Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Gay advocates plan protest of Focus
Denver Post ^ | April 24, 2005 | Erin Emery

Posted on 04/26/2005 10:08:19 AM PDT by scripter

Colorado Springs - A national gay advocacy group plans to hold a picnic and rally outside Focus on the Family headquarters next week to protest what the group calls "hurtful rhetoric" from Focus and its founder, James Dobson.

Soulforce, headed by gay minister Mel White, expects 600 to 1,000 people from gay-friendly churches and advocacy groups in Denver and Colorado Springs to protest outside the ministry's north Colorado Springs campus.

Soulforce will have to share the streets with Westboro Baptist Church from Topeka, Kan. That group, led by Fred Phelps, accuses Focus on the Family of being gay-friendly because the ministry hosts "Love Won Out" conferences, which tries to help gays return to heterosexual lifestyles.

"We're getting simultaneous picketing to balance things out," said Paul Hetrick, spokesman for Focus on the Family. "Fred thinks we're soft on homosexuality, and the other group thinks we're too hard on homosexuality. I guess we're sort of in the middle. I know now what it feels like to be moderate."

Soulforce plans to ignore Phelps, but it would like to meet with Dobson, whom White calls the "primary enemy" of gays.

"Dobson has become the primary source of misinformation about gay and lesbian people in the world," White said. "He is single-handedly doing more damage to truth than anyone else, in our opinion.

"I say he's the most dangerous man in America right now."

White said that in leading the crusade for a federal marriage amendment, Dobson has misused statistics and made assumptions portraying gays as a threat to "everything, including the universe, families, children, the church, the country, the nation, the world."

Dobson will be in Washington all week for National Day of Prayer events.

The picnic and rally starts at 12:30 p.m. May 1.

On May 2, the group plans to deliver thousands of letters from people "who have suffered from his rhetoric," White said.

White said the group plans to get the letters to Dobson or Focus even if it requires an act of civil disobedience.

Hetrick said Soulforce's two-day effort is a media stunt.

Though Soulforce has asked to meet with Dobson, Hetrick said: "I kind of wonder what purpose a meeting would have. We offered to meet with them in a debate format a week before they're coming."

Soulforce has declined the invitation.

On Monday, Focus representatives and members of gay advocacy groups will meet at 6:30 p.m. at Vanguard Church in Colorado Springs to debate the Bible and homosexuality.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: Colorado
KEYWORDS: dobson; family; focus; fotf; gay; homosexual; homosexualagenda; homosexuality
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-69 next last
Homosexual Agenda: Categorical Index of Links (Version 1.1)
Homosexual Keyword Search

1 posted on 04/26/2005 10:08:30 AM PDT by scripter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: little jeremiah; EdReform; Clint N. Suhks

Ping


2 posted on 04/26/2005 10:08:55 AM PDT by scripter (Tens of thousands have left the homosexual lifestyle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: scripter
Soulforce, headed by gay minister Mel White, expects 600 to 1,000 people from gay-friendly churches

What the heck is a "gay friendly" church?

3 posted on 04/26/2005 10:10:36 AM PDT by k2blader (Immorality bites.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: scripter
Bring it on.
4 posted on 04/26/2005 10:11:06 AM PDT by wideawake (God bless our brave soldiers and their Commander in Chief)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: scripter
expects 600 to 1,000 people from gay-friendly churches

he must write for Baghdad Bob

5 posted on 04/26/2005 10:11:38 AM PDT by sure_fine (*not one to over kill the thought process*)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: scripter

"Soulforce will have to share the streets with Westboro Baptist Church from Topeka, Kan. That group, led by Fred Phelps, accuses Focus on the Family of being gay-friendly because the ministry hosts "Love Won Out" conferences, which tries to help gays return to heterosexual lifestyles."



Yeah, this won't be a circus or anything.


