wide range of circumstances (employment is missing from the list).