Grove City College Student Suspended for Gay Porn Role

I am sorry that John Gechter - a student at far right Christianist Grove City College - pictured at left in the photo has been suspended for a year for having acted in gay porn movies, thereby exhibiting "behavior contrary to the values" of the College. Gecther says he used his porn income to pay Grove City's high tuition costs. Nonetheless, it's rather humorous since Grove City College is the home of Prof. Warren Throckmorton who until recently was one of the high priests (or maybe priestesses) of the choice myth and formerly traveled around the country claiming that sexual orientation can be changed. Throckmorton has backed down a lot of late - perhaps out of fear he will lose his license if the APA comes out 100% against reparative therapy. Slog has more details on the story and also speculates on the high incidence of closet cases at Christian colleges:

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What are the odds that a lot of closeted gay kids go to Christian colleges? High, I'd say. And what are the odds that lots of closeted gay kids at Christian colleges—and their closeted profs, closeted staffers, closeted youth pastors, et al—download and watch a whole lot of gay porn? Also high. So what are the odds that a student at a Christian college who appears in gay porn under a pseudonym is gonna get caught? Higher still, as it turns out.

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Twenty-two-year-old John Gechter, of Philadelphia, was suspended for one year pending appeal from Grove City College after a student saw him last month in a video posted online.

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Gechter is appealing the suspension and says he may sue claiming that the gay porn job isn't any of the school's business, especially since he performed using the name "Vincent DeSalvo." Gechter says he used his porn income to pay for his schooling. School officials say Gechter is suspended because Gechter was well aware his porn involvement "exhibited behavior contrary to the values" of the school about 50 miles north of Pittsburgh.

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I once had a gay friend who formerly lived in Lynchburg, Virginia, home of Jerry Falwell's Liberty University who used to remark all the time that most of the men on gay.com in that area were either (i) married men looking for gay sex or (ii) Liberty University boys looking for hook ups. Thus, John Gecther was likely only one of many Grove City boys into gay sex. Also, who was the Grove City student who was looking at the porn who rated out Gecther?

Pat Robertson: Gay Marriage Will Result in Polygamy, Bestiality, Child Molestation, and Pedophilia

UPDATED: Here's some of Pat's rant via Towleroad:

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"We haven’t taken this to its ultimate conclusion. You got polygamy out there. How can we rule that polygamy is illegal when you say that homosexual marriage is legal. What is it about polygamy that’s different? Well, polygamy was outlawed because it was considered immoral according to biblical standards. But if we take biblical standards away in homosexuality, what about the other? And what about bestiality and ultimately what about child molestation and pedophilia? How can we criminalize these things and at the same time have constitutional amendments allowing same-sex marriage among homosexuals. You mark my words, this is just the beginning in a long downward slide in relation to all the things that we consider to be abhorrent."

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Hmm, if we are talking about "Biblical standards" Pat, what happened to love of neighbor, not bearing false witness, not promoting hate, etc>?

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Pat Robertson, one of this area's most delusional Christianist fruitcakes and perennial embarrassments has shot gone off his mouth again. (The photo is the one that motivated to expel a student from third rate Regent Law School some time back when the student used the picture on his web page. Pat can dish it out but he can't take it himself.) In any event, this time brother Pat is spouting off about gay marriage and the parade of horrors that he says it portends. According to Mr. "I'd like to blow up the United Nations Robertson," if gay marriage is allowed, the gates will be thrown open for the legalization of polygamy, bestiality, child molestation, pedophilia.

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Why anyone one who is not certifiably deranged listens to this man who has made a fortune peddling snake oil to the gullible is baffling. For that matter, I find it equally baffling as to why the Norfolk Airport Authority allows Pat's Regent University to place large paid murals in the Norfolk airport concourse as if they are seeking to cause anyone progressive coming to the area to turn around and get right back on the plane that brought them to the area. But we digress. Media Matters has Pat in full homophobic rant here. This is the clip of his rant:
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More Thursday Male Beauty

Randy Forbes Pushing Resolution on National Role of Religion

Just the other day we commented on Randy Forbes' rant against the hate crimes bills in the House of Representatives. Now Forbes is pushing a worthless resolution that has no purpose other than to provide orgasms to far right Christianists by "affirming the country’s “rich spiritual and religious history.” If Forbes were from anywhere in the Hampton's Roads area other than Chesapeake - one of the most reactionary cities in the area when it comes to social issues and recognizing the separation of church and state - he'd never dare introduce such a resolution, particularly when the nation has so many much more pressing issues that need to be addressed. And the GOP wonders why it is losing support and appearing increasingly irrelevant and/or delusional. If Randy wants some accurate information on this nation NOT being a Christian nation, all he needs to do is call me and I will gladly provided it. Here are some highlights from the Virginian Pilot:

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As U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes tries again to get Congress to approve a resolution affirming the country’s “rich spiritual and religious history,” he’s taking issue with President Barack Obama’s recent comments on religion and politics.

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During a visit to Turkey last month, Obama said, “One of the great strengths of the United States is, although I have mentioned we have a very large Christian population, we do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation; we consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values.”
That’s just incorrect, Forbes said Wednesday.

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An identical resolution, introduced by Forbes last year, died in a congressional committee. This year’s measure, HR397, is co-sponsored by 24 other legislators, but it has drawn criticism from opponents who say it is revisionist history because it doesn’t include historical information that would contradict Forbes’ views.

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The Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said Forbes’ proposal “is not a fair or accurate representation of what religious liberty has meant in this country.” “This is done solely to score political points now and in the event it ever comes up for a vote, to chastise as non-religious those who don’t vote for it,’’ Lynn said.

