Hunky Anti-gay Pastor Booted from Inauguration

It's a small picture, but believe me
kids, he's schmokin' hot. Google
him, if you don't believe me. That's
probably the root of his homophobia.
Too many dudes hittin' on that.
Poor guy.

Some readers might be perplexed by my relative silence on the anti-gay benediction choice for Barack Obama's re-inauguration. I can explain it thusly: I'm an atheist, and I find the entire exercise to be ridiculous. There is no pastor and no benediction that I would find compatible with United States governance. There is a separation of church and state--allegedly--and I can't stomach any of the religious claptrap that comes with ordinary American politics. So--as most American atheists and agnostics do--I ignore it.

But when the Democratic politicians have horrifically anti-gay religious "leaders?" Yes, my panties get in a bunched formation. So, it is fortunate--whomever was responsible for the yanking of the invite/acceptance--that this religious douchenozzle is not giving the superstitious twaddle that all presidents have to at least to pretend is relevant to the job.

[Excerpt]

Right Wing Goes Crazy After Anti-Gay Pastor Withdraws

A chorus of right-wing leaders Thursday decried the withdrawal of Pastor Louie Giglio from President Obama’s second inauguration ceremony, suggesting a left-wing conspiracy to force him off of the program. His withdrawal came a day after ThinkProgress exclusively reported that in the 1990s, Giglio had given a lengthy sermon in which he advocated for dangerous “ex-gay” therapy for gay and lesbian people, referenced a biblical passage often interpreted to require gay people be executed, and impelled Christians to “firmly respond to the aggressive agenda” and prevent the “homosexual lifestyle” from becoming accepted in society. . . 

Read more at: Think Progress

Newt Gingrich: Government Should Respect "Our Religion"

Image from WriteChick Press

In this country, the term "religious freedom" means different things to different people. To me, it means (partly) that I have the freedom not to practice a religion. For others (and also me), it means that people in this country are free to practice the religion of their choosing, or not. But to some--such as people who'd like the Constitution replaced with the Ten Commandments, but are fearful of "Sharia Law"--it means everyone should be free to practice a religion. Generally Christianity, but specifically whatever sect or denomination the speaker happens to believe in.

And here, "speaker" is most appropriate. One Newton Leroy Gingrich would seem to be one from the latter example. And, P.S.? There is no "war on religion" being waged by President Obama, or anyone else in government. That's B.S.

Bristol Palin Likes Weird Names Too: Baby Tripp Born

Photo from source, Huffington Post

Since the earliest days of Sarah Palin's nationwide introduction, the rumors and conspiracy theories have abounded about the maternity of Trigg Palin, Sarah's fifth child. The right seized upon all of the chatter, trying to imply that this was out-of-bounds. Then they tried to pretend all other negative Palin stories were somehow linked to this one, tainting them all.

But the stories did not originate in some "in the tank" (oh how I loathe that phrase) for Obama media. No, the gossip started in Alaska, and followed Palin to national prominence. And it started because Palin had a whopper of a birth story. It flat-out didn't make sense, and other pieces of the story fit pretty neatly together, making it not at all unreasonable to believe that Trigg was actually Bristol Palin's kid.

As this story percolated, it was soon released that Bristol was five months pregnant. This seemed to rule out the conspiracy theory, as she was too far along to have given birth in April. Maybe. I have no real investment in the theory, but others do, and I'll bet you anything somebody has a timeline that fits.

Anyway, Bristol gave birth to (at least) her first child recently, and named him Tripp. I don't know what it is with this family and wacky names. . .even Dad--Levi--has one. It could be worse. She could have named him Wrangler.

The strangest thing about this story is that Bristol is a teenager in high school, and is still not married. . .and yet right-wingers are gaga about this story. All of that unwed teenage mother stuff that they're always railing against? IOKIYAR. That's It's OK If You're A Republican.

[Excerpt]

Bristol Palin Baby Son Tripp Born

Bristol Palin, the 18-year-old daughter of former Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, gave birth on Sunday to a healthy 7 lb., 4 oz., baby boy in Palmer, Alaska. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Rev. Ted Haggard: No Longer Ex-Gay?

Photo from source, FOX "News"

The formerly fabulously Reverend Ted Haggard, the crystal Methodist (™The Stephanie Miller Show) can't get any love these days. Or, maybe he can, and that's the problem! The Mega Church he created has severed all ties with him, and he's severed all ties with the "reparative therapy" group he was enrolled in.

