Theology Now Blog

Being gay 'sickest of sins'

2011-08-30T01:27:00.000-07:00

The Sunday Times of Western Australia reports that children have been asked whether homosexuality is “the sickest sin” in a school assignment.

The homework given to 14 and 15-year-olds at Armadale Christian College, Western Australia, also points them to bible quotes describing homosexuality as an “abomination”, and describes “coming out of the closet” as “open sinning”.

Inquiries by the newspaper have prompted Education Minister Liz Constable to order Department of Education Services staff to go to the school to ensure it was “satisfying registration requirements”.

“(This is) to assess the lesson content being used by the school in relation to their Religion and Life syllabus,” Dr Constable said on Friday.

One question in the assignment given to the Year 10 students in June was: “Is homosexuality the sickest sin there is?”

Another question asked what God said about homosexuality and pointed to Bible quotes for the answer, which called it an “abomination”.

The assignment also stated that homosexuality was a “compromise for the need to be loved and accepted”, resulting for many from “low self-esteem (and) gender emptiness”.

Also on the assignment was: “Many people say that homosexuality is an inborn trait. Is a person born greedy, jealous, malicious, gossiper, slanderer, thief, child abuser, serial killer?”

Relatives of children in the Year 10 class expressed “disgust” about what they called “bigotry” in the assignment, which under its heading “Homosexuality”, had the biblical quote: “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? … Neither fornicators, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites”.

Dani Wright, coordinator of youth support service Freedom Centre, said discrimination through such teaching could lead to mental health issues and even suicide.

She said blanket policies were needed about homophobia in schools because, while the WA Equal Opportunity Act did not allow sexual-orientation discrimination, there were “loopholes” for religious institutions.

One student’s relative, James Notman, praised the Minister’s quick action on the matter, and said such “extremist” teachings could “seriously damage the mental well-being” of some children at a time of life when questions of sexuality were of huge importance.

“I also went to a Christian private school, but what we were taught about homosexuality was that we should all love and accept everyone as the same, because it doesn’t matter whether you’re gay, straight, male, female, we’re all humans and we’re all equal,” he said.

Starbucks CEO withdraws from summit at "anti-gay" church

2011-08-11T11:35:00.000-07:00

Christianity Today reports that Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz will no longer be one of the key speakers at this week's Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit. Human rights activists had protested Howard Schultz's scheduled appearance.

Schultz, who has not previously spoken at Willow Creek's leadership summit, recently published his second book on leadership, Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul.

His appearance was the subject of an online campaign at Change.org, launched by political consultant Asher Huey.

"Schultz is speaking at a conference hosted at and sponsored by an anti-gay church. This is unacceptable," the petition said. "The church has long practiced dangerous conversion therapy to 'cure' people of their sexual orientation. … Not denouncing these practices is tacit approval."

It is not known at this time whether Schultz's withdrawal has anything to do with the campaign on homosexuality, and a staffer at Willow Creek Community Church said Schultz did not provide a statement regarding his withdrawal.

Five days ago, Gina Woods, Starbucks director of executive communications for Starbucks, apparently left a message on the Change.org petition page: "I work for Starbucks in Communications. I wanted to let you all know that Howard is not speaking at Willow Creek. The conference web site has just not been updated."

The petition references Willow Creek Community Church's longstanding relationship with Exodus International, as well as the ending of that relationship in 2009, which Christianity Today reported last month.

Change.org petitions were recently credited with getting TOMS Shoes founder Blake Mycoskie (who spoke at last year's Willow Creek Leadership Summit) to cut ties with Focus on the Family, and with getting Apple to remove an iPhone app for the Manhattan Declaration and a business relationship with the Christian Values Network.

Scientologists seek to use UK riots to recruit members

2011-08-10T08:27:00.000-07:00

The Church of Scientology is using the aftermath of the UK riots to recruit people for their controversial sect, according to Political Scrapbook.

A “Scientology Volunteer Force” appeared at the cleanup operation in Birmingham City Centre this morning, purporting to be there to help sweep up. In reality, they stayed for around ten minutes – just long enough to convince members of the public to come back to their centre and “learn more” about the organisation.

According to a cleanup helper, the five volunteers, who wore the sect’s trademark yellow jackets, each left with a member of the public in the direction of their nearby recruitment office.

Scientologists have been spotted recruiting in Tottenham this morning, and were reportedly handing out flyers in Ealing yesterday. Clean up helpers in Tottenham say around eight people wearing yellow Scientology branded T-shirts have been handing out leaflets and literature. Servane Mouazan, a volunteer said not all of the sect members were in uniform:

“One was not wearing any t-shirt but had camera and tripod with her – when I asked her if she was about to film and was she from the Scientology Church, she confirmed.”

Mouazan also said two men in suits, who were not wearing badges, but confirmed they were members of Scientology, were asking for directions to the nearest housing estate.

Around six Scientologists handed out booklets at the cleanup operations at Salford Precinct this afternoon, posting leaflets through people’s doors and filming. Local volunteer Peter Morris said: “I don’t think pseudo-religious pamphlets is where the needs of Salford people is right now.

The controversial sect routinely send “Volunteer Ministers” to recruit members in the immediate aftermath of disasters. They arrive bearing supplies, food and water, then begin offering medically dubious “therapies” known as “assists” to people suffering from extreme shock.

Scientologists were accused of “Intentionally confusing [the] public” by the US National Mental Health Association, for presenting themselves as mental health professionals during the 9/11 cleanup.

Closer to home, it was revealed following the 7/7 bombings, that the Metropolitan Police had given the sect privileged access to logistical information, allowing them to be among the first on the scene. They were booted out of the blast area by police.

Previously: Scientologists 'heal' Haiti quake victims using touch

Riots, looting and the hypocrisy of Boris Johnson

2011-08-10T07:10:00.000-07:00

Symon Hill, associate director of Ekklesia, writes: The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, appeared on BBC Radio 4 this morning and was asked about the underlying causes of the recent riots. He attributed them to a “sense of entitlement” among young people who were showing the effects of a lack of discipline in school.

When Johnson was a young person, he attended Eton, the most elite school in the UK, before making the natural progression to Oxford University. At Oxford, he was part of the Bullingdon Club, a gang of upper class yobs. Other members included David Cameron.

For Johnson to criticise young people who have a “sense of entitlement” shows either a staggering lack of realism about his own past or a reckless level of public hypocrisy.

Blaming a lack of discipline conveniently ignores the realities of economic and social injustice. The gap between the richest and poorest has got gradually worse over the last forty years and Britain is now more unequal than any other western country, with the exception of the USA and Portugal. The coalition government is slashing services on which the poorest members of society rely, while managing nothing more than feeble criticism of bankers’ bonuses and corporate tax-dodging.

None of this excuses the violence, intimidation and looting that have taken place over the last few days. None of it should stop us condemning the horror of ordinary people suffering the effects of riots that have seen small businesspeople’s shops burnt down and their livelihoods potentially destroyed. To tackle this situation effectively, we need to look at root causes.

Boris Johnson prefers to criticise a “sense of entitlement” while being part of a party, and a political trend, that has spent the last three decades destroying any sense of social solidarity and defining success in terms of possessions and personal status. He condemns a lack of restraint while calling for a cut in the top rate of tax, which applies only to the richest one percent of the population. He attacks thuggery, but supports a government that consists of a gang of thugs launching a daily assault on the poorest members of society.

Next month, Boris Johnson will welcome one of the world’s largest arms fairs to London, where representatives of some of the world’s most brutal regimes will stroll round the Docklands viewing sophisticated weaponry. Then we will see the reality behind his condemnations of violence.

(c) Symon Hill, associate director of Ekklesia

Repenting of homophobia

2011-05-18T11:39:00.000-07:00

British Christian activis Symon Hill has announced that he plans to walk from Birmingham to London as a pilgrimage of repentance for his former homophobic attitudes.

Hill, the associate director of the Ekklesia thinktank, will speak at churches along the way, encouraging the Christian Church as a whole to repent of homophobia and think differently about sexuality.

Taking a circuitous route of between 150 and 200 miles over around three weeks, Hill will arrive in London on the day before the Pride march on 2 July 2011. Between now and then he is urging churches to join him in expressing repentance and to offer to host him on the route.

The precise route will depend on hosting offers but is likely to include several places in which Hill has lived, including Coventry, Daventry and Oxford. The walk has been endorsed by Ekklesia, the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, Courage UK and Inclusive Church.

Symon Hill said: “I have struggled for years with issues of sexuality – through prayer, reflection, personal experience and reading my Bible. These struggles have led me to the conclusion that it is not homosexuality, but homophobia, that is sinful and contrary to the message of Christ.

“Many churches continue to reject loving same-sex relationships and to oppose equality. Others have failed to speak out due to a misplaced desire for unity. Given the hurt and abuse involved, minor changes are not enough. As Christians, we are called to take a stand against injustice”.

Peter Tatchell, human rights campaigner, said: “Symon Hill is bearing witness and setting an inspiring example of Christian repentance for 2,000 years of church homophobia. I hope Pope Benedict and Archbishops Rowan Williams and John Sentamu will join him.”

Link: Repenting of homophobia

'Palm Cross' case is not about anti-Christian discrimination

2011-04-20T00:10:00.000-07:00

A British Christian thinktank says that an electrician barred from displaying a cross in his van does not appear to be a victim of anti-Christian discrimination, since the rule in dispute does not single out any particular religion or belief.

Ekklesia has cautioned against a simplistic approach to such cases, which are being used to buttress campaigns suggesting that Christians face systemic discrimination in the UK.

Colin Atkinson faces disciplinary action from Wakefield District Housing after refusing to remove a palm cross from the front of his vehicle.

Ekklesia has expressed the hope that all parties involved will attempt to resolve the case by mediation rather than confrontation, but has also questioned the interpretation being put on the incident by some — namely, that it amounts to hostility to Christianity.

The thinktank points out that the WDH ban applies to all religious symbols and other personal items. It says that while the rights and wrongs of such a prohibition can reasonably be debated and questioned, it cannot fairly be considered discrimination against Christians in particular. WDH allows Christians, as well as people of other faiths, to wear religious symbols on their persons or keep them on their desks.

Ekklesia says that repeated and unsubstantiated claims of anti-Christian discrimination only serve to make Christians appear defensive and obsessed with their own status.

Symon Hill, associate director of the thinktank, commented: "Wakefield District Housing allow employees to wear religious symbols but not to display symbols in vehicles. This rule may or may not be defensible, but it applies to everyone — not a particular faith group. There therefore appears to be no substance to claims that WHD are discriminating against Christians in particular."

"Cases like this are most likely to be resolved by mediation and dialogue, not by scaremongering and hysterical headlines. We have seen no evidence that Christians as a group face systematic discrimination in Britain — but the constant repetition of unfounded claims may be in danger of bringing Christianity into disrepute."

Mr Hill added: "It is also ironic that this case should be about a cross and should be raised in Holy Week — since the cross symbolises Jesus' sacrificial death at the hands of political and religious authorities who wanted to suppress his nonviolent resistance to injustice. Properly understood, the cross is therefore a sign of self-giving love, not a justification for preoccupation with one's own status as a religious group."

Christians and Humanists criticise false 'discrimination' claims

2011-03-13T15:16:00.000-07:00

Claims that Christians are being 'discriminated against' by human rights and equality legislation in the UK have been strongly criticised by the Christian think-tank Ekklesia and the British Humanist Association (BHA).

The two organisations have spoken out jointly after socially conservative group 'Christian Concern' (formerly Christian Concern For Our Nation) launched a petition claiming that people with 'mainstream Christian' beliefs are being barred by equalities legislation 'from different areas of public life and employment'.

The petition was launched following the latest in a string of failed court cases pursued by the Christian Legal Centre, which has strong links to Christian Concern.

In December 2010, Ekklesia, the BHA, the European Humanist Federation (EHF) and other religious and non-religious groups described Christian Concern's 'Not Ashamed' campaign, which made similar claims, as "misleading and having no evidence to support them".

Simon Barrow, co-director of Ekklesia, said: "The judgement in the recent Johns foster case was very clear. It described claims of anti-religious discrimination as a 'travesty of the reality' and 'wrong as to the factual premises on which they are based.' The judges added that 'No one is seeking to de-legitimise Christianity or any other faith or belief. ... No one is seeking to give Christians, Jews or Muslims or, indeed, peoples of any faith, a second class status. On the contrary, it is fundamental to our law, to our polity and to our way of life, that everyone is equal.'

"It is this equality which some vociferous campaign groups are disputing. They want a privileged status in law for their own particular prejudices, using arguments which many other Christians find misplaced, misguided and offensive. Far from 'defending Christianity', petitions like this bring it into disrepute," added Barrow.

BHA Chief Executive Andrew Copson commented: "This petition is the latest in a series of increasingly desperate attempts to create a victim narrative about 'Christianophobia'. But these claims have no basis in reality. What they describe as discrimination and marginalisation of Christians is in fact the proper upholding of human rights and equalities law and principles - a law which protects religious people from unjustified and illegitimate discrimination in exactly the same way as it protects people on other grounds like race and sexual orientation.

He continued: "It is very important to be vigilant over claims that mask prejudice with false claims about oppression. There is no evidence of discrimination against Christians, only evidence of a persecution complex from those perpetuating the myth of 'Christianophobia'. We must be robust in our response to an ideology that, in reality, would limit religious and other freedoms for most people, while permitting wide discrimination by a small number of narrow-minded persons against others."

Humanist posters banned from UK railway stations

2011-03-05T00:12:00.000-08:00

Three posters planned for display at UK railway stations as part of the British Humanist Association's 2011 Census Campaign have been refused by companies owning the advertising space, who viewed them as too likely to cause offence.

Two reasons were given by owners of the space: they were concerned that the use of the phrase ‘for God’s sake’ would cause widespread and serious offence and they also did not wish to take adverts relating to religion.

The BHA has reacted with astonishment that an everyday phrase should be deemed too contentious for public display.

‘It is a little tongue-in-cheek,’ BHA Chief Executive Andrew Copson commented, ‘but in the same way that saying “bless you” has no religious implication for many, “for God’s sake” is used to express urgency and not to invoke a deity. This censorship of a legitimate advert is frustrating and ridiculous: the blasphemy laws in England have been abolished but we are seeing the same principle being enforced nonetheless.’

The BHA also pointed out that the adverts were only tangentially related to religion, being mostly concerned with public policy and directed towards people who are not religious.

Mr Copson continued, ‘The Census Campaign is not intended to dissuade those who hold strong religious beliefs from holding them. We are asking people to be honest and if they are not religious, to say so. Ticking “No religion” means that their voices will be heard and we will have a more truthful picture of what people really believe today.’

Christian groups turn against Christian Legal Centre

2011-03-03T09:35:00.000-08:00

The Christian Legal Centre has come under attack from other Christian groups in the UK.

According to Christian think-tank Ekklesia, the CLC have lost all credibility.

Following a High Court case about foster parents, they have made statements which are difficult to interpret as anything other than blatantly misleading.

While they have been accused of making highly questionable claims in the past, the CLC now seem to have gone a step further in the inaccuracy of their statements.

A CLC press release after this week's court ruling opened with the following sentence:

"In a landmark judgment, which will have a serious impact on the future of fostering and adoption in the UK, the High Court has suggested that Christians with traditional views on sexual ethics are unsuitable as foster carers".

But this is what the High Court judges really said about the sutiability of Christians to foster children:

"No one is asserting that Christians (or, for that matter, Jews or Muslims) are not 'fit and proper' persons to foster or adopt. No one is contending for a blanket ban. No one is seeking to de-legitimise Christianity or any other faith or belief. ... No one is seeking to give Christians, Jews or Muslims or, indeed, peoples of any faith, a second class status."

The judges said that it was appropriate for a local authority to take potential foster parents' views on sexuality into account, but emphasised:

"This is not a prying intervention into mere belief... The local authority is entitled to explore the extent to which prospective foster carers’ beliefs may affect their behaviour, their treatment of a child being fostered by them." .

The case came about because of a conflict between Derby City Council and a couple called Owen and Eunice Johns who are keen to foster children. The Johnses said that if they were fostering a child who was being considered for adoption by a same-sex couple, they would not want to allow that couple into their house.

It was unclear whether this should affect their chances of becoming foster parents, so the couple and the council agreed to seek guidance from the court. The judges declined to rule on such a hypothetical question. Thus, the High Court has not even barred the Johnses from fostering children, let alone socially conservative Christians in general.

The CLC is closely linked with Christian Concern (formerly known as Christian Concern For Our Nation). They both claim that Christians as a group are facing legal discrimination in the UK. A vast percentage of the cases they take on are concerned with same-sex relationships.

Ekklesia makes no secret of the fact that it disagrees with the CLC and Christian Concern about a range of issues, including sexual ethics and the nature of Christianity.

However, the more conservative Evangelical Alliance has also come out against the CLC.

It is highly questionable whether British courts of law should be used as forums for debating the pros and cons of conflicting human rights created by equalities legislation. Instead, they should only be used to resolve disputed points of law based on evidence.

The Evangelical Alliance expresses doubt about the wisdom in bringing such cases to the High Court in the first place. While there is no doubt that equality laws appear increasingly controversial in the way they seem to disproportionately impact against Christians, there is a clear need for a more cautious and strategic approach when deciding to take matters to court.

Dr Don Horrocks, Head of Public Affairs at the Alliance, said: "We all need to be more clued-up in deciding if and when to fight legal battles. Of course there are occasions when defending religious liberty in the courts is entirely appropriate and if there is evidence of fundamental unfairness in the interpretation of equalities legislation then this needs to be addressed by government.

"However, it is counterproductive to provoke the courts into unnecessary and unhelpful rulings — especially when a case is weak and evidence is lacking. There may also be risks that Christians will be viewed as deliberately engineering conflicts with the courts or pleading privileged treatment."

Dr Horrocks advises Christian groups to seek constructive ways to safeguard public services as well as civil liberties by working with public authorities — unless there is no other option but to seek legal redress.

He adds: "The good news is that Christians are and continue to be actively involved in public life and contribute to the common good. Following this particular case we hope that those in authority will continue to consider the welfare of the child first in allowing vulnerable children to be raised in supportive homes."