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The Rev. Geoffrey V. Guns, pastor of Second Calvary Baptist Church in Norfolk, said . . . “I would have a little concern with someone who would want to legislate that America is a religious nation,” Guns said. “Then you have to say, 'Whose religion?’ and, 'Who is religious?’”

Obama Remains Missing in Action of LGBT Issues

I have taken Obama to task a number of times for his failure to do anything truly meaningful on the gay rights front since his inauguration. Indeed, he has seemed more concerned about coddling and kissing up to vile Christianist liars like Rick Warren rather than take steps to keep his promises to those who helped get him elected. Now, the New York Times has an article that looks at Obama's failures to support those who supported him other than by occasional lip service. At times I am baffled as to whether the root cause is a lack of courage or whether Obama never truly intended to follow through for LGBT Americans in the first place. Here are some story highlights from the Times:

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WASHINGTON — President Obama was noticeably silent last month when the Iowa Supreme Court overturned the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. But now Mr. Obama — who has said he opposes same-sex marriage as a Christian but describes himself as a “fierce advocate of equality” for gay men and lesbians — is under pressure to engage on a variety of gay issues that are coming to the fore amid a dizzying pace of social, political, legal and legislative change.

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Two of Mr. Obama’s potential Supreme Court nominees are openly gay; some advocates, irked that there are no gay men or lesbians in his cabinet, are mounting a campaign to influence his choice to replace Justice David H. Souter, who is retiring. Same-sex marriage is advancing in states — the latest to allow it is Maine. . . . many gay activists, aware that Mr. Obama is also dealing with enormous challenges at home and overseas, have counseled patience. But some are unsettled by what they see as the president’s cautious approach. Many are . . . suspicious of Mr. Obama’s commitment to their cause.

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In the words of David Mixner, a writer, gay activists are beginning to wonder, “How much longer do we give him the benefit of the doubt?” Last weekend, Richard Socarides, who advised President Bill Clinton on gay issues, published an opinion piece in The Washington Post headlined, “Where’s our fierce advocate?” The White House, aware of the discontent, invited leaders of some prominent gay rights organizations to meet Monday with top officials. . .

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Some say change is inevitable, not only for Mr. Obama but also for other Democratic politicians who have embraced civil unions but rejected same-sex marriage. Now that the Iowa ruling has pushed the battle into the nation’s heartland, the issue will inevitably come up during the 2010 midterm elections and the 2012 presidential campaign.

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For the record, I no longer give Obama the benefit of the doubt. Unless and until he gets some backbone and does something substantive, my operating assumption is that he cynically used LGBT Americans and I have no intention of forgiving him for it either.

Thursday Male Beauty

Sex and the Single Priest

I'm obviously no fan of the Roman Catholic Church and as a former Catholic I believe the Church's requirement of priestly celibacy is ridiculous - after all, the policy was first implemented to avoid losing money to the families of priests, not for any true theological reason - and largely sets the stage for the sexual abuse of minors which has likely plagued the Church for centuries, not just decades. As Time is reporting, the Church hierarchy in South Florida has its panties in a wad over a charismatic priest, Rev. Alberto Cutié, who - God forbid - has normal sexual attractions to women of legal age. Why is it that the Church can enable and/or cover up the sexual abuse of minors, yet still not face the fact that celibacy is an ABNORMAL condition for those who are normal be they gay or straight. Here are some highlights from Time's coverage:

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If only it were the worst thing that a Roman Catholic priest has been caught doing. The Mexican celebrity magazine TVnotas recently published 25 paparazzi photos of the Rev. Alberto Cutié, the popular Miami Beach priest famous for his Spanish-language television and radio talk shows, cavorting amorously on a Florida beach with an attractive woman. Over a three-day period, the pictures also captured him kissing her in a bar. In one of TVnotas's "in fragranti" shots [Note to TVnotas copy editors: it's "in flagrante"] the woman wraps her legs around Cutié; in another, Cutié has a hand down her swimsuit, fondling her rear end.

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Because of the scandal, the Archdiocese of Miami says Cutié, 40, is no longer the administrator of his Miami Beach parish, and it has barred him from leading Sunday mass there. His media work seems up in the air now, and the popular website padrealberto.net has only a blue screen with a message from Cutié asking forgiveness.

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But Cutie's penalty might elicit more than a few snickers from Catholics who have spent the past few decades watching the priestly perdition parade of sexual abuse, parish embezzlement and doctrinal intolerance. The Miami archdiocese has had to pay out millions of dollars in sexual-abuse settlements in recent years — including a case involving a former priest at Cutié's South Beach church, St. Francis de Sales. . . . so long as Cutié wasn't frolicking with a minor (female or male) or using parish funds to buy margaritas for his paramour, many parishioners may actually be relieved that their popular priest has a libido focused on a woman who has reached the age of consent.

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What's more, one of the pillars of Cutié's popularity is his relationship counseling. To any Catholic who's had to suffer through a lecture on marriage from a celibate kid just out of seminary, Cutié's romantic romp might just make him a more appealing priest — more human, perhaps, than Catholic clergy who deny communion to divorcees, gays and anyone else who dares violate the Church's litany of "non-negotiable" rules.

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the Cutié scandal is sure to ratchet up debate over clerical celibacy in the Catholic Church, a spiritual ideal that seems to collide more often today with biological reality. . . . A bigger problem for the Church, however, may be Cutié's Oprah-like standing in the Latino community — the only demographic where the U.S. Catholicism is experiencing growth. America's Catholic bishops, many of whom are widely accused of allowing the sexual abuse crisis to happen, must realize that Cutié is more well regarded among Catholics than they are, especially among Latinos.

