Posted on 03/28/2006 9:15:39 AM PST by Reagan Man
(CNSNews.com) - Religious conservatives meeting in Washington, D.C., lashed out at homosexual advocacy groups and organizations catering to the political Left on Monday.
One participant criticized the "gay agenda," which he said calls for not only acceptance, but also "affirmation and celebration of this behavior as normal and even desirable."
The two-day conference, entitled "The War on Christians and the Values Voters in 2006," is sponsored by Vision America, an organization that describes its mission as "restoring Judeo-Christian values in America." Conference participants produced a "Values Voters' Contract with Congress," which includes key elements of the conservative, religious agenda.
Based on the Republican Party's 1994 "Contract with America," the "Values Voters' Contract" lists 10 aims, ranging from legislation to keep the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance to laws guaranteeing greater religious freedoms in the workplace, prohibiting human cloning and embryo research, and guaranteeing a "right to life" to all children before birth.
Defending the family is a key goal of the so-called "values voters." The traditional or natural family is one of the targets of the political Left, said Peter LaBarbera, executive director of the Illinois Family Institute. He said he was proud to share the stage with "heroes in the fight for normalcy."
Peter Sprigg, the Family Research Council's vice president for policy, noted that the family "is not merely a social construct subject to infinite redefinition.
"We believe what makes a family is one man and one woman uniting in marriage for a lifetime and bearing children from that union," Sprigg stated. "We are against anything that threatens the traditional family or undermines that idea," including pre-marital sex, pornography, adultery and prostitution.
"And yes, we are also against the practice of homosexuality," he added.
Sprigg said Christians do not hate homosexuals. "On the contrary, we desire the best for them. However, we believe engaging in behavior that is unnatural, immoral and dangerous to the public health and their own health is not the best thing for people with same-sex attractions."
He noted that the FRC and similar organizations also oppose the "gay agenda," which "demands full acceptance of the practice of homosexuality -- morally, socially, legally, religiously, politically and financially.
"Indeed, it calls for not only acceptance, but affirmation and celebration of this behavior as normal and even desirable," Sprigg said.
The Rev. Lou Sheldon, chairman and founder of Traditional Values Coalition, stated that the "gay agenda" would come to a quick end if Americans rose up in numbers against it.
However, "Christians are nice guys, and nice guys finish last," he added.
LaBarbera agreed with Sheldon's analysis. "By simply saying we oppose the sin and not the sinner, we leave the playing field to homosexual activists and their euphemistic talking points, which are 'discrimination,' 'equality' and that poor euphemism, 'sexual orientation,'" he said.
Regina Griggs, executive director of Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays, said that while everyone is a sinner, homosexual behavior can have especially dangerous results. For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that in 2002, 49 percent of AIDS cases resulted from sexual relations between two males 13 to 24 years of age.
While most speakers said they prefer using the word "homosexual" instead of "gay," Sheldon said he usually sticks with the term's original meaning: "sodomite."
A number of organizations were criticized for supporting the "gay agenda," though one group in particular -- the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) -- was the subject of another panel decrying its "radical secularization" efforts.
Mike Johnson, senior legal counsel of the Alliance Defense Fund, noted that the ACLU has always had a subversive agenda and is the "number one religious censor in America" due to its skillful use of fear, intimidation and misinformation.
One method the ACLU uses to "chip away at the moral and religious foundation of America" is to silence the gospel by removing any references to God in the public square, he said.
However, Mat Staver, founder, president and general counsel of the Liberty Counsel, noted that since Samuel Alito replaced Sandra Day O'Connor on the U.S. Supreme Court, he's noticed a growing reluctance on the ACLU's part to attempt appeals to the highest court in the land.
"Maybe they realize the Supreme Court isn't their social engineering friend anymore," Staver said.
William Donohue, president of the Catholic League, said he has been battling the ACLU for decades, and is encouraged by the "great work" being done by such groups as the Alliance Defense Fund and Liberty Counsel.
Donohue said he has discovered why the ACLU files so many lawsuits to try and force communities to take down nativity scenes. "It's because there aren't three wise men and a virgin in the entire ACLU."