Misleading claims about discrimination against Christians

2011-03-01T10:08:00.000-08:00

Commenting on the UK High Court ruling in relation to a couple with strong anti-gay views who claimed they were being discriminated against by Derby City Council because of their Christian beliefs, Simon Barrow, co-director of the Christian think-tank Ekklesia, said:

"This is a clear and fair judgment which clarifies the law, refuses a misleading 'clash of rights' perspective, follows the Court of Appeal position, upholds equal rights for all irrespective of differing beliefs, and rejects exaggerated and inaccurate claims about discrimination against Christians as 'wrong as to the factual premises on which they are based and at best tendentious'."

"Counsel for Eunice and Owen Johns pursued and lost the same points as in the case of McFarlane v Relate Avon Ltd and Islington London Borough Council v Ladele, subsequently losing in the Court of Appeal over Ladele, also. This High Court judgment by Lord Justice Munby and Justice Beatson makes it plain that such claims are unsubstantiated.

"The argument of the socially conservative Christians who are pursuing these cases to seek to demonstrate 'discrimination' or 'persecution' against Christians in the UK appears to rest on two false premises. The first is that theirs is the only Christian view and should be backed up by law, irrespective of the dignity and rights of others. The second is that discriminatory actions justified on religious grounds should provide immunity from fulfilling legal requirements over equality and justice towards others in the public sphere. That cannot be right.

"It is wrong to call this judgemnt a 'landmark ruling', since it does not lay down any new principle but upholds and affirms the law, emphasising its case- and fact-sensitivity and refusing sweeping or hypothetical generalities.

"However, it does further confirm what we at Ekklesia have been arguing for many years — which is that the era of Christendom, when Christian institutions and beliefs might be given special privilege, regard and exemption denied to others, is now over. For many — including Christians who wish to recover the levelling core of the Gospel message — that is good news, not a threat."

The Daily Mail and Stephen Green: A Torrid Romance

2011-01-29T06:45:00.000-08:00

John Walker of botherer.org takes at look at the relationship between The Daily Mail and Stephen Green.

Today the Daily Mail has a sad story in which the ex-wife of the front man (and for the most part, entire membership of) Christian Voice, Stephen Green, explains how he mentally and physically abused his family for many years.

Stephen Green came to fame when the BBC decided to air Stewart Lee’s Jerry Springer: The Opera on BBC2. Considered by Green to be blasphemous (and by Christians who think, to be satirical), he vociferously campaigned against the broadcast, and then against the stage show itself, and succeeded in bankrupting the previously successful production. But his real victory was a strong media presence, getting his name put at the top of most media outlets’ contact books for matters of Christian controversy. Despite it being abundantly clear that he was an extremist, and despite his organisation having repeatedly been demonstrated to be pretty much just Stephen Green in a mobile home, everyone from the BBC to the tabloid press would seek a quote from him if they wanted to spin a story as conflicting with an imagined version of Christian values. He was guaranteed to deliver, saying something printably outrageous. His ludicrous views would be countered by those affected by the story, and in the publication’s mind some manner of editorial balance had been achieved.

But most interesting is the Mail’s relationship with the man.

Self-proclaimed voice of Christian Britain is a wife beater, says his former partner

2011-01-29T01:43:00.000-08:00

Christian Voice is a pressure group based in the UK. Its stated objective is "to uphold Christianity as the Faith of the United Kingdom, to be a voice for Biblical values in law and public policy, and to defend and support traditional family life."

The leader of Christian Voice is Stephen Green, a former Chairman of the Conservative Family Campaign. He routinely inveighs against the abolition of the death penalty, no-fault divorce, Islam, abortion and, his particular obsession, homosexuality; Green backed Ugandan attempts to introduce the death penalty for homosexuality.

Now, according to The Daily Mail, his ex-wife has claimed that Green is a wife-beater.

Caroline Green was often punished by her husband Stephen for failing to be a dutiful, compliant wife, but his final act of violence against her — the one that prompted her long-overdue decision to divorce him — was all the more chilling because it was coldly premeditated.

Stephen Green wrote a list of his wife’s failings then described the weapon he would make to beat her with.

‘He told me he’d make a piece of wood into a sort of witch’s broom and hit me with it, which he did,’ she recalls, her voice tentative and quiet. ‘He hit me until I bled. I was terrified. I can still remember the pain.

‘Stephen listed my misdemeanours: I was disrespectful and disobedient; I wasn’t loving or submissive enough and I was undermining him. He also said I wasn’t giving him his conjugal rights.

‘He even framed our marriage vows — he always put particular emphasis on my promise to obey him — and hung them over our bed. He believed there was no such thing as marital rape and for years I’d been reluctant to have sex with him, but he said it was my duty and was angry if I refused him.

‘But the beating was the last straw. It convinced me I had to divorce him.’

Anti-gay attacks will lead to a rise in HIV cases, warns Christian Aid

2011-01-28T10:33:00.000-08:00

The increasingly targeted attacks on gay people in a number of African countries, which are thought to have to led the murder this week of Ugandan gay rights activist David Kato, will contribute to an increase in HIV infections, says the UK-based international development agency Christian Aid.

David Kato, whose name and photograph recently appeared on the front page of anti-gay Kampala-based newspaper Rolling Stone under the headline ‘Hang Them’, was beaten to death in his home, Ugandan police confirmed yesterday.

Nina O’Farrell, Head of HIV at Christian Aid, said today: "It is vital to defend the rights of specific groups who are particularly vulnerable to HIV infection, including gay people, who also suffer from heightened stigma and discrimination, which in many cases makes them less likely to access to HIV treatment, care and support."

She continued: "Our work is founded on Christian faith and inspired by hope. We believe that all people are created equal, with inherent dignity and infinite worth. We act to change an unjust world, helping people to claim the rights owed to them by virtue of their humanity."

Twilight calendar upsets Christian Voice

2010-12-03T09:38:00.000-08:00

A religious group is demanding that UK retailer Tesco pulls what it calls a ‘sinful’ Twilight advent calendar from its stores.

Christian Voice claims that mixing religion with the cult vampire series is ‘deeply offensive’ to Christians.

‘It’s sickening to see the message of Jesus Christ being hijacked to peddle a brand like Twilight, which to all intents and purposes proclaims an anti-religious cult,’ said Stephen Green, national director (and only known member?) of the group.

'Twilight may be fiction, but it is dangerous to mix-up such a story in the minds of impressionable children with that of the Nativity.'

Instead, the group wants to target impressionable young minds with its own kind of nonsense.

The Twilight Eclipse calendar features actress Kristen Stewart, and her two rivals in love — Edward the vampire, played by Robert Pattinson, and Jacob the werewolf, portrayed by Taylor Lautner.

Tesco apologised if anyone was offended but said it always gives customers a choice, adding: 'Twilight is a very popular brand and we aim to provide the types of products our customers would like to buy.'

Bishop rejects 'Christians in Britain are persecuted' claims

2010-11-30T23:45:00.000-08:00

An Anglican bishop has rejected claims by some lobby groups and activists that Christians in Britain are being persecuted for their beliefs.

In a short television broadcast in the 4thought series on Channel 4, the Rt Rev Nick Baines, who is the Bishop of Croydon, said that, in fact "we're everywhere" and urged church people not to allow themselves to be fitted into a "hierarchy of victimhood".

Acknowledging the genuine and terrible persecutions in Christian history and affecting minorities around the world today, the bishop denied that the choices facing Christians in modern plural Britain were in any way comparable.

Even where there may be disagreement or conflict over symbols, values and beliefs "there is a choice" about what to say and how to act, he said.

The comments come as the pressure-group 'Christian Concern' launches a 'Not Ashamed Day' on 1 December, urging those who share their understanding of the Christian message to assert themselves in public life by "speaking up for the Christian foundation of our society."

Most church leaders and many more Christians are choosing not to get involved in the 'national initiative'.

On Twitter, the cause had fewer than 200 'followers' in the run up to the midday launch, and many responses have been less than enthusiastic.

One repondent posted: "I'm not ashamed of Jesus Christ, but I am ashamed of the moral superiority of many of his followers", and "I'm not ashamed of Jesus Christ, but I am ashamed of the violence and bigotry carried out in his name".

Andrew Copson, British Humanist Association Chief Executive said, ‘The increasingly desperate attempts to work up a victim narrative of “Christianophobia” by these activists have no basis in reality. The assumption behind it is that there is a groundswell of discrimination and persecution of Christians in Britain, but this assumption is false. Time and again the various claims of discrimination against Christians that have been tested in the courts have been assessed by impartial judges and found baseless. The narrative calls for increased religious liberty, but the demands would actually limit religious and other freedom for most people, through permitting wide discrimination by Christians against others.

‘Discrimination against non-Christians is in fact far more widespread than discrimination against Christians, and Christianity is still overly privileged in the UK. In almost one third of our state schools, preference is given to Christian parents in admissions over non-Christians, and to Christian staff over non-Christian staff. ‘

‘It is more than slightly ludicrous to suggest otherwise.’

The BHA also questioned the campaign’s focus on restoring respect for Britain’s Christian heritage or roots.

Mr Copson continued, ‘It is chauvinist and historically illiterate to ignore the vast pre-Christian and non-Christian contributions to the development of our culture, our common values and our positive social norms. Many British people today are the non-Christian children of non-Christian parents and non-Christian grandparents, with no connection to Christianity or in many cases, to any religion. There is no way that they should be excluded from British culture because of that fact.’

Simon Barrow, co-director of the religion and society think-tank Ekklesia, which has been monitoring claims about unfair treatment of Christians in Britain, and will be publishing a report about it shortly, commented: "While some noisy lobby groups and former church leaders are willing to accommodate to exaggerated or false claims about the status of Christians in Britain, many thousands of others (the majority, in fact) are not.

"For example, this week, the Methodist Church in Britain is rightfully turning our attention towards the 300 million Dalits (victims of caste-based discrimination) across the world."

He continued: "Using language that mixes up the inconveniences and challenges of living in a mixed society with the terror of living in a disintegrating or dictatorial one is something those involved in spreading the 'British Christians are persecuted' meme should most definitely be ashamed of."

"We need to be theologically clear amidst the siren voices of alarm," said Barrow. "That Christians do not rule others in the way they once did, does not amount to 'persecution'. Instead, it is an invitation to rediscover patterns of church life in a plural society which show the heart of the Christian message to be about embracing others, not isolating ourselves; multiplying hope, not spreading fear; developing peaceableness, not resorting to aggression; and advancing compassion, rather than retreating into defensiveness."

More words of Comfort

2010-10-31T00:42:00.000-07:00

It has emeged that creationist Ray Comfort is behind a campaign in New Zealand to send cards to elderly people asking them to pick the date they are going to die.

The cards invite people to fill in their name and phone number and say: "Please don't forget to call me on the date you're going to die. Then we can discuss your eternity".

The back of the card contains a religious message admitting people won't know the date or hour of their death.

It urges people to read the bible and obey what they read to avoid an eternity in hell and refers them to a website linked to a California evangelical ministry, Living Waters, set up by New Zealand-born Comfort.

We have a different card for Ray Comfort, courtesy of Family Guy:

Britain's Advertising Standards Authority accused of reintroducing blasphemy by the back door

2010-10-29T04:38:00.000-07:00

The UK's National Secular Society has accused Britain's Advertising Standards Authority of effectively re-introducing the blasphemy law — abolished by Parliament three years ago — through the back door.

The NSS has protested against an ASA ban on a "mildly satirical advertisement" for ice cream, and has called on government communications minister, Ed Vaizey, to hold an inquiry into the decision.

The advertisement, which shows two priests in an embrace with the headline “We Believe in Salivation”, was ruled inappropriate by the watchdog for being potentially “offensive to Catholics” and others.

Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, said: “It seems our celebrations about the end of the blasphemy law were premature. The Advertising Standards Agency — which is elected by no-one and seems to be answerable to no-one — has reinstated the law unilaterally."

He continued: "Anyone who has seen the Antonio Federici ads knows that they are mildly humorous, in no way threatening, abusive or insulting. It is entirely wrong that these advertisements have been banned by such an unaccountable body, which needs to be reined in.”

In the letter to colaition government minister Ed Vaizey, the NSS adds: “We have now reached the stage where any reference to religion that is not completely reverential is immediately branded as 'offensive' and therefore unacceptable. This is an intolerable threat to freedom of expression that must be challenged."

“We ask that you instigate an enquiry into the ASA’s oversensitive approach to advertising with a religious theme. It is getting completely out of hand when something as mild and humorous as these ice cream advertisements is banned from public view on such spurious grounds,” the organisation adds.

Previous advertisements by the same ice cream company have also been banned, including one showing a pregnant nun.

The Advertising Standards Authority is the UK's independent regulator of advertising across all media, including TV, internet, sales promotions and direct marketing.

It declares: "Our role is to ensure ads are legal, decent, honest and truthful by applying the Advertising Codes."

The ASA has yet to respond to the complaint about the basis of its ruling.

Gay Catholic ice cream ad banned

2010-10-27T03:02:00.000-07:00

A magazine ad for Antonio Federici ice cream has been banned in the UK. The ad showed two Catholic priests about to kiss, and included the strap-line “We Believe in Salivation”.

Antonio Federici told the UK's Advertising Standards Authority that their advertising reflected the grave troubles that affected the Catholic Church. They gave examples of issues that had been reported in the press, which they believed many people would find more offensive than an ad that celebrated homosexuality. They said the issue of gay and lesbian bishops and priests was one that currently divided the Church of England and was likely to continue to do so. Antonio Federici said the ad contrasted the actions of the Catholic Church with their belief that if ice cream were a religion, it would be one of universal love, regardless of race, colour, creed or gender. They said they were Catholics but would continue to produce advertising that challenged the Catholic Church while they believed it remained troubled.

However, the Advertising Standards Authority considered that the portrayal of the two priests in a sexualised manner was likely to be interpreted as mocking the beliefs of Roman Catholics and was likely to cause serious offence to some readers. The ASA has told Antonio Federici to ensure future ads are not likely to cause offence.

UK census campaign calls for the non-religious to be counted

2010-10-27T02:05:00.000-07:00

A campaign is being launched in Britain calling on people who are not religious, including atheists, agnostics, sceptics, and ‘cultural Christians’, to be counted and included in the 2011 Census by ticking the ‘No religion’ response box.

Under the tongue-in-cheek banner, ‘If you’re not religious, for God’s sake say so!’, the campaign, initiated by the British Humanist Association, is being promoted exactly five months ahead of the next Census in England and Wales, which takes place on 27 March 2011.

It seeks to raise awareness of the dangers and "real damage" that can be done by the non-religious population not being accurately recorded by the Census.

The BHA says the previous Census in 2001 in England and Wales — the first to ask a question on religion — produced inaccurate and misleading data on religion, grossly undercounting the number of non-religious people and greatly inflating the number of Christians.

Speaking on the question about religion, Census expert and Professor of Population Studies at the University of Manchester, Professor David Voas, commented: "We have good data from sample surveys about the amount of religion and non-religion in the country, but the Census receives far more attention. In 2001 people tended to treat the Census question on religion as a question about ethnic heritage. Their answers were interpreted very differently, though, by churches, journalists and policy-makers. Which box you tick on the Census form may seem trivial, but the results do make a difference in public life."

The Census Campaign is backed by a fundraising appeal through www.justgiving.com/Census to support a national advertising campaign aimed at public awareness carrying the slogan "If you're not religious, for God's sake say so".

Announcing the new campaign, BHA Chief Executive Andrew Copson commented: "There were more Jedis than Jews counted in the 2001 Census, but just as inaccurate a result was the conclusion that 77 per cent of us are religious and only 15 per cent of us are not. These misleading statistics are used to support policies that entrench religious privilege and increase discrimination on grounds of religion in our society and it is vital that the 2011 Census results in accurate data for that reason alone."

He continued: "The flawed wording and the positioning of the religion question in the Census in the context of ethnicity encourages people to respond as if they have a religion, and especially over-inflates the 'Christian' category. People are counted as Christians who may never have been in a church, who don’t believe in god and who, if asked, 'Do you have a religion?' would say, 'No'."

"That would be fine if policy-makers accepted that the results from the Census are merely an indicator of broad cultural affiliation," said Mr Copson. "But what people do not realise is that by ticking the 'Christian' box rather than the 'No religion' box — which would more accurately reflect their identity — they have contributed to data used to justify an increase in the number of faith schools, the public funding of religious groups, keeping Bishops in the House of Lords as of right, and the continuation of compulsory worship in schools."

"The flawed Census data on religion is used to justify these and a whole host of other such policies that are damaging, divisive and, importantly, do not reflect the real demographics of our society," he said.

The BHA Chief Executive added: "2011 may be the last Census and so it is more important than ever to make sure that the data it produces on religion is as accurate as possible. We want everybody to be talking about this and encouraging others to tick 'No religion' when they fill in the Census, and we’ll be supporting people to do this in different ways as the campaign proceeds over the next five months."

The Census Campaign was launched with a new, interactive website (www.Census-campaign.org.uk), and with a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Censuscampaign) as well as appearing on Twitter (www.twitter.com/CensusCampaign).

The Census Campaign website sets out what its organisers believe are the key arguments why people who are non-religious should respond to the voluntary question on religion, and why many of those who responded as Christians in 2001, so-called ‘cultural Christians’, should respond by ticking ‘No religion’ in 2011.

Simon Barrow, co-director of the religion and society think-tank Ekklesia, commented: "The formulation of the question on religion in the last Census for England and Wales was extremely unhelpful and needs changing. It leads to people treating the issue of religion as a question about ethnic heritage and culture, rather than belief, and produces misleading results that confuse public policy makers and civic bodies (faith and non-faith based) alike."

"From the perspective of the churches," added Barrow, "it is also unhealthy that Census data which underestimates the character of an increasingly mixed-belief society, in which non-belief is a significant and growing factor, should be used to prop up a partial, functionalist and complacent account of the place and status of organised religion in public life — such as that embodied in the propagation of an Established Church, rather than faith bodies free of the state."