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In my view, unless and until the Church allows married priests it can count on continuing to recruit misfits and those utterly out of touch with the realities with which their parishioners live each day.

Washington Post Looks at "Outrage"

I have already commented on the new documentary movie "Outrage" which looks at closeted politicians with anti-gay politicians. However, all too often what blogs bring to light doesn't equate to coverage in the main stream media - which has complicity in allowing closet cases like Ed Schrock (pictured at left), David Drier and according to Outrage, Charlie Crist, remain in the closet despite numerous leads to the truth of their double lives, not to mention homophobic voting records. Former local Congressman Ed Schrock had the second most conservative voting records and made statements about the unfitness of gays to serve in the military as he himself used "Mega Phone" to find partners for gay trysts. Fortunately, due to the efforts of some locals and Mike Rogers at BlogActive.com, Schrock's hypocritical double life was exposed and ultimately his seat has come to be held by a far more gay friendly Congressman. Here are some highlights from the Washington Post (which has complicity issues of its own):

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The closet, he points out, forces those who engage in homosexual acts to lead lives of elaborate deception, to betray their spouses, to seek anonymous sex. Conservative public officials who are gay, the film argues, adopt protective camouflage by opposing any legislation -- HIV/AIDS funding, benefits for unmarried partners, same-sex marriage -- that might identify them as pro-gay: It's a tactic that sets up an interior war against their essential selves.

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"The psychology of these people who would, in exchange for a political career, lead a double life, that's almost a Shakespearean character," Dick says. This dissonance is part of what attracted him to the topic. It supplies a depth to the screen proceedings beyond mere prurience. It also adds to the director's more direct message: He wants to "advance the cause of gay rights," including same-sex marriage, he says. And, "I hope that this film contributes in some ways to the lessening and perhaps eventual demise of the closet."

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Their names were bandied about among journalists, and you could easily find them in blogs or political-circuit chatter. But the mainstream media refused to out them even though "the gay press has been writing about this for many, many years," Dick says. Informed that this newspaper's policy is to identify only self-declared homosexuals, he's perplexed and perceives a double standard. . . . The allegedly gay politicians and others he names in his film (at least five by our count) "are public officials; this is reporting on hypocrisy, and there is an obligation on the press to write about it."

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Some gay-rights supporters consider Rogers's tactics odious and invasive. Dan Gurley, who was national field director for the Republican National Committee in 2004, once called the blogger "despicable." It's easy to see why: A couple of months before the election, Rogers outed Gurley on Blogactive.com and later posted the RNC official's Gay.com dating profile. Gurley never hid being gay, but to avoid further controversy, he says, the GOP kicked him to the curb when he sought a position in the second Bush administration.

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As I have said before, I totally support outing closeted politicians who embrace anti-gay legislation and make life worse for the rest of us. They can stay in the closet if the want, but once they support anti-gay legislation, they put a bull's eye on their own backs.

NYT: Pass the Matthew Shepard Act

Given all the insane rants and duplicitous lies being disseminated by the "Godly Christian" set in respect to the pending hate crimes bill now before the United States Senate, it is nice to find sane voices that make a reasoned case for the bill's passage. One such voice is the editorial page of the New York Times which has endorsed the passage of the bill and brushed aside the delusional and untrue statements of the bill's opponents. Indeed, if this nation is to ever live up to its alleged status as the land of liberty and justice for all, passage of the hate crimes legislation is a must. Here are some highlights from yesterday's column:

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After years of unconscionable delay, the House has approved legislation that would, for the first time, extend federal hate-crimes law to give substantive coverage to gay people. The act would be an important step forward in protecting all minorities from violence and a tribute to a young man whose life was cut short by bigotry.
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The Matthew Shepard Act, as the bill is known in the Senate, would provide increased funding to state and local authorities to prosecute a wide range of hate crimes — ones motivated by race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. It would also authorize the federal government to prosecute these crimes when states fail to do so.

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The biggest beneficiaries would probably be African-Americans, who make up the largest group of hate-crime victims. It would also help Hispanics, who have been increasing targets of anti-immigrant hatred. The bill’s opponents have focused on the protection of gay people, who were the victims in more than 16 percent of the hate crimes reported by the F.B.I. in 2007.

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In addition to providing more resources, the act would serve an important public education role, underscoring the seriousness and horror of these crimes. In a particularly ugly moment in last week’s House debate, Representative Virginia Foxx, Republican of North Carolina, declared that Mr. Shepard’s death was “a hoax,” repeating a right-wing canard that he was not a target because he was gay. Luckily, Ms. Foxx is part of a dwindling — if still too vocal — minority. A Hart Research poll released in February 2007 found that 73 percent of those surveyed support hate-crimes legislation that protects gays.
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After the House’s strong vote — 249 to 175 — in favor of the bill, the Senate needs to follow. Senator Edward Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, has introduced the companion bill, which has bipartisan support. Harry Reid, the majority leader, should quickly schedule a vote.

