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| Topic: How Religion Is Killing Our Most Vulnerable Youth | |
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By Bishop Gene Robinson
"Posted: October 15, 2010 02:49 PM How Religion Is Killing Our Most Vulnerable Youth An increasingly popular bumper sticker reads, "Guns Don't Kill People -- RELIGION Kills People!" In light of recent events I would add religion kills young people: gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender young people. Perhaps not directly, though. And religion is certainly not the only source of anti-gay sentiment in the culture. But it's hard to deny that religious voices denouncing LGBT people contribute to the atmosphere in which violence against LGBT people and bullying of LGBT youth can flourish. The news is filled with the tragedies of teenaged boys who were gay and decided to end their living hell by committing suicide. Maybe they weren't even gay, but merely perceived to be by their peers, who harassed, taunted, and threatened them unmercifully. These were real kids with real names. Asher Brown, an eighth grader in Texas, shot himself in the head after endless bullying by classmates and despite attempts by his parents to get school authorities to take his harassment seriously. Seth Walsh hung himself from a tree in his California backyard after relentless bullying by classmates. Asher and Seth were 13-years-old. Billy Lucas, a 15-year-old high school freshman from Indiana, was only perceived to be gay. But the unrelenting bullying ended with him taking his own life. Seven students in one Minnesota school district have taken their own lives, including three teens. With the exception of Brown in Texas these suicides are not happening in Bible Belt regions of the country, where we might predict a greater-than-usual regard for religious thought. Instead, they are occurring in states perceived to be more liberal on LGBT issues: California, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. The case of Tyler Clementi is especially instructive about how far we have to go in accepting our gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender children. Clementi was an 18-year-old freshman at Rutgers University whose roommate secretly filmed a sexual encounter he had with another male student and then posted it on the internet. Think about it. If Tyler had been heterosexual and instead filmed having sex with his girlfriend, it would still be an inappropriate invasion of his privacy and tasteless to post the video online. And it certainly would have been embarrassing for Tyler and the girl. But chances are he would have been the recipient of some congratulatory remarks from friends about what a stud he was. And if he was straight he likely wouldn't have contemplated -- not to mention successfully accomplished -- his own suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge. No, Tyler was a victim -- not of an inner disturbance of depression or mental illness--but of an external and in part religiously inspired disdain and hatred of gay people. Despite the progress we're making on achieving equality under the law and acceptance in society for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, why this rash of bullying, paired with self-loathing, ending in suicide? With humility and heartfelt repentance I assert that religion -- and its general rejection of homosexuality -- plays a crucial role in this crisis. Religious Right hatemongers and crazies are spewing all sorts of venom and condemnation, all in the name of a loving God. The second-highest-ranking Mormon leader, Boyd K. Packer, recently called same-sex attraction "impure and unnatural" in an act of unspeakable insensitivity at the height of this rash of teen suicides. He declared that it can be cured, and that same-sex unions are morally repugnant and "against God's law and nature." More.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bishop-gene-robinson/how-religion-is-killing-o_b_764568.html |
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By Bishop Gene Robinson "Posted: October 15, 2010 02:49 PM How Religion Is Killing Our Most Vulnerable Youth An increasingly popular bumper sticker reads, "Guns Don't Kill People -- RELIGION Kills People!" In light of recent events I would add religion kills young people: gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender young people. Perhaps not directly, though. And religion is certainly not the only source of anti-gay sentiment in the culture. But it's hard to deny that religious voices denouncing LGBT people contribute to the atmosphere in which violence against LGBT people and bullying of LGBT youth can flourish. The news is filled with the tragedies of teenaged boys who were gay and decided to end their living hell by committing suicide. Maybe they weren't even gay, but merely perceived to be by their peers, who harassed, taunted, and threatened them unmercifully. These were real kids with real names. Asher Brown, an eighth grader in Texas, shot himself in the head after endless bullying by classmates and despite attempts by his parents to get school authorities to take his harassment seriously. Seth Walsh hung himself from a tree in his California backyard after relentless bullying by classmates. Asher and Seth were 13-years-old. Billy Lucas, a 15-year-old high school freshman from Indiana, was only perceived to be gay. But the unrelenting bullying ended with him taking his own life. Seven students in one Minnesota school district have taken their own lives, including three teens. With the exception of Brown in Texas these suicides are not happening in Bible Belt regions of the country, where we might predict a greater-than-usual regard for religious thought. Instead, they are occurring in states perceived to be more liberal on LGBT issues: California, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. The case of Tyler Clementi is especially instructive about how far we have to go in accepting our gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender children. Clementi was an 18-year-old freshman at Rutgers University whose roommate secretly filmed a sexual encounter he had with another male student and then posted it on the internet. Think about it. If Tyler had been heterosexual and instead filmed having sex with his girlfriend, it would still be an inappropriate invasion of his privacy and tasteless to post the video online. And it certainly would have been embarrassing for Tyler and the girl. But chances are he would have been the recipient of some congratulatory remarks from friends about what a stud he was. And if he was straight he likely wouldn't have contemplated -- not to mention successfully accomplished -- his own suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge. No, Tyler was a victim -- not of an inner disturbance of depression or mental illness--but of an external and in part religiously inspired disdain and hatred of gay people. Despite the progress we're making on achieving equality under the law and acceptance in society for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, why this rash of bullying, paired with self-loathing, ending in suicide? With humility and heartfelt repentance I assert that religion -- and its general rejection of homosexuality -- plays a crucial role in this crisis. Religious Right hatemongers and crazies are spewing all sorts of venom and condemnation, all in the name of a loving God. The second-highest-ranking Mormon leader, Boyd K. Packer, recently called same-sex attraction "impure and unnatural" in an act of unspeakable insensitivity at the height of this rash of teen suicides. He declared that it can be cured, and that same-sex unions are morally repugnant and "against God's law and nature." More.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bishop-gene-robinson/how-religion-is-killing-o_b_764568.html First off, this is a personal thing not a religion thing at least not with the Christian faith. For we are not to treat anyone any differently then anyone. We are all sinners and fall short in the glory of God. Weather that's being homosexual, doing sexual immoralities heterosexually, stealing something, or anything. It was wrong for the Christian people to have treated these homosexuals wrong, was not a reflection of the Christian faith. Only people making bad witnesses. |
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Blaming religion for something is nothing more than an attempt to make God look bad - which He is not. There be many that advocate the heck with religion, but are really advocating the heck with God. Of course this is exactly what satan's seed does. Few, if any, churches in the world do as they should. They are corrupted. This doesn't mean that one should not follow God and/or His commandments. Godly folks ought to know this stuff already though.
