Whitewash from Bush on Robertson

George Bush cleverly avoids taking on Pat Robertson and his million plus daily viewers of the "700 Club".

Bush needs help this November, he needs to re-elect Republicans to Congress and Republican Governors. The last thing he needs is a war with one of the factions that got him in the White House, the Christian Right. So what do you do when someone who speaks directly to one million plus social conservative Americans everyday and says something hateful? You send out the messenger.

American Presidents don't have to answer media questions everyday. Bush uses it to his fullest advantage. Evan Thomas and Richard Wolffe wrote in a Newsweek article of December 19, 2005...

"Bush may be the most isolated president in modern history, at least since the late-stage Richard Nixon."

And we all know how much Nixon liked answering questions.

Today when a prominant American makes comments that are as ludicrus as those made by the President of Iran, he can't issue a statement personally, you know something is up.

"Pat Robertson and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are probably beyond the point where they can be reached by embarrassment or shame. But they are not beyond the kind of strong condemnation that they have richly earned." - The Washington Post editorial

It was no accident that the Statement from the White House did not mention President Bush is right pissed off with Pat Robertson. Its the PR folks working overtime here. The White House spokes personTrent Duffy says ...

“Those comments are wholly inappropriate and offensive and really don’t have a place in this or any other debate.”

What debate are they talking about? They did not take Robertson to task for saying Sharon got what he had coming. They did not say these remarks are "unamerican" or even unchristian. The White House did not say President Bush was horrified that a Christian leader would say these kinds of things.

Now to hear NBC say it this was a stinging rebuke. They write ... The White House sharply criticized Christian broadcaster and former Republican presidential candidate Pat Robertson on Friday for suggesting that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s stroke was divine punishment for “dividing God’s land.” “Those comments are wholly inappropriate and offensive and really don’t have a place in this or any other debate,” presidential spokesman Trent Duffy said as President Bush traveled to Chicago for a speech.

Now I am no fool, I know such a statement has to have the approval of Mr. Rove. Mr. Rove is the White House. Just notice what was not said. No news clips of Bush slamming a Christian leader months before an election. At the same time the Rove White House points to the statement and say that Bush condemned the remarks.

Bush didn't even come close to condeming Robertson for his remarks. Not a chance, in fact years from now, you won't even know what the White House meant with those words. What debate were they referring to? The one on whether god is punishing Sharon or the middle east peace process?

Going into the 2006 elections Bush won't be taking shots at people who speak to the Christian Right congregation. That would be just stupid right. Why say something when you can White Wash it from the White House.



Bush, Politics, President, Religion, Pat Robertson,Isreal, Politics, Ariel Sharon, Christian Right

Buzz Flash Republican Hypocrite is Latham

Buzzflash points to this week's Republican Hypocrite

So many republicans so few weeks!

Photo from The Washington Post

Lonnie Latham, photo provided by the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office, senior pastor at South Tulsa Baptist Church and an executive committee member of the Southern Baptist Convention

Latham wins this weeks award...

Take for example Minister Lonnie Latham of the South Tulsa Baptist Church in Oklahoma. The reverend apparently thought he was "pastoring" to police when he was arrested for propositioning a male Oklahoma City Police officer.

The ministry claim is puzzling when you consider that "Latham, who has spoken out against homosexuality, asked the officer to join him in his hotel room for oral sex." In fact, "He has also spoken out against same-sex marriage and in support of a Southern Baptist Convention directive urging its 42,000 churches to befriend gays and lesbians and try to convince them that they can become heterosexual 'if they accept Jesus Christ as their savior and reject their 'sinful, destructive lifestyle."'

See Queer Thoughts on Latham here ...


Religion, gay, Christian, Politics, Baptist, Lonnie Latham

Morons.org on Pat Robertson

No place on the internet exposes Pat Robertson more than www.morons.org

Here is the latest from Nick...

Televangelist and failed soothsayer Pat Robertson claims that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's recent stroke was punishment from God...

You might remember Pat Robertson from predictions for 2005 like "the American stock market is going to surge upward" and outragous claims like gays, abortion and the ACLU brought about the terrorist attacks in September of 2001, that abortion and divorce are the fault of gay people that God hates the Supreme Court and will bring his wrath upon America and most recently that the people of Dover, Pennsylvania would suffer God's wrath for voting out members of the school board who had instituted a policy that the "intelligent design" non-theory should be taught along with evolution theory in science classes. - Posted by spatula on Jan. 06, 2006.