More Wednesday Male Beauty

Generations Disagree on Same-Sex Marriage

No doubt this new poll reported by CNN will further enliven the aging Christianist and professional Christianist set to try to redouble their anti-gay jihad because it shows that time is running out for the Christianist/Mormon hate based agenda much as the racism seen in the older generations is far less prevalent in the younger generations who merely see blacks and other minorities as other people like themselves as opposed to some alien species to be segregated and looked down upon. The poll also shows the importance of LGBT Americans being out to friends, family and co-workers because those who know gays are much more in favor of LGBT equality. I truly believe that the day will come when the extreme homophobes of the Christian Right will be viewed in a similar light to George Wallace standing in the school house door blocking black children from entering an all white school. Here are some highlights on the poll results:

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[A]mong those 18 to 34 years old, 58 percent said same-sex marriages should be legal. That number drops to 42 percent among respondents aged 35 to 49, and to 41 percent for those aged 50 to 64. Only 24 percent of Americans 65 and older support recognizing same-sex marriages, according to the poll.

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While a majority of those polled oppose legalizing gay marriage, six of ten said states that do not recognize gay marriages should allow civil unions. When it comes to supporting civil unions, the poll indicates a similar generational shift.

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Forty-nine percent of those questioned say they have a family member or close friend who is gay. That's up eight points from 1998 and 17 points from 1992. Fifty-eight percent of those aged 18 to 34 say they have a family member or close friend who's gay. That drops to just one in three of people 65 or older. "People who say they have a gay friend or relative support same-sex marriage," Holland notes. "Most of those who say they don't know anyone who is gay, oppose gay marriage."

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The poll indicates that close to 40 percent of Democrats oppose legalizing gay marriage. But Schneider says there's a risk for conservatives if they make same-sex marriage an issue in the fight over a Supreme Court nomination. "Young voters strongly favor marriage equality. They're the future of American politics," says Schneider.

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I hope I live long enough to see the total defeat of the anti-gay Bible beaters on the issue of gay equality and marriage.

Marie Osmond Comes Out for Gay Marriage

Kudos to Marie for putting her denomination's anti-gay rhetoric behind her and coming out in support of her daughter and marriage equality. As a parent, I have never understood how a good, loving parent could disown their own child simply because they are gay or lesbian or transgendered. Personally, I'd die for any one of my children. Yet far too many Christianists, Mormons, and other Kool-Aid drinkers do just that. I always have to wonder if these people were ever even decent parents in the first place if they can throw their own child out on the streets. No doubt Marie will have some religious extremists condemning her, but I believe that she has done exactly what Christ would have wanted and what he would have done himself. Here are some highlights via Pam's House Blend:

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Actress and singer Marie Osmond was on a radio station KOST 103.5 Los Angeles yesterday, discussing her lesbian daughter Jessica and Marie's beliefs.Contrary to rumors, Marie spoke of how much she loves and supports her daughter, despite her own Mormon religious convictions. Naturally, the gay marriage question came up, and, we're proud to say, Marie spoke in support of civil rights for everyone, regardless of orientation.

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An audio clip of Marie's comments can be found here. Hopefully, Marie's courage will embolden others to likewise do the right thing. Contact Marie Osmond at Kesti@marieosmond.com to thank her for speaking out about her daughter, and for supporting marriage equality.

What the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Bill Really Says

I posted earlier today about the explosin of lies coming from the Christianists over the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Bill (the photo at left is where Shepard's was found bound and beaten) now before the U.S. Senate. An anonymous commenter in a snide tone - it's always the anonymous commenters that are snippy and nasty - asked why I had not documented that the Christianists statements were not true. In fact, I have quoted portions of the bill (S. 909) in prior posts, but to prove to those who do not want to believe that "Godly Christians" lie incessantly, here are some more exerpts. Note that the bill talks of acts of BODILY INJURY, not speech or sermons:

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‘Sec. 249. Hate crime acts
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(a) In General-
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(2) OFFENSES INVOLVING ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, OR DISABILITY-

(A) IN GENERAL- Whoever, whether or not acting under color of law, in any circumstance described in subparagraph (B) or paragraph (3), willfully causes bodily injury to any person or, through the use of fire, a firearm, a dangerous weapon, or an explosive or incendiary device, attempts to cause bodily injury to any person, because of the actual or perceived religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability of any person--
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(i) shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years, fined in accordance with this title, or both; and
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(ii) shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life, fined in accordance with this title, or both, if--
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(I) death results from the offense; or
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(II) the offense includes kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill.
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(c) Definitions- In this section--

(1) the term ‘bodily injury’ has the meaning given such term in section 1365(h)(4) of this title, but does not include solely emotional or psychological harm to the victim;
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(2) the term ‘explosive or incendiary device’ has the meaning given such term in section 232 of this title;
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(3) the term ‘firearm’ has the meaning given such term in section 921(a) of this title; and
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(4) the term ‘gender identity’ for the purposes of this chapter means actual or perceived gender-related characteristics.

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Of equal importance are the following exemptions from application of the Bills protections based on sexual orientation or gender expression:

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(3) CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS- Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit any constitutionally protected speech, expressive conduct or activities (regardless of whether compelled by, or central to, a system of religious belief), including the exercise of religion protected by the First Amendment and peaceful picketing or demonstration. The Constitution does not protect speech, conduct or activities consisting of planning for, conspiring to commit, or committing an act of violence.
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(4) FREE EXPRESSION- Nothing in this Act shall be construed to allow prosecution based solely upon an individual’s expression of racial, religious, political, or other beliefs or solely upon an individual’s membership in a group advocating or espousing such beliefs.

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Again, there is no way to put it nicely. Daddy Dobson, Janet Folger Porter and the rest of the professional Christian hacks decrying the hate crimes bill are LIARS and they are lying DELIBERATELY. They care NOTHING about the truth and are nothing less than shameless demagogues who are likely putting money in their pockets derived from the the ignorant, bigoted, or uninformed. Their conduct is anything but Christ like.