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my son is 13 and he is atheist,i handed him a bible and he read it and asked me"dad people actually believe this?"i told him "yes"and he laughs and tells me,i really feel sorry for them,true story
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Blaming religion for something is nothing more than an attempt to make God look bad - which He is not. There be many that advocate the heck with religion, but are really advocating the heck with God. Of course this is exactly what satan's seed does. Few, if any, churches in the world do as they should. They are corrupted. This doesn't mean that one should not follow God and/or His commandments. Godly folks ought to know this stuff already though. Exactly what i was saying. People see peoples actions and try to chain it with Christianity. Which this can not be done, for we are all individuals and have the free will to do as we wish regardless of what we claim to be. Not all to most people's actions that claim to be Christian are not of the teachings. |
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We are all sinners and fall short in the glory of God. Teaching young children that they are sinners and have fallen short of the glory of their creator is already a very mean, sick, and demented thing to do, IMHO. Just because you choose to believe in such a sick demented creation myth is no reason to push it onto innocent young children. That's just disgusting.  |
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We are all sinners and fall short in the glory of God. Teaching young children that they are sinners and have fallen short of the glory of their creator is already a very mean, sick, and demented thing to do, IMHO. Just because you choose to believe in such a sick demented creation myth is no reason to push it onto innocent young children. That's just disgusting. No, what is sick is lying to your child to just make him/her feel better. Why sugar coat the truth? |
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We are all sinners and fall short in the glory of God. Teaching young children that they are sinners and have fallen short of the glory of their creator is already a very mean, sick, and demented thing to do, IMHO. Just because you choose to believe in such a sick demented creation myth is no reason to push it onto innocent young children. That's just disgusting. No, what is sick is lying to your child to just make him/her feel better. Why sugar coat the truth? Do you not teach your child play with fire you might end up burned? Touching the top of the stove will burn you. Play with knives and you might end up cut? So why not tell them "if you don't seek forgiveness of your sins and you will be punished for your sins"? And with telling them that, it is a loving thing to tell them how to be forgiven of those accident, those mess ups, those sins. |
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By Bishop Gene Robinson "Posted: October 15, 2010 02:49 PM How Religion Is Killing Our Most Vulnerable Youth An increasingly popular bumper sticker reads, "Guns Don't Kill People -- RELIGION Kills People!" In light of recent events I would add religion kills young people: gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender young people. Perhaps not directly, though. And religion is certainly not the only source of anti-gay sentiment in the culture. But it's hard to deny that religious voices denouncing LGBT people contribute to the atmosphere in which violence against LGBT people and bullying of LGBT youth can flourish. The news is filled with the tragedies of teenaged boys who were gay and decided to end their living hell by committing suicide. Maybe they weren't even gay, but merely perceived to be by their peers, who harassed, taunted, and threatened them unmercifully. These were real kids with real names. Asher Brown, an eighth grader in Texas, shot himself in the head after endless bullying by classmates and despite attempts by his parents to get school authorities to take his harassment seriously. Seth Walsh hung himself from a tree in his California backyard after relentless bullying by classmates. Asher and Seth were 13-years-old. Billy Lucas, a 15-year-old high school freshman from Indiana, was only perceived to be gay. But the unrelenting bullying ended with him taking his own life. Seven students in one Minnesota school district have taken their own lives, including three teens. With the exception of Brown in Texas these suicides are not happening in Bible Belt regions of the country, where we might predict a greater-than-usual regard for religious thought. Instead, they are occurring in states perceived to be more liberal on LGBT issues: California, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. The case of Tyler Clementi is especially instructive about how far we have to go in accepting our gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender children. Clementi was an 18-year-old freshman at Rutgers University whose roommate secretly filmed a sexual encounter he had with another male student and then posted it on the internet. Think about it. If Tyler had been heterosexual and instead filmed having sex with his girlfriend, it would still be an inappropriate invasion of his privacy and tasteless to post the video online. And it certainly would have been embarrassing for Tyler and the girl. But chances are he would have been the recipient of some congratulatory remarks from friends about what a stud he was. And if he was straight he likely wouldn't have contemplated -- not to mention successfully accomplished -- his own suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge. No, Tyler was a victim -- not of an inner disturbance of depression or mental illness--but of an external and in part religiously inspired disdain and hatred of gay people. Despite the progress we're making on achieving equality under the law and acceptance in society for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, why this rash of bullying, paired with self-loathing, ending in suicide? With humility and heartfelt repentance I assert that religion -- and its general rejection of homosexuality -- plays a crucial role in this crisis. Religious Right hatemongers and crazies are spewing all sorts of venom and condemnation, all in the name of a loving God. The second-highest-ranking Mormon leader, Boyd K. Packer, recently called same-sex attraction "impure and unnatural" in an act of unspeakable insensitivity at the height of this rash of teen suicides. He declared that it can be cured, and that same-sex unions are morally repugnant and "against God's law and nature." More.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bishop-gene-robinson/how-religion-is-killing-o_b_764568.html Funny I don't remember how any of these deaths were in any way related to Christianity or members of a church.Blaming Christians for these deaths has nothing to do with anything.What is your big mouth going to say if I told you the people that set up these cameras were Atheist? Tsk,Tsk,Tsk. |
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By Bishop Gene Robinson "Posted: October 15, 2010 02:49 PM How Religion Is Killing Our Most Vulnerable Youth An increasingly popular bumper sticker reads, "Guns Don't Kill People -- RELIGION Kills People!" In light of recent events I would add religion kills young people: gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender young people. Perhaps not directly, though. And religion is certainly not the only source of anti-gay sentiment in the culture. But it's hard to deny that religious voices denouncing LGBT people contribute to the atmosphere in which violence against LGBT people and bullying of LGBT youth can flourish. The news is filled with the tragedies of teenaged boys who were gay and decided to end their living hell by committing suicide. Maybe they weren't even gay, but merely perceived to be by their peers, who harassed, taunted, and threatened them unmercifully. These were real kids with real names. Asher Brown, an eighth grader in Texas, shot himself in the head after endless bullying by classmates and despite attempts by his parents to get school authorities to take his harassment seriously. Seth Walsh hung himself from a tree in his California backyard after relentless bullying by classmates. Asher and Seth were 13-years-old. Billy Lucas, a 15-year-old high school freshman from Indiana, was only perceived to be gay. But the unrelenting bullying ended with him taking his own life. Seven students in one Minnesota school district have taken their own lives, including three teens. With the exception of Brown in Texas these suicides are not happening in Bible Belt regions of the country, where we might predict a greater-than-usual regard for religious thought. Instead, they are occurring in states perceived to be more liberal on LGBT issues: California, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. The case of Tyler Clementi is especially instructive about how far we have to go in accepting our gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender children. Clementi was an 18-year-old freshman at Rutgers University whose roommate secretly filmed a sexual encounter he had with another male student and then posted it on the internet. Think about it. If Tyler had been heterosexual and instead filmed having sex with his girlfriend, it would still be an inappropriate invasion of his privacy and tasteless to post the video online. And it certainly would have been embarrassing for Tyler and the girl. But chances are he would have been the recipient of some congratulatory remarks from friends about what a stud he was. And if he was straight he likely wouldn't have contemplated -- not to mention successfully accomplished -- his own suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge. No, Tyler was a victim -- not of an inner disturbance of depression or mental illness--but of an external and in part religiously inspired disdain and hatred of gay people. Despite the progress we're making on achieving equality under the law and acceptance in society for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, why this rash of bullying, paired with self-loathing, ending in suicide? With humility and heartfelt repentance I assert that religion -- and its general rejection of homosexuality -- plays a crucial role in this crisis. Religious Right hatemongers and crazies are spewing all sorts of venom and condemnation, all in the name of a loving God. The second-highest-ranking Mormon leader, Boyd K. Packer, recently called same-sex attraction "impure and unnatural" in an act of unspeakable insensitivity at the height of this rash of teen suicides. He declared that it can be cured, and that same-sex unions are morally repugnant and "against God's law and nature." More.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bishop-gene-robinson/how-religion-is-killing-o_b_764568.html Funny I don't remember how any of these deaths were in any way related to Christianity or members of a church.Blaming Christians for these deaths has nothing to do with anything.What is your big mouth going to say if I told you the people that set up these cameras were Atheist? Tsk,Tsk,Tsk. |