Homophobic Bishop's Long Fellows

2010-09-25T05:33:00.000-07:00

Bishop Eddie Long, a leading US anti-gay campaigner, was accused this week by several young men of having induced them to have sex with him.

The charges, which the high-octane preacher vehemently denies, are not criminal, writes James Fenton in The London Evening Standard. All of the young men were over 16, the Georgia age of consent, at the time.

At issue are allegations of breach of fiduciary duty, negligence, fraud and other civil matters.

Bishop Long runs Longfellows Youth Academy, supposedly providing tuition for young men between 13 and 18. According to its website:

“The Longfellows Masculine Journey's vision is to Love, Live and Lead. We successfully meet the demanding needs of young males through a vigorous Rites of Passage Curriculum that helps young men realize their hidden potential and discover their masculine heart

Our yearly curriculum offers peer and adult male relationship, as well as, life defining experiences. Participants of our program are involved in, but not limited to classroom instruction, group projects, field trips, outdoor activites, Q & A sessions with world reowned experts, community service projects, physical fitness activities, apprenticeship and eutrepreneurial training, college and post-high school prep, and a 3rd world mission experience.

We look forward to working with you to provide a life changing experience for each young man.”

If the allegations are true, it was from such young men that Bishop Long would select his cohort of “Spiritual Sons” on whom he would bestow gifts of “cars, clothes, jewellery and electronics”. These Spiritual Sons, the plaintiffs say, entered into a private “covenant” with the bishop, which sounds strikingly like a form of gay marriage.

“Defendant Long typically engages in a private spiritual ceremony described as a covenant' between himself and each young Spiritual Son (the Covenant Ceremony'). The Covenant Ceremony includes an exchange of vows and assurances by Defendant Long that he will forever protect the young man from harm by anyone. Defendant Long uses various rituals in the ceremony including candles, exchange of jewelry, and discussion of Biblical verses that reinforce the spiritual and God-like connection between himself and the young man.”

This vow to protect the young man, in the case of the third complainant, would have had a specific meaning. The plaintiff's father had “not been a positive figure in his life” and Bishop Long told the boy that he would protect him and “never let another man hurt him like his father did”. He encouraged the boy to call him Daddy. Then the sexual touching sessions allegedly began, and the bishop “would discuss the Holy Scripture to justify and support the sexual activity”.

This private side of the deal that the Spiritual Sons found that they had signed up for may prove very hard to establish in court, since the young men's characters can easily be presented in a bad light. But it should not be difficult to determine whether the alleged pattern of exciting air travel by private jet and other gifts is supported by the evidence. We learn that on some trips the Bishop would use the pseudonym Dick Tracy when checking into hotels with his Spiritual Sons. And the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tells us that “according to online service Accurint, a Dick Tracy Long lives in Lithonia at the same address as Eddie L Long”.

The picture given in the legal documents is of young men introduced to a high-flying life, in which they get to see a bit of the world, travelling as far afield as New Zealand, and mingling with various celebrities and figures from the music industry. Where the relationship between bishop and acolyte tended to run into difficulties was when the young men began to take up with girlfriends.

Sex certainly seems to lie at the heart of the Bishop's message. “God is potent. The word of God is his sperm,” he shouts in a clip you can see on YouTube, and “the job of the preacher is to bring fresh sperm”.

Pope needs to listen not lecture, says think-tank

2010-09-17T13:01:00.000-07:00

Public gaffes made by Pope Benedict and his retired senior adviser Cardinal Kasper, in aligning atheism with Nazism and describing Britain's social mix as being 'like a Third World country', show that the church needs to re-learn how to communicate by listening not lecturing, says the religion and society think-tank Ekklesia.

"The pontiff has misjudged his wider audience by pandering to exaggerated fears of antagonism to religion, rather than building bridges of understanding and cooperation between the peacemaking and justice-loving heart of Christianity and those of other or no faith committed to doing good in a plural society," said Ekklesia's Simon Barrow.

"It is not clear what the pontiff means by 'aggressive secularism'. This makes discussion difficult. The equality legislation he criticizes is backed by many believers and invites the church to practice what it preaches about non-discriminating love of neighbour. As for cases of alleged discrimination against Christians, the overwhelming majority of these have been found to hold no water."

He continued: "Many people are not so much hostile to religion as baffled or indifferent. Overall, the Pope has been greeted with warmth in spite of widespread concern about sex abuse and scepticism over his negative message about family planning and the place of women and LGBT people in church and society. These issues need to be addressed through open dialogue not closed pronouncements. Making the faithful more fearful will not resolve the challenges we face together in a complex, plural society.

"The heart of the matter is that the Christendom model of the church as a top-down alliance of throne and altar is dying - as many Christians, including Catholics, have been saying. This is why there is controversy surrounding the city state status of the Vatican. Hierarchical institutions cemented by the temporal power sit in direct tension with social equality, enemy-loving, learning by example, and concern for the most marginalised, as exemplified by Jesus and his earliest followers.

"It is this spirit and these lived values which have to be re-learned and re-expressed in an era where the church needs to gain a hearing through honest persuasion rather than unaccountable privilege," concluded the Ekklesia co-director.

God did not create the universe says Stephen Hawking

2010-09-02T10:45:00.000-07:00

God did not create the universe and the “Big Bang” was an inevitable consequence of the laws of physics, the eminent British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking argues in a new book.

In “The Grand Design,” co-authored with US physicist Leonard Mlodinow, Hawking says a new series of theories made a creator of the universe redundant, according to the Times newspaper which published extracts on Thursday.

“Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing. Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist,” Hawking writes.

“It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe going.”

Nikolai Segura, a physicist from the National Secular Society told Premier Christian Radio that the Professor is right:

“It is very naive to take a gap in scientific knowledge and say ‘well we don’t know this yet so there must be a God to explain it’. I think that is a very weak position both philosophically and it gets very quickly eroded when we find out more.”

Link: The Grand Design at Amazon.com
Link: The Grand Design at Amazon.co.uk

'Half of Catholic priests fail to remain celibate'

2010-08-30T04:24:00.000-07:00

A Catholic priest has claimed that up to half of priests, both gay and straight, are, or have been, sexually active.

“I have not been able to keep my vow of celibacy,” the gay priest said speaking to Australia's DNA magazine.

“Sometimes I need to be held and cared for – and I enjoy the sex.”

“I know that for a large part of the world it means I’m not a good priest, but without it I’d be a worse one.”

To protect the priest’s identity he is known in the magazine article as ‘James’.

James says he strongly opposes the Church’s stance towards homosexuality.

“I’m speaking out because far too many people have suffered under the Church’s teaching on homosexuality. I just can’t accept it and I haven’t for years,” he says.

When asked if he thinks he’s the only sexually active priest James says, “I know I’m not.”

“I suspect that anywhere up to, if not more than, 50 percent of Catholic priests are not, or have not always been, celibate.

“I know of priests who have had long-term relationships with women.”

“Celibacy is for some people but it’s not everybody. That’s why I think celibacy imposed is wrong whether you’re gay or heterosexual.”

James is out to a number of other priests and his bishop knows that he is both gay and sexually active.

“My bishop is a good man. He himself would have issues with the Church teaching on this.”

As part of the story DNA went to a Mass for gays at St Joseph’s Church in the Sydney suburb of Newtown and spoke to Father Peter Maher, who happily hands out communion to gay men despite the Church ruling that those who are sexually active are living in mortal sin and should not receive it.

When told about James’ circumstance Father Peter simply shrugs. “Whether a priest is gay or not makes no difference to me,” he says, stating that he knows a number of gay priests.

He adds: “There are plenty of priests who have failed to live celibate… That would not change my opinion of the priest at all.”

Tatchell to talk about gay rights at Christian festival

2010-08-26T23:00:00.000-07:00

The gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has said that he is looking forward to speaking at the UK's Greenbelt Christian Festival this weekend.

This year has seen a sharp rise in bookings for Greenbelt, which is expected to draw around 21,000 visitors. Major sponsors include Christian Aid and the Methodist Church.

Tatchell told Ekklesia, “I'm honoured to be invited to Greenbelt, and especially honoured that I've been invited to do three separate talks. I hope I will offer some challenging ideas, and in turn be challenged by the audience. During the question-and-answer sessions, I'll be very happy to accept criticisms and counter-arguments.”

The socially conservative group “Anglican Mainstream” has called for a boycott of Greenbelt because of the invitation to Tatchell. Last year the group complained about the presence of Bishop Gene Robinson and other “gay participants”.

Amongst other subjects, Tatchell will be speaking about the “struggle for queer freedom” in Africa. He has praised African Christian human rights campaigners, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa and Bishop Christopher Senyonjo of Uganda.

UPDATE: Peter Tatchell received a standing ovation at the Greenbelt Christian festival.

Speaking about “the struggle for queer freedom in Africa”, he attacked church leaders who condone homophobic abuse, but praised the “brave, heroic Christians who refuse to go along with the persecution of people who are gay, lesbian or bisexual”.

Tatchell drew enthusiastic applause from parts of the audience, and uncomfortable expressions from others, when he accused the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, of “colluding” with the persecution of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Africa.

“The Anglican Church and Archbishop Rowan Williams have a lot to answer for, because they have put church unity before human rights,” he said.

Tatchell outlined the contrasting legal situations facing sexual minorities in various parts of Africa and elsewhere in the world. These range from South Africa, which was the first country in the world to outlaw homophobic discrimination in its constitution, to Uganda, which plans to introduce the death penalty for a repeat 'offence' of same-sex relations.

Pointing out that most homophobic laws in Africa date from the colonial era, Tatchell said, “They're not genuinely African laws”. He added, “They're laws that were inspired by a conquering imperial power”.

Young American Christians more accepting of homosexuality

2010-08-24T02:25:00.000-07:00

According to new research, Americans have become more accepting of homosexuality during the past 16 years, with over half of those polled saying they support civil unions.

The Pew Research Center's new report, released last Friday and compiled from a selction of public studies done over the last 20 years, said support for same-sex civil unions had risen from 45 per cent in 2003 to 57 per cent in 2009. The increase in support for same-sex marriage was more modest, but still showed a rise in support from 30 per cent in 2003 to 38 per cent in 2010.

Among religious respondents to the recent polls, Latino Catholics showed more movement toward supporting gay marriage (at 57 per cent) than Latino Protestants (at 22 per cent).

National polls by the Pew Centre have found that younger Americans are much more accepting of LGBT people, and researchers reportedly say that the generational divide over the issue will eventually bring about a collision.

Daniel Cox, director of research for Public Religion Research Institute and co-author of the report said, "The clergy risk alienating a significant number of young folks if they take a real hard line approach on same-sex marriage".

Abuse victims angered by Pope's latest blunder

2010-08-11T10:52:00.000-07:00

The Irish Times reports that survivors of Catholic child sex abuse have reacted angrily to the news that Pope Benedict XVI has rejected the resignation of two Dublin bishops criticised in a recent report into the scandal.

Abuse survivor Andrew Madden told the paper that he was not surprised to hear the resignations had not been accepted by the Vatican.

"Since the Murphy Report was published, the Catholic Church has failed to take responsibility for the findings of that report, in particular the finding that sexual abuse of children by priests was covered up by archbishops and bishops for decades," said Mr Madden.

"Pope Benedict and Cardinal Brady both failed to protect children from priests they knew to be abusers and in both cases those priests went on to abuse more children," he added.

John Kelly, co-ordinator of the support group Survivors of Child Abuse said he was "astonished" by the news.

"So much was expected of the pontiff and so little was delivered especially as in the pastoral letter to the Irish people the Pope said that priests and bishops needed to surrender themselves to the demands of justice. Here were two of many who did surrender themselves and been refused. That sends out a signal that there is to be no change, no closure for victims and no accountability."

"We expected the pontiff to be proactive and to bring the church into the 21st century. Instead he's relying on tactics that belong to the 17th century."

"There's a cancer within the church and the Pope knows it. That cancer needs to be eradicated and Pope Benedict is the only one who can remove it and he is refusing to do it," he added.

Deirdre Kenny, advocacy officer with One in Four described the pope's decision as "extraordinary."

"When the two bishops offered their resignations they said that they hoped their action would bring peace and reconciliation to the victims of clerical abuse but that has now been undone by the Pope's refusal to accept their resignation," she said.

"The decision raises questions about the Vatican's attitude around accountability and once again leaves abuse survivors feeling that the church does not understand the damage that has been caused."

Ellen O’Malley-Dunlop, chief executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre questioned why it was that the resignations had been rejected when others had been accepted.

"What we are hearing from victims is that they are extremely disappointed. Many of them had put a lot of store in the resignations because they felt it was appropriate and to hear now that they have not been accepted is very upsetting."

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said that by rejecting the bishops' resignations, the pope was "rubbing salt into the wounds of abuse victims".

"He's sending an alarming message to church employees across the globe: even widespread documentation of the concealing of child sex crimes and the coddling of criminals won't cost you your job in the church," said Barbara Blaine, the organisation's president and founder.

"The two bishops said, when announcing their resignation, that they hoped to bring peace and reconciliation to the victims. The pope's callous decision has done the opposite," she added.

Christian TV's all-time worst fundraising gimmicks

2010-08-11T07:12:00.000-07:00

After last week's exposé of "gangster preachers", this week Charisma Magazine turns its fire on "the hypnotism, the guilt manipulation and the high-pressure gimmicks" used by Christian TV stations in their fund-raising efforts.

Gimmick #1: The magic Bible verse. You know the drill. The evangelist quotes Psalm 37:37 and then announces that if you will send $37.37 ("No more, no less!") God will unleash all the blessings of King David upon you. (Hint: The phones seem to ring more frequently when the number seven is included in the Bible reference.)

Gimmick #2: The urgent, time-is-running-out plea. Before the preacher asks you to reach for your wallet, dramatic music is piped in. Then "Reverend Cheatem" talks about how the crippled man waited by the pool of Bethesda, hoping that the angel would trouble the waters so he could be healed. "God is troubling the waters right now, my dear friend," the preacher says with his eyes closed. "Go to the phones now, before it is too late. Only those who give in this holy, anointed moment will receive a supernatural blessing in return."

Gimmick #3: The memorialized gift. One popular evangelist announced on-air that she needed thousands of dollars to build a prayer room. She promised that those who funded this noble effort would receive recognition with special brass nameplates that would be mounted on the wall of the facility. The implication was that people could buy prayer coverage, sort of like a spiritual insurance policy. (I'm not surprised — since this woman offered her loyal followers the status of "spiritual son" or "spiritual daughter" if they paid a $1,000 annual fee.)

Gimmick #4: The debt-breaking anointing. One preacher who specializes in telethons has raised millions by telling audiences that they are just one donation away from eliminating all red ink. All they have to do is give a sacrificial gift (usually four figures) to the TV network in the next few minutes. If they do this, God will wipe out their debts, no questions asked. No lifestyle changes necessary. (This technique was especially popular before the mortgage crisis.)

Gimmick #5: The Day of Atonement offering. This particularly odd strategy has been popular in the last couple of years, especially among gullible Christians who believe God blesses anything and everything that has the word "Israel" attached to it. The preacher announces that if you write a check to their network, and wave it in the air before you mail it (preferably while wearing a Jewish prayer shawl), God will forgive your sins, restore your health, bring back your wayward children, provide angelic protection and bless you with more than a dozen other special favors.

I still don't know what is more outrageous: That programmers allow such insanity on Christian television, or that gullible Christians fall for it year after year.

Christian sacked for harassing terminally ill woman

2010-08-11T06:01:00.000-07:00

A UK housing official sacked after suggesting a woman with an incurable illness "put her faith in God" has lost his legal challenge against dismissal.

Duke Amachree, a homelessness officer working for London's Wandsworth Council, was suspended in January 2009 after the woman complained about him.

An employment tribunal today ruled he was fairly dismissed.

Mr Amachree had launched a legal claim for unfair dismissal, religious discrimination and breach of contract.

Wandsworth Council strongly denied Mr Amachree's account of events and stated that Mr Amachree had told the woman that the only reason she was ill was that she did not believe in God.

A council source said a normal session with a council worker should last 15-20 minutes at most, yet Mr Amachree spent at least 45 minutes with the complainant which indicates the length of the "barrage".

He added: "Mr Amachree told her that she shouldn't trust doctors and that only God could cure her. He also suggested that she watch a series of videos on miracles if she wanted to be cured."

Andrew Copson, British Humanist Association Chief Executive, welcomed the judgment, saying, "When we take on jobs of service to others, we need to understand that our own prejudices and preferences come second to the needs of those we are employed to help and serve. The law has very properly upheld that principle today."

He went on, to express the BHA’s concern about the growing prominence of cases such as Mr Amachree’s: "The growing trend for political Christian groups to bring nuisance cases of alleged discrimination is highly alarming. Even when the courts find — as they invariably have — no evidence of discrimination, these lobby groups, instead of accepting this, go on to claim instead that the whole system of law discriminates against them and that the whole of the law should shift to accommodate their prejudices. Theocratic arguments like this, advanced in the name of equality for Christians, need to be exposed for what they are."

The local newspaper carried an interesting piece after a fringe pressure group became involved in the case last year:

Duke Amachree was dismissed from his position earlier this year after an internal investigation by Wandsworth council found that he had given "wholly inappropriate, unprofessional and unacceptable advice to a member of the public, which caused great upset and distress."

Perhaps unfortunately for Duke Amachree, his case was picked up by Andrea Minichiello Williams of the Christian Legal Centre who are behind a well funded and well orchestrated campaign to misinform us all into believing that Christians are victims of persecution in the UK.

They have claimed that Mr Amachree was sacked for mentioning God in the workplace and have drip fed such nonsense into the media in a concerted effort to muddy the waters. Melanie Phillips was of course happy to oblige, stating in the Daily Mail that "Duke Amachree... encouraged a client with an incurable medical condition to believe in God. As a result, Mr Amachree was marched off the premises, suspended and then dismissed from his job"

The council however, has issued a statement saying "It is categorically untrue to suggest that this is about a member of staff saying ‘God bless’ or that the council has a policy banning employees from making references to God in the workplace."