Wednesday Male Beauty

Bigots and Haters at FOTF Send Out Action Alert on Hate Crimes

As I have noted countless times, part of me is always amazed - but not surprised - at the lengths to which the professional Christians will go in knowingly disseminating lies and total untruths about LGBT Americans and any legislation which would give us legal rights or protections enjoyed by other citizens. It's as if the Commandment against lying and bearing false witness simply did not exist. The willingness of these people to lie with impunity is what to me shows their utter moral bankruptcy and hypocrisy. Among the most disingenuous liars is James Dobson and his henchmen at Focus on the Family who are in near hysteria over the House of Representative's passage of the Matthew Shepard Act. Consistent with their past lies, FOTF is sending out the following action alert:

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The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to vote soon on legislation that would create a new class of crimes based on the traits of the victim, including "sexual orientation" and "gender identity."

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Under "hate-crimes" laws like S.909, pastors could be prosecuted for preaching the biblical view of homosexuality. Similar laws have been used to prosecute religious speech in the U.S. at the state level and abroad.Please tell your senators that every human being deserves to be equally protected. Ask them to oppose S.909.

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Dobson's equally dishonest ally, Janet Folger Porter, has equally outrageous and untrue statements over at Wingnut Net Daily where she about blows a gasket while venting. Here's a sampling of Folger-Porter's lies:

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I've written extensively about how this bill would criminalize Christianity and turn those who disagree with the homosexual agenda into felons, but criminalizing Christianity is just the beginning of what this bill would do. It would also elevate pedophiles as a special protected class – since the term "sexual orientation," which has been added to the "hate crimes" legislation, includes them in the American Psychiatric Association's definition of various "sexual orientations" (30 of these APA "sexual orientations" are listed in a fact sheet provided by the Traditional Values Coalition).

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If a mother hears that their child has been raped and she slaps the assailant with her purse, she is now gone after as a hate criminal because this is a protected class. There are other protected classes in here. I mean simple exhibitionism. I have female friends who have told me over the years that some guy flashed them, and their immediate reaction was to hit them with their purse. Well now, he's committed a misdemeanor, [and] she has committed a federal hate crime because the exhibitionism is protected under sexual orientation.

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Of course, the claim that pastors or a mother in the quoted example could be prosecuted is totally untrue, but when have Dobson, Folger-Porter ever let the truth get in the way of their anti-gay, pro-theocracy agenda (personally, I believe God has a special place in Hell for Dobson and Ms. Porter and those like them who have made a career out of marketing hatred of others). Autumn Sandeen at Pam's House Blend - who I had the pleasure of meeting at the Blogger Summit last December - has some great commentary on Daddy D and his fellow haters:

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There is a paragraph in it that angered me immensely: "There is no evidence of an epidemic of sexual-orientation 'hate crimes' in this country," said Ashley Horne, federal policy analyst at Focus on the Family Action. "So, what's the real reason for this bill? Gay activists want to silence those who speak out against homosexuality."

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Well, Ashley Horne, federal hate crime legislation isn't about wanting to "...silence those who speak out against homosexuality," unless it's speech connected to violent crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, with the victims over these violent crimes selected specifically because the victim is lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.

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"So, what's the real reason that Ashley Horne of Focus On The Family and her conservative 'Christian' cohorts? Conservative 'Christians' like Ashley Horne want to protect the 'free speech' of convicted killers like Allen Ray Andrade. They want people like Andrade to be able to safely terrorize lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual people with their bias motivated, violent crimes, with 'free speech' statements connected to the violent crimes, such as Andrade's 'Gay things must die' and 'It's not like I went up to a schoolteacher and shot her in the head or ... killed a law-abiding straight citizen.'"

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I increasingly see the Christianists like Dobson and Folger-Porter as a cancer on society that seeks to poison hearts and minds with hate driven viciousness against those who are different or who refuse to live by the perverted religious beliefs of Christianist nutcases. They are NOT nice or good people and the sooner the larger public realizes this the better off we will be as a nation

Catholic Vapors Over "Angels and Demons"

In a case of all to common crocodile tears the Vatican and its usual sycophants such as William Donohue at the Catholic League are having vapors and squealing "anti-Catholic bigotry" over the release of the movie Angels and Demons based on Dan Brown's book of the same name. First, any rational person - which obviously excludes Donohue - would know that the piece is a work of FICTION and connect the dots and realize the movie is merely a fictional thriller. Moreover, if the Roman Catholic Church is truly worried about its image in the world, it could (1) impose punishment on those in the Church hierarchy who enabled and/or covered up the world wide sexual abuse of minors and (2) issue a formal and sincere apology for all of the horrible things the Church has done down through history, including the massacre of non-Christians, the Inquisition just for starters. Sadly, we all know that such action will never occur and that the Church savors playing the victim as it victimizes others. Thus, I suspect most people will recognize the Church's current whining for the disingenuous bull shit that it is. Here are some highlights from the Telegraph:

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The Rt Rev Malcolm McMahon, the Bishop of Nottingham, warned that the film could stir up anti-Catholic sentiment."This is so outlandish, it's total rubbish," said Bishop McMahon, who is one of the Church's most senior bishops. "It's mischievous to stir up this kind of anti-Catholic sentiment. It's a gratuitous knocking of the Church and I can't see any reason for it."

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Ron Howard, the director of Angels & Demons - expected to become the first blockbuster film of the summer when it is released this month - has fired back that Catholics will enjoy the movie, which is based on a previous novel by The Da Vinci Code's author, Dan Brown. His comments will intensify a feud between some prominent Catholic leaders and the Da Vinci Code team over claims that the film smears the Church.