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Blaming religion for something is nothing more than an attempt to make God look bad - which He is not. That is utter nonsense. Blaming a religion for something is precisely what it is. Blaming the religion. In fact, even Christian often look at a religion like Islam and say that it's a bad "religion", so are they then saying that God is bad too? I don't think so. What they are trying to claim is that the religion simply isn't 'godly' and therefore it's not of God. I totally dismiss the Biblical myths as being "ungodly". And therefore my conclusion is that these myths are not the word of God. It's that simple. It's not an attempt to make God look bad. It's simply an observation that the religion that claims to be the "Word of God" is ungodly and therefore it can't be the word of any God. There be many that advocate the heck with religion, but are really advocating the heck with God. Well, you're talking about strict atheism now. But many atheists don't fee that way at all. They aren't saying "Heck with God", they are simply saying that they see no reason to believe in a God. BIG DIFFERENCE! Of course this is exactly what satan's seed does. Satan's seed?  This is one of the most erroneous things about the Biblical Mythology. It wasn't good enough for mankind to simply fall from grace on his own merit. He had to be seduced into sin via some evil demon. Many people (including myself) have argued that mankind cannot then be blamed. If mankind was incapable of falling from grace on his own merit and needed to be coerced into sin via evil demon, then it wouldn't have been mankind's innate nature to fall from grace. The whole thing would be reduced to nothing more than a BET between a Demon and a God of who could seduce the most souls. In fact, according to the biblical myth the Demon clearly WON the bet hands down! At the time of the Great Flood the God lost the poker game and had to flush almost all the souls he created over to the Demon who had won that hand of poker. Then God tried again with the few souls he saved from that batch, but clearly continues to lose souls. In an act of what can only be seen as pure desperation on the part of God, God sacrifices his only begotten son just to try to salvage a FEW souls. Even Jesus proclaims that only FEW will make it into the Kingdom of Heaven. Sounds like the Demon won the BET big time. The whole fable is about a LOSER God, who loses the vast majority of souls he creates over to his Demon Poker Buddy. And the souls of mankind are nothing but poker chips on the table. That's what this story reduces to, if you have a even demon named Satan who is trying to win souls from God. The Bible tells us the Satan has been, and continues to be the major winner, and the God in this fable is a big time LOSER. That's just the way the fable goes evidently. Few, if any, churches in the world do as they should. They are corrupted. This doesn't mean that one should not follow God and/or His commandments. Godly folks ought to know this stuff already though. Godly folks? What constitutes a "Godly Folk". Would I be considered to be a "Godly Folk?". Or do I automatically become exempt simply because I don't believe in the Hebrew folklore and mythologies? Why is it important to believe in any "religion"? Why is it important to believe that our creator tried desperately to get a message to us but FAILED big time? Surely you can see that failure has occurred. There are tons of creation myths and stories of gods all over the planet. There is nothing at all special about the Abrahamic myths. Even they have become so totally divisive and confused that they have fallen into many different schools of though, from Judaism, to Islam, to Catholicism, to the many diverse sects of Protestantism. Which of those confused and chaotic myths should be believed as the "word of God"? And that's only the Abrahamic myths. There are tons of other creation stories and god myths all over the planet. In fact, this is a good reason why many people have become atheists. They look around and see that mankind is always making up stories about supernatural beings yet there doesn't appear to be any truth to any of them. So clearly there isn't just one supernatural being attempting to communicate with humanity as a whole. Then they look at the scientific evidence of evolution and physics and conclude that the whole notion of a supreme being is most likely nothing more than the imagination of men. I certainly don't blame anyone for becoming an atheist. Yet you speak of them in terms of "Satan's seed". Gee whiz, that's the kind of mentality that gave rise to the "Malleus Maleficarum" and the torturing and burning at the stake of innocent midwives as "Witches" who had sold their soul to the devil.  Yet people today in these modern times are still speaking in terms of "Satan's seed"? That's nothing short of scary. And not because this demon named Satan might actually exist, but it's scary that people still believe in such a thing! |
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By Bishop Gene Robinson "Posted: October 15, 2010 02:49 PM How Religion Is Killing Our Most Vulnerable Youth An increasingly popular bumper sticker reads, "Guns Don't Kill People -- RELIGION Kills People!" In light of recent events I would add religion kills young people: gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender young people. Perhaps not directly, though. And religion is certainly not the only source of anti-gay sentiment in the culture. But it's hard to deny that religious voices denouncing LGBT people contribute to the atmosphere in which violence against LGBT people and bullying of LGBT youth can flourish. The news is filled with the tragedies of teenaged boys who were gay and decided to end their living hell by committing suicide. Maybe they weren't even gay, but merely perceived to be by their peers, who harassed, taunted, and threatened them unmercifully. These were real kids with real names. Asher Brown, an eighth grader in Texas, shot himself in the head after endless bullying by classmates and despite attempts by his parents to get school authorities to take his harassment seriously. Seth Walsh hung himself from a tree in his California backyard after relentless bullying by classmates. Asher and Seth were 13-years-old. Billy Lucas, a 15-year-old high school freshman from Indiana, was only perceived to be gay. But the unrelenting bullying ended with him taking his own life. Seven students in one Minnesota school district have taken their own lives, including three teens. With the exception of Brown in Texas these suicides are not happening in Bible Belt regions of the country, where we might predict a greater-than-usual regard for religious thought. Instead, they are occurring in states perceived to be more liberal on LGBT issues: California, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. The case of Tyler Clementi is especially instructive about how far we have to go in accepting our gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender children. Clementi was an 18-year-old freshman at Rutgers University whose roommate secretly filmed a sexual encounter he had with another male student and then posted it on the internet. Think about it. If Tyler had been heterosexual and instead filmed having sex with his girlfriend, it would still be an inappropriate invasion of his privacy and tasteless to post the video online. And it certainly would have been embarrassing for Tyler and the girl. But chances are he would have been the recipient of some congratulatory remarks from friends about what a stud he was. And if he was straight he likely wouldn't have contemplated -- not to mention successfully accomplished -- his own suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge. No, Tyler was a victim -- not of an inner disturbance of depression or mental illness--but of an external and in part religiously inspired disdain and hatred of gay people. Despite the progress we're making on achieving equality under the law and acceptance in society for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, why this rash of bullying, paired with self-loathing, ending in suicide? With humility and heartfelt repentance I assert that religion -- and its general rejection of homosexuality -- plays a crucial role in this crisis. Religious Right hatemongers and crazies are spewing all sorts of venom and condemnation, all in the name of a loving God. The second-highest-ranking Mormon leader, Boyd K. Packer, recently called same-sex attraction "impure and unnatural" in an act of unspeakable insensitivity at the height of this rash of teen suicides. He declared that it can be cured, and that same-sex unions are morally repugnant and "against God's law and nature." More.