6 posted on 04/26/2005 10:11:51 AM PDT by Pikamax
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: scripter

Dobson, who appears to be as meek as a kitten, has more courage than congressional republicans combined


7 posted on 04/26/2005 10:12:39 AM PDT by Mulch (tm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: k2blader
UCC. ECUSA. ELCA. UMC. MCC. Others.
8 posted on 04/26/2005 10:12:48 AM PDT by wideawake (God bless our brave soldiers and their Commander in Chief)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: scripter

One thing I completely struggle with is how gays can think their lifestyle is completely AOK. I simply don't get it. There is nothing natural about it. Nothing.


9 posted on 04/26/2005 10:14:10 AM PDT by kemathen7
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pikamax
Yeah, this won't be a circus or anything.

it's perfect.

Lunatics like Phelps and White battle it out in the streets while Dobson comes off looking like the rational player in this controversy - which he is.

10 posted on 04/26/2005 10:14:23 AM PDT by wideawake (God bless our brave soldiers and their Commander in Chief)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: scripter
It soulforce like soultrain for gays?


11 posted on 04/26/2005 10:14:36 AM PDT by Dominick ("Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought." - JP II)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: scripter
So far as the article's able to determine, these people have nothing on Dobson or FOF but a bunch of vague accusations about "misusing statistics". They can't point to a single statement he or his group made that they claim is false. Typical liberals.
12 posted on 04/26/2005 10:15:20 AM PDT by inquest (FTAA delenda est)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: scripter
Soulforce want's to meet with Dobson, but according to Paul Hetrick, spokesman for Focus on the Family:
"I kind of wonder what purpose a meeting would have. We offered to meet with them in a debate format a week before they're coming."
And Soulforce declined the invitation. So when Soulforce wanted to meet with Dobson, what type of meeting did they have in mind? One where they talk and Dobson listens?
13 posted on 04/26/2005 10:15:41 AM PDT by scripter (Tens of thousands have left the homosexual lifestyle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: wideawake

Well, I'm guessing by "gay friendly" the homoactivists mean "completely accepting of our homosexual lifestyle," in which case I would not consider them churches at all.

BTW, I'm very glad to not be a part of any of those denominations you listed.


14 posted on 04/26/2005 10:17:11 AM PDT by k2blader (Immorality bites.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: k2blader
What the heck is a "gay friendly" church?

Something similar to the Metropolitan Community Church?

15 posted on 04/26/2005 10:18:03 AM PDT by scripter (Tens of thousands have left the homosexual lifestyle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: scripter
I would venture to say that their protest is hurtful rhetoric. But what do I know about bedwetters who scream "it's about me ME ME!" all the time?
16 posted on 04/26/2005 10:19:03 AM PDT by JoJo Gunn (Help control the Leftist population. Have them spayed or neutered. ©)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: scripter
So when Soulforce wanted to meet with Dobson, what type of meeting did they have in mind? One where they talk and Dobson listens?

Probably one behind closed doors, so that the public isn't able to see Dobson cream them with logic and facts.

17 posted on 04/26/2005 10:19:41 AM PDT by inquest (FTAA delenda est)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: sure_fine
he must write for Baghdad Bob

Now that made me laugh out loud. That guy was beyond ridiculous...

18 posted on 04/26/2005 10:19:43 AM PDT by scripter (Tens of thousands have left the homosexual lifestyle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Jersey Republican Biker Chick
As per usual, I didn't bother to read beyond the headline, but I'm positive this article is about some queer boycotting the Ford Focus for some reason.  Absurd.  What umbrage will these people imagine next?
 
How'd they like it if:  Straight advocate plans protest of Probe
"I beleive the seats may be uncomfortable" said Owl_Eagle.
Owl_Eagle

(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,

 it was probably sarcasm)

19 posted on 04/26/2005 10:20:13 AM PDT by End Times Sentinel (In Memory of my Dear Friend Henry Lee II)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: scripter

Just what "misinformation" is Dobson spreading? Seems to
me he IS telling the "truth" about homosexuality.


20 posted on 04/26/2005 10:20:26 AM PDT by beethovenfan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-69 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson