Monday, April 11, 2011

Coven of Gay-Haters Gather at Liberty University

I can think of few more inappropriately named universities - using that term very loosely, of course - than Liberty University, the late Jerry Falwells' institution dedicated to religious extremism and theocracy in Lynchburg, Virginia. The concept of individual freedom and liberty as envisioned by the Founding Fathers is the antithesis of the Christianist dictatorship that Falwell and similar enemies of the U. S. Constitution's protections that extend to all citizens (not just Christianists) want to bring into being. The USA under the folks who gathered over the weekend at Liberty University for "The Awakening" would indeed be a frightening place that would in many ways mirror Afghanistan under the Taliban. It goes without saying that gays are the favorite target for hate and denigration in such circles, with non-Christians, blacks and immigrants close behind. Among the speakers at the coven gathering were the ever obsessed and closeted Robert Knight and Matt Barber who have made careers disseminating lies and untruths about LGBT people. The American Independent has details on the hate fest. (Additional articles can be found here). Here are some highlights (NOTE: the haters decided that describing gays as "anti-Christian" should be a matter of policy)
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The first step for Christian conservatives to win the war against the gay movement is to rebrand the terms, said a few panelists at this weekend’s The Awakening conference at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. “‘Gay’ is a left-wing socio-political construct designed to create grounds for fundamental rights [based on] whimsical capricious desires,” said Ryan Sorba, chairman of the Young Conservatives of California. “Gay identity does not exist.” . . . it was suggested that gays should also be referred to as “anti-Christian.”
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Sorba blamed the Republicans for losing what he calls a “war” promulgated by the homosexual lobby. “Our movement decided to abandon the real issue of homosexual behavior … with our major focus around protecting the word marriage,” Sorba said. For the panelists, the biggest “gay threat” is not just over Christian ideology but over national security.
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Matt Barber, the panel’s moderator and a dean at Liberty University, said he served in the military for 12 years. Barber made a case that promoting gays in the military presents a national threat because most gay military men will be more focused on their attraction to other men than on their military duties, saying it comes down to the soldier who “has your back or the one who wants to rub it.”
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“Homosexuality is the greatest threat to the criminalization of Christianity,” said Robert Knight, executive director for the American Civil Rights Union. . . . All the panelists’ arguments over why there’s a war with gays and why Christians must win it goes back to sin.

“A civil right that conflicts with natural right is no right at all,” Sorba said. “”The [homosexual] behavior is immoral. It divides you from truth and what’s the meaning of life. If you don’t have truth, you have nothing but fake.” Barber called same-sex orientation “hedonism repackaged.”
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If you follow the works of these "professional Christians," you will not find an ounce of Christian love for LGBT individuals. Likewise, you will see acceptance of legitimate medical and mental health knowledge. Rather, it's all about intolerance and a near violent reaction to anything that threatens their house of cards religious beliefs. I continue to believe that gays terrify these people - Robert Knight is a prime example based on our past e-mail debates - because in their minds if the few Bible passages that are equated with condemning gays are wrong, then their whole fragile construct collapses. Ditto for acceptance of interracial marriage and full equality for women since these issue likewise cut against carefully selected passages that are relied upon to justify the antiquated and bigoted Christianist world view.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

"Hedonism Repackaged" indeed! That quote kind of says it all doesn't it? If you define hedonism as the pursuit pleasure, Mr Barber, must indeed believe that same sex practices are pleasurable. If he were not a closet case himself, he would not have even had that though, much less voiced it. A "True" heterosexual would not even think about same sex activities as being pleasurable.