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bishop-gene-robinson/how-religion-is-killing-o_b_764568.html Funny I don't remember how any of these deaths were in any way related to Christianity or members of a church.Blaming Christians for these deaths has nothing to do with anything.What is your big mouth going to say if I told you the people that set up these cameras were Atheist? Tsk,Tsk,Tsk. Ha, they don't need anymore than their faith and their book to cling to. These are cowards who will not face facts..face life. It's overwhelming the hatred that comes from the religious right wing nut-baggery. Just the ignorances are enough to poison a society then their "messengers" who taunt gays and others for the way they were born add to the demise of a civil and just society. I for one will not accept hate groups like churches that preach hate and ignorances that harm people. I also don't accept these "not me" Christians who then turn a blind eye to their leader's words and actions. THIS is how people like Hitler and the Dippic were supported into power...ALL from Christians who think they are doing "god's work". |
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By Bishop Gene Robinson "Posted: October 15, 2010 02:49 PM How Religion Is Killing Our Most Vulnerable Youth An increasingly popular bumper sticker reads, "Guns Don't Kill People -- RELIGION Kills People!" In light of recent events I would add religion kills young people: gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender young people. Perhaps not directly, though. And religion is certainly not the only source of anti-gay sentiment in the culture. But it's hard to deny that religious voices denouncing LGBT people contribute to the atmosphere in which violence against LGBT people and bullying of LGBT youth can flourish. The news is filled with the tragedies of teenaged boys who were gay and decided to end their living hell by committing suicide. Maybe they weren't even gay, but merely perceived to be by their peers, who harassed, taunted, and threatened them unmercifully. These were real kids with real names. Asher Brown, an eighth grader in Texas, shot himself in the head after endless bullying by classmates and despite attempts by his parents to get school authorities to take his harassment seriously. Seth Walsh hung himself from a tree in his California backyard after relentless bullying by classmates. Asher and Seth were 13-years-old. Billy Lucas, a 15-year-old high school freshman from Indiana, was only perceived to be gay. But the unrelenting bullying ended with him taking his own life. Seven students in one Minnesota school district have taken their own lives, including three teens. With the exception of Brown in Texas these suicides are not happening in Bible Belt regions of the country, where we might predict a greater-than-usual regard for religious thought. Instead, they are occurring in states perceived to be more liberal on LGBT issues: California, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. The case of Tyler Clementi is especially instructive about how far we have to go in accepting our gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender children. Clementi was an 18-year-old freshman at Rutgers University whose roommate secretly filmed a sexual encounter he had with another male student and then posted it on the internet. Think about it. If Tyler had been heterosexual and instead filmed having sex with his girlfriend, it would still be an inappropriate invasion of his privacy and tasteless to post the video online. And it certainly would have been embarrassing for Tyler and the girl. But chances are he would have been the recipient of some congratulatory remarks from friends about what a stud he was. And if he was straight he likely wouldn't have contemplated -- not to mention successfully accomplished -- his own suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge. No, Tyler was a victim -- not of an inner disturbance of depression or mental illness--but of an external and in part religiously inspired disdain and hatred of gay people. Despite the progress we're making on achieving equality under the law and acceptance in society for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, why this rash of bullying, paired with self-loathing, ending in suicide? With humility and heartfelt repentance I assert that religion -- and its general rejection of homosexuality -- plays a crucial role in this crisis. Religious Right hatemongers and crazies are spewing all sorts of venom and condemnation, all in the name of a loving God. The second-highest-ranking Mormon leader, Boyd K. Packer, recently called same-sex attraction "impure and unnatural" in an act of unspeakable insensitivity at the height of this rash of teen suicides. He declared that it can be cured, and that same-sex unions are morally repugnant and "against God's law and nature." More.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bishop-gene-robinson/how-religion-is-killing-o_b_764568.html Funny I don't remember how any of these deaths were in any way related to Christianity or members of a church.Blaming Christians for these deaths has nothing to do with anything.What is your big mouth going to say if I told you the people that set up these cameras were Atheist? Tsk,Tsk,Tsk. Ha, they don't need anymore than their faith and their book to cling to. These are cowards who will not face facts..face life. It's overwhelming the hatred that comes from the religious right wing nut-baggery. Just the ignorances are enough to poison a society then their "messengers" who taunt gays and others for the way they were born add to the demise of a civil and just society. I for one will not accept hate groups like churches that preach hate and ignorances that harm people. I also don't accept these "not me" Christians who then turn a blind eye to their leader's words and actions. THIS is how people like Hitler and the Dippic were supported into power...ALL from Christians who think they are doing "god's work". ========================================= Ha, they don't need anymore than their faith and their book to cling to. These are cowards who will not face facts..face life. It's overwhelming the hatred that comes from the religious right wing nut-baggery. Just the ignorances are enough to poison a society then their "messengers" who taunt gays and others for the way they were born add to the demise of a civil and just society. I for one will not accept hate groups like churches that preach hate and ignorances that harm people. I also don't accept these "not me" Christians who then turn a blind eye to their leader's words and actions. THIS is how people like Hitler and the Dippic were supported into power...ALL from Christians who think they are doing "god's work". ============================================= How are we cowards? We're not hiding from anything. You're the one trying to hide from our father. You say we will not face the facts, no my friend it's atheists that will not face the facts. There is no hatred in Christianity. We treat EVERYONE with love and respect regardless of their beliefs or how they behave. And doesn't ignorant mean not knowing of something... hmmm... wouldn't that mean you're the ignorant one? You do not know of the father, which then would say you're the ignorant one. |
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By Bishop Gene Robinson "Posted: October 15, 2010 02:49 PM How Religion Is Killing Our Most Vulnerable Youth An increasingly popular bumper sticker reads, "Guns Don't Kill People -- RELIGION Kills People!" In light of recent events I would add religion kills young people: gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender young people. Perhaps not directly, though. And religion is certainly not the only source of anti-gay sentiment in the culture. But it's hard to deny that religious voices denouncing LGBT people contribute to the atmosphere in which violence against LGBT people and bullying of LGBT youth can flourish. The news is filled with the tragedies of teenaged boys who were gay and decided to end their living hell by committing suicide. Maybe they weren't even gay, but merely perceived to be by their peers, who harassed, taunted, and threatened them unmercifully. These were real kids with real names. Asher Brown, an eighth grader in Texas, shot himself in the head after endless bullying by classmates and despite attempts by his parents to get school authorities to take his harassment seriously. Seth Walsh hung himself from a tree in his California backyard after relentless bullying by classmates. Asher and Seth were 13-years-old. Billy Lucas, a 15-year-old high school freshman from Indiana, was only perceived to be gay. But the unrelenting bullying ended with him taking his own life. Seven students in one Minnesota school district have taken their own lives, including three teens. With the exception of Brown in Texas these suicides are not happening in Bible Belt regions of the country, where we might predict a greater-than-usual regard for religious thought. Instead, they are occurring in states perceived to be more liberal on LGBT issues: California, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. The case of Tyler Clementi is especially instructive about how far we have to go in