Being a resident of Wandsworth myself I can testify to the Council’s commitment to the faith agenda. They’re more than happy to pour funding into evangelical ‘street pastors’ and recently gave the green light to a faith school that will discriminate against the non-religious in its admissions policies. Indeed, this will be the only new school to be built in the borough as part of the government-funded ‘Building Schools for the Future’ project.

It therefore seems highly unlikely that the Christian Legal Centre are telling the truth when they claim Mr Amachree was unfairly dismissed by Wandsworth for simply “mentioning God”.

Mr Amachree was in fact sacked following a disciplinary where it was revealed that he gave inappropriate and unprofessional advice to a very sick person which caused her great upset and distress. By his own admission he suggested to the woman, who came to him seeking housing advice, that she should put her faith in God and that ‘sometimes the doctors don't have all of the answers’. He went on to suggest that she should believe in ‘miracles’.

But that’s not all. The council also stated that "after the member of the public had complained about his conduct, the staff member disclosed sensitive personal information about that person to the media."

This refers to an interview Amachree gave to the Daily Mail after the Christian Legal Centre became involved. The day after they issued their first press release, the Daily Mail reported the story. At this point Amachree had only been suspended, pending an investigation.

It appears that the hijacking of Duke Amachree’s case by the evangelical campaigner Andrea Minichiello Williams and the Christian Legal Centre may have had a detrimental impact on Mr Amachree’s job prospects.

Mr Amachree is rightly free to believe in miracles if he wants to, but he should not be entitled to peddle such beliefs whilst being paid by Wandsworth Council to give professional housing advice.

Despite the cries of persecution from evangelical Christians, this is not about a denial of human rights and it has little to do with freedom of speech. It is about professional conduct at work and protecting people from evangelisers like Mr Amachree.

The slow, whining death of British Christianity

2010-08-11T03:55:00.000-07:00

Johann Hari, British newspaper columnist, penned the following for GQ magazine.

And now congregation, put your hands together and give thanks, for I come bearing Good News. My country, Britain, is now the most irreligious country on earth. This island has shed superstition faster and more completely than anywhere else. Some 63 percent of us are non-believers, according to a 2006 Guardian/ICM poll, while 82 percent say religion is a cause of harmful division. Now, let us stand and sing our new national hymn: Jerusalem was dismantled here/ in England's green and pleasant land.

How did it happen? For centuries, religion was insulated from criticism in Britain. First its opponents were burned, then jailed, then shunned. But once there was a free marketplace of ideas, once people could finally hear both the religious arguments and the rationalist criticisms of them, the religious lost the British people. Their case was too weak, their opposition to divorce and abortion and gay people too cruel, their evidence for their claims non-existent. Once they had to rely on persuasion rather than intimidation, the story of British Christianity came to an end.

Now that only six percent of British people regularly attend a religious service, it's only natural that we should dismantle the massive amounts of tax money and state power that are automatically given to the religious to wield over the rest of us. It's a necessary process of building a secular state, where all citizens are free to make up their own minds. Yet the opposition to this sensible shift — the separation of church and state Americans have known for centuries — is becoming increasingly unhinged. The Church of England, bewildered by the British people choosing to leave their pews, has only one explanation: Christians are being "persecuted" and "bullied" by a movement motivated by "Christophobia." George Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, says Christians are now "second class citizens" and it is only "a small step" to "a religious bar on any employment by Christians".

Really? Let's list some of the ways in which Christians, and other religious groups, are given special privileges every day in Britain. Start with the educational system. Every school in Britain is required by law to make its pupils engage every day in "an act of collective worship of a wholly or mainly Christian nature". Yes: Britain is still a nation with enforced prayer. The religious are then handed total control of 36 percent of our state-funded schools, in which to indoctrinate children into their faith alone.

These religious schools, paid for by the taxpayer, are disfiguring Britain. I know one reason I grew up without the prejudices of some of my older relatives was because I went to school with kids from every conceivable ethnic and religious group, and I could see they were just like me. A five-year-old will make friends with anyone, and he'll be much less likely to believe smears against those friends for the rest of their lives. But in Britain today, that mixing is happening less and less. Increasingly, the children of Christians are sent to one side, Jews to another, Muslims to another still, and they never see each other except from the window of their parents' cars. After the race riots in Bradford, Oldham and Burnley in 2001, the official investigations found that faith schools were a major cause.

So why keep them? Their defenders say these schools perform better in exams — and at first glance, it seems to be true. On average, they get higher grades. But look again. A number of studies, including by the conservative think thank Civitas, have blown a hole in this claim. They have proven that faith schools systematically screen out children who will be harder to teach: children from poor families, and less bright children. Once you look at how much a school improves the pupils it actually admits, the only real measure of a school's success, it turns out faith schools do less well than other schools — which isn't surprising given they waste so much time teaching them crazy nonsense like Virgin births and Noah's Ark. The British people instinctively know all this: 64 percent want every state school to be neutral when it comes to religion.

Special rights for the religious don't stop at the school gates. They automatically get 26 unelected bishops in the House of Lords. Public broadcasters are required by law to give them large amounts of money and time to screen religious propaganda. Jews and Muslims are allowed to ignore the laws on animal cruelty and engage in the barbaric practice of slitting the throats of live animals without numbing them in order to create kosher and halal meat.

And it seems that, in crucial cases, religious figures are virtually exempted from the law. There is now overwhelming evidence that Joseph Ratzinger, the Pope, was involved for over twenty years in an international criminal conspiracy to cover up the rape of children by priests in his Church. (Check out the superb edition of the BBC's Panorama, 'Sex Crimes and the Vatican', for the evidence.) But when he arrives in Britain in September, our politicians will fawn over him, rather than dialing 999.

Given all this unearned privilege, how can Christians claim they are in fact being "persecuted"? Here are the cases they offer as "proof". A nurse called Shirley Chaplin turned up to work wearing a crucifix around her neck. Her hospital told her that they were worried the elderly and confused patients she worked with could grab at it, so they said she could pin the crucifix to her uniform instead if she liked. That's it. That's their cause celebre. Oh, and a woman called Theresa Davies who worked in a registry office, but refused to perform civil partnerships for gay couples, so... she was moved to working on reception.

In response, Carey and the CofE demand Christians be allowed to break the law requiring them to treat gay people equally when providing a service to the general public -- and that any case where a Christian feels discriminated against should be judged by a special court of "sensitive" Christians. If we started allowing religious people to break basic anti-discrimination laws, where would we stop? Until 1975, the Mormon Church said black people didn't have souls. (They only changed their mind the day the Supreme Court ruled this was illegal, and God niftily appeared to their leader that morning and announced blacks were ensouled after all.) Would we let a Mormon registrar refuse to marry black people? Would it be "Mormonophobia" to object?

When Lord Chief Justice Laws, who is a Christian himself, ruled the exemptions demanded by Carey would be "irrational, divisive, and arbitrary", he threw an extraordinary tantrum and said Christians might begin to engage in "civil unrest". When I saw Carey make these threats on television, red-faced and rageful, it made me think of a nasty child in the playground who had been beating up the gay kids and spitting at the girls for years and is finally told to stop — only to start bawling that he's the one who is being picked on.

As their dusty Churches crumble because nobody wants to go there, the few remaining Christians in Britain will only become more angry and uncomprehending. Let them. We can't stop this hysterical toy-tossing stop us from turning our country into a secular democracy where everyone has the same rights, and nobody is granted special rights just because they claim their ideas come from an invisible supernatural being. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a Holy Lamb of God to carve into kebabs — it's our new national dish. Amen, and hallelujah.

Gangster preachers prey on gullible Christians

2010-08-05T00:55:00.000-07:00

In an article posted this week on the Charisma Magazine website contributing editor J Lee Grady compares some preachers to gangsters and chides Christians for being so gullible.

"I hate to compare any minister of God to a gangster. But the sad truth is that today there are a handful (well, maybe more) of unscrupulous preachers who share some of Capone's most disgusting traits. They are notoriously greedy. They are masters of deception and manipulation. They have bought their way into the charismatic religious subculture and used their uncanny hypnotic ability to control major Christian TV networks.

How did these false preachers ever achieve such fame? It couldn't have happened without help from us.

We were the gullible ones. When they said, "The Lord promises you untold wealth if you will simply give a thousand dollars right now," we went to the phones and put the donations on our credit cards.

We were the undiscerning ones. When they said, "I need your sacrificial gift today so I can repair my private jet," we didn't ask why a servant of God wasn't humble enough to fly coach class to a Third World nation.

We were the foolish ones. When it was revealed that they were living in immorality, mistreating their wives or populating cities with illegitimate children, we listened to their spin doctors instead of demanding that ministry leaders act like Christians.

We were the naïve ones. When they begged for $2 million more in donations because of a budget shortfall, we didn't feel comfortable asking why they needed that $10,000-a-night hotel suite. In fact, if we did question it, another Christian was quick to say, "Don't criticize! The Bible says, ‘Touch not the Lord's anointed!'"

We have treated these charlatans like Al Capone — as if they were untouchable — and as a result their corruption has spread throughout charismatic churches like a plague. Our movement is eaten up with materialism, pride, deception and sexual sin because we were afraid to call these Bozos what they really are — insecure, selfish, egotistical and emotionally dysfunctional.

There is no way we can know how many unbelievers rejected the gospel because they saw the church supporting quacks who swaggered, bragged, lied, flattered, bribed, stole and tearfully begged their way into our lives — while we applauded them and sent them money.

When well-meaning Christians quote 1 Chronicles 16:22 ("Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm,") to cover up corruption or charlatanism, they do horrible injustice to Scripture. This passage does not require us to stay quiet when a leader is abusing power or deceiving people.

On the contrary, we are called to confront sin in a spirit of love and honesty — and we certainly aren't showing love to the church if we allow the charismatic Al Capones of our generation to corrupt it."

Interestingly, this editorial has led to calls for the magazine to apologise for its involvement in the promotion of such preachers.

British fans must pay to see Pope

2010-07-31T05:42:00.000-07:00

The Pope's fans will have to pay up to GBP 25 (US$39) to attend his public appearances in England during his visit in September.

The charges, believed to be a first, are for a prayer vigil in London's Hyde Park and the beatification of gay Cardinal John Henry Newman in Birmingham.

People are not normally charged to see the Pope at the Vatican, in Italy or anywhere in the world. Even during the Pope's 2008 high-security visit to the United States, tickets were given out free of charge via church parishes.

Benedict's four-day visit to England and Scotland has been controversial from the start, with thousands of Britons signing a petition against the Pope's presence in the wake of outrage over sex crimes against children committed by Catholic priests along with his anti-gay and anti-feminist pronouncements.

Critics have also complained about the cost, with the taxpayers' tab contribution to the visit rising to as much as GBP 12 million, not including policing costs.

The previous Labour government invited the pope — a decision the austerity-minded new coalition government has not sought to change, despite some public unease.

Meanwhile, the BBC is expected to upset many Catholics when it broadcasts a programme timed to coincide with the Pope's visit. The contents of the programme remain under wraps, but some news sources say it will be a 90-minute drama that puts the Pope on trial, accused of covering up sex abuse perpetrated by priests.

The most prominent programme the corporation has aired so far in connection with the visit has been a BBC Radio 4 drama on Cardinal John Henry Newman. Called "Gerontius," the play focused on Newman's close friendship with Ambrose St John — a friendship gay rights campaigners say was of a homosexual nature.

Earlier this year Channel 4 announced that human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell is making an hour long documentary on Benedict XVI to coincide with his State visit to the UK.

Is Hinn having an affair?

2010-07-29T06:21:00.000-07:00

Reports this week suggest that fake healer Benny Hinn is romantically involved with Paula White, another televangelist with a colourful past.

The National Enquirer this week published photos of Hinn and White holding hands while on a "romantic trip to Rome."

While both Hinn and White have admitted to being friends for over two decades, both issued statements denying that there is anything inappropriate about their relationship.

In February, Hinn’s wife Suzanne filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences."

Hinn's supposed healing abilities have often been questioned, not least in one of his more famous cases, involving American heavyweight boxer Evander Holyfield. Holyfield turned to Hinn in 1994, after his physician told him he had a hole in the heart. Mayo Clinic doctors later concluded the heart defect never existed.

Hinn's and White's organisations, along with four others, remain under investigation by Senator Charles Grassley, an Iowa Republican whose Senate finance committee is trying to determine if they've complied with rules set by the IRS for nonprofit organizations. The probe, announced in November 2007, continues, according to a spokesperson for Grassley's office.

Meanwhile Hinn has posted a plea for $2 million in donations on his website.

Hinn says he accumulated the deficit in the past few months because offerings at some international appearances did not cover expenses.

Helpfully, The Toronto Star has drawn up a list of some other televangelists who've fallen from grace:

Ted Haggard: Male prostitute Mike Jones outs Haggard in 2006 as a client of his escort service, saying the minister engaged in gay sex and drug use. Haggard resigns as president of the National Association of Evangelicals and is fired from his New Life Church.

Jim Bakker: Bakker resigns from the Praise the Lord television ministry in 1987 after allegedly being blackmailed over a sexual encounter with church secretary Jessica Hahn in 1980. Two years later, he is convicted of swindling investors in his Christian theme park out of $158 million and spends five years in prison.

Jimmy Swaggart: Swaggart confesses to “moral failure” in 1988 and resigns from the leadership of the Assemblies of God church over an investigation into alleged sex with a prostitute. Three years later, police find Swaggart with prostitute Rosemary Garcia in Indio, California. Swaggart steps down as head of Jimmy Swaggart ministries.

Douglas Goodman: The head of Victory Christian Centre near London, Goodman is sentenced in 2004 to three and a half years for indecent assault involving four female parishioners. Later, the church is closed after investigators accuse Goodman of receiving unauthorised salary payments.

Britain's "witch children"

2010-07-25T00:43:00.000-07:00

Children are being branded as witches in churches in the UK, with many suffering abuse from supposed exorcisms in which they are physically restrained, screamed at and beaten.

Channel 4's Dispatches programme spent 10 months undercover in African churches in the UK, exposing the evangelical pastors who exploit the most vulnerable by perpetuating a belief in witchcraft. They preach that some people are possessed by evil spirits, and that these spirits bring bad luck into the lives of others.

The only way to rid the possessed from the witchcraft spell and lift their curse is to 'deliver' them: a kind of exorcism that can be very traumatic. Some pastors charge significant sums of money to perform these deliverances.

Often it is children who are denounced as witches by these pastors, and this labelling can lead to the physical and emotional abuse of those children at the hands of their families. In extreme cases it has led to the deaths of some children.

In parts of Africa, branding a child a witch is now outlawed, but in Britain this practise is perfectly legal, despite the fact it can have horrific consequences. Africans Unite against Child Abuse (AFRUCA) has drawn up a proposal for a new law against branding children as witches.

Last year AFRUCA dealt with at least 10 cases of children in Britain accused of being witches or possessed by evil spirits, including two children with "challenging behaviour" who were beaten by parents who believed they were possessed. In another case a disabled child was burnt with an iron in an attempt to get rid of the evil spirit blamed for the condition.

Italian magazine exposes Catholic priests visiting gay clubs and bars and having sex

2010-07-24T00:41:00.000-07:00

The Roman Catholic church is facing new embarrassment after an Italian magazine published an investigation into what it termed the double life of priests in Rome.

Using hidden cameras, Panorama magazine captured priests visiting gay clubs and bars and having sex.

The Vatican teaches that gay sex is "intrinsically disordered". In one of his earliest moves, Pope Benedict barred actively gay men from studying for the priesthood.

One priest, a Frenchman in his 30s identified as Father Paul, attended a party at which there were two male prostitutes then said Mass the following morning before driving them to the airport, Panorama reported. A photo on its website claimed to show the priest in his dog collar but without his trousers with a gay man who acted as decoy for the magazine. In other shots, priests were shown apparently kissing Panorama's collaborator.

A member of the clergy quoted by the magazine put the proportion of gay priests in the Italian capital at "98%". The Rome diocese insisted the vast majority of priests in the city were "models of morality for all", while adding that the number of gay clergyman was "small, but not to be written off as isolated cases". A review eight years ago of research on the American church concluded that between a quarter and a half of seminarians and priests there were homosexual.

A former Italian MP and gay activist, Franco Grillini, said: "If all the gays in the Catholic church were to leave it at once — something we would very much like — they would cause it serious operational problems."

Another well-known spokesman for the gay community, Aurelio Mancuso, condemned Panorama's investigation as a "horrible political and cultural operation", but agreed that if priests in Rome were to leave the church it would "paralyse" the diocese.

In March, the Pope's own household was rocked by scandal when court documents revealed a Vatican chorister had procured male prostitutes for a papal gentleman-in-waiting.

How gullible are Christians?

2010-07-10T00:28:00.000-07:00

I recently stumbled across the Christian Oil Company, which would appear to be a modern-day reincarnation of the snake oil salesman. Their website sells a range of "holy" oils, candles, incense, lotions, sprays and other products:

The Holy Anointing Oil is now available to the consumer. The product is all Bible. We did not alter the ingredients God gave Moses and the owner of our company.

Holy Anointing Oil sells at $70 for a one ounce bottle. The website justifies this with some rather weak "testimonials":

"The Holy Anointing Oil has given me the authority to speak with boldness and to represent God in a whole new way."

"We needed a miracle in our finances and we used the oil to anoint our wallets and purses."

"I could not hear God because the enemy was blocking his voice. I anointed my ears and now I can hear."

"We needed a job but wasn't able to find one, so we began to minister and sell the oil and now the blessings are overwhelming us."

The company has recently expanded into a new range:

The Demon Killer Line is a list of scented oils, incense, candles, sprays, and oils. These products are made to send a Holy note into the air to move Demons from the atmosphere.

This would be laughable if it wasn't for the fact that this company is taking money from desperate people. When will Christians stop turning their brains off when it comes to spiritual matters?

Gay Christians march with Pride

2010-07-04T08:25:00.000-07:00

Gay Christians were very much in evidence at this year's London Pride parade. Also notable was a large contigent protesting against the forthcoming visit of the Pope to the UK.

Belgian police probe death threats against witnesses

2010-07-04T08:01:00.000-07:00

Police investigating claims of child abuse by Belgian clergy are probing death threats against witnesses and magistrates.