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), which describes itself as the nation's "largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender advocacy organization," says its goal is to ensure that "all GLBT people are ensured of their basic equal rights, and can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.
"By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against GLBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all," the group's website states.
The ACLU's Lesbian & Gay Rights Project brings "impact lawsuits" in state and federal courts throughout the country, according to the group's website.
"Our legal strategies are built on the idea that fighting for civil rights means not just persuading judges but ultimately changing the way people think," the group states.
Ahhh but the Cobert report(Comedy Central News Propaganda show)...jokes that conservatives are fools and it (homo agenda) doens't exist...ahhh who to believe? Who?
HAHAHAHAHa...heavy sarcasm.
"Our legal strategies are built on the idea that fighting for civil rights means not just persuading judges but ultimately changing the way people think," the group states."
They have changed the way I think but probably not the way they wanted to.
Equal rights yes, special rights no.
Now, with a skin-of-their-teeth win over Gore and a down-to-Ohio victory over Kerry, the Republicans scornfully mock and deride the Christian Right.
Lol! You gotta love Donohue!
There really aren't many people proposing any such thing. Most people just want to protect traditional marriage and keep the gay propaganda/indoctronation out of schools.
That's the point - in the US, everyone has the right to marry:
someone of the opposite sex
someone who is not a close blood relative (and some parts of Mississippi....hehehe)
Someone of the legal age to consent
EVERYONE has that right. Allowing males to marry males, women to marry women, heck - how about Woman to Mule??? - would be an ADDITIONAL special (ugh -hate that word) rights based on a chosen trait.
BRAVO!!!!
And they do so at their own peril!!!
"Efforts to stop homosexuals from forming domestic partnerships, to have equal rights or to be forced to hide who they are run counter to good strategy and counter to American principles."
I suppose when a father and his 18 year old daughter want to marry, that would be ok too?
We would never want to hide who we are would we? Better if we just show and get public approval for all our deviant and evil behaviors.
Hell we can just change the law re. sex with children? Couldnt we? Then everything would be open no sense in restricting anything right? of course you know I am being sarcastic.
Its filthy apologists like yourself that allows for this continued spiral into the abyss. Laws can discriminate based on behavior and the public good to protect the family.
Yes by family I mean a dad (male) and mother (female) and their children.
"There really aren't many people proposing any such thing."
No there arent because people like yourself are doing a good job of allowing evil to prosper by sitting on your hands and acting like your above it all.
Homosexuals have no more rights than a rapist, pedophile, or incestuous marriages. We as a society can deem certain behaviors unlawful if they are contrary to the public good. I hope that seems obvious.
"would be an ADDITIONAL special (ugh -hate that word) rights based on a chosen trait. "
Why don't you like that term?
and should it matter if the trait is chosen or not? There are lots of things that we don't choose that still should not be the basis of extra rights.. (is extra better than special?)
"I suppose when a father and his 18 year old daughter want to marry, that would be ok too?"
Nope, there are other restrictions on marriage - I didn't feel the need to catalog them all.
"Its filthy apologists like yourself that allows for this continued spiral into the abyss. Laws can discriminate based on behavior and the public good to protect the family."
Wow. Thats an amazing response. Very sad.
"Homosexuals have no more rights than a rapist, pedophile, or incestuous marriages. We as a society can deem certain behaviors unlawful if they are contrary to the public good. I hope that seems obvious."
When you say things like that you make it really difficult to include you in the debate or to value your opinions. It sounds like you are filled with blind hate. And while I feel for you, you clearly have no concept of the evil of rape or you couldn't say such a thing.
We really made a HUGE mistake when sodomy laws were taken off the books.
Whether or not it's a "choice" homosexuality is, very simply, perverted behavior. It needs to be reclassified as criminal conduct and those who practice it should be incarcerated.
Evil is in the eye of the beholder. Rape is evil and so is homosexual sin left unabatted. It is sad that you have no moral bedrock.
You didnt answer my question, I know you couldnt have missed it. So tell us should an incestuous marriage between a 18 year old girl and her biological father be allowed. They are both adults in the eyes of the law, right? I know you wont answer it - this would take courage.
Bravo. Beautifully said.
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.