accepting our gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender children. Clementi was an 18-year-old freshman at Rutgers University whose roommate secretly filmed a sexual encounter he had with another male student and then posted it on the internet. Think about it. If Tyler had been heterosexual and instead filmed having sex with his girlfriend, it would still be an inappropriate invasion of his privacy and tasteless to post the video online. And it certainly would have been embarrassing for Tyler and the girl. But chances are he would have been the recipient of some congratulatory remarks from friends about what a stud he was. And if he was straight he likely wouldn't have contemplated -- not to mention successfully accomplished -- his own suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge. No, Tyler was a victim -- not of an inner disturbance of depression or mental illness--but of an external and in part religiously inspired disdain and hatred of gay people. Despite the progress we're making on achieving equality under the law and acceptance in society for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, why this rash of bullying, paired with self-loathing, ending in suicide? With humility and heartfelt repentance I assert that religion -- and its general rejection of homosexuality -- plays a crucial role in this crisis. Religious Right hatemongers and crazies are spewing all sorts of venom and condemnation, all in the name of a loving God. The second-highest-ranking Mormon leader, Boyd K. Packer, recently called same-sex attraction "impure and unnatural" in an act of unspeakable insensitivity at the height of this rash of teen suicides. He declared that it can be cured, and that same-sex unions are morally repugnant and "against God's law and nature." More.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bishop-gene-robinson/how-religion-is-killing-o_b_764568.html Funny I don't remember how any of these deaths were in any way related to Christianity or members of a church.Blaming Christians for these deaths has nothing to do with anything.What is your big mouth going to say if I told you the people that set up these cameras were Atheist? Tsk,Tsk,Tsk. Ha, they don't need anymore than their faith and their book to cling to. These are cowards who will not face facts..face life. It's overwhelming the hatred that comes from the religious right wing nut-baggery. Just the ignorances are enough to poison a society then their "messengers" who taunt gays and others for the way they were born add to the demise of a civil and just society. I for one will not accept hate groups like churches that preach hate and ignorances that harm people. I also don't accept these "not me" Christians who then turn a blind eye to their leader's words and actions. THIS is how people like Hitler and the Dippic were supported into power...ALL from Christians who think they are doing "god's work". ========================================= Ha, they don't need anymore than their faith and their book to cling to. These are cowards who will not face facts..face life. It's overwhelming the hatred that comes from the religious right wing nut-baggery. Just the ignorances are enough to poison a society then their "messengers" who taunt gays and others for the way they were born add to the demise of a civil and just society. I for one will not accept hate groups like churches that preach hate and ignorances that harm people. I also don't accept these "not me" Christians who then turn a blind eye to their leader's words and actions. THIS is how people like Hitler and the Dippic were supported into power...ALL from Christians who think they are doing "god's work". ============================================= How are we cowards? We're not hiding from anything. You're the one trying to hide from our father. You say we will not face the facts, no my friend it's atheists that will not face the facts. There is no hatred in Christianity. We treat EVERYONE with love and respect regardless of their beliefs or how they behave. And doesn't ignorant mean not knowing of something... hmmm... wouldn't that mean you're the ignorant one? You do not know of the father, which then would say you're the ignorant one. "NOT ME!!!" Who didn't see THAT coming? And PS, I attend a Catholic School, took theology, was raised in a Baptist church...and I have read all the trash that you cherrypick upon and toss on the wall hoping it will stick. It's all in your head...me? I am yet another master of the obvious...that's all it takes to know evolution over a snake oils salesman's words. |
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We are all sinners and fall short in the glory of God. Teaching young children that they are sinners and have fallen short of the glory of their creator is already a very mean, sick, and demented thing to do, IMHO. Just because you choose to believe in such a sick demented creation myth is no reason to push it onto innocent young children. That's just disgusting. No, what is sick is lying to your child to just make him/her feel better. Why sugar coat the truth? Really... Yep like Santa Clause and Christmas trees. Why sugar coat anything? |
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By Bishop Gene Robinson "Posted: October 15, 2010 02:49 PM How Religion Is Killing Our Most Vulnerable Youth An increasingly popular bumper sticker reads, "Guns Don't Kill People -- RELIGION Kills People!" In light of recent events I would add religion kills young people: gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender young people. Perhaps not directly, though. And religion is certainly not the only source of anti-gay sentiment in the culture. But it's hard to deny that religious voices denouncing LGBT people contribute to the atmosphere in which violence against LGBT people and bullying of LGBT youth can flourish. The news is filled with the tragedies of teenaged boys who were gay and decided to end their living hell by committing suicide. Maybe they weren't even gay, but merely perceived to be by their peers, who harassed, taunted, and threatened them unmercifully. These were real kids with real names. Asher Brown, an eighth grader in Texas, shot himself in the head after endless bullying by classmates and despite attempts by his parents to get school authorities to take his harassment seriously. Seth Walsh hung himself from a tree in his California backyard after relentless bullying by classmates. Asher and Seth were 13-years-old. Billy Lucas, a 15-year-old high school freshman from Indiana, was only perceived to be gay. But the unrelenting bullying ended with him taking his own life. Seven students in one Minnesota school district have taken their own lives, including three teens. With the exception of Brown in Texas these suicides are not happening in Bible Belt regions of the country, where we might predict a greater-than-usual regard for religious thought. Instead, they are occurring in states perceived to be more liberal on LGBT issues: California, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. The case of Tyler Clementi is especially instructive about how far we have to go in accepting our gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender children. Clementi was an 18-year-old freshman at Rutgers University whose roommate secretly filmed a sexual encounter he had with another male student and then posted it on the internet. Think about it. If Tyler had been heterosexual and instead filmed having sex with his girlfriend, it would still be an inappropriate invasion of his privacy and tasteless to post the video online. And it certainly would have been embarrassing for Tyler and the girl. But chances are he would have been the recipient of some congratulatory remarks from friends about what a stud he was. And if he was straight he likely wouldn't have contemplated -- not to mention successfully accomplished -- his own suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge. No, Tyler was a victim -- not of an inner disturbance of depression or mental illness--but of an external and in part religiously inspired disdain and hatred of gay people. Despite the progress we're making on achieving equality under the law and acceptance in society for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, why this rash of bullying, paired with self-loathing, ending in suicide? With humility and heartfelt repentance I assert that religion -- and its general rejection of homosexuality -- plays a crucial role in this crisis. Religious Right hatemongers and crazies are spewing all sorts of venom and condemnation, all in the name of a loving God. The second-highest-ranking Mormon leader, Boyd K. Packer, recently called same-sex attraction "impure and unnatural" in an act of unspeakable insensitivity at the height of this rash of teen suicides. He declared that it can be cured, and that same-sex unions are morally repugnant and "against God's law and nature." More.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bishop-gene-robinson/how-religion-is-killing-o_b_764568.html Funny I don't remember how any of these deaths were in any way related to Christianity or members of a church.Blaming Christians for these deaths has nothing to do with anything.What is your big mouth going to say if I told you the people that set up these cameras were Atheist? Tsk,Tsk,Tsk. Ha, they don't need anymore than their faith and their book to cling to. These are cowards who will not face facts..face life. It's overwhelming the hatred that comes from the religious right wing nut-baggery. Just the ignorances are enough to poison a society then their "messengers" who taunt gays and others for the way they were born add to the demise of a civil and just society. I for one will not accept hate groups like churches that preach hate and ignorances that harm people. I also don't accept these "not me" Christians who then turn a blind eye to their leader's words and actions. THIS is how people like Hitler and the Dippic were supported into power...ALL from Christians who think they are doing "god's work". If your quotes are good for anything they are good for a laugh.I think you should look a the countries where gays are the most free to live their lives they way they want to and where they are most happy.It is hardly a secret that the countries where gays are most happy and free are overwhelmingly Christian countries not Atheist countries where they are the most prosecuted. It is also no secret that Christians have held a majority on voting issues since this country was formed.Gays are allowed to live free and do what they like because of laws and bills passed by Christians not Atheist.It wouldn't matter if all the Atheist in America vote yes or no on a bill it wouldn't make a bit of difference. If the gays had any brains they would be thanking the Christians for their tolerance towards the gays and acceptance.Atheist and Muslim countries have no tolerance and often put gays to death when they are found. |