Last month police raided a meeting of Belgium's Catholic bishops as part of their investigation, seizing computers and documents.

They even searched the tomb of at least one cardinal, prompting an angry response from the Vatican.

Officials say that police are looking into threats to the lives of some witnesses and magistrates connected to the case.

Jean Marc Meillure, a spokesman for the public prosecutors office, confirmed that an investigation was under way.

"There are some threats against certain people around the case, and the prosecutors office is investigating that," he told the BBC.

He said the threats had been made against people who gave the authorities information or made a complaint, or against some magistrates.

The raid last month on the offices of a Church commission investigating the abuse claims led to some of the country's leading clergy being detained for nine hours.

Police took away their mobile telephones to prevent them communicating with their staff or with the Vatican.

They were also reported to have drilled into the tomb of at a former Belgian cardinal at the cathedral in Mechelen during what seems to have been a frenetic search for possible incriminating documents.

Officers also raided the nearby home of the recently retired archbishop of Belgium, Cardinal Godfried Danneels, seizing paperwork and his computer.

Inspired by Muhammad?

2010-06-23T09:58:00.000-07:00

An advertising campaign aimed at combating negative perceptions of Islam has been launched in London.

The 'Inspired By Muhammad’ campaign on the London Underground, bus stops and taxis features pictures of Muslim professionals saying things like: “I believe in protecting the environment. So did Muhammad.”

According to the Daily Telegraph:

Funniest of all is a woman barrister in a headscarf who fronts the poster: “I believe in women’s rights. So did Muhammad.” Unless, like the female poet Asma bint Marwan, you did something Muhammad didn’t like. (According to various hadiths, he had her killed for criticising Islam.) Or unless, like his bride Aisha, you were nine years old and he decided, at the age of 52, that it was time to consummate the marriage.

Perhaps a more accurate campaign would be:In fairness, similar claims could be made about the god of the bible.

Catholic magazine doesn't get it

2010-06-13T12:01:00.000-07:00

This is the cover of the current issue of Vermont Catholic magazine, the monthly publication put out by the Diocese of Burlington.

Less than a week after an $18 million settlement with 26 child-abuse victims, the Roman Catholic diocese put a photo of a young man kneeling in front of Bishop Salvatore Matano on the cover of their magazine.

Two pages into the magazine the bishop asks God for forgiveness for any insensitivity which he may have shown.

Tatchell to spill beans on Pope

2010-06-04T04:31:00.000-07:00

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell is making an hour long documentary for Britain's Channel 4 Television on Pope Benedict XVI to coincide with his State visit to the UK in September.

“My aim is to make a robustly factual programme that explores the Pope’s personal, religious and political journey since the 1930s, as well as the motives and effects of his controversial policies,” said Peter Tatchell.

“I intend to ensure that we hear the voices of the Pope’s defenders, as well as his critics. I would be like to interview the Pope himself. It would be ideal for Pope Benedict to be able to explain himself in his own words. But I doubt that I will be granted an audience.”

“This will not be an anti-Catholic programme. I have great sympathy with grassroots Catholics who want a more open, democratic, liberal and inclusive church. The ‘We Are Church’ movement is admirable. I salute it.”

“Some of the inspirations of my own human rights campaigns have been Catholic humanitarians, including the editor of the Catholic Worker, Dorothy Day, US anti-war activists, Fathers Daniel and Philip Berrigan, Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador and theorists of Catholic liberation theology such as Gustavo Gutierrez and Leonardo Boff,” said Mr Tatchell.

Ralph Lee, Head of Specialist Factual programming at Channel Four, said: “The Papal visit in September provides an ideal opportunity to examine the impact of Benedict XVI after five years in office. In keeping with Channel 4’s remit to provide a platform for diverse and alternative perspectives, equality campaigner Peter Tatchell will assess the effect of the current Pope’s teachings throughout the world and the conflict between some of his values and those held by modern Britain.”

“Human Rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, a long-term critic of the Papacy, will challenge Pope Benedict XVI’s beliefs and positions on a range of issues — including condoms, homosexuality and fertility treatment — and examine the impact his policies have had on both the developing and Western world. The programme will give voice to a range of views on the Pope – featuring interviews with both critics and supporters.”

Lies the Christian Right Tells Us to Deny Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Equality

2010-06-04T04:30:00.000-07:00

The best-selling author of Stranger at the Gate and former fundamentalist who ghost-wrote books for Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, and Billy Graham, the Reverend Mel White provides an insider’s exposé of the Christian Right’s agenda — and a clarion call to resist it.

A deeply religious man who sees fundamentalism as “evangelical Christian orthodoxy gone cultic,” Mel White believes that it is not a stretch to say that the true goals of today’s fundamentalists are to break down the wall that separates church and state, superimpose their “moral values” on the US Constitution, replace democracy with theocratic rule, and ultimately create a new “Christian America” in their image. As he writes, “These are not just Neocons dressed in religious drag. These men see themselves as gurus called by God to rescue America from unrighteousness. They believe this is a Christian nation that must be returned forcibly to its Christian roots.”

White is also a gay man who made news when he came out more than fourteen years ago. He has gained a unique understanding of the fundamentalist agenda because, since the fall of “godless Communism,” homosexuality and abortion have become the primary targets through which fundamentalists have created fear, raised money, and mobilized recruits. Originally published in hardcover three years ago under the title Religion Gone Bad, Holy Terror documents the thirty-year war that fundamentalist Christians have waged against gays and lesbians and off ers dramatic, heartbreaking evidence that fundamentalist leaders are waging nothing less than a “holy war” against sexual minorities.

Link: Holy Terror by Reverend Mel White at Amazon.com
Link: Holy Terror by Reverend Mel White at Amazon.co.uk

God's Lunatics

2010-06-04T04:29:00.000-07:00

God’s Lunatics is an eyebrow-raising encyclopedia of the strange and shocking side of history’s religions, cults, and spiritual movements. A fascinating compendium of “Lost Souls, False Prophets, Martyred Saints, Murderous Cults, Demonic Nuns, and Other Victims of Man’s Eternal Search for the Divine,” God’s Lunatics contains a wealth of valuable extreme spiritual information — including the number of exorcisms performed each year and the proper method for identifying the Antichrist.

What is the meaning of life? Since the dawn of civilization, humankind has sought to answer the mysteries of existence. Unfortunately this restless search for the divine has, all too often, driven seekers in regrettable directions — toward the comically ridiculous and irrational but also the frighteningly horrific and maniacal.

Arm yourself with God's Lunatics before your next encounter with those who have been blinded by the light. Award-winning author Michael Largo chronicles history's vast and colorful cast of true believers — from the hidden side of the Bible's eccentric characters to today's street-corner doomsayers, and from extraterrestrial communicators, levitating hermits, and flagellating ascetics to self-serving preachers of overindulgence who believed money, sex, and drugs were the keys to the portal to divine understanding. In addition to the firewalkers, serpent handlers, cultists, terrorists, and alleged time travelers, God's Lunatics also reveals the dubious foundations of the world's major faiths and the many religious customs and laws that continue to influence governments and society, whether you are a believer or not.

Link: God's Lunatics at Amazon.com
Link: God's Lunatics at Amazon.co.uk

American church at crisis point

2010-05-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

• 1,500 pastors leave the ministry permanently each month in America.
• 4,000 new churches start each year in America.
• 7,000 churches close each year in America.
• 50% of pastors’ marriages end in divorce.
• 70% of pastors continually battle depression.
• 80% of pastors and 85% of their spouses feel discouraged in their roles.
• 95% of pastors do not regularly pray with their spouses.
• 70% of pastors do not have a close friend, confidant, or mentor.
• 50% of pastors are so discouraged they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way to make a living.
• 80% of pastors spend under 15 minutes a day in prayer.
• 70% of pastors only study the bible when preparing a message.
• Nearly 40% of pastors have had an extra-marital sexual affair since entering ministry.
• 80% of seminary graduates who enter ministry will leave the ministry within the first five years.
• 80% of pastors’ wives feel their husbands are overworked.
• 80% of the adult children of pastors sought professional help for depression.
• 90% of pastors said their training was inadequate for ministry.
• 85% of pastors report that their biggest problem is dealing with abstinent elders, deacons, worship leaders, worship teams, board members, and associate pastors.
• 90% of pastors said the hardest thing about ministry is uncooperative people.
• 70% of pastors are grossly underpaid.
• 80% of pastors’ wives feel unappreciated by the congregation.
• 90% of pastors said ministry was completely different from what they thought it would be.
• Only 70% of pastors felt called by God into ministry when they began.
• Only 50% of pastors felt called by God into ministry three years later.
• 80% of pastors’ wives feel pressured to be someone they are not and do things they are not called to do in the church.
• Over 50% of pastors’ wives feel that their husbands entering ministry was the most destructive thing to ever happen to their families.
(Source: Focus on the Family, Ministries Today, Charisma Magazine, TNT Ministries)

The anti-gay pastor and the rent boy

2010-05-04T12:35:00.000-07:00

The pictures on the gay escort website show a shirtless young man. The profile touts his "smooth, sweet, tight ass" and "perfectly built 8 inch c*ck" and explains he is "sensual," "wild," and "up for anything" — as long you ask first.

And as long as you pay.

On April 13, the young man arrived at Miami International Airport after a ten-day, fully subsidised trip to Europe. He was soon followed out of customs by an old man with a blond comb-over, pushing an overburdened baggage cart.

The old man was George Alan Rekers, of Miami — one of America's most prominent anti-gay activists. According to the Miami New Times, Rekers, a Baptist minister who is a leading scholar for the Christian right, left the terminal with the gay escort, looking a bit discomfited when a picture of the two was taken.

For decades, George Alan Rekers has been a general in the culture wars, though his work has often been behind the scenes. In 1983, he and James Dobson, one of America's best-known homophobes, formed the Family Research Council, a DC-based, anti-gay lobbying group that has become a standard-bearer of the nation's extreme right wing. Its annual Values Summit is considered a litmus test for Republican presidential hopefuls, and Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter have spoken there.

"While he keeps a low public profile, his fingerprints are on almost every anti-gay effort to demean and dehumanize LGBT people," says Wayne Besen, a gay rights advocate in New York City and the executive director of Truth Wins Out, which investigates the anti-gay movement. "His work is ubiquitously cited by lobby groups that work to deny equality to LGBT Americans. Rekers has caused a great deal of harm to gay and lesbian individuals."

Rekers is a board member of the National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH), an organization that systematically attempts to turn gay people straight. And the Huffington Post recently singled out Rekers as a member of the American College of Pediatricians — an official-sounding outfit in Gainesville that purveys lurid, youth-directed literature accusing gays of en masse coprophilia.

The Family Research Council quickly distanced itself from Rekers. "FRC has had no contact with Dr Rekers or knowledge of his activities in over a decade so FRC can provide no further insight into these allegations," said Family Research Council President Tony Perkins. "While we are extremely disappointed when any Christian leader engages in the very activities that they 'preach' against, it is not surprising," he continued.

It is also claimed that Rekers, a staunch opponent of adoption by gay couples, has adopted a child — a 16 year old boy.

British Government wishlist for Pope's visit

2010-04-25T01:11:00.000-07:00

The Pope will be visiting the UK in September and the British Government is making preparations for the state visit. Government civil servants have been tasked with suggesting what the pontiff should do while in the country. Their 'wishlist' for what they would like to see the Pope do has been leaked to the press and makes interesting reading:

Launch of 'Benedict' condoms
Review of Vatican attitude on condom use
Bless a civil partnership
Reversal of policy on women bishops/ordain woman
Open an abortion ward
Speech on equality
Statement on views over adoption (change of stance)
Training course for all bishops on child abuse allegations
Harder line on child abuse — announce sacking of 'dodgy' bishops
Vatican sponsorship for network of AIDS clinics
Meet young unemployed people
Apologize for…
Canonise/pseudo canonise a group
Announce whistle blowing system for child abuse cases
Go to job centre
Debate on abortion
All Catholic schools should be free entry to all
Speech on democracy
Vatican and Church of England funded committee on dialogue
Launch helpline for abused children

The Government’s papal visit team document also recommended that he sing a song with the Queen for charity and apologise for the Spanish Armada.

Coming on top of comments about him over paedophile priests and threats by secularists that the pontiff could face arrest, it is leading some Vatican advisers to question why the Pope is going to a country where the public mood even at the centre of government seems so hostile.

Pope Benedict's Commandments

2010-04-20T13:14:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Knapp comes out

2010-04-14T08:46:00.000-07:00

Seven years ago, while at the top of her game, Jennifer Knapp announced what seemed to many a sudden decision: she was stepping away from Christian music, taking an indefinite hiatus. Rumors began to swirl — she was burned out, she needed a rest, she was upset about something, she was gay. Turns out that all the rumours were true, as Knapp reveals in an interview with Christianity Today.

The one-time Grammy nominee ended her hiatus in late 2009 with a few small shows, an updated website, and an announcement that she was writing new songs. Many of those songs will be featured on Letting Go, releasing May 11, her first album since 2001's The Way I Am.

"I'm certainly in a same-sex relationship now, but when I suspended my work, that wasn't even really a factor" said Knapp. "I had some difficult decisions to make and what that meant for my life and deciding to invest in a same-sex relationship, but it would be completely unfair to say that's why I left music."

"I'm the happiest I've ever been" she continued. "But now that I'm back in the US, I'm contending with the culture shock of moving back here. There's some extremely volatile language and debate — on all sides — that just breaks my heart. Frankly, if it were up to me, I wouldn't be making any kind of public statement at all. But there are people I care about within the church community who would seek to throw me out simply because of who I've chosen to spend my life with."

"I'm in no way capable of leading a charge for some kind of activist movement. I'm just a normal human being who's dealing with normal everyday life scenarios. As a Christian, I'm doing that as best as I can. The heartbreaking thing to me is that we're all hopelessly deceived if we don't think that there are people within our churches, within our communities, who want to hold on to the person they love, whatever sex that may be, and hold on to their faith. It's a hard notion. It will be a struggle for those who are in a spot that they have to choose between one or the other. The struggle I've been through — and I don't know if I will ever be fully out of it — is feeling like I have to justify my faith or the decisions that I've made to choose to love who I choose to love."

Vatican comment provokes outrage

2010-04-14T03:47:00.000-07:00

Human rights activists have criticised a Vatican official who sought to link homosexuality to paedophilia when commenting on child sex abuse scandals.

The UK's Stonewall group said it was astonishing gay people should still be dealing with "such an offensive myth".

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone had said homosexuality, not celibacy, lay behind the child sex abuse scandals.

The cardinal, the Vatican's foreign minister, was speaking in Chile, where his comments were also condemned.

Cardinal Bertone was attempting to defuse the scandals currently afflicting the Catholic Church, which are largely cases of priests molesting children, mainly boys.

Visiting the Chilean capital Santiago on Monday, Cardinal Bertone told a news conference: "Many psychologists, many psychiatrists have demonstrated that there is no relationship between celibacy and paedophilia but many others have demonstrated, I was told recently, that there is a relationship between homosexuality and paedophilia.

Patricio Walker, a Chilean senator who helped draft anti-paedophile laws, said he would like to see what scientific studies the cardinal was referring to because he thought he was wrong.

Aurelio Mancuso, former president of Italian gay rights association Arcigay, said: "The truth is that Bertone is clumsily trying to shift attention to homosexuality and away from the focus on new crimes against children that emerge every day."

The French government has also condemned the remarks. French Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said linking abuse to homosexuality was "unacceptable." He said France is committed to the struggle against discrimination and prejudice linked to sexual orientation and gender identity.

Phallic art sparks row ahead of Pope's Malta visit

2010-04-13T05:29:00.000-07:00

The mayor of a town in Malta has called for a "phallic" sculpture displayed close to the main airport to be removed ahead of the Pope's visit this weekend.

Mayor John Schembri described the art work as "vulgar" and "embarrassing", saying it should go "as a sign of respect" for Pope Benedict XVI.

Colonna Mediterranea was created by artist Paul Vella Critien and has been on show in the town of Luqa since 2006.

Many residents of predominantly Catholic Malta have complained about the sculpture, which Critien describes as a modern three-dimensional representation of a symbol dating from ancient Egypt. Similar works by Critien have been erected in Germany, Italy and Australia.

Pope Benedict's route through Malta will involve passing by the roundabout at the entrance to Luqa, where the monument stands.

The government has said it has no plans to remove the sculpture.

Protesters grafitti papal billboard

2010-04-12T02:04:00.000-07:00

Security around the Pope is to be stepped up for his visit to Malta after sex abuse victims on the island said they planned to protest at his failure to tackle the scandal rocking the Catholic Church.

The decision came after graffiti artists stencilled pandas on billboards promoting the Pontiff's trip this weekend. As well as mimicking the dark rings around the Pope's eyes, the pandas are thought to represent 'pedobears', used to warn when suspected child abusers may be present.

In Malta, 10 men have taken three Catholic priests to court for alleged child abuse in their youth and have asked to meet the Pope. There has been a high incidence of reported cases on the small Mediterranean island, whose inhabitants are mainly Catholic.

Pope hit by new child abuse allegations

2010-04-09T12:56:00.000-07:00

The Pope has become embroiled in new revelations over child sexual abuse, over a letter he signed in 1985.

The future Pope resisted pleas to defrock a California priest with a record of sexually molesting children, citing concerns including "the good of the universal church," according to the letter bearing his signature.

The correspondence, obtained by The Associated Press, is the strongest challenge yet to the Vatican's insistence that Benedict played no role in blocking the removal of paedophile priests during his years as head of the Catholic Church's doctrinal watchdog office.

The letter, signed by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, was typed in Latin and is part of years of correspondence between the Diocese of Oakland and the Vatican about the proposed defrocking of the Rev Stephen Kiesle.

The Vatican refused to comment on the contents of the letter on Friday, but a spokesman confirmed it bore Ratzinger's signature.

Catholic bishop blames child abuse on the children

2010-04-07T10:51:00.000-07:00

According to the Bishop of Tenerife, Bernardo Álvarez, there are children who are wanting to be abused, and ‘if you are careless they will provoke you’.

Álvarez claimed that on occasions abuse happened because there are children who consent to it, and he compared that abuse to homosexuality, describing them both as prejudicial to society.