Maybe Ted should just start up a new, gay-friendly Mega Church! Although the kneeling might take on a different significance. Heh, heh. Thank you, I'll be here all week. . .

[Excerpt]

Disgraced Evangelical Leader Ted Haggard Breaks Counseling Ties With His Former Megachurch

The megachurch founded by Pastor Ted Haggard said Tuesday he has prematurely ended a "spiritual restoration" process begun when he was fired for sexual misconduct. . .

Read more at (yup): FOX "News"

Preacher Feature: The Gospel of "Bling?"

Photo from source, Raw Story

I don't know what's more surprising, that Jesus would want you to be a squillionaire, or the fact that this man has 1,000,000,000 viewers. That just can't be right. And wasn't Creflo Dollar in some deep doo-doo last we heard?

[Excerpt]

Televangelist spreads the 'Gospel of Bling,' lands himself in hot water

One of the country's most popular pastors is preaching a gospel controversial to many in the religious community. He says Jesus was not poor and he wants Christians to be wealthy, too. Call it the Gospel of Bling.

The man's name is Creflo Dollar, and according to ABC's Nightline, he "sits atop a religious empire." He has a church with a congregation of nearly 40,000 members and offices on six continents, he's published over 70 books, and his daily television show reaches a billion households worldwide. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Pat Robertson Predicts the Year Ahead

Yes, Crazy Uncle Chuckles (™ The Stephanie Miller Show), Pat Robertson is doing the prognostication thing again. I guess since Jeanne Dixon has passed on into the ether, the sooth-saying field is wide open. 'Course, I'm pretty sure that fortune telling is a no-no in evangelical circles. And I've got to wonder, has anyone ever checked this guy's track record?

[Excerpt]

Pat Robertson Predicts Worldwide Violence, U.S. Recession in 2008

Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson predicted Wednesday that 2008 will be a year of violence worldwide and a recession in the United States, followed by a major stock-market crash by 2010. . .

Read more at (Pat's favorite news channel): FOX "News"

Dirty Politics: Fake Mormon Romney Christmas Card

Image from source, Yahoo News

This story dovetails nicely with my review below of The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. That book is the parody "Bible" of the Church of FSM, which deftly pokes fun of (an holes in) religion in general. As an agnostic, I find the similarities and differences between religions largely irrelevant.

But voters in South Carolina tend to take their religion very seriously. So, with Romney and Huckabee making religion a central issue in the Presidential race (intentionally or not), and Republicans' propensity to play dirty pool, it was bound to come to this. I'm not surprised, but I am slightly amused. . .

[Excerpt]

S.C. Republicans get bogus Romney card

Many South Carolina Republicans got a bogus holiday greeting card this week, purported to be from White House hopeful Mitt Romney, that cites some controversial passages of the Book of Mormon. . .

Read the story at: Yahoo News

War On Christmas Battle: Jewish People Attacked

Photo from source, CBS News

This story is a couple of days old, but for various reasons I haven't had time to comment on it.

It should be fairly obvious that this unfortunate series of events is the logical extension of the ridiculous "War on Christmas." After all, this "war" (promoted by FOX "News," its ilk, and its fans) basically demands that everybody wish everybody "Merry Christmas," rather than the more generic "Happy Holidays," or "Seasons' Greetings." Happy Hanukkah is obviously strictly verboten, even though in this case the people were JEWISH.

When you drum this message in to susceptible people's minds year after year, they start to believe it, even though in reality, the whole thing is just a ratings ploy. I'll go out on a limb and say that this particular bashing should weigh heavily on Bill O'Reilly's conscience. Assuming he has one. . .

[Excerpt]

Muslim Aids Jews Attacked On N.Y. Subway

A suspected bias attack on four Jewish subway riders in New York City has resulted in a friendship between the Jewish victims and the Muslim college student who came to their aid.

Walter Adler is calling Hassan Askari a hero for intervening when Adler and three friends were assaulted on a subway train in lower Manhattan on Friday night. The altercation erupted when Adler and his friends said "Happy Chanukah" to a group yelling "Merry Christmas" on the Brooklyn-bound train. . .

