Posted on 07/18/2006 9:53:39 AM PDT by Millee
They started marching Monday, from the state Capitol toward Colorado Springs.
And as the week progresses, their numbers will grow into the hundreds as they converge Saturday at the campus of Focus on the Family, where an estimated 1,000 people will pray for its founder, James Dobson.
I plan to be there, to witness a courageous act: Hundreds of gays and lesbians praying for a man whose powerful organization lobbies for anti-gay legislation and spews damaging mistruths about gay people.
The 1000-Watt March is being organized by Soulforce, a non-profit organization that confronts homophobic religious organizations and leaders using the non-violent teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi.
Actor Chad Allen will lead a 2-mile march from Rampart Park in Colorado Springs starting at 6 p.m. Saturday.
At the headquarters of Focus on the Family, they will light candles and pray. Later that night, Broadway star Billy Porter will perform.
The demonstrators pledge to behave respectfully.
"We seek to confront spiritual violence at its source," said Chris Hubble, a local Soulforce leader. "We define spiritual violence as the misuse of religion to condemn or reject any of God's children."
It's a logical approach, considering homophobic religious leaders have controlled the national debate in a country where our democracy seems to be turning into a theocracy. Folks like Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell are the puppeteers of politicians who sponsor anti-gay legislation in exchange for votes and campaign contributions.
They cherry-pick passages from the Bible and twist scientific research to get at their conclusion: that gay people are deviants who can be "cured."
Jeff Lutes, executive director of Soulforce, believes these religious leaders speak dispargingly about people they don't understand: "They were taught that being gay or lesbian is the sin of all sins."
Dobson has called gay people sick, has suggested that they accept pedophilia, and rails against what he calls a "gay agenda" bent on "destroying marriage." He suggests gay people can be "restored" if they undergo specialized therapy.
Gary Schneeberger, a spokesman for FOTF, said Soulforce has a larger entity to reckon with: God.
"Our
views on (gay issues) are aligned with God's views," Schneeberger said.
It would be easy to blow off Dobson if he didn't have so much power, but the tentacles of Focus on the Family are huge.
It has an annual budget of $145 million. FOTF claims that 220 million people listen daily to Dobson's international radio and television programs. It has established "Family Policy Councils" in 32 states whose mission is to influence public opinion and push for anti-gay legislation. Not to mention that Dobson has strong ties to our president.
But just because Dobson has power and influence doesn't make him right. And it doesn't mean he won't one day change his mind about homosexuality being a disease.
"There was a time when Jerry Falwell was a segregationist and he wrote in his biography that it was a shoe-shine man who changed his mind," Lutes said. "He said the shoe- shine man asked him, 'When will my family be able to come to your church?' It was a pivotal moment."
Lutes said he doesn't expect the marchers to change Dobson's mind, but it could happen.
Beyond that, Lutes says it is an opportunity to empower those who feel they have been maligned by Focus on the Family's teachings.
He said, "For any oppressed group of people it is incredibly empowering to stand in front of your oppressor and say, 'Here I am. I am gay. I am proud to be gay. I demand equal rights. I will not stand by as you defame people like me.' "
The more people who show up, the more validating that experience will be.
Go ahead & validate each other all you want.
Ping
Very accurate choice of words... IMHO....
One of the diagnostic issues/phrases used by some knowledgeable sources regarding with these social behaviors and mmmmm ....patterns of preference.....
That they are "self-affirmed"
Just food for thought...
Pride comes before fall. Now days they seem to be more confused then ever before and why shouldn't they, we are letting them validate thier evil ways.Which says the church is failing them.I am failing them when I does say anything to help a gay. To me it is simple, man and man or women and women will not produce a baby.How can they go on? History never records where gays have made an impact in this world.As a person, man or woman they have as much to give if they act right.
When I came to the word "homophobic" in the fourth sentence, the authors points immediately lost any shred of validity and rationality for me. I knew then to expect vapid blather for the duration.
Thanks for the ping.
"We seek to confront spiritual violence at its source," said Chris Hubble, a local Soulforce leader. "We define spiritual violence as the misuse of religion to condemn or reject any of God's children."
Therein lies the severely flawed premise underlying ALL homosexual agenda propaganda. Conflating our innate human existence with a chosen human behavior is flawed thinking. Using such thinking one could and in this case does imply that ANY behavior a human being chooses to engage in is acceptable because a human is engaging in it...
DUMB...
I would suggest homosexual "soulforce" first confront reality head on prior to continuing their rainbow flag waving crusade of delusion...
This article shows that this issue has nothing to do with religion or religious beliefs. Recently I was accused of "gay bashing" by an interdenominational group of "Christians" for daring to say that I didn't want my children taught to accept those things.
And I am not a believer.
It all comes down to common sense and rational thought - you either embrace reality (that only a man and woman can produce a family) or you don't.
Bingo...
Oppressed????? ROFL they oppress themselves by their actions.
A circle is a circle a square is a square, and the Bible is the Bible. One does not petition the Lord to change the laws for the faithful.
Dobsons power doesnt make him right, God makes him right. I wouldn't hold my breath about him changhing his mind about homosexuality.
Controlled huh? What TV are they watching? Self affirming delusional people. Maybe they should spend a little time thinking about what Dobson says rather than picketing against it. Pick up a Bible and read a little, it would do you good.
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed [it] unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Rom 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Rom 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Don't forget 1 Corinthians 6:8-9:
"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God."
Then there's Leviticus 20:13:
"If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them."
Then they will tell you that was in the Old Testament, the Law. In Matthew 5:17-18, Jesus said, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled."
Keep it up!
It's Gods teaching but they can't say that............yet.
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