‘There are 13 year old adolescents who are under age and who are perfectly in agreement with, and what’s more wanting it, and if you are careless they will even provoke you’, he said.

Gay rights groups and child welfare associations called on the authorities to prosecute the Bishop for inciting and defending abuse of minors, while left-wing political parties demanded that the Pope sack Alvarez.

The Triángulo Canarias Foundation for the Social Equality of Gays and Lesbians commented that the Bishop’s statements on homosexuality were inadmissible, as were comments he made considering being gay an illness.

Homophobic preacher fined

2010-04-01T10:27:00.000-07:00

The fine imposed on a homophobic Christian street preacher in Glasgow, Scotland, has been condemned by human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell as “an attack on free speech and a heavy-handed, excessive response to homophobia.”

Shawn Holes, an American Baptist evangelist touring Britain, was fined £1,000 (US$1,500) for telling passers-by in Glasgow city centre: “Homosexuals are deserving of the wrath of God — and so are all other sinners — and they are going to a place called hell.”

In court, he admitted breaching the peace on 18 March by “uttering homophobic remarks” that were “aggravated by religious prejudice”.

“Shawn Holes is obviously homophobic and should not be insulting people with his anti-gay tirades. He should be challenged and people should protest against his intolerance,” said Mr Tatchell.

“However, in a democratic, free society it is wrong to prosecute him. Criminalisation is not appropriate.”

“The price of freedom of speech is that we sometimes have to put up with opinions that are objectionable and offensive.”

“Just as people should have the right to criticise religion, people of faith should have the right to criticise homosexuality. Only incitements to violence should be illegal.”

“Mr Holes’s fine is totally disproportionate. Even people who commit robberies and violent assaults sometimes get off with lighter penalties. This prosecution was heavy-handed and an inappropriate use of the law.”

“If I had known about this prosecution in advance, I would have gone to court to defend Mr Holes’s right to freedom of expression and to urge that the charges against him be dropped.”

“Even though I strongly disagree with his views on homosexuality, if he had decided to appeal against either the conviction or the sentence, I would have supported him.”

“I urge the police and prosecuting authorities to concentrate on tackling serious homophobic hate crimes, instead of wasting public money on petty, distasteful homophobic ranters,” said Mr Tatchell.

Ratzinger’s Rap Sheet

2010-03-27T06:07:00.000-07:00

Protestors in London will congregate this Sunday to demand the resignation of the Pope following allegations he covered up child abuse.

The demonstration, which will take place at noon on Sunday outside Westminster Cathedral in Victoria, is being organised by Protest the Pope, which was set up to campaign against the Pope's upcoming state visit to Britain.

"He failed to ensure that priests who raped and sexually abused young people were reported to the police," human rights campaign Peter Tatchell of Outrage! claimed.

"This is why he is not welcome in the UK and why we object to him being honoured with a state visit in September, especially a state visit that is being funded by the taxpayer."

"If anyone else was involved in protecting paedophiles from prosecution, they'd probably be arrested as accomplices to sex crimes, not lauded with a state visit. Why should the Pope be treated differently?"

"He is unfit to remain as Pope. He should resign," Mr Tatchell said.

Protest the Pope has drawn up a list of charges against the pontiff:

1. Opposing the distribution of condoms and so increasing large families in poor countries and the spread of AIDS
2. Promoting segregated education
3. Denying abortion to even the most vulnerable women
4. Opposing equal rights for lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender people
5. Failing to address the many cases of abuse of children within its own organisation.
6. Rehabilitating the holocaust denier bishop Richard Williamson and the appeaser of Hitler, the war-time Pope, Pius XII.

Rationalist Rap

2010-03-21T00:02:00.000-07:00

Canadian rapper Baba Brinkman, 'the Geoffrey Chaucer of hip hop', has just released the video to 'Off That', described as a 'Rationalist Anthem'.

Science Magazine said of his 'Rap Guide to Evolution': "With lyrics that were sometimes sly, often hilarious, and always smart and thought-provoking, Brinkman married the fast, complex, literate delivery of Eminem with the evolutionary expertise and confrontational manner of Dawkins".

Religious TV feels the pinch and admits to duplicity!

2010-03-19T10:56:00.000-07:00

Two of the main religious broadcasters in the UK are having to scale back their operations as the recession bites.

From next month both God TV and Revelation TV are cutting their channels in half in order to 'better use resources'.

According to a Revelation TV press release, having two channels led to "duplicity". Now that's a Freudian slip if ever there was one!

'God tells pastor's wife to starve herself to death'

2010-03-16T12:08:00.000-07:00

On February 7, Evelyn Boyd locked herself in a bedroom with nothing but water for sustenance. She told her husband, a pastor of a Pentecostal church, not to bother her.

"This is what I have to do," she told him.

For more than three weeks she didn't emerge. Her family could have come to her aid, but her husband wanted to 'respect her wish to be alone'. He figured she'd be okay, just like the previous times she 'fasted'.

But on the 26th day, family members forced the door open. They found her dead.

Her husband, Pastor John Boyd, said "she was doing what she loved to do and what she felt God had called her to do."

Devil lives in Vatican according to Pope's Exorcist

2010-03-14T03:23:00.000-07:00

Child sex scandals rocking the Catholic Church are proof of the Devil living in the Vatican, the Pope’s chief exorcist claims.

The remarks by 85-year-old Father Gabriele Amorth, for decades the chief exorcist in Rome, have taken many by surprise. Far from being superstitious medieval nonsense, Amorth has said that the Devil is 'lodging in the Vatican' and can be seen in the activities of paedophile priests, over-ambitious clerics and 'cardinals who don't believe in Jesus'.

Father Amorth is honorary president of the International Association of Exorcists and began conducting exorcisms shortly after his ordination 60 years ago; in 1986 he was appointed by Cardinal Ugo Poletti, then the Vicar of Rome, as assistant to Father Candido Amantini, the chief exorcist, eventually succeeding him.

Father Amorth talks to Lucifer and his demons, he says, and knows their names. On the writing table in his room he keeps pictures of the Virgin Mary and Jesus, “who came into the world to fight the Devil and return us to God”. But the modern world, he says, has “given in to the Evil One. You see it in the lack of faith, the empty churches, the collapse of the family.”

His claim to have carried out 70,000 exorcisms seems incredible. “But I was talking about the number of exorcisms, not the number of people exorcised. You often have to exorcise someone dozens, even hundreds, of times, and an exorcism ritual can take anything from a few minutes to several hours.”

The possessed talk in languages they do not know, including ancient tongues such as Aramaic, the language of Christ. “Sometimes the language is incomprehensible. I once asked a demon what it was and he said, ‘Satanic language’.” The victims often react so violently to the ritual of prayers, incantations, holy water and the sign of the Cross that they have to be held or tied down while the priest touches the possessed person with his stole and places his hand on his or her head.

In many cases, he says, they vomit objects such as nails or glass. Father Amorth has a collection weighing two kilograms. “You get used to being vomited over. I once performed an exorcism on a woman who managed to hit me in the face with a stream of vomit from the other side of the room — physically impossible.”

The Devil, he says, is humourless but does sometimes play tricks. He and his demons speak through the victim, sometimes using their normal voice but sometimes in hoarse, raucous tones. He imitates the unnerving low growl for me. They are not, however visible, any more than angels are.

“Angels exist, and how, but they are not as depicted in art — they are pure spirit. We all have guardian angels. Demons are, of course, fallen angels who rebelled against God; that is why they are so intelligent, and so arrogant.”

He does not believe in ghosts, which are “an invention of the human mind”.

Father Amorth has no designated successor, and complains that even now the Church hierarchy does not take exorcism — or the Devil — seriously enough. But “the Lord has made use of me” and his example has inspired many other priests — as did the 1973 film The Exorcist, which although “exaggerated” was “substantially true”.

Catholic Church challenged on homophobia, forgets own history

2010-03-06T00:45:00.001-08:00

Despite claims to the contrary, the Roman Catholic church in Britain remains openly hostile to gay people. Earlier this week Father Ray Blake of St Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Brighton claimed that faith communities in the south coast resort were being overlooked by politicians in favour of what he called the “hedonistic” gay community.

This brought an angry response from Professor Keith Sharpe, a Christian representing Changing Attitude Sussex, which works for the full inclusion of LGBT people in the church.

Instead of condemning gay people Father Blake should ask himself what he is doing to evangelise the gay community, and why he does not have more gay people in his church.

The answer of course is that gay people are not there because of the Church’s relentless hostility and its misrepresentation of a handful of biblical texts to condemn them.

To justify its persecution of homosexual people the Catholic Church draws on just three brief texts scoured from the thousands of pages of the Bible: a) the ‘Sodom and Gomorrah’ story in Genesis, b) the Leviticus holy code and c) reference to ‘unnatural relations’ in a couple of letters of St Paul.

In the Old Testament, which was written in the Bronze Age some three and a half thousand years ago, the Sodom and Gomorrah story is about the failure to afford hospitality to strangers, a dreadful sin in the ancient Middle East.

Leviticus is a long list of so called ‘abominations’ which include eating shellfish, wearing mixed fabrics and having sex with menstruating women.

Leviticus even prescribes the death penalty for disobedient children.

Why does the church single out one sentence in Leviticus, whose relevance to gay people is highly dubious, and ignore hundreds of others?

The suspicion must be that there is a pre-existing prejudice for which justification is being sought.

In the New Testament St Paul actually writes about ‘unnatural relations’ as a punishment for idolatry, the worship of objects rather than God.

Again it is debatable whether he really means homosexuality as we know it, but either way it is the punishment and not the crime.

In his 1986 statement Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who is now Pope Benedict, ignores Biblical scholarship to claim that the Bible condemns all homosexual acts, that homosexuals are ‘intrinsically disordered’ and have a tendency to evil.

With teaching like this it is unsurprising that gay people feel alienated.

Being a gay Catholic has been described as being like a Jew in the Nazi party.

The unfortunate truth is that the Catholic Church has a truly terrible history of misusing the Bible to oppress and persecute many different groups: slaves, black people, the disabled, Jews, women, and gay people are in a very real sense just its current target.

Here may well be the explanation for Father Blake’s complaint that none ‘of the parties standing for election locally represent his religious views’.

Perhaps this is because none of them can stomach the obnoxious discrimination which his church pursues against a large number of their constituents, urged on by a pope who instructed his bishops to fight against the Equality Bill with ‘missionary zeal’.

The modern church has conveniently forgotten about Saints Sergius and Bacchus (pictured), early Christian martyrs and openly gay lovers.

Christopher Hitchens' New Commandments

2010-03-06T00:35:00.000-08:00

Christopher Hitchens offers his take on the Ten Commandments and proposes a set of his own in the latest issue of Vanity Fair.

"The Ten Commandments were set in stone, but it may be time for a re-chisel. With all due humility, the author takes on the job, pruning the ethically dubious, challenging the impossible, and rectifying some serious omissions."

Idol boast?

2010-03-05T13:32:00.000-08:00

American Idol contestant Jermaine Sellars put in another lacklustre performance this week. When he was told by judge Simon Cowell that he thought he would be voted off, Jermaine boasted that he was confident of staying on the show because, as he put it, "I know God".

48 hours later, Jermaine was voted off American Idol.

Strangely enough, it looks like Jermaine's god isn't interested in who wins singing contests (or football games, or beauty pageants, or…).

Vatican hit by gay sex scandal

2010-03-05T11:45:00.000-08:00

The Vatican has been rocked by a sex scandal reaching into Pope Benedict's household after a chorister was sacked for allegedly procuring male prostitutes for a papal gentleman-in-waiting.

Angelo Balducci, a Gentleman of His Holiness, was caught by police on a wiretap allegedly negotiating with Thomas Chinedu Ehiem, a 29-year-old Vatican chorister, over the specific physical details of men he wanted brought to him. Transcripts in the possession of the Guardian newspaper suggest that numerous men may have been procured for Balducci, at least one of whom was studying for the priesthood.

The explosive claims about Balducci's private life have caused grave embarrassment to the Vatican, which has yet to publicly comment on the affair.

It was during an investigation into corruption that wiretaps revealed Balducci's alleged sexual activity. In one conversation, Ehiem tells Balducci: "I saw your call when I was in the Vatican, because I was doing rehearsals in the choir in St Peter's." He then suggests Balducci meet a man who he describes is "two metres tall, 97 kilos, aged 33, completely active."

Balducci is also a senior adviser to the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, the department that oversees the Roman Catholic church's worldwide missionary activities.

Since 1995, he has been a member of one of the world's most exclusive fraternities — the Gentlemen of His Holiness, or Papal Gentlemen, the ceremonial ushers of the papal household. In the words of a 1968 ordinance, they are expected to "distinguish themselves for the good of souls and the glory of the name of the Lord".

According to a report by the Carabinieri for prosecutors in Florence investigating the corruption scandal, there was a hidden side to Balducci's life. "In order to organise casual encounters of a sexual nature, he availed himself of the intercession of two individuals who, it is maintained, may form part of an organised network, especially active in Rome, of exploiters or at least facilitators of male prostitution."

It named one as Ehiem, a professional chorister born in Nigeria. According to Italian press reports, Ehiem, a member of the choir that sings in St Peters when the pope is not officiating, lost his job on Wednesday after details of the Florence investigation became known to the Vatican.

Black Jesus goes on display in London church

2010-03-03T10:34:00.000-08:00

A new painting has gone on show in London showing Jesus as a black man.

Artist Lorna May Wadsworth was commissioned to recreate The Last Supper, painted entirely from life as a 12 feet wide altarpiece, and chose to feature a Rastafarian called Tafari in the role of Jesus.

"I knew I wanted him to be my Jesus from the start," she says, describing her "conviction" that she should tackle the theme.

"I didn't really know why, it was just as though something was telling me he was the one for the painting."

The commission has been funded with a bequest left for St George's Church in Nailsworth to make a painting of the Last Supper, and is on temporary display in London.

"In the canon of Western Art, the acknowledged image of Jesus is Caucasian with brown hair and brown eyes," she concedes, admitting that the use of this style, adopted by the likes of Velazquez and Rubens, has produced the paintings "which speak to me most profoundly as images."

"My point isn’t to propose a thesis of the definitive face of Christ," she adds. "If I were to logically follow all the artists who have painted Christ in their own image I would paint a woman. I just didn't want to paint the cliché."

She says painting a black Christ is "as meaningful or meaningless" as making him white, remaining more invigorated by the reaction previous displays of her creation have inspired.

"People were drawn to something in his face and the expression in his eyes," she suggests, having won holy praise for the work from Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.

"I was surprised by their reactions and seemed to have caught something of which I wasn't even aware. I knew this quality was more important than skin colour or politics or anything else. I knew he could move people."

The exhibition at St Martin in the Fields Church in London's Trafalgar Square also features a collection of paintings taking Zurbaran’s shadowy robed monks and recasting them as contemporary hooded youths, exploring the iconography of the modern ‘Hoody’, which has become a potent symbol of threat and menace in society

The exhibition runs until Sunday 4 April.

Study claims that religious have lower IQs and are more likely to commit adultery

2010-03-01T10:45:00.000-08:00

People who are more open to new ideas — such as questioning religion — are more intelligent, a new report claims.

The study by the London School of Economics and Political Science looked at the relationship between religion and IQ. It found that people who did not believe in god had an average IQ of 106 as teenagers, while those with deep religious convictions had an average IQ of 95.

The report's author, Dr Satoshi Kanazawa, said: ‘Religion is a by-product of humans’ tendency to perceive agency and intention as causes of events, to see the “hands of God” at work behind otherwise natural phenomena. More intelligent children are likely to grow up to go against their natural evolutionary tendency to believe in god and they become atheists.’

The study also found that cheating on a partner is a sign of lower intelligence.

‘Humans have always been mildly polygamous in evolutionary history,’ said evolutionary psychologist Dr Kanazawa.

‘Men in polygamous marriages were not expected to be exclusive to one mate — but men in monogamous marriages were.’

Being sexually exclusive was ‘evolutionary novel’ for men, Dr Kanazawa said. ‘The theory predicts that more intelligent men are more likely to value sexual exclusivity than less intelligent men,’ he added.

The study is published in the journal Social Psychology Quarterly.

Bishop caught driving drunk

2010-02-23T11:13:00.000-08:00

The head of Germany's Protestant church has admitted drink-driving after she was charged with passing a red light while three times over the legal limit.

Bishop Margot Kaessmann was arrested in Hanover at the weekend.

Ms Kaessmann, who became the first bishop in Germany to divorce in 2007, drove her car through a red light in central Hanover on Saturday night while "completely unfit to drive".

It is not yet clear whether the charges will affect her position as head of the organization that unites Germany's 25 million Protestant Christians.

It is not just the Protestant church in Germany that faces controversy. On Monday, the head of Germany's Catholic Church apologised for the growing number of sexual abuse cases that are coming to light at Jesuit high schools across the country.

Anti-gay bishop had three affairs

2010-02-22T11:13:00.000-08:00

Yet another upholder of “family values” has been shown to have had several affairs.

Bishop Michael Reid has lost his claim for unfair dismissal after admitting to the affairs.

The shamed preacher of Peniel Church in Brentwood, England, had affairs with three women connected to the church. The UK televangelist took the church to an employment tribunal after he was sacked when he admitted to his sexual impropriety.

Reid admitted an affair with a choir mistress which lasted eight years. The pastor also confessed to a 13-year “sexual relationship” with another woman but later denied it. A third woman revealed further sexual allegations.

The employment tribunal chairman Michael Haynes described the bishop as “forceful” and “abrasive” as he dismissed the claim saying his behaviour was utterly contrary to his church’s teachings.

The “Bonking Bishop” was the founder of the Christian Congress of Traditional Values, set up to promote “family values”. The anti-gay group was forced into closure as a result of Reid's hypocrisy.

Wife of prosperity gospel televangelist Benny Hinn files for divorce

2010-02-19T15:07:00.000-08:00

The wife of televangelist Benny Hinn has filed for divorce from the high-profile preacher, whose reputation as an advocate of prosperity gospel has attracted millions of followers and criticism from lawmakers and watchdog groups over his lavish lifestyle.

