New Jersey Lutherans Back Actively Gay cCergy

The New Jersey Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America overwhelmingly approved a resolution last week asking the venerable Protestant denomination to change its policy requiring gay clergy to abstain from having sexual relations. See the news article at: (http://www.northjersey.com/page.phpqstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MTQ5OTAwJnlyaXJ5N2Y3MTdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5Mg==). This quote sets the parameters of the issue:

"The feeling was we'd be a healthier church if we could be less restrictive," said Bishop E. Roy Riley, who oversees the approximately 200 ELCA churches in New Jersey.

The action by the New Jersey synod, along with similar measures by more than a dozen synods nationwide, sets the stage for a showdown with conservatives when the Chicago-based denomination holds its national meeting in August.

"I think our church is heading for some kind of division," said the Rev. Gerhardt Kugler, a Union City pastor who opposed the resolution. "What I'm afraid of is that there is going to be some painful conflicts and some breaking of fellowship."

In 2005, the ECLA Church wide Assembly defeated a resolution to ordain gay candidates who are in lifelong relationships by a vote of 503 to 490. The resolution required a two-thirds majority. Ever since that vote, I have not been able to feel totally comfortable in the ECLA, although I still consider it my church. It is difficult to attend a church where some consider you somehow less worthy than themselves.

In my view, the 2005 vote displayed an attitude on the part of those voting of being more concerned about avoiding a division in the denomination than about doing the right thing. Often doing the right thing leads the Pharisee class (like Rev. Gerhardt Kugler quoted above) to scream and threaten to pick up their marbles and go elsewhere, but it makes it no less the right thing to do. Hopefully, this year the vote to do what is right will prevail over the nonsense of the Pharisee class. I am always amazed by the Pharisee class that claims to be true to the Bible, yet cannot see that they are acting no different than the Pharisees so roundly condemned by Jesus.

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Pentagon Confirms It Sought To Build A 'Gay Bomb'

There is apparently no limit to the idiocy of the U.S. military as this story via a CBS affiliate proves. http://cbs5.com/topstories/local_story_159222541.html. I definitely wonder what kind of drugs these folks were taking. Here's a portion of the story:

As part of a military effort to develop non-lethal weapons, the proposal suggested, "One distasteful but completely non-lethal example would be strong aphrodisiacs, especially if the chemical also caused homosexual behavior.

"The documents show the Air Force lab asked for $7.5 million to develop such a chemical weapon.

"The Ohio Air Force lab proposed that a bomb be developed that contained a chemical that would cause enemy soldiers to become gay, and to have their units break down because all their soldiers became irresistibly attractive to one another," Hammond said after reviewing the documents."The notion was that a chemical that would probably be pleasant in the human body in low quantities could be identified, and by virtue of either breathing or having their skin exposed to this chemical, the notion was that soldiers would become gay," explained Hammond.

Daddy Dobson must be having a stroke. He wants to rid the world of gays and here's the U.S. military trying to create more. Steve Ralls of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), said "It is a homophobic and delusional proposition for the Pentagon to assume a gay opponent is any less formidable than a straight one."

I guess these people don't know their history. The Sacred Band of Thebes - a brigade of male lovers - was used to strengthen the Thebean line and never defeated until they clashed with Alexander the Great - another lover of other men - at the Battle of Chaeronea and died to the last man rather than surrender. A memorial to the Sacred Band of Thebes still stands at Chaeronea, marking the communal grave in which they were burried. Philip II of Macedon erected the tribute to commemorate the bravery of the conquered batallion.

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Sunday Musings

Before coming to the office to (A) finish some work for a client and (B) post on this blog, I did the usual weekend drill and cut the grass, weeded the flower beds and vacuumed the house. The house was built in 1917 and was in very bad shape when we bought it and we - mostly Raymond, who is a natural talent - have restored it back to a semblance of its original condition, except for a modern kitchen.

I will confess that I got a slow start (and did not make it to church), having been to a birthday party yesterday evening and then going to The Wave to dance - both for exercise and to sweat off the alcohol consumed at the birthday party (a 2006 photo of the club is posted above). One thing I always take pleasure in seeing is the large number of confident young gay and lesbian couples out dancing and having fun. When I was their age, there were few gay bars and very few, if any young gays would go out as couples. It gives me hope for the younger generation that will not know what it was like in the bad old days.

More on Pet Sounds

I have posted twice now on the play "Pet Sounds" being performed at the 40th Street Stage in Norfolk because Granby High School would not allow the student written and produced musical to be performed at the school. I have received comments from readers who saw the play and praised it. Meanwhile, some of the local Christianist fundies are foaming at the mouth. Here's what one bigot - Patrick G from Chesapeake who didn't even have the balls to give his last name - said in a comment on the Virginia Pilot article:

"I can just picture that drama teacher patting himself on the back. He must think he is so creative. This kind of garbage has been done before. If he wants a challenge, let's see him do a play where the teenager on the floor is a either a Christian, a Jewish or Islam believer and the ones surrounding him on the stage are homosexuals who are calling him names for not supporting the homosexual agenda. Now that my friends is reality. If you don't believe that, just tally up the number of hateful personal remarks by supporters of the homosexual agenda on this message board."

Funny, I have lived in this area for 24 years now, and I can't think of a single time I have seen anyone called names for being Christian. On the other hand, I have personally been yelled at and called a "faggot" or worse a half dozen times or more and even harassed by the Norfolk Police on one occasion for being gay. I must be somehow missing making contact for the "supporters" of the homosexual agenda

Here's what the Granby High drama teacher told me in an e-mail about this comment:

The photo displayed with this article is actually a bunch of the main characters friends with telephones in their hands. They are singing "Call Me' and we were not even thinking of tryng to show someone on the floor being called names by those not supporting the homosexual agenda (whatever that is). In fact, several of the characters in that circle are gay! Further, six months ago we presented a play where there was one character surrounded on the stage by hateful hypocrites who eventually nailed him to a cross. Of course that was Jesus. Each night I watched as many members of the audience cried at his death. And I, the director, am Jewish! My only agenda is to create good theatre with my kids and to get an audience for them.

Gee, that sounds like the proper agenda for a drama teacher. Maybe Patrick G needs to evaluate his own agenda. It seems like it's the Christianists who are always spewing hate.

Sunday Male Beauty

Kids Rised by Gay Parents Turn Out About the Same, no better, no worse

Research suggests that they turn out about the same, no better, no worse and no more likely to be gay than other kids - I am sure that this is not surprising to anyone other than the Christianist extremist. However, the more that research comes out and confirms what ought to be self-evident to rational people, the better to blunt the lies put out by the Christianists. A story in today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette examines the issue: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07161/793042-51.stm:

So how are they doing, now that they've reached young adulthood? Some critics have suggested these children -- along with Samuel David Cheney, Mary Cheney's infant son -- are doomed to a life of struggle compared with those raised in a more traditional, Ozzie-and-Harriet-model family, with a mother and a father.

But most studies have found that outcomes for children of gay and lesbian parents are no better -- and no worse -- than for other children, whether the measures involve peer group relationships, self-esteem, behavioral difficulties, academic achievement, or warmth and quality of family relationships. No one knows precisely how many children in the United States have at least one parent who is lesbian or gay. Estimates range all the way from 1 million to 9 million.

For many of these young people, though, growing up in what census researchers call a "same-sex parent household" doesn't have to be a big deal -- except that, these days, it is.

A number of professional medical organizations -- including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychiatric Association -- have issued statements claiming that a parent's sexual orientation is irrelevant to his or her ability to raise a child. For the most part, the organizations are relying on a relatively small but conclusive body of research -- approximately 67 studies -- looking at children of gay parents and compiled by the American Psychological Association. In study after study, children in same-sex parent families turned out the same, for better or for worse, as children in heterosexual families.

All of this is anathema, however, to Peter Spriggs of the Family Research Council, a conservative group that assailed Mary Cheney's pregnancy.

Peter Sprigg is typical of the Christianist mouth pieces who act as thought they are experts on the issue when in fact, all they have to back up there claims is religious fanaticism. Here are Spriggs actual credentials (or lack thereof):

Mr. Sprigg earned a Bachelor of Arts degree summa cum laude from Drew University (N.J.), with a double major in political science and economics. He received the master of divinity degree cum laude from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Mass.). For ten years Mr. Sprigg served as a professional actor and unit leader in Covenant Players, a Christian drama ministry based in California.

He assumed the position of Senior Director of Culture Studies at the Family Research Council in July of 2001, and in such role, he oversees the Family Research Council’s efforts to analyze and influence American culture as it relates to religion; government; the arts; media and entertainment; the homosexual agenda; race and ethnicity; and drugs. Mr. Sprigg is an ordained minister in the American Baptist Churches USA, and most recently served as pastor of Clifton Park Center Baptist Church in Clifton Park, N.Y.

In short, other than being a small time actor, baptist preacher, and paid mouth piece, Sprigg has no expertise on child raising, psychology or mental health issues. Unfortunately, the media NEVER calls these people on their lack of credentials.

More Saturday Male Beauty

Preacher’s Wife Found Guilty of Manslaughter

Yet further proof that the fundamentalist Christians are the ones obsessed with sex. In the trial of a Tennessee woman accused of of killing her husband, a church pastor, her defense was sexual abuse by her husband. MSNBC and CNN are reporting as follows:

SELMER, Tenn. - During the 10 years she was married to a handsome young preacher, Mary Winkler said she never told anyone about the bruises and the sexual humiliation she endured. But the preacher’s wife accused of killing her husband took the witness stand this week and dredged up every embarrassing detail, talking about the abuse in front of TV cameras and family members.

Winkler told jurors, in powerful testimony Wednesday, that her husband Matthew abused her physically and sexually. But she said she did not pull the trigger and the shotgun went off accidentally as she pointed it at him.

But Mary Winkler described nearly a decade of marital abuse when she took the witness stand on Wednesday. She said he struck and kicked her, "screamed and hollered" at her, criticized her, blamed her when things went wrong and made her watch pornography and wear "slutty" costumes for sex. She also said he forced her to submit to sex acts that made her uncomfortable.

A wig and a tall, white platform shoe were placed on the witness stand during her testimony. Blushing crimson and staring at the floor, she said her husband bought them for her to wear to get him in the mood for sex.

This guy makes us gays look pretty plain vanilla in comparison. I wonder what those sex acts were that made her uncomfortable. I truly feel sorry for this woman. Her husband apparently put on a false holy and righteous facade for the public and was a freak in private.