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The bishop, who chairs the Church's Department of Evangelisation and Catechesis, said that Catholics were "getting tired" of the sensational stories and plotlines contained in Brown's novels and subsequent film adaptations. "I don't think that Catholics will be interested in seeing this as it's so far removed from the truth," he added.

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Brown's book includes a number of other episodes guaranteed to upset the faithful - including a Pope conceiving a child via artificial insemination, thereby circumventing celibacy rules. Sony Pictures has declined to say whether those incidents make it to the movie. Bill Donahue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights in the US, accused Howard and Brown of "smearing the Catholic church with fabulously bogus tales".

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The Vatican, which was predictably offended by the Da Vinci Code plot that involved Jesus fathering a child with Mary Magdalene, did not allow Howard to film in its churches or property. "Normally we read the script," a Vatican spokesman said. "But this time it was not necessary - the name Dan Brown was enough." There has also been high-level discussion within the Holy See about whether to urge a boycott of the film, according to Italian media reports. It took that step with The Da Vinci Code, but the film enjoyed staggering box office takings of $758 million and some Vatican insiders fear their high-profile opposition backfired.

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But Sony Pictures is not backing away from the controversy and will stage the film's world premier on the Vatican's doorstep in Rome on May 4, 10 days before it opens in British cinemas. "We do not believe the film is anti-Catholic, and we don't believe the nearly 40 million people worldwide who purchased the novel were confused by the fact that this is a fictional mystery thriller," said Steve Elzer, the studio's senior vice-president.

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Personally, I am tired of the Vatican's lies, hypocrisy and dissemination of anti-gay garbage based on 13th century ignorance. The boyfriend and I both read the book and loved it and we are eagerly awaiting the film's opening locally.

Nude Photos of Miss California Hit the Internet

I know, I know - I said I was finished posting about Carrie Prejean, Miss California USA turned darling of the Christian Right and the anti-gay marriage forces. However, Ms. Prejean is turning into the gift that keeps on giving - delight to to those of us who are sick of the self-anointed keepers of morality and I suspect increasing horror amongst the Christianists. Turns out that Ms. Prejean likes to flash her God given - or perhaps pageant sponsored - hooters off to photographers. Perhaps Pam Spaulding at Pam's House Blend says it best. Here's Pam's spin on these new revelations:

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You knew it was only a matter of time before another thing that Maggie's pious National Organization for Marriage touches blows up in its face. Nude photos of Miss Pageant-Paid-for-Jugs-for-Jesus have surfaced and the devoted "Christian" is forced to explain herself. Of course she's just a victim, right? Even a bible-beating homophobic gal's got to make a living. (PopCrunch):

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Alicia Jacobs, Entertainment Reporter at KVBC in Las Vegas, has seen all six of the photos and says some are much more revealing. Alicia believes the flicks may have been taken after Carrie's pageant-financed breast augmentation about six weeks ago.

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Hmmm...These explosive pictures could be devastating for Miss California, whose anti-gay marriage campaign recently resulted in a partnership with the National Organization for Marriage and helped to make her increasingly popular with right-wing conservatives. And the fun made the Today Show.

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No doubt, Ms. Prejean will claim that she's being oppressed and persecuted because she's a Christian rather than because she's a brainless idiot. I wonder if Tim Wildmon and Tony Perkins like the newly discovered photos.

U.S. Denies Letting Military Troops Proselytizing Afghans

I have written before about the problem of Christianists infiltrating the U.S. military, particularly the Air Force Academy. Now the efforts to convert others by religious zealots in the military has spread overseas and are creating controversy and resentment in Afghanistan, not to mention helping to foster the image that the USA is an a contest against Islam, not just terrorist regimes. Sadly, too many in the senior command positions in the military lack the guts to crack down on the Christian extremists or worse yet, agree with the efforts to convert Muslims. All of this shows how crucial it is that secular government and a secular military be reestablished to protect not only civil and religious liberties for US citizens, but also to avoid religious controversies overseas. One cannot depend on the Christian fanatics to discipline themselves, so others must do so. Here are highlights from the Washington Post:

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KABUL (Reuters) - The U.S. military denied Monday it has allowed soldiers to try to convert Afghans to Christianity, after a television network showed pictures of soldiers with bibles translated into local languages. General Order Number 1 from the U.S. military's Central Command forbids active duty troops -- including all those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan -- from trying to convert people to their religion, considered a crime in many Muslim countries.

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Qatar-based Al Jazeera television showed footage of a church service at Bagram, the main U.S. base north of the Afghan capital Kabul, in which soldiers had a stack of bibles in the local languages, Pashtu and Dari. A military chaplain was shown delivering a sermon to other soldiers, saying: "The special forces guys -- they hunt men basically. We do the same things as Christians, we hunt people for Jesus. We do, we hunt them down."
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But a U.S. military spokeswoman, Major Jennifer Willis, said the comments from the sermon were taken out of context and chaplains were told to make clear to soldiers that they could not proselytize while serving. . . . . Trying to convert Muslims to any other faith is a crime in Afghanistan. An Afghan man who converted to Christianity was sentenced to death for apostasy in 2006 but was allowed to leave the country after an international uproar.

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Perhaps I am too cynical as a result of living in an area with a large military presence, but I seriously doubt the military would confess even if active proselytizing had been occurring on a widespread basis.