Read more here at Pat Robertson Opens his Mouth

pat robertson, Intelligent Design, Religion, gay, Isreal, Christian, Politics, ariel sharon

God tells Robertson Sharon had it coming

Robertson Links Sharon Stroke, God's Wrath

It appears Pat Robertson has a direct link to God. That link has come up with some startling news over the years. If any of it is true, I would say God has an anger management problem. Mr. Robertson is just a messenger folks don't blame him. The latest missive from God is this rather angry...

"God considers this land to be his," Robertson said on his TV program "The 700 Club." "You read the Bible and he says 'This is my land,' and for any prime minister of Israel who decides he is going to carve it up and give it away, God says, 'No, this is mine.'"

Yes and it was God that devastated New Orleans due to the perverse life style of people living there, not to mention 9/11 was the result of God's anger over the presence of gays and lesbians.

And lets not forget Robertson's wardning to the people of Dover PA after they threw out the school board members who had advocated the teaching of "intelligent design" — the belief that the universe is so complex that it must have been created by a higher power — as an alternative to the theory of evolution.

"I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover: If there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God," he said. "You just rejected him from your city." - Washington Post

Now do you think Pat Robertson was hoping for a disaster here? If this guy did not have such a large following of people that devote millions of dollars to keep his Pulpit on TV, you could laugh, but these people vote. They vote as their earthly Idol suggests and that helps explain why we have George W. Bush and one heck of a mess in Iraq as well as the largest deficits in world history.

God Bless America.

Take Action! See Media Matters and Video of Pat Robertson's remarks January 5, 2005

See also "Why won't the Good Lord shut Pat Robertson up?"

For more information on Evangelicals, Christian Right, Intelligent design and gay rights use the Technorati Search Box in the sidebar here at Queer Thoughts and at From the Heartlands.

pat robertson, Intelligent Design, Religion, gay, Isreal, Christian, Politics, ariel sharon

Senior Baptist Minister seeks Male Prostitute

Lonnie Latham who just this past June, was re-elected recording secretary for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma has been charged with seeking the services of a male prostitute. Latham is the senior pastor at South Tulsa Baptist Church.

Latham, who has spoken out against homosexuality, asked the officer to join him in his hotel room for oral sex. Latham was arrested and his 2005 Mercedes automobile was impounded, Capt. Jeffrey Becker told the KOCO 5 TV in Oklahoma City.

All I can add here is that the Lord works in a funny fashion. Read the post before this one and you have to agree. Amazing.

The website, www.baptistmessenger.com has removed a reference referring to the election of Latham. Google Cache has it here.

Latham has been spoken out against same-sex marriage and the homosexual lifestyle and as a re-elected officer of the Oklahoma Baptist General Convention supported the following less than seven months ago ...

" BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that we call on Southern Baptists not only to stand against same-sex unions, and any other effort to legitimize the homosexual lifestyle, but to demonstrate our love for those practicing homosexuality by sharing with them the forgiving and transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). ." full resolution here

Aside from holding the position of Senior Paster in Tulsa, Latham is recording secretary of the Oklahoma Baptist convention and an executive committee member of the Southern Baptist Convention, elected to a three year term in 2004.

Latham appears not only to like reaching out to Male Prostititutes but has a fondness for other activities not well accepted in the Baptist fundie world. He recently took to wearing Robes making him look more like a Catholic Priest than a Baptist Minister. According to the Baptist Messenger of March 3, 2004...

"Lonnie Latham, pastor of a South Tulsa Baptist church now appears in his pulpit in robe and all the trimmings. The church’s liturgical service on Sunday morning included an altar boy, also robed appropriately, who assisted in lighting the candles for the service. "

Why would a senior Baptist Pastor dress in flashy robes and why would he dress his alter boy is matching garb?

Latham seems to have been a good recruiter according to the South Tulsa Baptist Church ...

Since Brother Lonnie Latham became pastor in 2002, Sunday School attendance has grown to near 700 and there have been more than 100 baptisms.... Since Brother Latham has arrived, the church body has a renewed zeal for reaching people in the heart of South Tulsa. Last year South Tulsa was in the top 3% of churches in the Southern Baptist Convention in baptisms.

We are currently in a building program to add a new 1600 seat sanctuary. Sunday School continues to grow at over 10% per year.

Religion, gay, Christian, Politics, Baptist, Lonnie Latham

Ralph, Jack and Lisa. Oh my GOD!