Suzanne Hinn filed the papers, citing irreconcilable differences, after more than 30 years of marriage. The papers note the two separated last month and that Hinn has been living in Dana Point, a wealthy coastal community in southern Orange County.

Hinn is one of the best known advocates of the prosperity gospel, which teaches that Christians who are right with God will be rewarded with wealth and health in this lifetime.

His TV broadcasts are seen by millions of people around the world nearly every day. He travels the globe in his ministry's plane, named Dove One, holding events he calls "Miracle Crusades" that include 'spiritual healings'.

Hinn has never fully publicly disclosed how he spends the money he raises, but his vast ministry is believed to be a multimillion-dollar operation. There was no mention of finances in the court filing, which listed three recent Southern California addresses for the family.

Over the years, Hinn has been the target of intense criticism from fellow Christians and watchdog groups who call his teachings false and accuse him of raising money only to enrich himself.

He is one of six televangelists under investigation over whether he complied with taxation rules.

Hinn's divorce is the latest in a string of high-profile ministry divorces and moral failures among Pentecostal leaders, beginning with Ted Haggard's fall from grace in 2006.

Haggard, who is married and has five children, admitted to receiving a massage from a male prostitute and buying drugs from him, but denied allegations he paid the man for sex.

Textbook Jesus takes a break

2010-02-19T13:28:00.000-08:00

An Indian publisher has landed in hot water after textbooks published by it carried a picture of Jesus holding a cigarette in one hand and a beer can in the other.

Police seized 30 of the textbooks and the authorities at the St Joseph Girls Higher Secondary School asked the students to return the remaining.

The headmistress of the school said, "It came to our notice only a few days back. We have asked the students to return the textbooks."

In the spelling book, for the letter 'I' the word 'Idol' is used. Against this word is printed the picture of Jesus with the offending image.

"Just imagine students at such an impressionable age being dished out objectionable images which are nothing but blasphemous," said a church leader.

Elton under fire

2010-02-19T09:50:00.000-08:00

Elton John makes a comment about Jesus and the usual suspects line up to attack him. Speaking in Parade magazine, Elton said:

"I think Jesus was a compassionate, super-intelligent gay man who understood human problems. On the cross, he forgave the people who crucified him. Jesus wanted us to be loving and forgiving. I don't know what makes people so cruel. Try being a gay woman in the Middle East — you're as good as dead."

Little forgiveness or compassion is shown to Elton by Jesus' followers. The usual ragtag bunch of homophobes have dragged themselves out of the closet, seizing any opportunity to promote themselves and their bigotry.

"To call Jesus a homosexual is to label him a sexual deviant." — Bill Donohue, relgious bigot and president of the Catholic League

Bill, I think you need to check your Catholic doctrine; being homosexual is not in itself a sin in Catholicism, so you've no reason to get into such a lather.

"The bible says Jesus was without sin and that rules out homosexuality." — Stephen Green, relgious bigot and director of Christian Voice

Christian Voice is a small group of hate-mongers on the lunatic fringe of the religion that urges support of Ugandan attempts to criminalise homosexuality.

All of which just goes to confirm what Elton John told the Observer's Music Monthly magazine in 2006.

"Religion promotes hatred and spite against gays."

Research finds that religious people are more likely to be racist

2010-02-19T00:45:00.000-08:00

Research by the University of Southern California has found a strong correlation between religious beliefs and racism.

The study shows that there’s significantly less racism among people who don’t have strong religious beliefs, while highly devout religious communities exhibit more prejudice against people of other races. “Only religious agnostics were racially tolerant,” says the report.

The researchers found barely any difference between the amount of racism among religious fundamentalists and more moderate believers. The report explains:

Religious groups distinguish between believers and nonbelievers and moral people and immoral ones. So perhaps it’s no surprise that the strongly religious people in our research, who were mostly white Christians, discriminated against others who were different from them — blacks and minorities.

The report's author also points out that people who are religious because they value tradition and social convention were especially likely to be racist, noting:

The effect stays significant even in recent years. For people who are religious for conservative reasons, they have become less racist in recent years as racism has become less socially acceptable. But even they are still significantly racist, just that the effect has reduced in magnitude.

Scout movement under pressure over Ugandan anti-gay bill

2010-02-17T01:49:00.000-08:00

The worldwide Scout movement has come under pressure to denounce the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill, given that the Bill’s proposer, David Bahati, is Chief of the Scout Board of Uganda.

Bahati’s Bill, in its current form, would introduce the death penalty for a repeat “offence” of sexual activity with someone of the same sex. It would also imprison anyone in authority, such as a teacher, Scout leader or minister of religion, who fails to report an instance of homosexuality.

The World Organisation of the Scout Movement (WOSM) has been asked to disaffiliate the Ugandan Scout Board unless Bahati is removed from his position.

"The leader of the Scout movement in Uganda is demanding the execution of all scouts and scout leaders who commit repeated homosexual acts," said the human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, “Scout leaders who fail to report gay scouts to the police will face three years in jail. Any scout leader who provides supportive advice to a gay scout will be jailed for five to seven years.”

Acting on behalf of the organisation Outrage!, Tatchell has written to Derek Twine, Chief Executive of the Scout Association UK, to thank him for referring the issue to WOSM. However, he said that action needed to go further.

“While we appreciate that every National Scout Organisation (NSO) is independent, we also understand that the WOSM membership of each NSO is conditional on them conforming to the WOSM's scouting values,” wrote Tatchell.

He added that David Bahati’s “stance and actions are incompatible with scouting values”.

Outrage! is asking the Scout Association UK to ask the WOSM to disaffiliate the Ugandan organisation, to issue a statement condemning the Anti-Homosexuality Bill and to refuse to host Bahati in the UK.

“While he remains head Scout, his actions reflect badly on the whole international Scouting movement,” said Tatchell, “It is imperative that the British and world Scouting authorities speak out against him and his bill which, if passed, will have deadly consequences for Scout members in Uganda”.

Link: Rick Warren refuses to condemn Ugandan legislation

Biblical upbringing allegedly causes death

2010-02-17T01:32:00.000-08:00

Sad to report, police in Paradise, California are investigating the death of a young girl at the hands of her adoptive parents, Kevin and Elizabeth Schatz, who subscribe to the biblical principle of “spare the rod and spoil the child”.

The Schatzes were arrested after their adopted daughter, Lydia, aged 7, stopped breathing. She was subsequently pronounced dead.

Her 11-year-old sister, Zariah, remains in critical condition at a Sacramento children’s hospital, though she is showing some signs of recovery. The two were adopted at the same time with an infant girl, now 3, from an African orphanage about three years ago.

Prosecutors allege that the two victims were subjected to “hours” of corporal punishment by their parents on successive days with a quarter-inch-wide length of rubber or plastic tubing, which police reportedly recovered from the parents’ bedroom.

Police allege that Lydia was being disciplined for mis-pronouncing a word during a home-school reading lesson the day before she died.

The two young girls reportedly sustained deep bruising and multiple “whip-like” marks on their back, buttocks and legs, which authorities believe resulted in significant muscle tissue breakdown that impaired their kidneys and possibly other vital organs.

Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said investigators are researching a possible connection to a Christian website that recommends use of the same whip-like implement “as an appropriate tool for biblical chastisement, to train a child from infancy to make them a happier child and more obedient to God because they are obedient to the will of their parents”.

Link: God's wisdom for raising children

Christian TV station exposes fake preachers and then retracts broadcast

2010-02-16T09:25:00.000-08:00

Low budget British Christian broadcaster Genesis-Revelation TV has been getting itself a lot of adverse publicity recently.

The ridiculous station, which is so low rent that it often broadcasts from a kitchen, was recently the target of pranksters who tricked it into reading out quotes from The Fresh Prince, Star Wars and Rick Astley as if they were genuine prayer requests.

Genesis-Revelation TV was founded by Howard Conder, former drummer of sixties pop group The Baron Knights, who sports a silvery thatch of hair that miraculously thickened shortly after he took up Christian broadcasting. The station's theology is so far from mainstream Christianity as to be unrecognisable to the average UK church-goer.

Now the channel has got itself into hot water by exposing a raft of famous televangelists as frauds.

In a live broadcast, invited guest speaker Justin Peters listed several household names in the world of Christian TV, claiming they were 'false teachers'. Peters has appeared on Genesis-Revelation before, and is well known for his outspoken criticism of so-called 'Word of Faith' preachers such as Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Jessie Duplantis, Joel Osteen and Creflo Dollar, who many consider to be little better than modern-day snake-oil salesmen.

The next day, the station denounced its own broadcast, apparently fearful of a backlash from viewers and potential loss of income from preachers pulling their shows from the station.

In a statement the station said: "The comments made in the programme have caused concern and confusion for a number of viewers, who have contacted the channel for clarity on the issue, particularly because some of the named ministries, and individuals, have programmes on Genesis TV or Revelation TV."

Plans to build ‘hijab gates’ in London

2010-02-16T07:16:00.000-08:00

A scheme to build arches in the shape of Muslim headscarves has been labelled as a “waste of money” by residents. As part of a cultural trail along London’s Brick Lane, famous for its curry houses, bars, nightclubs and art galleries, several gates in the shape of hijabs could be built at entrances to the street.

The idea is that the ‘hijab gates’ — under which visitors would walk — would attract tourists. However locals have complained that the proposed gates are offensive to women, a waste of nearly £2m and risk stereotyping an area that is diverse and tolerant.

Local artist Tracey Emin claims that the gates could inflame racial tension. Rather then stamping an identity on the area, critics like Emin argue that the gates will prove divisive.

Emin is reported as saying that “rubbish collections, vermin control, education and improved policing are more important”.

Brick Lane is associated with the Bangladeshi community today but this was not always the case. Huguenots and Jews for a long time dominated the area. These groups are as integral a part of Brick Lane’s cultural, architectural and commercial heritage as any other ethnic group.

Further, marketing the street as an Asian destination risks overshadowing all the other things that go on in the area. While Brick Lane’s curry houses are among the best in the country, they are by no means the only thriving industry on the street.

In recent years Brick Lane and the adjoining Cheshire Street have become destinations for vintage clothing shoppers.

Brick Lane is also an important destination for musicians, housing venues such as 93 Feet East, the Rough Trade record store and London Recording Studios, where Bohemian Rhapsody was recorded.

Canadian churches face extinction

2010-02-15T08:07:00.000-08:00

A new report suggests that Canada has become a "post-Christian society" where once-dominant Anglicanism has moved to the margins of public life.

A new assessment of the state of the church in Canada looks at the Anglican Diocese of British Columbia and then across the country and concludes that at the present rate of decline — a loss of 13,000 members per year — only one Anglican would be left in Canada by 2061.

Nationally, between 1961 and 2001, the church lost 53 per cent of its membership, declining to 642,000 from 1.36 million. Between 1991 and 2001 alone, it declined by 20 per cent.

The report zeros in on Vancouver and the adjacent Gulf Islands, suggesting closing nearly two in three Anglican churches now that the Anglican population is "one generation away from extinction".

Only the Roman Catholic Church is holding steady and the report attributes that to immigration.

Church of England attendance declines even further

2010-01-25T10:56:00.000-08:00

The Church of England has been hit by a new slump in its congregations, with the latest figures showing its fifth year-on-year decline

The figures also show an acceleration in the rate of decline in the past 12 months, indicating that there may be even worse news in years to come.

Marriages in parish churches, infant baptisms and even funerals have all seen falls.

Worryingly for the Church, the average age of its congregation is now 61.

One reason for the decline, along with the rising age profile, could be the Church’s public quarrelling over homosexuality and women bishops.

According to The Times, another reason could be that atheist bus posters and other atheist campaigns led by high-profile scientists such as Dr Richard Dawkins could be working.

The decline will add fuel to secularist campaigns for disestablishment. As congregations continue to dwindle, the Church’s claim to represent the entire nation will carry increasingly less weight.

Now Scientologists 'heal' Haiti quake victims using touch

2010-01-24T04:11:00.000-08:00

Amid the mass of aid agencies piling in to help Haiti quake victims is a batch of Scientology "volunteer ministers", claiming to use the power of touch to heal.

Clad in yellow T-shirts emblazoned with the logo of the cult, smiling volunteers fan out among the injured lying under makeshift shelters in the courtyard of Port-au-Prince's General Hospital.

A wealthy private donor provided his airplane to fly in volunteers from Los Angeles.

"We're trained as volunteer ministers, we use a process called 'assist' to follow the nervous system to reconnect the main points, to bring back communication," said one volunteer.

"When you get a sudden shock to a part of your body the energy gets stuck, so we re-establish communication within the body by touching people through their clothes, and asking people to feel the touch."

Some doctors at the hospital are skeptical. One US doctor, who asked not to be named, snorted: "I didn't know touching could heal gangrene."

Who needs solar-powered bibles? The Haitians, of course!

2010-01-22T12:45:00.000-08:00

As international aid agencies rush food, water and medicine to Haiti's earthquake victims, a group of US religious fundamentalists is sending solar-powered bibles to Haitians in their hour of need. Just what they need!

Called the "Proclaimer," the audio bible delivers "digital quality" and is designed for "poor and illiterate people", the Faith Comes By Hearing group said.

According to their website, the Proclaimer is "self-powered and can play the Bible in the jungle, desert or... even on the moon!"

The Albuquerque-based organisation said 600 of the devices were already on their way to Haiti.

With tens of thousands of Port-au-Prince residents living outdoors because their homes have collapsed or they fear aftershocks from last week's quake, the audio bible is probably not on the top of their list of needs.

'Overdosing' on homeopathy

2010-01-18T09:23:00.000-08:00

Homeopathy is an unscientific and absurd pseudoscience, yet it persists today as an accepted complementary medicine.

At 10:23am on January 30th, more than 300 homeopathy sceptics across Britain will be taking part in a mass homeopathic 'overdose'.

Given the fact that any 'active' ingredient present in homeopatic remedies has been diluted to as little 0.000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 1% by the time it reaches the shelves of retailers, the 'overdosers' won't be in any danger.

Ask many people what they think homeopathy is, and you'll be told "it's herbal medicine" or "it's all-natural". Few realise that it's been proven not to work; even fewer know it involves substances so dilute that there's nothing left in them. Homeopathy takes advantage of this uncertainty to sit alongside real, proven medicines on the shelves of our major pharmacies.

Last year, leading UK pharmacist Boots admitted that they don't believe homeopathy works. They said they stock it because "customers believe it works".

The 10:23 Campaign aims to raise awareness about the reality of homeopathy.

Link: The 10:23 Campaign

Pat Robertson makes a pact with Satan

2010-01-16T11:14:00.000-08:00

Let me get something straight — I have no evidence to back up this claim.

But lack of evidence never stopped Prat Robertson from making ridiculous claims, so why should it stop me?

I'm obviously not alone in this viewpoint — here's an image from Gallery of the Absurd that shows Robertson's true colors.

Meanwhile, a voodoo doll of Robertson has appeared on eBay, with all the proceeds of the sale going to Haiti disaster relief.

"Finally! What you've all been asking for! A one of a kind, handmade Pat Robertson Voodoo Doll."

"After an exclusive deal with devil, we are finally able to bring black magic into your very own home! The lucky winner of this auction will attain the soul of televangelist Pat Robertson in a handheld figurine comprised of the finest straw, cloth, and other organic natural materials!"

"Ever wanted to cause Pat Robertson a massive headache? Give him back pain? Jab him in the crotch? Of course you have! Well then BID NOW to own your very own pysical representation of the dark, dark soul of Pat Robertson."

"Accessories included with the doll are Pat's very own "HOLY" BIBLE and BAG OF MONEY taken from real Americans!"

Link: Pat Robertson Voodoo Doll

Pat Robertson blames satanic pact for Haitian disaster

2010-01-13T22:54:00.000-08:00

~~Professional bigot~~ Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson blames the Haitian disaster on a pact with the devil. He even claims to know what Satan said; how can people believe a word that spews from Robertson's foul mouth?

Soccer fans see likeness of Jesus on player

2010-01-12T09:28:00.000-08:00

Recently Jesus has been popping up all over the place, such as on a 44-year-old woman's iron.

Now soccer fans are claiming that Our Lord has made an appearance on the side of football star David Beckham. The divine sighting happened in Turin, leading some to speculate that the son of God was taking a break from appearing on the city's famous shroud.

Skeptics have suggested that the likeness is actually a tattoo. However, this can not be the case, as the bible forbids followers of Jesus from having tattoos: "Do not put tattoo marks on yourselves" proclaims Leviticus 19:28.
Link: Look! It's Jesus! Amazing Holy Visions in Everyday Life at Amazon.com
Link: Look! It's Jesus! Amazing Holy Visions in Everyday Life at Amazon.co.uk

Another upholder of moral values has an affair

2010-01-07T06:05:00.000-08:00

Iris Robinson is a born-again Christian and a Northern Ireland politician who believes that "the government has the responsibility to uphold God's laws".

In June 2008 Robinson caused a massive outcry by saying that homosexuality was an "abomination" and that with help, gay people could be "turned around".

Her comments were made in the same week that a gay man had been badly beaten in a homophobic attack.

In the same month Robinson also asserted that homosexuality was worse than child abuse.

Following her comments, gay rights group Stonewall voted her the UK Bigot of the Year while the gay news service Pink News gave her the nickname "wicked witch of the north".

It now appears that while Mrs Robinson was making her pronouncements about 'biblical morality', she was embarking on an affair with a much younger man. Memories of the The Graduate were revived when news broke that the then 59-year old British MP had had an affair with a 19-year old Kirk McCambley.

Veteran gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has described Iris Robinson as a "hypocrite" for having an affair.

Tatchell said although he was "sorry for the pain" Robinson has suffered, "she is sad and two-faced".

"Even now, she expresses no regret for her harsh, judgemental moralising against gay people. Iris seems as unforgiving as ever," he said.

UPDATE: The BBC is reporting that Robinson broke the law by not declaring a financial interest in her teenage lover's cafe. The money was paid to her 19-year old lover to help him launch a cafe. She later asked him for money for herself. The BBC also reported that she also broke a cluster of other rules in the Code of Conduct for councillors — as many as five elements of the code.

