SGL Café

Loving Christians Piss on the Carl Walker-Hoover Tragedy!

Today is the National Day of Silence to honor those who have fallen prey to LGBT violence; like the recent tragic Bullycide of Carl Walker-Hoover. Here is quick video honoring the day. Now, below ... is the response ad by the Illinios Family Institute, one of the many, lovable, Christian family organizations who's only desire is to protect the children. **Oh, that would be children without a hint of difference or deviance - because, obviously, the odd fish are fair game to be bullied, beaten, and subjected to all manner of Hell because that's how God wants it.** What a glorious display of Jesus' love for his fellowman. It harks back to a recent related post - Whence Cometh Evil? And from Huffington Post: Homophobia is Killing our Youth

Milk epiphanies ...

I finally, at long last, got to see Sean Penn and James Franco in Milk last night. These are some of the things that became clear to me, feel free to add to this brief list: 1. How a celebrity, especially a black one, could remain in the closet after seeing Milk is beyond me. All the usual arguments echo hollow, and weak. Pick an argument, shout it out loud, and see how feeble it sounds when verbalized. I realize now that my stance for full marriage equality as opposed to the 2nd class status of Civil Unions has been right all along. 2. I'm a Know-It-All who doesn't know as much as he thinks. Yeah. I've always said that I know all their is to know about Harvey Milk and that time in our queer nation but I couldn't have been more wrong. I'm ashamed I waited this long to see this amazing film, one made at a time when its needed the most, a time that actually mirrors Milks fight for our most basic rights. Thirty years later, Anita Bryant's holier-than-thou contingent is just as determined that we return to the closets of our past -- and like Anita they STILL, ironically, love us (but now, throwing shoes is even funnier). 3. The Rainbow Flag sprang from Harvey and this movement. A know-it-all like myself should have uh, known, yet I was blissfully ignorant. Like many modern day homos, I didn't realize we had our own gay Betsy Ross (Gilbert Baker) stitching the very first one 'cause we're a nation and need a flag. Now that flag drapes the world. Almost breaks my heart that I didn't know how that came about. 4. I'm in love with James Franco. Well, more in love than I already was. That's really no epiphany. My heart has had a hard-on for Franco since he played James Dean with amazing accuracy. Now, I'm all his. Just say the word Franco, and I'm so there. Here he is as Dean filming Giant.

"Touch Me, Father ... all night long."

Minister found guilty in ex-Gay sex-therapy case. Thanks to Lost in the Woods for this hilarious heads-up, and the accompanying touchy visuals. A minister and former Christian college instructor has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a young man who sought counselling after he feared he was homosexual. A jury returned with the guilty verdict early last night after only a few hours of deliberations. Terrance Lewis, 60, will be sentenced at a later date. Earlier in the day, defence lawyer Ron Simenik argued the victim knew full well the intimate sessions he shared with Lewis had nothing to do with “therapy.” “They did it mutually by consent,” Simenik said. “We may not agree with it or understand it, but at the end of the day, that’s not the issue.” Crown attorney Dale Schille said the evidence against Lewis was “overwhelming” and he never denied the allegations in a statement to police. In earlier testimony, the alleged victim, now 29, told court he started meeting Lewis for counselling sessions in early 2000 after his parents caught him viewing gay pornography on the family computer. Lewis — a family friend and minister — confided he had his own sexual identity issues and the two embarked on weekly counselling sessions designed to “assist me to be straight and to live a straight life,” the man said. The man said Lewis started a program of “touch therapy,” which included the two kissing and fondling each other and engaging in sexual roleplaying. “He said I was to tell no one about it because no one would understand,” the man testified. During “touch therapy” sessions in Lewis’ car, Lewis asked him to masturbate, the man said. Lewis also admitted to fantasizing about him, the man said. Simenik said yesterday the men didn’t become sexually intimate until a year after they started seeing each other. “It started as a friendship, evolved, they became closer ... two consenting adults involved in mutual intimacy,” Simenik said. ~~

LOL!! Gotta luv the ex-gays.

Why Donnie McClurkin should 'Fall Down', and stay down ...

**Updates below**

With all the drama surrounding Barack Obama's inclusion of gospel singer and 'reformed' homosexual Donnie McClurkin in his southern gospel concert tour, Donnie, I believe, will back out of the concert. And for good reason.

In this country, matters of church are supposed to be completely separate from matters of state -- Presidential campaigns certainly qualify. Although the religious right has shamelessly blurred that line (while greedily holding onto their tax exempt status), it is clear to me that politics and God don't mix.

McClurkin will without a doubt, with his infamous anti-gay message, cost Obama votes -- mine included. Giving a man who believes homosexuals are going to burn in hell forever and ever (a silly notion only the blindly faithful could believe), a platform to preach and sing his passive-aggressive form of hate is tantamount to agreeing that gay people should change, or else.

Others feel that if Obama dumps McClurkin he'll lose votes from the conservative black religious right. It's true. He's got a rock and a hard place situation. However, losing those votes -- while standing up for the right of all Americans to enjoy the religious freedoms this country was founded on, and against religious extremism -- should be a feather in his cap. And if Obama can't see that, then he's not the man I thought he was.

All across the globe, homosexuals are subjegated and often killed -- all by religious people who feel God has got their back. McClurkin, with his melodies and voice, sings to these people and validates, hell, PROMOTES their behavior.

I know Donnie had a hard life. Well boo-fuckin-hoo, so have I. A win-win for Obama is for McClurkin to 'Fall Down' willingly, before he takes Barack with him. And I predict he will, after some gentle urging for Barack's corner. ~~

Updates:

Pam's House Blend -- 'Ex-gay' McClurkin's alleged lover: I was with him after he prayed away the gay

Chuma Spirit Magazine's Take on Inclusion of Gay Minister (post and video here)

Statement from Bishop Tonyia M. Rawls
Unity Fellowship Church Charlotte, Charlotte, NC

"When thinking of the love ethic of Christ, it is always challenging to see those who in the effort to live out their faith find it necessary to condemn the "other" in their midst. Reverend McClurkin's assault on the LGBT community is not consistent with Jesus' walk; a walk that always sought ways of expanding verses shrinking the family circle. Women, lepers, tax collectors, gentiles, the poor and disenfranchised were all looked down upon and even despised by many religious leaders of his day, but Jesus instead saw all as children of the living God.

"I challenge Reverend McClurkin and others who use their voices to cause harm to press past the easy and wide road of ignorance and homophobia toward love's narrow way. While presidential candidate Barack Obama has stated strongly his support for LGBT rights, privileges and protections, it is my hope that he will not allow others to use his platform or presence to promote views and opinions contrary to that position."