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By Bishop Gene Robinson "Posted: October 15, 2010 02:49 PM How Religion Is Killing Our Most Vulnerable Youth An increasingly popular bumper sticker reads, "Guns Don't Kill People -- RELIGION Kills People!" In light of recent events I would add religion kills young people: gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender young people. Perhaps not directly, though. And religion is certainly not the only source of anti-gay sentiment in the culture. But it's hard to deny that religious voices denouncing LGBT people contribute to the atmosphere in which violence against LGBT people and bullying of LGBT youth can flourish. The news is filled with the tragedies of teenaged boys who were gay and decided to end their living hell by committing suicide. Maybe they weren't even gay, but merely perceived to be by their peers, who harassed, taunted, and threatened them unmercifully. These were real kids with real names. Asher Brown, an eighth grader in Texas, shot himself in the head after endless bullying by classmates and despite attempts by his parents to get school authorities to take his harassment seriously. Seth Walsh hung himself from a tree in his California backyard after relentless bullying by classmates. Asher and Seth were 13-years-old. Billy Lucas, a 15-year-old high school freshman from Indiana, was only perceived to be gay. But the unrelenting bullying ended with him taking his own life. Seven students in one Minnesota school district have taken their own lives, including three teens. With the exception of Brown in Texas these suicides are not happening in Bible Belt regions of the country, where we might predict a greater-than-usual regard for religious thought. Instead, they are occurring in states perceived to be more liberal on LGBT issues: California, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. The case of Tyler Clementi is especially instructive about how far we have to go in accepting our gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender children. Clementi was an 18-year-old freshman at Rutgers University whose roommate secretly filmed a sexual encounter he had with another male student and then posted it on the internet. Think about it. If Tyler had been heterosexual and instead filmed having sex with his girlfriend, it would still be an inappropriate invasion of his privacy and tasteless to post the video online. And it certainly would have been embarrassing for Tyler and the girl. But chances are he would have been the recipient of some congratulatory remarks from friends about what a stud he was. And if he was straight he likely wouldn't have contemplated -- not to mention successfully accomplished -- his own suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge. No, Tyler was a victim -- not of an inner disturbance of depression or mental illness--but of an external and in part religiously inspired disdain and hatred of gay people. Despite the progress we're making on achieving equality under the law and acceptance in society for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, why this rash of bullying, paired with self-loathing, ending in suicide? With humility and heartfelt repentance I assert that religion -- and its general rejection of homosexuality -- plays a crucial role in this crisis. Religious Right hatemongers and crazies are spewing all sorts of venom and condemnation, all in the name of a loving God. The second-highest-ranking Mormon leader, Boyd K. Packer, recently called same-sex attraction "impure and unnatural" in an act of unspeakable insensitivity at the height of this rash of teen suicides. He declared that it can be cured, and that same-sex unions are morally repugnant and "against God's law and nature." More.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bishop-gene-robinson/how-religion-is-killing-o_b_764568.html Funny I don't remember how any of these deaths were in any way related to Christianity or members of a church.Blaming Christians for these deaths has nothing to do with anything.What is your big mouth going to say if I told you the people that set up these cameras were Atheist? Tsk,Tsk,Tsk. Ha, they don't need anymore than their faith and their book to cling to. These are cowards who will not face facts..face life. It's overwhelming the hatred that comes from the religious right wing nut-baggery. Just the ignorances are enough to poison a society then their "messengers" who taunt gays and others for the way they were born add to the demise of a civil and just society. I for one will not accept hate groups like churches that preach hate and ignorances that harm people. I also don't accept these "not me" Christians who then turn a blind eye to their leader's words and actions. THIS is how people like Hitler and the Dippic were supported into power...ALL from Christians who think they are doing "god's work". If your quotes are good for anything they are good for a laugh.I think you should look a the countries where gays are the most free to live their lives they way they want to and where they are most happy.It is hardly a secret that the countries where gays are most happy and free are overwhelmingly Christian countries not Atheist countries where they are the most prosecuted. It is also no secret that Christians have held a majority on voting issues since this country was formed.Gays are allowed to live free and do what they like because of laws and bills passed by Christians not Atheist.It wouldn't matter if all the Atheist in America vote yes or no on a bill it wouldn't make a bit of difference. If the gays had any brains they would be thanking the Christians for their tolerance towards the gays and acceptance.Atheist and Muslim countries have no tolerance and often put gays to death when they are found. I think he always quotes articles without reading them. In support of this "opinion", he quotes a guy who says this: And if he was straight he likely wouldn't have contemplated -- not to mention successfully accomplished -- his own suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge. Personally, I'd discard this source as "hypocritical" and laugh yet again at his lack of research and understanding. Shall I predict that no evidence will be presented to show the correlation with religion? |
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Shall I predict that no evidence will be presented to show the correlation with religion? Correlations: An examination of events which highly correlate the so-called Religious Right organizations to Christian values which have created an oppressive and dangerous environment for the youth of today. Let me begin with: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXAQKuBwESc Sarah Silverman – Message To America – On Gay Suicide. Dear, America. When you tell Gay Americans that they can’t serve their country openly, or marry the person that they love, your telling that to kids too. Don’t be ‘f….ingshocked and wonder where all these bullies are coming from that are torching young kids and driving them to kill themselves because they’re different. They learned it from watching you. NOM - National Organization for Marriage Gathering Storm TV Ad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp76ly2_NoI  MAGGIE GALLAGHER FOUNDED NOM IN 2007 In a book entitled “The Abolition of Marriage,” Gallagher equates same-sex marriage with adultery: “…American family law has been rewritten to dilute both the right and the obligations of marriage, while at the same time placing other relationships, from adulterous liaisons to homosexual partnerships, on a legal par with marriage…” June 15, 1998 – Senate Majority Leader, Trent Lott in an interview with radio talk show host Armstrong Williams After answering the question of homosexuality being a sin, Lott said Yeah it is. You should still love that person. You should not try to mistreat them or treat them as outcasts. You should try to show them a way to deal with that problem, just like alcohol, sex addiction, or kleptomanics. There are all kinds of problems, addictions, difficulties, experiences of things that are wrong, but you should try to work with that person to learn to control that problem… The “problem” is inequality, not an addiction, not a disease, or a mental illness. But it is publicized widely in demeaning ways that homosexuality is a ‘problem’ something to be CURED – and a huge religiously funded public campaign promoting so-called "reparative therapy" flooded the media, churches and communities and continues 12 years later. – Can ya feel the