Read more at: CBS News

Huckabee vs. Romney: Who's More Jesusy?

Photo from source, AlterNet

As an agnostic, there is very little in politics that grinds my gears more than the injection of overt religion into the political mix. The Democrats are giving a nod and a wink to the religious folks, that much is true. But on the Republican side, the religion factor is becoming perhaps the most central issue in the campaign.

To me, Mitt Romney, uber-Mormon and Mike Huckabee, former pastor, and child evangelist are both supremely bad choices for the oval office. On the plus side, it is somewhat entertaining to see the "my Jesus is better than your Jesus" tete-a-tete that is brewing. 'Scuse me, I've gotta go pop some popcorn. . .

[Excerpt]

Huckabee's Religious Beliefs Are Just as Wacky as Romney's, So Why Should We Care?

. . .Are you f***ing kidding me?

It's bad enough that presidential candidates are debating the finer points of theology in the first place, but that the debate is supposed to prove who would make a better President of the United States is manifestly preposterous. We have lost the plot, people. . .

Read more at: AlterNet

War On Christmas: FOX "News" vs. Atheists

Photo from source, Raw Story

So let me get this straight. Everyone is supposed to say "Merry Christmas" to everyone, whether the speaker or the listener is Christian or not. We're apparently supposed to do this from somewhere around Halloween to some time after New Year's. Otherwise, we're enemy agents in the War on Christmas.

You're supposed to respect Christians' beliefs utterly for the entire holiday season. Oddly though, if you are a non-believer, you are to be afforded no respect, and to be treated with suspicion. Not surprisingly, this is the attitude being furthered on FOX "News."

[Excerpt]

Fox: 'Atheist Outrage' over holiday 'Tree of Knowledge'

Fox & Friends launched a salvo in the War on Christmas Monday, attacking an atheist group's "tree of knowledge" erected in front of a Philadelphia courthouse alongside a creche and menorah, while ignoring a 32-foot tree dedicated to "commercial attraction" in the same public square. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Newsworthy Video: Genesis - Jesus He Knows Me

After posting the previous post, a few bars of an old song started playing in my head. Anybody remember an old Genesis tune called "Jesus He Knows Me"? It doesn't seem to pop up on classic rock or "Jack FM" type stations for some reason. But I think it's one of the band's best.

To top everything off, it even has a Larry Craig/Ted Haggard moment! So without further ado. . .

Evangelists to be Investigated for Tax Fraud

Photo from Wikipedia

I have several sweet spots, when it comes to topics of interest. Corruption and hypocrisy among the rabidly religious is right at the top. It has as much to do with my sense of justice and fairness as it does my antipathy toward religion. So, when Congress decides it wants to look into the lavish lifestyles of some of the flashiest of these charlatans, I say, bring it on!

[Excerpt]

Senate Panel Probes 6 Top Televangelists

CBS News has learned Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, is investigating six prominent televangelist ministries for possible financial misconduct. [snip]

The six ministries identified as being under investigation by the committee are led by: Paula White, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long, Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn. Three of the six - Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland and Creflo Dollar - also sit on the Board of Regents for the Oral Roberts University. . .

Read the whole story at: CBS

Related Post: Newsworthy Video: Genesis - Jesus He Knows Me

Fred Phelps & Family Get Comeuppance

Photo from Wikipedia (no, it's not another Halloween story)

The Rev. Fred Phelps and family may have finally done themselves in. He had a winner when he was "only" picking on gay people, sadly. He garnered a lot of press, ticked a lot of gay people off, but the law pretty much left him alone. Of course, it doesn't hurt that he and nearly his entire family are lawyers, if you can believe it. Of course, Phred is disbarred.

Anyway, once they branched out to protesting soldiers' funerals, it was only a matter of time before their comeuppance. And the uppance did come, and how. Maybe this will finally drive the crazy old coot, and his equally crazy family/congregation completely out of the limelight.

[Excerpt]

Jury awards father nearly $11 million in funeral protesters case

The father of a fallen Marine was awarded nearly $11 million Wednesday in damages by a jury that found leaders of a Kansas church had invaded the family's privacy and inflicted emotional distress when they picketed the Marine's funeral.

The jury awarded $2.9 million in compensatory damages and $8 million in punitive damages, $6 million for invasion of privacy and $2 million for causing emotional distress to the Marine's father, Albert Snyder of York, Pa. . .

