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Wayne Besen
PO Box 25491
Brooklyn, NY 11202
In a breathtaking display of lies and hypocrisy, a group of anti-gay culture warriors and long-time Mormon bashers placed a full page ad in the New York Times on Friday pretending to be both victims of alleged homosexual "mobs" and staunch defenders of the Latter Day Saints (Mormons). Both claims are absurd and a cruel attempt for the victimizers to claim the mantle of the victimhood - which is a manipulative and cynical political ploy.
The dishonest Times ad essentially claimed that violent mobs of gay protesters were attacking the Mormon Church and its followers in the aftermath of California voters narrowly approving Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage in that state. They even launched a website www.NoMobVeto.org. (It seems they forget that they put basic human rights up for a vote, which is essentially mob rule)
This Times ad is full of blatant lies - much like the immoral television ads attacking same-sex families during the Prop. 8 campaign. The fact is, the vast majority of the rallies across America were peaceful. Considering gay families just got stripped of their basic rights by a campaign of lies, the protests were remarkably tame. If any other group had been subject to such humiliation and multi-million dollar smear campaigns, there would likely have been riots in the streets - not the fake "violence" conjured in the bogus Times ad.
The anti-gay organizations and individuals who sponsored this "Big Lie" ad are trying to pull off a remarkable feat: They are both crying wolf, while being the wolf in sheep's clothing. The degree of chutzpah is remarkable and eye-popping.
Consider that the unctuous signers of the ad (Kevin Hasson, Nathan Diament, Rich Cizik, Ronald Sider, Chuck Colson, Chris Seiple, Dr. Alveda King, William Donohue, Robert Seiple, Douglas Laycock, Marvin Olasky, Roger Scruton and Armando Valladares) are now pretending to love Mormons. In the ad they wrote:
"The violence and intimidation being directed against the LDS or 'Mormon' church and other religious organizations - and even against individual religious believers - simply because they supported Proposition 8 is an outrage that must stop."
The ad ended with the following propaganda:
"Furthermore, beginning today, we commit ourselves to opposing and publicly shaming anyone who resorts to the rhetoric of anti-religious bigotry - against any faith, on any side of any cause, for any reason."
Well, that is good news. The authors of this hypocritical ad can start by spotlighting themselves:
"Hollywood is controlled by secular Jews who hate Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular." -- Bill Donohue, Catholic League
"Mormonism either affirms historic Christianity, or it doesn't. Since it doesn't, it can't call itself Christianity -- a fact that all the good will and public relations in Utah can't change." -- Chuck Colson, Prison Fellowship Ministries
"While Mormons share some beliefs with Christians, they are not Christians." -- Chuck Colson, Prison Fellowship Ministries
"Islam is a vicious evil." -- Chuck Colson, Prison Fellowship Ministries
"Most evangelicals still regard Mormonism as a cult. That will shape, I'd imagine, their reactions to Romney as a candidate for the White House." -- Rich Cizik, National Association of of Evangelicals
Roger Scruton said that today's Islam is "rooted in dogmas that cannot be safely questioned."
I really do hope this group shines a light of shame on those who promote religious bigotry - but they better be wearing very dark sun glasses when this occurs, as the glare from the light may be quite blinding. It appears that the only thing these hypocrites have in common with Mormons, or any other religion that they don't agree with, is an uncommon passion for anti-gay discrimination. To watch these hypocrites act as the great defenders of the LDS church, and religion in general, is beyond laughable.
27 Comments:
All religion is cult-based. Having a set of beliefs, telling people what to and what not to believe and casting out those who don't subscribe is at the core of cultism. There are few if any "religions" that don't have this in abundance even among those that are "friendly" towards us.
posted by Anonymous, at
12/06/2008 10:33 AM
Great job, Wayne! You have clearly demonstrated that these right-wing religious types who supported Prop. 8 are a bunch of sorrowful hypocrites. Suddenly, they now claim to be defenders of the Mormon church! How laughable! It's amazing how they unashamedly play "victim" when it suits their nefarious purposes.
The Mormon church, which spent tens of millions on the Prop. 8 campaign, is now a "victim of mob violence"? All because one misguided individual mailed a couple of temples an envelope of baby powder? Give me a break; they may have even mailed it to themselves. It just goes to show, when the truth isn't on your side, you have to make it up as you go along.
Worst of all is the underlying, almost hidden sentiment, which seems to reflect the arrogance of their unbridled homophobic bigotry: "How DARE these gays get upset that we're trying to relegate them to second class status! Just who do they think they are?" I think it befitting to end this post with a scripture of my own for such a sorrowful, wayward crowd...