love? Also 1998 – Dr. Robert Garofalo, a Boston pediatrician who authored a health study of gay teens last spring, complained to the Boston Globe that the recent ad campaign, was "a complete misrepresentation" of his research on substance abuse and other high-risk behavior. Garofalo told the Globe he believes the disproportionate risk of gay youth for substance abuse and suicide are the result of alienation gay teenagers face in a "culture that is often unaccepting." Religious Right groups attributed the problems to homosexuality itself, which Garofalo calls "the complete opposite conclusion of what the paper actually concluded." An intentional misrepresentation of studies and research has been rampant by church authorities and powerful anti-gay Christian groups. Although the unethical and immoral messages are openly disputed by those whose work has been plagiarized, that is never what Christians remember. The misinformation is continually regurgitating by ‘Christians’ as authoritative support for their prejudicial views, long after its falsehood is proven. The more widely this misinformation is used and promoted by church authorities, the greater the belief that prejudice and discrimination are not only warranted by Christians but a requirement of their doctrine. In 1998 - Christians falsely,and knowing better, “ equated homosexuality with pedophilia. The Family Research Council's Bob Knight falsely asserted that the Employment Non Discrimination Act would extend legal protections to pedophiles. Parents are told that gays and lesbians are out to molest their children. Gay rights groups are falsely accused of supporting legalization of pedophilia, when in fact every major gay organization denounces it as criminal. "...one of the primary goals of the homosexual rights movement is to abolish all age of consent laws and to eventually recognize pedophiles as the 'prophets' of a new sexual order." - "Homosexual Activists Work to Normalize Sex With Boys," FRC publication, July 1999, http://www.frc.org/misc/bl057.pdf <<<< >>>"homosexuals are included in a list of sinners, who, if unrepentant, will not inherit the kingdom of God." - Family Research Council press release about Matt Shepard's funeral, on the day of the funeral, October 16, 1998, http://www.frc.org/press/101698.html. The release implied that a gay person who had not yet become, or tried to become, an "ex-gay" was "unrepentant."<<<< >>>"Homosexuals have never been forced to sit in the back of the bus. They are as privileged a group as any. To compare their attempts to affirm deviant sexual conduct to the legitimate discrimination claims of true minorities is a sham," said FRC Director of Cultural Studies Robert H. Knight - FRC's CultureFacts, July 28, 1999, http://www.frc.org/culture/cu99g4.html<<< >>>"homosexual behavior is extremely unhealthy, contributing to the spread of AIDS, hepatitis A, B and C and other sexually transmitted diseases….A study of more than 6,400 obituaries in homosexual publications reveals that homosexuals typically have far shorter life spans than the general population. Other reports indicate that homosexuals are more likely to have drug and alcohol abuse problems. It is unfair to force businesses to pay the extra insurance expense and lost productivity that inevitably results from homosexual behavior." [Editors note: the source for this "research" is the discredited Dr. Paul Cameron - see below for extensive information about his extreme beliefs] - Robert Knight, Family Research Council, testifying at ENDA Hearings, July 29, 1994 - committee on Labor and Human Resources, US Senate. Christians today still quote from totally discredited Cameron who even lost his standing with American Psychological Association and his reputation among his peers. A host of Religious Right leaders, including D. James Kennedy, Gary Bauer, James Dobson (Focus on the Family), Beverly LaHaye (Concerned Women for America), Don Wildmon (American Family Association), and Richard Land (Southern Baptists) signed an open letter, printed as a newspaper ad, attacking American Airlines. Gary Bauer's claim that the airline's anti-discrimination policies somehow actively promoted discrimination against religious employees were so ridiculous that the airline's own Christian employees' organization disavowed it. American Airlines officials met with Religious Right leaders but rejected demands that they discontinue marketing to the gay community. Poisonous message In 1997 the Religious Right acted as the single, loudest voice promoting intolerance against gays and lesbians. Religious Right leaders like Pat Robertson (Christian Coalition Founder), Gary Bauer (Family Research Council), Beverly LaHaye (Concerned Women for America), and Jerry Falwell used all the pulpits available to them – including TV, radio, direct mail, and the internet – to spread the poisonous message that hatred of gays and lesbians is not only acceptable, it is required of "godly" people. The Christian Coalition's Randy Tate contributed to the major Christian campaign which continues to embrace the message of “love the sinner, hate the sin”. This campaign message of, ‘love’ but not accept thy neighbor, found refuge with huge portions of Christians who were suffering the effects of cognitive dissonance from previous hate message campaigns. The wide acceptance by Christians emulates to near perfection how church authorities manipulate the masses. Exemplified in the quote below is representation of how ‘love’ and ‘compassion’ can be turned into acceptance and enforcement of discriminatory policy. "I think that as Americans, and particularly as a person of faith, that we need to extend Christian charity to all individuals. That doesn't mean in the public policy realm that we need to extend special privileges to individuals based on their private sexual behavior." — Hardball with Chris Matthews, August 11, 1998 http://www.cwfa.org/articles/19257/MEDIA/family/index.htm Prop 8 Case strikes at the heart of democracy 2010 “Citizens of California voted to uphold marriage because they understood the sacred nature of marriage and that homosexual activists use same-sex ‘marriage’ as a political juggernaut to indoctrinate young children in schools to reject their parent’s values and to harass, sue and punish people who disagree. NOTE OF REFERENCES: I tried to make sure anything other than my own words were placed in quotes and in-text citations privided. If a quote is lacking citation it was one of several that were retrieved from the following: http://www.pfaw.org/media-center/publications/anti-gay-politics-and-the-religious-right Anti-Gay Politics and the Religious Right. A Report by the People For the American Way Foundation I end where I bagan, with what Sarah said so well. Sarah Silverman – Message To America – On Gay Suicide. Dear, America. When you tell Gay Americans that they can’t serve their country openly, or marry the person that they love, your telling that to kids too. Don’t be ‘f….ingshocked and wonder where all these bullies are coming from that are torching young kids and driving them to kill themselves because they’re different. They learned it from watching you. |
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Shall I predict that no evidence will be presented to show the correlation with religion? Correlations: An examination of events which highly correlate the so-called Religious Right organizations to Christian values which have created an oppressive and dangerous environment for the youth of today. Let me begin with: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXAQKuBwESc Sarah Silverman – Message To America – On Gay Suicide. Dear, America. When you tell Gay Americans that they can’t serve their country openly, or marry the person that they love, your telling that to kids too. Don’t be ‘f….ingshocked and wonder where all these bullies are coming from that are torching young kids and driving them to kill themselves because they’re different. They learned it from watching you. NOM - National Organization for Marriage Gathering Storm TV Ad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp76ly2_NoI MAGGIE GALLAGHER FOUNDED NOM IN 2007 In a book entitled “The Abolition of Marriage,” Gallagher equates same-sex marriage with adultery: “…American family law has been rewritten to dilute both the right and the obligations of marriage, while at the same time placing other relationships, from adulterous liaisons to homosexual partnerships, on a legal par with marriage…” June 15, 1998 – Senate Majority Leader, Trent Lott in an interview with radio talk show host Armstrong Williams After answering the question of homosexuality being a sin, Lott said Yeah it is. You should still love that person. You should not try to mistreat them or treat them as outcasts. You should try to show them a way to deal with that problem, just like alcohol, sex addiction, or kleptomanics. There are all kinds of problems, addictions, difficulties, experiences of things that are wrong, but you should try to work with that person to learn to control that problem… The “problem” is inequality, not an addiction, not a disease, or a mental illness. But it is publicized widely in demeaning ways that homosexuality is a ‘problem’ something to be CURED – and a huge religiously funded public campaign promoting so-called "reparative therapy" flooded the media, churches and communities and continues 12 years later. – Can ya feel the love? Also 1998 – Dr. Robert Garofalo, a Boston pediatrician who authored a health study of gay teens last spring, complained to the Boston Globe that the recent ad campaign, was "a complete misrepresentation" of his research on substance abuse and other high-risk behavior. Garofalo told the Globe he believes the disproportionate risk of gay youth for substance