Keith Law has released an updated version of the hit song from the The Graduate.

Is Google running scared of Islam?

2010-01-05T11:26:00.000-08:00

It appears that the world's biggest search engine may be running scared of the world's second biggest ~~superstition~~ religion.

Type "christianity is", "judaism is", or "buddhism is" into Google and the auto-complete will come up will a list of recommendations, such a "a lie", "fake", "a cult", etc.

Even typing "atheism is" brings forth suggestions.

Now see what happens if you type "islam is" — absolutely nothing!

Is Google frightened of the consequences of offending the famously peace loving followers of the prophet?

Who says the bible is anti-gay?

2010-01-02T09:13:00.000-08:00

"And have respect to him that weareth gay clothing, and say unto him, sit thou here in a good place." — James 2:3 (King James Version)

Just goes to show — you can selectively quote from the bible to make it support any point you want!

Saddleback becomes Brokeback

2009-12-31T13:30:00.000-08:00

Purpose Driven Life author Rick Warren's anti-gay stance this year hasn't translated into mega-bucks for his Saddleback mega-church.

Embarrassingly, Warren has been forced to write a begging letter to his congregation asking them to cover a nearly $1 million budget shortfall.

Warren's plight has been met with amusement and mockery by gay rights advocates; the plea has not been viewed favourably by the mainstream media either.

USA Today notes that "the public beg-a-thon has overtones of televangelists of the past crying for money to stay on the airwaves. But evidently there's no plan to scale back spending to meet actual income — the kind of financial advice most of us have had hammered into our heads during this recession."

Meanwhile, fellow gay-bashers Focus on the Family laid off 150 staff members this year as a result of budget woes due in part to spending targeted at defeating civil marriage equality legislation.

La Figa comments: "Why do I feel some prayers are being answered as these two bastions of bigotry are having trouble making ends meet and are thus being exposed as money-grubbing Mammon-huggers?".

Link: The Reason Driven Life

What would Jesus do? Steal from Tesco's apparently!

2009-12-22T06:26:00.000-08:00

A Church of England vicar has declared that it is sometimes acceptable for church members to steal from shops.

Father Tim Jones of St Lawrence's Church in York preached that stealing from shops — rather than prostitution or outright burglary — is sometimes the best option for poor people struggling to make ends meet.

"My advice as a Christian priest is to shoplift," Jones told churchgoers during his Sunday sermon.

"I would ask that they do not steal from small family businesses, but from large national businesses — knowing that the costs are ultimately passed on to the rest of us in the form of higher prices," he continued. "My advice does not contradict the Bible's eighth commandment because God's love for the poor and despised outweighs the property rights of the rich."

So that's OK then.

Winter Solstice Greetings

2009-12-21T00:38:00.000-08:00

Today is the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere.

For as long as civilisation has existed, humanity has celebrated the passing of the winter solstice, the shortest, darkest day of the year.

Long before Christianity, ancient civilisations set the birth of their god to coincide with this annual event.

The gods Horus, Mithra, Dionysus and many others were said to have been born on the winter solstice.

In the 4th century CE, after the Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity, the traditional winter solstice celebration was repalced with a holiday marking the birth of the Christian god Jesus.

Today, we know that the reason for the season has nothing to do with the birth of gods — it is simply a result of the axial tilt of the planet.

Still, we celebrate the winter solstice with happy anticipation of springtime renewal.

Link: Who stole Christmas?

Christian registrar loses gay wedding case

2009-12-15T13:29:00.000-08:00

The UK Court of Appeal today ruled that Islington Borough Council did not abuse religious liberty when it dismissed a registrar for refusing to carry out same-sex civil partnership ceremonies. The Court declared this morning that there was no evidence of discrimination against Lilian Ladele, who objects to homosexuality due to her interpretation of Christianity.

Following the introduction of civil partnerships in 2005, Ladele said she could not officiate at them due to “religious conscience”.

Andrew Copson of the British Humanist Association said: "This case has been incorrectly cast by some as a 'conflict of rights'. The judgement makes clear that in the context of people providing public services or performing public functions, such as civil partnership ceremonies, their rights simply do not 'trump' those of service users. In fact, they have a duty to treat services users equally, with dignity and respect, as the public authority itself must."

"As the judgement made clear, in a modern liberal democracy, there can be no 'opt out' for those who say they are unable to do their jobs because they wish to discriminate, even when that desire to discriminate derives from a religious belief. This judgement is extremely welcome."

Ladele, who resigned from the council in September, was refused permission to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Archbishop not really eccentric or odd — apparently

2009-12-12T00:50:00.000-08:00

According to the Archbishop of Canterbury, the British Government thinks that religion is an "eccentricity" practised by "oddities". Looking at his photo, I can't imagine what gave them that idea!

In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, the Archbishop says:

"The trouble with a lot of government initiatives about faith is that they assume it is a problem, it's an eccentricity, it's practised by oddities, foreigners and minorities."

"The effect is to de-normalise faith, to intensify the perception that faith is not part of our bloodstream. And, you know, in great swaths of the country that's how it is."

Maybe there's hope for the British Government after all!

Infiltrating Christian "ex-Gay" therapy programs

2009-12-07T09:57:00.000-08:00

Over the course of the past two years, writer Ted Cox posed as a gay man in order to infiltrate Christian gay-to-straight therapy programs. What he found was equal parts shocking and tragic.

Cox attended weekly meetings for several months at two churches in California and a two-day camp at a ranch in northern Arizona in February, both geared toward one end: turning homosexual men and women straight.

AlterNet interviewed Cox about his experience going undercover in Christian gay-to-straight therapy programs.

They promote this idea that they can make you straight. That's their public message. As you dig deeper, you find out that people are actually suppressing their sexuality. They tell people these programs will make you free from homosexuality through faith and prayer; the programs will help you find the strength to live a chaste, Christian life. That doesn't necessarily mean heterosexuality, or marriage and happy children; so what it means is leaving behind your urges, desires and actions.

These programs say homosexuality is the result of emotional or psychological scarring in childhood, where you don't properly identify with your parent of the same sex. They say you're not born that way, it's not genetic, but it is your choice as to whether or not you act on those feelings and attractions.

I didn't know what to expect. Part of the adventure was: What would it really be like? There are weekly groups with prayer, scripture study, singing of hymns, some lesson addressing the emotional wounds leading to homosexuality. There's a lot of bonding with the men in these programs. They spend a lot of time together partly because, I'm guessing, they're still attracted to, and would rather hang out with, other men. But also because they can't find friendship within their churches; there are a lot of people they haven't told or can't tell and so they end up bonding together.

What was surprising at the weekly meetings was this emphasis on falling in love with Christ. In order to overcome your attraction to men, it was to fall in love — in almost a romantic way — to the most perfect man. Some of the songs they sang sounded like soft-rock 80s love hits, but they were about Jesus instead of your sweetheart. It was shocking the idea that holding and cuddling with another man is supposed to make you straight. We can laugh and say, "Are you serious?" But everyone wants to be touched and held, and for some of these men this is one way for them to get the affection they need.

You can watch Ted Cox speaking about his experiences in the following videos:

Black Gay Christians answer Donnie McClurkin

2009-12-05T01:55:00.000-08:00

A group of Black Gay Christians has responded to the recent hateful, self-denying and self-loathing rant by Black "ex-Gay" [sic] Christian Donnie McClurkin.

In a full-page ad in the New York daily newspaper Metro the group writes:

We love you brother and in ways the traditional church cannot because we understand your pain. You are not a man who loves men because of being molested as a child. That grave and despicable tragedy broke your spirit and damaged your mind; however it did not have the capacity to change your DNA. There is so much love in our community for you. We want to see you healed and whole. Whenever you are ready, come home and we'll love you until it doesn't hurt anymore. That's how we do!

Link: Donnie attacks Tonéx, leading to accusations of hypocrisy

Protect traditional marriage — make divorce illegal

2009-12-05T01:41:00.000-08:00

'Miracles' and claims of baby-snatching — why is the Deya Ministry thriving in London?

2009-12-02T08:51:00.000-08:00

When the news that Paul Otieno was being held on suspicion of killing his three-year-old son reached self-styled "Archbishop" Gilbert Deya's ministry last week, the congregation was shocked, reports the London Evening Standard.

Otieno is a pivotal player in the ministry, running its successful global television channel.

He is also the adopted son of the Kenyan Archbishop infamous for claiming he is able to make infertile women conceive through the power of his prayer.

Otieno is currently under police guard in hospital after his son, also called Wilson, was found stabbed to death last Monday at the family home.

Otieno's wife Jackline sustained a knife wound to the neck, although their 17-month-old daughter was unharmed. Otieno suffered stab wounds to the neck, chest and stomach and remains seriously ill.

The incident has left the church reeling, not least because it shines an unwelcome spotlight on the Deya Ministry, behind which lies an extraordinary story of fantasy, alleged fraud and child trafficking.

Before last week's tragic events Otieno was involved in building what members claim is the fastest-growing religious brand in the UK.

There are 34,000 members of Deya's church, and the TV channel Deya Network Broadcasting reaches a huge audience.

Allegations of trafficking babies and an extradition warrant against Deya have done little to stop thousands pouring through the doors of his ministries.

They continue to believe, ever since the birth in December 1998 of the first "miracle baby", a boy born to a woman whose fallopian tubes had previously been severed by doctors, that Deya has a spiritual power to make infertile women conceive.

Yet since 2004, Gilbert Deya has been subject to an extradition warrant issued by the Kenyan authorities.

He is wanted on five counts of abducting babies, illegally registering them and trafficking them to the UK.

His wife Mary and two other women — Miriam Nyeko and Rose Kiserem — were jailed for two years in May 2007 by a Nairobi court for stealing a child.

Mary completed her sentence last year but is now the subject of a fresh child trafficking investigation in Nairobi.

"Deya's brand of religion is a combination of traditional African beliefs peppered with threats of curses and exorcism," says Gakuru wa Macharia, who wrote the Archbishop's biography. Macharia describes the church as akin to a cult and has received death threats since publishing his book on Deya.

"Because there is no fixed regulation of 'charismatic' and spiritual churches, and many of the African churches such as Deya's fall into this category, becoming a pastor requires simply the ambition to become one."

"Many of the 'bishops' and 'archbishops' have achieved their status by buying or being favoured by those who own or run the ordaining organisations and do so simply for business reasons."

Deya, who lives in "an inner sanctum" in the church, is now widely reported to be a millionaire despite having arrived in the UK in 1996 on a missionary's visa with barely enough money to rent a preaching room.

It's time to stop this deadly nonsense

2009-12-01T23:46:00.000-08:00

Many Christians are in the "hate the sin, love the sinner" camp when it comes to homosexuality. Unfortunately, that's not good enough. The bible is quite clear:

If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. (Leviticus 20:13)

This is being followed to the letter in Uganda, and many Christians are refusing to take a stand on the issue, leading one to assume that they agree with what is being done there.

However, the bible also lists several other 'sins' punishable by death:

And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death. (Leviticus 20:10)

This punishment would apply to many high-ranking Christian leaders who have 'fallen'. Isn't it interesting that this one isn't being trumpeted from the pulpit?

And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. (Exodus 21:17)

A lot of children must be grateful that this law is not applied today.

There are many more examples of ridiculous laws in the bible, including killing a woman who is found not to have been a virgin on the night of her wedding (Deuteronomy 22:13-22).

Fundamentally, the old testament is a collection of middle-eastern folk tales. It is foolishness to live one's life by them. It is even worse to try to selectively foist this nonsense on the population at large.

Christians: where do you stand? Kill all gays, adulterers, rude children and non-virgin brides? Or let gay people get on with their lives in peace? There is no middle ground.

Rick Warren refuses to condemn Ugandan legislation

2009-12-01T12:36:00.000-08:00

Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church and author of the bestselling book The Purpose Driven Life, drew fire last year when he was invited to give the invocation at President Obama's inauguration. His support for Proposition 8 in California, which defined marriage as between a man and a woman only, and his anti-gay-marriage views concerned many in Obama's base.

Now Warren's on the defensive again, this time for his affiliation with Martin Ssempa, a Ugandan pastor who has endorsed proposed legislation in Uganda that makes certain homosexual acts punishable by life in prison or even, in some cases, death. Ssempa has made appearances at Saddleback and has been embraced warmly by Warren and his wife, Kay.

Warren refuses to condemn the legislation. A request for a reaction to the proposed Ugandan anti-gay laws generated this response: "It is not my personal calling as a pastor in America to comment or interfere in the political process of other nations."

On Meet the Press, he reiterated this stance: "I never take sides."

This contrasts starkly with his views on abortion; Warren believes that abortion is "a holocaust."

Prick Warren knows as well as anyone that in a case of great wrong, taking sides is an important thing to do. Those who remain silent on this injustice must be presumed to be in support of it; maybe these hatemongers even want to see similar legislation enacted in their own country.

Certifiably nuts

2009-12-01T09:24:00.000-08:00

Mahesh Chavda, of Mahesh Chavda Ministries, gives the following “prophetic insight” in the current edition of Charisma Magazine, a supposedly mainstream Christian publication:

Several weeks ago I was sitting in my library when I suddenly heard a noise behind me. I turned and saw an angel right there. He was young-looking, majestic, awesome, and full of strength, joy, and vigor. He was smiling, but there was the fragrance and atmosphere of battle all around him. He was a warring angel, and he had just come from battle.

I had the impression that I was not his assignment. He was literally coming from one battle and heading off to another one. But in between he landed momentarily, looked at me, smiled and asked, “How big is your chair?” Then, just as suddenly as he appeared, he departed.

WTF! Is it me, or is this just batsh*t crazy? How can Christians be expected to be taken seriously when they promote nonsense like this?

Homophobic hatemongers protest at school — on a school holiday!

2009-12-01T08:35:00.000-08:00

Things didn't go according to plan when homophobic hatemongers “Christian Voice” turned up to protest at a school’s stand against bullying.

The school had incurred the group’s wrath because earlier in the month its openly-gay head teacher had invited the well-known actor Sir Ian McKellen to speak to pupils on the subject of gay bullying.

Sir Ian, whose numerous film, stage and television roles range from the X-Men series and King Lear to Coronation Street, visited Perry Beeches Secondary School in Birmingham. Headteacher Liam Nolan had invited him to attend as the school marked Anti-Bullying Week with a focus on homophobic bullying.

The problem is that the hate mob, who presumably would like to see Britain follow Uganda's lead on gay rights, turned up to protest on a day that the school was closed to pupils. Great work guys!

Woman sees likeness of Jesus on iron

2009-11-29T06:53:00.000-08:00

Until this week, Mary Jo Coady had never given her iron a second thought. Then she saw a likeness of Jesus staring back from its not-quite stainless steel bottom.

Startled, Coady called in her daughters, both of them college students, and they saw what she saw. Then she took a picture and posted it on her private Facebook page, giving friends and relatives the same test. Everyone saw Jesus, she said.

“So I said, ‘OK, I’m not crazy,’ ’’ recalled Coady, a 44-year-old who works as a secretary in a medical office. After a challenging couple of years in which she let her Catholic faith wane, Coady found that the image had given her a spiritual boost. So she chose to share it with some others.

“This was just a good, uplifting thing for me, and it just made me reaffirm my faith and beliefs, and I’m not embarrassed to say that,’’ Coady said yesterday. “I believe in God, and I think that was a sign saying good things will come, and things will get better.’’

Link: Look! It's Jesus! Amazing Holy Visions in Everyday Life at Amazon.com
Link: Look! It's Jesus! Amazing Holy Visions in Everyday Life at Amazon.co.uk

God Hates You, Hate Him Back!

2009-11-28T12:43:00.000-08:00

With people like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens leading the way, more and more books discrediting the idea that a single sentient being created everything around us are being devoured by atheists tired of being labeled as un-godly and silenced legally, socially and culturally by the prevalent creationist systems lying behind the world’s most powerful (and arguably most violent) governments.

The problem with all these books, as the author sees it, is these books are brilliant if you have mind for science, and/or a genuine interest in theology, but for a majority of people they are cumbersome to read. While making them popular with the intellectual elite, they are for your average literary hobbyist, complex, and far from entertaining.

CJ Werleman, Australian-born author of “God Hates You, Hate Him Back” says, “I believe people learn more when they find reading a pleasure, and with an entire genre of anti-religious texts sprouting up all over the place, I hadn’t come across any title that just laid out the entire Bible in a manner that for me was pleasurable. And the scriptures of the Bible are wonderful stories that are just begging to be told with a giggle.”

CJ, who witnessed first-hand the religiously motivated terrorist atrocities in Bali in 2005, continues, “The objective of the book is to provide the reader with a thorough understanding of the Bible, from end-t0-end, while also demonstrating that the ‘God’ people worship so readily and unquestioningly is a vengeful bully, with a monopoly on evil. Which I guess is primarily why the Devil had no reason to publish his own book.”

CJ hopes that his approach of using the source of the creationists’ belief-system to make a compelling argument against worshipping such a malevolent patriarch can bridge the gap between superstitious belief and rational understanding by at least shaking believers out of their hypnotized state of relying on “faith over logic”.

Many critics of atheism claim that the fanatical fervor displayed by Dawkins and his ilk, betrays their cause. Similarly CJ believes labeling believers as infantile or moronic is counter-productive in leading religious folk to rationality, and ultimately secularism.

“The best device we have for secularism or atheism is the Bible itself. When you have all the Biblical assertions laid out in front of you, it is almost impossible to continue holding onto the beliefs created by a tribe of nomadic goat herders, who believed the shovel to be emergent technology!”

CJ adds, “Essentially this book demystifies The Bible by using plain speak and humor. I show the reader what it is that pleases God invariably baby killing, and ethnic cleansing. While also demonstrating that not only was Jesus an overtly racist false prophet, and not very nice to his mother, his biography was crudely hammered together by people who never met him.”

When asked what he hoped to achieve with his book, CJ quipped, “I hope my book provides one small stepping stone on humanity’s journey away from ancient beliefs that retard social progress and promote human conflict rather than solidarity.”

Link: God Hates You, Hate Him Back! at Amazon.com
Link: God Hates You, Hate Him Back! at Amazon.co.uk