Read all about it at: AOL News

And for a whole lot of background, try this: Fred Phelps Expose

Christian Right Losing Its Relevance?

Photo from original source, Raw Story

I haven't much use for religion in general. But I'm not very rabid about it. I figure, if your religion works for you, OK by me. But as the adage goes, your rights to swing your fist end at the tip of my nose. When religion gets hostile, and takes a swipe at me, I'll swipe back.

That's why this story sparked my interest. I've watched "Christian Right" grow in power and influence since I was a little boy in the 70s. I knew something wasn't right about it back then. I remember an episode of WKRP in Cincinnati, where an evangelical Jerry Falwell type was trying to censor music on the station. My reaction to it then was to side with Doctor Johnny Fever, and I still do!

But it's the mixing of politics and religion that really galls me. This country was founded on the idea of religious freedom--both freedom OF it, and freedom FROM it. We've ignored this many times and in many laws (Sunday "blue" laws, for example), but it has been mostly in the last 30 years have we seen evangelical Christianity purposefully infiltrating government, and trying to pass their beliefs into law. What was it, 150 graduates of Pat Robertson's Regent University in the Bush Administration? So yeah, this story makes me happy.

[Excerpt]

The Evangelical Crackup

. . .Just three years ago, the leaders of the conservative Christian political movement could almost see the Promised Land. White evangelical Protestants looked like perhaps the most potent voting bloc in America. They turned out for President George W. Bush in record numbers, supporting him for re-election by a ratio of four to one. Republican strategists predicted that religious traditionalists would help bring about an era of dominance for their party. Spokesmen for the Christian conservative movement warned of the wrath of “values voters.” James C. Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family, was poised to play kingmaker in 2008, at least in the Republican primary. And thanks to President Bush, the Supreme Court appeared just one vote away from answering the prayers of evangelical activists by overturning Roe v. Wade.

Today the movement shows signs of coming apart beneath its leaders. It is not merely that none of the 2008 Republican front-runners come close to measuring up to President Bush in the eyes of the evangelical faithful, although it would be hard to find a cast of characters more ill fit for those shoes: a lapsed-Catholic big-city mayor; a Massachusetts Mormon; a church-skipping Hollywood character actor; and a political renegade known for crossing swords with the Rev. Pat Robertson and the Rev. Jerry Falwell. Nor is the problem simply that the Democratic presidential front-runners — Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senator Barack Obama and former Senator John Edwards — sound like a bunch of tent-revival Bible thumpers compared with the Republicans. . .

Read the whole article at: New York Times Magazine

UPDATE: Oral Roberts University Scandal

I've reported on this scandal twice before (here and here), but I had no idea just how extensive it really is. Multiple sex scandals, multiple money scandals. Outrageous abuse of donations. . . It makes the Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker scandal of the 80s seem downright sedate.

Check out this post at AmericaBlog.com, and just take a look at how many bulleted items are in the list. It's a real doozy.

Oral Roberts University facing HUGE scandal at AmericaBlog.com

Reverand Dies in Rubber with Sex Toy

Photo from source, Queerty.com

When I was in "Creative Writing" class in high school, we had to produce a multi-media book with pictures, poems, stories and other elements. It wasn't exactly writing, but it was fun. When I turned mine in, I explained to my teacher that I have a twisted sense of humor, and that there were funny stories and images about death included.

She asked, in front of my classmates, if I thought death was funny. I said no, not always, but that sometimes it could be. She agreed, and I got an "A." And I wasn't put into psychiatric care, thank goodness.

Since then, pop-culture has made light of death in places like The Far Side, The Onion, and most notably, The Darwin Awards. I think that this year's Darwin Awards winner is all sewn up. . .

[Excerpt]

Rubber Donned Reverend Died With [Sex Toy]

Gary Aldridge either planned on finding Jesus or had some serious sexual kinks.
The Alabaman reverend and died last July of “accidental mechanical asphyxia”. Or, that’s what the reports are saying.

Smoking Gun grabbed the autopsy report and there’s more to the story. Also, the Liberty University graduate and Jerry Falwell flack really, really liked leather:
[Aldridge] was found hog-tied and wearing two complete wet suits, including a face mask, diving gloves and slippers, rubberized underwear, and a head mask, according to an autopsy report. . .