abuse and suicide are the result of alienation gay teenagers face in a "culture that is often unaccepting." Religious Right groups attributed the problems to homosexuality itself, which Garofalo calls "the complete opposite conclusion of what the paper actually concluded." An intentional misrepresentation of studies and research has been rampant by church authorities and powerful anti-gay Christian groups. Although the unethical and immoral messages are openly disputed by those whose work has been plagiarized, that is never what Christians remember. The misinformation is continually regurgitating by ‘Christians’ as authoritative support for their prejudicial views, long after its falsehood is proven. The more widely this misinformation is used and promoted by church authorities, the greater the belief that prejudice and discrimination are not only warranted by Christians but a requirement of their doctrine. In 1998 - Christians falsely,and knowing better, “ equated homosexuality with pedophilia. The Family Research Council's Bob Knight falsely asserted that the Employment Non Discrimination Act would extend legal protections to pedophiles. Parents are told that gays and lesbians are out to molest their children. Gay rights groups are falsely accused of supporting legalization of pedophilia, when in fact every major gay organization denounces it as criminal. "...one of the primary goals of the homosexual rights movement is to abolish all age of consent laws and to eventually recognize pedophiles as the 'prophets' of a new sexual order." - "Homosexual Activists Work to Normalize Sex With Boys," FRC publication, July 1999, http://www.frc.org/misc/bl057.pdf <<<< >>>"homosexuals are included in a list of sinners, who, if unrepentant, will not inherit the kingdom of God." - Family Research Council press release about Matt Shepard's funeral, on the day of the funeral, October 16, 1998, http://www.frc.org/press/101698.html. The release implied that a gay person who had not yet become, or tried to become, an "ex-gay" was "unrepentant."<<<< >>>"Homosexuals have never been forced to sit in the back of the bus. They are as privileged a group as any. To compare their attempts to affirm deviant sexual conduct to the legitimate discrimination claims of true minorities is a sham," said FRC Director of Cultural Studies Robert H. Knight - FRC's CultureFacts, July 28, 1999, http://www.frc.org/culture/cu99g4.html<<< >>>"homosexual behavior is extremely unhealthy, contributing to the spread of AIDS, hepatitis A, B and C and other sexually transmitted diseases….A study of more than 6,400 obituaries in homosexual publications reveals that homosexuals typically have far shorter life spans than the general population. Other reports indicate that homosexuals are more likely to have drug and alcohol abuse problems. It is unfair to force businesses to pay the extra insurance expense and lost productivity that inevitably results from homosexual behavior." [Editors note: the source for this "research" is the discredited Dr. Paul Cameron - see below for extensive information about his extreme beliefs] - Robert Knight, Family Research Council, testifying at ENDA Hearings, July 29, 1994 - committee on Labor and Human Resources, US Senate. Christians today still quote from totally discredited Cameron who even lost his standing with American Psychological Association and his reputation among his peers. A host of Religious Right leaders, including D. James Kennedy, Gary Bauer, James Dobson (Focus on the Family), Beverly LaHaye (Concerned Women for America), Don Wildmon (American Family Association), and Richard Land (Southern Baptists) signed an open letter, printed as a newspaper ad, attacking American Airlines. Gary Bauer's claim that the airline's anti-discrimination policies somehow actively promoted discrimination against religious employees were so ridiculous that the airline's own Christian employees' organization disavowed it. American Airlines officials met with Religious Right leaders but rejected demands that they discontinue marketing to the gay community. Poisonous message In 1997 the Religious Right acted as the single, loudest voice promoting intolerance against gays and lesbians. Religious Right leaders like Pat Robertson (Christian Coalition Founder), Gary Bauer (Family Research Council), Beverly LaHaye (Concerned Women for America), and Jerry Falwell used all the pulpits available to them – including TV, radio, direct mail, and the internet – to spread the poisonous message that hatred of gays and lesbians is not only acceptable, it is required of "godly" people. The Christian Coalition's Randy Tate contributed to the major Christian campaign which continues to embrace the message of “love the sinner, hate the sin”. This campaign message of, ‘love’ but not accept thy neighbor, found refuge with huge portions of Christians who were suffering the effects of cognitive dissonance from previous hate message campaigns. The wide acceptance by Christians emulates to near perfection how church authorities manipulate the masses. Exemplified in the quote below is representation of how ‘love’ and ‘compassion’ can be turned into acceptance and enforcement of discriminatory policy. "I think that as Americans, and particularly as a person of faith, that we need to extend Christian charity to all individuals. That doesn't mean in the public policy realm that we need to extend special privileges to individuals based on their private sexual behavior." — Hardball with Chris Matthews, August 11, 1998 http://www.cwfa.org/articles/19257/MEDIA/family/index.htm Prop 8 Case strikes at the heart of democracy 2010 “Citizens of California voted to uphold marriage because they understood the sacred nature of marriage and that homosexual activists use same-sex ‘marriage’ as a political juggernaut to indoctrinate young children in schools to reject their parent’s values and to harass, sue and punish people who disagree. NOTE OF REFERENCES: I tried to make sure anything other than my own words were placed in quotes and in-text citations privided. If a quote is lacking citation it was one of several that were retrieved from the following: http://www.pfaw.org/media-center/publications/anti-gay-politics-and-the-religious-right Anti-Gay Politics and the Religious Right. A Report by the People For the American Way Foundation I end where I bagan, with what Sarah said so well. Sarah Silverman – Message To America – On Gay Suicide. Dear, America. When you tell Gay Americans that they can’t serve their country openly, or marry the person that they love, your telling that to kids too. Don’t be ‘f….ingshocked and wonder where all these bullies are coming from that are torching young kids and driving them to kill themselves because they’re different. They learned it from watching you. Ahhh,Red. I know you mean well, but you missed the point of my post entirely. I really didn't think that my words were that clouded, unless one takes them out of context or paraphrases. MiddleEarthling's OP only "supported" his already biggoted viewpoint in his mind. There still has been no correlation established between those reported suicides and Religion. Would you have used his quoted source in support of the topic if you read this statement??? "And if he was straight he likely wouldn't have contemplated -- not to mention successfully accomplished -- his own suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge." This isn't the first time he's done this either. Now I'm afraid you spoon-fed a bible-thumping Atheist information that may promote his anti-religion bigotry, while not encouraging him to think for himself. But then again, that may be your agenda too.... |
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Edited by
msharmony
on
Mon 10/18/10 11:57 AM
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people will be ill
people will have trouble dealing with their differences and how they relate to the world the mentally ill are also stigmatized and not permitted entry into the military but I wouldnt suggest that those who kill themself do so simply because of the stigma and I wouldnt suggest that the guidelines for entry be changed because some are ill enough to take their life over it different guidelines are in place because we are in fact DIFFERENT in areas that count enough to call for guidelines in certain areas (like we have female and male bathrooms for the different anatomy of MALES and FEMALES, and there are some things that single parents qualify for that married couples or singles without children do not) these differences have nothing to do with being better or worse, just DIFFERENT,,,,Im not gonna kill myself anytime soon because I am on assistance, yet that is stigmatized by others I have learned , as others must that regardless of whether people talk about me or whether I have differences that made me not able to join the boy scouts, that didnt make those differences cause for an assumption that I am any less than anyone else,,, I think its most likely to associate depression and other coping deficiencies with the choice for suicide rather than religion,,,as the MAJORITY of gay , or promiscuous, or virgin (or other socially stigmatized groups) dont resolve the teenage taunts they receive with suicide and if one is to point to a correlation between religious belief and suicides that gay teens are committing, why wouldnt that same one correlate all the GOOD things teens are doing to religious teachings as well why is the argument so one sided and religios belief highlighted by some as predominately or only a catalyst for bad things and therefore deserving of being abolished, when it is so much more prevalant and likely for religious belief to be the catalyst for good ,,,, |
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