We got back t0 the hotel room last night after Phase Two of the family reunion weekend (which involved a family picnic in the mountains) and the "Yah Yah Brotherhood" reunion dinner at the home of local friends. This part of the country is truly physically beautiful, many of the people are sincere and nice, but I have to concede that if I had to live here, suicide might well be an attractive option after a short while. I hate to think what like must be like for those growing up gay, lesbian or transgender in this region of Pennsylvania. In Somerset, there are no gay bars (the nearest gay bar is about 30 miles away unless one makes the trek into Pittsburgh) and it seems many gays by necessity live closeted and fearful lives. In relative terms even the Hampton Roads area of Virginia seems like a bright spot in the larger gay universe. Worse yet, there are religious elements in the area that continue to actively strive to torment and demonize local gays. One such element are the Anabaptists who are improbably based worldwide in nearby Johnstown, Pennsylvania.*
Over a decade ago The Advocate did a story on the Johnstown Anabaptist groups' ultimately successful effort to drive a local gay bar, Casa Nova, out of business. According to The Advocate, the Anabaptists' efforts were aided by the Klu Klux Klan. While it seems the local Jenner County authorities refused to close Casa Nova as demanded by the Anabaptist bigots who picketed the bar and harassed its patrons, they likewise failed to aggressive utilize the power of the civil and criminal laws to stop the activities of these self-righteous religious merchants of hate and division. Much like Southwest Virginia, this region of Pennsylvania needs modern, progressive businesses to bolster its economy. And again, much like Southwest Virginia, the impression that I get is that the local municipal authorities do not seem to grasp that modern, progressive businesses are not going to desire to locate to areas where Bible thumping religious extremists are allowed to harass law abiding citizens and denigrate the civil liberties of other citizens.
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As for the Anabaptists, from some brief research on the Johnstown sect - actually, it seems more like a cult, if you ask me - seems to epitomise the anti-knowledge brain dead mindset and hypocrisy of the worse elements of the Christian Right. To get a feel for just how whacked out these folks are, here's a portion of the sect's scriptural beliefs:
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1.01 We believe the Holy Bible to be “The Holy Scriptures” as set forth in 2 Timothy 3:15, and as such are “given by inspiration of God” (vs. 16), and therefore are Holy, infallible, perfect and without error.
1.02 By “Holy Bible” we mean that collection of sixty-six books “containing the Old and New Testaments translated out of the Original tongues and with the former translations diligently compared and revised by His Majesty’s special command and appointed to be read in churches”, commonly called the King James Bible, or Authorized Version of 1611 A.D.1.03 We believe all other English and multi language versions and translations to be erroneous and fallible, and products of the age long attack by Satan upon the pure word of God (Genesis 3:1).
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Obviously, the Anabaptists are in true la la land when it comes to having an accurate knowledge of history. They appear to engage in virtual idolatry of a version of the Bible compiled under the auspices of a flaming gay English monarch who probably would have sought to have the sect stamped out. While hardly alone in this baffling adherence to a version of the Bible compiled and promoted by a gay man, the Anabaptists seem to take the lunacy to higher levels than many. In fact, I sent an e-mail to Ron McRae, the presiding bishop in Johnstown pointing out this inconvenient bit of historical fact. Not surprisingly, nor response has been forth coming. Here are highlights of the information forwarded to McRae that some readers may not have seen previously:
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One area of the life of King James that for many years remained clouded in controversy was allegations that James was homosexual. As James did father several children by Anne of Denmark, it is actually more accurate to say that he was allegedly a bi-sexual. While his close relationships with a number of men were noted, earlier historians questioned their sexual nature, however, few modern historians cast any doubt on the King's bisexuality and the fact that his sexuality and choice of male partners both as King of Scotland then later in London as King of England were the subject of gossip from the city taverns to the Privy Council. His relationship as a teenager with fellow teenager Esmé Stuart, Earl of Lennox was criticized by Scottish Church leaders, who were part of a conspiracy to keep the young King and the young French courtier apart, as the relationship was improper to say the least. Lennox, facing threats of death, was forced to leave Scotland.
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In the 1580s, King James openly kissed Francis Stewart Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell. Contemporary sources clearly hinted their relationship was a sexual one. When James inherited the English throne from Queen Elizabeth I in 1603, it was openly joked of the new English monarch in London that “Elizabeth was King: now James is Queen!” If there is still any doubt, it should be noted that George Villiers, also held an intimate relationship with King James, about which King James himself was quite open. King James called Villiers his “wife” and called himself Villiers' “husband”! King James died in 1625 of gout and senility. He is buried in the Henry VII chapel in Westminster Abbey, with one of his favorite male suitors on his right, and another on his left.
*
1.01 We believe the Holy Bible to be “The Holy Scriptures” as set forth in 2 Timothy 3:15, and as such are “given by inspiration of God” (vs. 16), and therefore are Holy, infallible, perfect and without error.
1.02 By “Holy Bible” we mean that collection of sixty-six books “containing the Old and New Testaments translated out of the Original tongues and with the former translations diligently compared and revised by His Majesty’s special command and appointed to be read in churches”, commonly called the King James Bible, or Authorized Version of 1611 A.D.1.03 We believe all other English and multi language versions and translations to be erroneous and fallible, and products of the age long attack by Satan upon the pure word of God (Genesis 3:1).
*
Obviously, the Anabaptists are in true la la land when it comes to having an accurate knowledge of history. They appear to engage in virtual idolatry of a version of the Bible compiled under the auspices of a flaming gay English monarch who probably would have sought to have the sect stamped out. While hardly alone in this baffling adherence to a version of the Bible compiled and promoted by a gay man, the Anabaptists seem to take the lunacy to higher levels than many. In fact, I sent an e-mail to Ron McRae, the presiding bishop in Johnstown pointing out this inconvenient bit of historical fact. Not surprisingly, nor response has been forth coming. Here are highlights of the information forwarded to McRae that some readers may not have seen previously:
*
One area of the life of King James that for many years remained clouded in controversy was allegations that James was homosexual. As James did father several children by Anne of Denmark, it is actually more accurate to say that he was allegedly a bi-sexual. While his close relationships with a number of men were noted, earlier historians questioned their sexual nature, however, few modern historians cast any doubt on the King's bisexuality and the fact that his sexuality and choice of male partners both as King of Scotland then later in London as King of England were the subject of gossip from the city taverns to the Privy Council. His relationship as a teenager with fellow teenager Esmé Stuart, Earl of Lennox was criticized by Scottish Church leaders, who were part of a conspiracy to keep the young King and the young French courtier apart, as the relationship was improper to say the least. Lennox, facing threats of death, was forced to leave Scotland.
*
In the 1580s, King James openly kissed Francis Stewart Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell. Contemporary sources clearly hinted their relationship was a sexual one. When James inherited the English throne from Queen Elizabeth I in 1603, it was openly joked of the new English monarch in London that “Elizabeth was King: now James is Queen!” If there is still any doubt, it should be noted that George Villiers, also held an intimate relationship with King James, about which King James himself was quite open. King James called Villiers his “wife” and called himself Villiers' “husband”! King James died in 1625 of gout and senility. He is buried in the Henry VII chapel in Westminster Abbey, with one of his favorite male suitors on his right, and another on his left.
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