And there's more! Be warned, however, that some images and stories at this site may not be safe for work (NSFW): Queerty.com

Followup: Ted Haggard Chastized for Fundraising

Photo from Towleroad.com

Wow, there's something of a perfect storm of gay/I AM NOT GAY! news out there right now. Following up two earlier Ted Haggard stories (here and here), Teddy seems to have gotten himself into a pickle with his "fundraising" letter. Looks like it's time for Plan B. . .

[Excerpt]

Church Overseers Chastise Ted Haggard

Last week, Haggard sent an e-mail to KRDO-TV saying he planned to pursue a master's degree in counseling and also counsel at the Phoenix Dream Center halfway house. He said he and his family would move in to the Dream Center run by Tommy Barnett, who leads the 15,000-member Phoenix First Assembly of God that Haggard now attends.

Haggard, 50, also sought financial support.

New Life overseers released a statement Wednesday saying they told Haggard the e-mail was ''unacceptable.''

''Mr. Haggard's solicitation for personal support was inappropriate,'' the overseers said in their statement. ''It was never the intention of the Dream Center that Mr. Haggard would provide any counsel or other ministry. Mr. Haggard will not be moving in or working with the Dream Center. He will not be doing any ministry. He will be seeking secular employment to support himself and his family,'' the statement said. . .

Read the rest at: NYTimes.com

Ted Haggard's Help Fund a Fraud? New Details

Photo from Wikipedia.com

One of my favorite blogs, AmericaBlog, has a post up from one of my favorite columnists, Dan Savage. It regards Ted Haggard, who I wrote about recently, having set up a charitable fund to help he and his family freeload ahem, make a living. It turns out that the charitible fund is probably bogus, and run by another perv. I'm sure you're shocked. Here is the link to the original article:

[Excerpt]

Ted Haggard, as we learned today on Colorado Confidential, wants you to pay for his and his wife’s living expenses while they go to college—they’re destitute, you see. (Colorado Confidential reports that the Haggards currently own a house in Colorado Springs valued at close to a three quarters of a million dollars.) In an open letter sent to Haggard’s gullible “supporters,” the disgraced preacher gives two addresses where money can be sent. Checks can be sent to Haggard’s mailing address in Phoenix or, if a supporter needs a tax deduction, checks can be sent to Families With a Mission, a charity based in Colorado Springs.[snip]

As posted earlier, local attorney and Slog reader Dave Coffman located documents on file with the Colorado Secretary of State that showed Families With a Mission “voluntarily dissolved” on February 23, 2007.

Hm. Weird—who knew you could get a tax deduction from dissolved charity?

Read lots more at: SlogTheStranger.com

And read AmericaBlog.com's typically spot-on analysis here: Haggard, Families With a Mission, and the sex offender

Drunk, Crossdressing Baptist Minister Flashes Kids, Offers Cops Sex

Photo from source, Towleroad.com

My feelings on religion, and particularly on religious hypocrisy are probably already known. I don't have a lot of use for either. As more and more of these stories keep piling up, I don't believe I'm going to change my view anytime soon.

I usually try to excerpt only portions of other blogs' posts, but as this one is so short, and contains links to so many other sites, I decided to post the whole thing. I found it at Towleroad.com, one of my favorite blogs. The site is billed as "a premium site for modern gay men." So keep that in mind if "teh gay" makes you squeamish.

[Excerpt]

Drunk, Crossdressing Baptist Minister Flashes Kids, Offers Cops Sex

A Baptist minister from Bristol, Virginia was arrested in Tennessee and charged with driving under the influence and indecent exposure, according to the Associated Press.

Pastor Tommy Tester, 58, drew attention to himself after relieving himself in front of children at a car wash in Johnson City, Tennessee: "A report also accuses Tester of offering police officers oral sex and says an open bottle of vodka and empty oxycodone prescription bottle was found in his car."

Oh, yeah. He was also wearing a skirt at the time of his arrest.

"Authorities identified Tester as the minister of Gospel Baptist Church in Bristol and an employee of Christian radio station WZAP-AM, also in Bristol. WZAP issued a statement asking for prayers and saying Tester has been suspended during an investigation."

When those Baptist ministers go, they really go.

Minister In Skirt Charged With Indecent Exposure [AP via WGAL](via queerty)

From: Towleroad.com