More Tuesday Male Beauty

Bob McDonnell Flip Flops on Unemployment Relief

Recently, the GOP controlled Virginia House of Delegates in an "let the eat cake" like action rejected federal bail out funds that would have helped the Commonwealth of Virginia to extend additional unemployment benefits to more Virginians. Heavens forbid that they had complained about drunken sailor style spending under the Chimperator who these cretins mindlessly applauded. Now, after first supporting this cold, heartless move, Taliban Bob McDonnell is apparently having second thoughts and trying to find some cover to deflect the wrath from outraged voters. I suspect most Virginians do not subscribe to the extreme anti-tax mantra of the Kool-Aid drinkers some of whom would de-fund public education if given the opportunity. Here are some highlights from the Virginian Pilot on McDonnell's about face:
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Members of Congress have their hands full right now with crises in the financial, housing and automotive industries. They don't have time to bail out Bob McDonnell from a political mess of his own making. But that's what the Republican gubernatorial candidate asked Virginia's congressional representatives to do in a letter last week. McDonnell made a strategic blunder last month when he inserted himself into a partisan fight over whether the state should accept $125 million in federal stimulus aid. In order to collect the money, the state must make two modest adjustments in its eligibility requirements for unemployment benefits.

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McDonnell didn't have a vote in the matter, but he plunged in to defend his recalcitrant Republican colleagues. Now he's sweating alongside the rest of the GOP as public outcry builds, encouraged by gleeful Democrats. Rather than admit their mistake and work with Gov. Tim Kaine to resolve the mess, Republicans are now trying to save face. Toward that end, McDonnell penned a letter asking Congress to rewrite the rules for the stimulus package to make it perfectly, 150 percent, crystal clear that the eligibility changes can be rolled back in future years.

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McDonnell and Republican legislators still won't take yes for an answer. They want the rules to be changed so that Virginia can put an expiration date on legislation enacting the eligibility revisions. It makes no sense to demand an automatic cutoff when Republicans can't agree among themselves on the merits of the proposed eligibility changes.

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The truth is, they're hoping to provoke federal authorities into disqualifying Virginia so someone else can take the blame. But the blame rests squarely on the right people already. McDonnell and Republican legislators have the power to solve this problem now. They should do so immediately and stop asking Congress to save them from their own self-inflicted injuries.

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Voters should get used to this type of behavior from McDonnell. Should he be elected as Governor come November, he will vote and manage the State as dictated by the extreme anti-tax elements in the GOP and the Christianists like Pat Robertson and The Family Foundation. Virginia cannot afford to have McDonnell as Governor.

Randy Forbes Rants Against Hate Crimes Bill

I have known Congressman Randy Forbes for almost 35 years dating all the way back to our days as law school students at UVA Law. Like a number of Republican elected officials that I came to know over the years and during my former GOP activist days, Randy started out as relatively normal and has seemingly shifted further and further to the right to the point that it seems he checks to receive approval from Pat Robertson and/or James Dobson's Virginia affiliate, The Family Foundation, before he speaks. Indeed, it's as if a "Stepford Wife" like change has over come him. He was a bright and personable guy in law school and even during his days in the Virginia General Assembly. What happened to him? Here is a clip of his rant against the Matthew Shepard Act last week:
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Tuesday Male Beauty

The Reality and Worth of Same Sex Love

If one follows the words of the hate merchants among the Christian Right when it comes to gay relationships it soon becomes apparent that our relationships are reduced to physical sex acts, usually with emphasis on whatever aspects these false Christians believe will be the most repellant to their sheep like followers who prefer to avoid any meaningful thought process on their own. Nowhere do our enemies acknowledge that just as heterosexual couples know and experience romantic love, so do we. It is part and parcel of their effort to dehumanize us and make us "other" to their followers so that the deprivation of civil rights and other recognitios of our relationships becomes acceptable. Of course, it's a lie - like so much of what these vicious groups put out about same-sex couples.

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Some years back I sent an e-mail to a Lutheran seminary professor who was going to a conference where he was going to be speaking in opposition to Warren Throckmorton who had been hired as a speaker by a reactionary Lutheran Synod. The e-mail was about gay love and later I shared it with students in a religion class where I had been invited to speak as a "gay Christian" by an adjuct professor that I knew. The college professor subsequently told me that in subsequent class sessions that my message had prompted more discussion than he had previously seen in 20 years of teaching. Here are some highlights that folks are free to use as they wish:

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I wanted to respond further to one remark you made at lunch: the claim that gays do not experience deep romantic love with each other. Pardon my French, but that is such bull shit and obviously, it is aimed at demeaning gay relationships. My own experience has shown that to be such a lie.

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As I indicated, I had a long distance boy friend for over a year - he and I met when I was on a trip to Chicago for a legal seminar. For me it was love at first sight, but it developed into an amazing love that transcended anything merely physical. I just finished a short novel based on the screen play for a gay love story movie currently playing in some cities in the USA called "Latter Days" (see: http://www.latterdaysmovie.com). Hopefully, the movie will come to Norfolk at some point. In the book, there is a passage that describes somewhat what I experienced with him (the words in brackets were added by me based on my own experiences):

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"And then their eyes locked. And Christian knew that no matter what the circumstances were, Aaron did not, and would not want him to ever go. He slowly reached up to caress Aaron's cheekbone with his thumbs. Their faces moved closer. Their noses, then their lips touched. The world stopped,and Christian again experienced the sense of being floated in a prism, a prism filled only with their breath, and their racing hearts, and their kiss. It was like the room was circling them, as if the entire universe had broken apart and heaven had been laid wide open . . . [and God's love surrounded them and transformed them into one - a perfect oneness, soul to soul and body to body, enveloped in God's love]."