Is the gleam fading on Ralph Reed. Looks like some Christian Bloggers are not too happy with his connections to Jack "the man" Abramoff. To add insult to injury Ralph's PR person, Lisa Baron writes some saucy stuff, Washinton Post tells us, for a local rag in Atlanta for young people. And she does it for the Sunday edition. oh my!

Here you get to see her other work, digging Ralph Reed out of a hole with the Christian folks over at World Magazine in an article called "Bruised Reed".

Now how will Jack and Lisa help Ralph eh? ummm


ralph reed, Christian Right

Brokeback Mountain taking down barriers

Oh to be a Log Cabin Republican today. It surely must hurt deep down inside. Brokeback Mountain, is breaking down walls and doing better than many thought it could.

More on the movie here at Queer Thoughts and here and at the Washington Post.

The story is compelling and for the first time Americans can see a gay man for what he is, a real live person. Theatre crowds are coming out with tears in their eyes and its not only the women. The movie tells it like it is for many many gay men. It doesn't pull any punches, in fact a few fly as the two lead actors try to figure it all out.

"...what's remarkable about "Brokeback Mountain" is merely that for possibly the first time, homoeroticism is the text, not the subtext." - Stephen Hunter, Washinton Post, December 25, 2005

On top of 7 Golden Globe nominations, the Screen Actors Guild have nominated the movie for four awards, more than any other.

The success of the movie is its honesty. it doesn't sugar coat how men had to deal with who they are, it doesn't hide the sexual attraction, the lust or the pain of being apart. There are no fade away scenes when they close in for a kiss.

Log Cabin Republicans, a group of gay people in the republican party have long fought against the kinds of images seen in Brokeback Mountain. Preferring not to inflame the Christian Right, preferring to hide behind their suits so as not to bring out the "yuck factor". The Yuck Factor is what some straight and certainly the far Christian Right men have when they envision two men making out.

Well, the movie has done all this while showing the pain, the joy, the struggle of gay men and in particular gay men that have married because they had too, was expected of them or they just didn't know better.

"Brokeback Mountain, with its vulnerable performances and clear-sighted direction, is about our natural human struggle. Our longing to belong pressed up against our longing to be ourselves. Our desire to live peacefully (and safely) pressed up against our need to live truthfully." - Frankengirl Blog, January 3, 2005

If you haven't seen this movie check it out. Its made for the big screen, now I can hardly wait to hear President Bush's response after the viewing in the Whitehouse. I bet he is moved to tears. Oh Yuck!

Brokeback Mountain, Movies, Films, Gay, heath ledger, washington post, Current Affairs

The Book of Daniel

The radical US Christian Right is again attempting to use its Bush and Republican inspired clout to force NBC to cancel a new TV series called "The Book of Daniel". The show appears on NBC on Friday with a two hour preview special 9pm/8pmc.

American Family Association (AFA) recently led an assualt on the Ford Motor Company because of Ford's sponorships the gay community and same-sex employee benefits. The effort failed due in large part because many people supporting equality let Ford know they supported Ford's efforts. The AFA continues to at putting a boycott against Ford.

Now the AFA, who never let facts get in the way of bashing the gay community or those that support equality have gone after NBC.

"NBC's upcoming series "The Book of Daniel," a drama about an Episcopal priest and his family, has prompted a protest from anti-gay religious extremists in part because the show features a gay character as the priest's son. Emmy-nominee Aidan Quinn stars as the Reverend Daniel Webster, Christian Campbell plays his gay son, and Oscar-winner Ellen Burstyn stars as Bishop Beatrice Congreve. "

Again those of us that support equlity need to let another target of the hate motivated AFA know we welcome this kind of programming on television.

Find official show photos here at www.TV.com. The photo's are not yet on NBC.

You can contact NBC directly, here are the links care of GLAAD.

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD: Please Take Five Minutes to Take Action NowIt is important that the NBC network and NBC affiliates understand that these anti-gay groups with the deceptive names do not speak for America's families. Let them hear your voice in support of the broadcast of "The Book of Daniel."

Please contact the NBC affiliate in your market (Canadians can send comments directly to NBC) to let them know you want the freedom to choose whether to watch "The Book of Daniel," and encourage your affiliate not to give in to pressure from anti-gay extremists who seek to censor this program. CONTACT: You can locate your NBC affiliate in your phone book or by clicking here: http://www.nbc.com/nbc/header/Local_Stations

Please contact NBC directly and thank the network for broadcasting "The Book of Daniel," acknowledging the importance of seeing gay people on television, especially gay people of faith. Take Action Now!