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If what I experienced with my boyfriend isn't love, I do not know what is. Part of me will deeply love him and yearn for his happiness and well being until the day I die. We experienced, however briefly, a communion of our souls (holding each other in our arms was of no account compared to the soul to soul connect we felt) and I wanted time to stop and for the moment to never end. The miracle of our emotional connection and love for each other rates up there with seeing my children born and, to me, was a near religious experience. In my oneness with him, I truly felt God's love. It's so hard to convey into words the experience. . . . . It outrages me that some would say that my relationship with him was of no meaning or value. Those who would say such a thing either (1) have never known true love themselves, or (2) are just plain vicious and cruel. If you ever need a testimony on gay to gay love to counter the cruel allegations of gay-haters, please feel free to use this e-mail. I view the love I experienced with him as nothing less than an incredible gift from God.

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It has taken time, but I am happy to report that I have rediscovered that sense of wonder and sense of being blessed by God in my current relationship with the boyfriend and I defy the Christianists to try to minimize our relationship to merely something physical. Love is love whether between a gay couple or a straight couple. As is always the case, the Christianists seek to work a form of spiritual murder on members of the LGBT community in their push for theocracy.

More Monday Male Beauty

North Dakota Lutheran Synod Votes No on Gay Clergy

I and many other gay ELCA Lutherans will be watching to see the out come of the Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis in August, 2009, when the ELCA will vote on giving parishes the option to roster partnered gay clergy. Sadly, the reactionary forces prevailed in a vote in the Eastern North Dakota Synod. I intend to write to each of the voting delegates from the Virginia Synod who will be attending the Churchwide Assembly in the hope of conveying to them the message that a "no" vote sends to gay Lutherans, not to mention the younger generations that favor the recognition of gay unions. A denomination can say all it wants about treating gays with dignity, etc., but if it will not recognize our committed relationships, the true message is that we are not welcome and/or that we are less than full members. The Advocate as a story on the unfortunate vote in the East North Dakota synod. Here are some highlights:

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Delegates at the annual assembly of the Eastern North Dakota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America voted 187 to 167 on Sunday to reject a proposal to allow gay clergy members to be in same-sex relationships, reports the Associated Press. Congregations in the 4.7 million–member ELCA currently are voting on whether to allow openly gay clergy members to be in monogamous same-sex relationships. The present policy allows clergy members to be openly gay, but requires them to be celibate. Input from the 65 individual synods will be considered when the national ELCA votes on the issue at its Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis in August.

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In February, a task force of the ELCA recommended that the church allow gays and lesbians in committed relationships to serve as clergy. The task force also asked that the church respect congregations that disagree. It proposed a social statement, “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust,” that recognizes marriage as a covenant between a man and a woman, but also acknowledges same-sex couples.

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I sincerely hope that a majority of the voting attendees at the Churchwide Assembly will vote yes and save the denomination from being viewed in the future as akin to denominations that voted in the past to support slavery and other deprivations of civil rights to their fellow man.

Guess Where Sexually Transmitted Disease Occurs the Most

UPDATED: I checked out the full story ay the link below and all of the rleated maps of the seven deadly sins and for the most part the highest incidence for each is concentrated in the Bible Belt.

Kudos to Bob Felton for this terrific find. As Bob notes:

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When Kansas State geographers decided to map the rate of sexually transmitted diseases in the United States at county level they discovered — What do you know? — that they occur with the greatest frequency throughout the Bible Belt. Nobody should be surprised. The Christian denigration of sex (see Calvin and marriage) doesn’t suppress sex, it merely sends it into unwholesome underground channels. And so much, once again, for the ‘family values’ schtick.

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The hypocrisy and damage done by those who seek to police the morals of everyone else is stunning.

Monday Male Beauty

This Week In Holy Crimes

Of late Joe at Joe By God has been publishing a summary of the prior week's busts of clergy for crimes which typically involve child pornography and or sex with minors. As might be expected, these pastors and priests are most often affiliated with gay-hating denominations that are far to obsessed with condemning sex and sexuality. Bob Felton at Civil Commotion likewise often posts about the hypocrisy of the fundamentalists - under the caption "Busted" -who ought to spend more time addressing their own sins and less time denigrating and maligning law abiding LGBT Americans. In the case of Dr. Bowman pictured at left and arrested for child pornography, he's a "conservative" Anglican who opposes gay clergy. Here's a sampling of Joe's winners for the past week:

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North Carolina: Pastor Joseph Kennedy Ragland arrested for rape of a minor.

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Canada: Rev. David Woodall charged with two counts of sexual assault, two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.

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California: Pastor Robert Bowman arrested for possession of child pornography. Bonus: Bowman is the headmaster of a Christian grade school.

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North Carolina: Pastor Raymond Bernard Reid charged with rape, indecent sexual liberties with a child.

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Australia: Father Canon Barry Greaves sentenced to three years for seven counts of child molestation. Bonus: He was the church's counselor for victims of sexual assault.

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Missouri: Pastor Randall Russell sentenced to 15 year for molesting four girls.

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New York: Father Richard Ordoñez charged with sexual assault.

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Tennessee: Pastor Steven C. Haney pleads guilty to two counts of rape and sexual battery.

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North Carolina: Pastor Dana Davis owes over $130K in child support for seven children fathered across two states. Bonus: He runs a fraudulent credit repair scam.

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Alabama: Pastor Kenneth Dyar Wood charged with rape of 11 year-old girl.

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One has to wonder why people continue to mindlessly follow denominations that are largely defined by those they denigrate as opposed preaching a Christian message of love of God and love of neighbor.