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithes of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law; justice and mercy and faith." (Matthew 23:23)
posted by Chris L., at
12/06/2008 11:35 AM
Yesterday Rachel Maddow reported the demographic findings on the prop 8 vote. Not surprisingly, those who were *uneducated* and poor were more likely to vote yes, as were (of course), mccain voters and evangelicals. I would also say that Buddhism is one of the exceptions to Robert's point. Followers are taught NOT to just accept or believe what the teacher tells them. Questioning authority is not only 'allowed', it's encouraged. Even the Buddha told his monks, 'dont believe these things just because I'm telling you...' This is the origin of the expression that you may have heard, "if you meet the Buddha along the road, kill him".
posted by Anonymous, at
12/06/2008 1:24 PM
Whats the rest of the song for the fundies: " WHY DON'T YOU COME TO YOUR SENSES. LA DA DA DA DA DA LA DA DA DA DA. uh oh oh oh oh uh huh huh huh huh. DESPERADO." That should be the page right next to their ad in the NY Times.
posted by Spouse Walker, at
12/06/2008 3:22 PM
Good observations, Wayne! In aligning with the religious right, Mormon leaders are reinforcing the very bigotry that, in the past, has been used against them. As a lifelong Mormon, I am aware that Latter-day Saints are very concerned with their clean-cut, family-oriented public image, which, at the moment, ain't lookin' all that inclusive. In the past, public protests have worked to shame the Mormon church leaders into changing discriminatory policies against black men (but, unfortunately, not those against women -- black, white, or brown). It seems to me that the most effective advocacy for LGBT rights among religious people -- and not just Mormons -- is to continue to engage in publicly visible, peaceful protests, emphasizing that committed and faithful relationships are good for all of us.
posted by Maya Lynn, at
12/06/2008 3:22 PM
I am pleased to see many pro-gay Mormons speaking out for the cause of justice! I think you folks are one of the most important parts of this battle. Hopefully the leadership will respond.
posted by Chris L., at
12/06/2008 3:37 PM
As a Jew, albeit a non-observant one, I would just like to point out that Buddhists are not the only religious group taught to question it's religious teachings, and that Jews voted overwhelmingly against Prop 8.
Overall, American Jews tend to be pretty liberal, especially when it comes to civil rights and upholding the separation of church and state.
The Reform, and recently Conservative sects of Judaism have started to allow gay marriage. (Of course the Orthodox are still opposed, but they are a loud minority.)
So, I guess what I'm trying to say here is that while a lot of the blame for passing Prop 8 goes to those who are religious, don't blame us.
posted by Anonymous, at
12/06/2008 5:32 PM
"I would also say that Buddhism is one of the exceptions to Robert's point."
And there are many who would say Buddhism resembles a philosophy more than a religion, myself included.
For one thing, Buddhists don't believe in a deity (of course in various parts of the word it has morphed into more of a religion among the lay people, with Buddha or the bodhisattvas looked up to almost like saints, and taking on a savior role).
As for Judaism... Jews are both an ethnic group and a religion, that complicates things. They also have the oldest religion of the three and have had more centuries to grow up and learn to ignore half of their beliefs, whereas Christians and especially Muslims still take their myths seriously (of course that varies depending on how moderate/educated the individual is).
Jews do have a cultural history of passionately debating their own scripture. But for the most part the Hebrew scriptures themselves don't encourage you to question things, and Yahweh is portrayed as an all-powerful dictator who smites entire nations. And let's not forget, the harshest anti-gay passages in the Bible come from the Old Testament.
I think if any Jews are tolerant of others, it's entirely to their own credit, or at least it can be explained historically and culturally - but I don't think it can be traced back to any precedent set out in the religion. I still fault the Hebrew scriptures with being fundamentally at odds with contemporary ethics and notions of individual liberty, and I wouldn't let the religion of Judaism completely off the hook.
posted by Ryan Grant Long, at
12/06/2008 6:03 PM
You're right, Lisa W., I should have qualified my comments when I said "religious people," to mean "the religious right," rather than tarring all liberal Jews, UCC's, Unitarians, Congregationalists, liberal Catholics and Metropolitan church members with the same bigoted brush. The irony is that, until recently, the "religious right" has disdained Mormons, until we climbed in bed with them as part of Mitt Romney's efforts to attract extremists in the Republican party.
I would say that a sizable minority of us Mormons disagree with the intrusion of narrowly interpreted "moral values" into the civil rights realm and are appalled at the covert funding and organizing, directed not only in behalf of Prop 8, but also to defeat the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970's. Fortunately, the internet brings that behind-the-scenes politicking into the bright light of the public sphere, and makes it possible for individual Mormons like myself to dissent without bringing shame to our family members.
One thing most people do not understand about Mormonism is how centrally organized it is; how severely and easily church members can be sanctioned for expressing public dissent; and how quickly any divergent opinion is quashed. Unlike the more pluralistic Jewish or Catholic faiths, there is little to no tolerance within Mormonism for freedom of expression.
posted by Maya Lynn, at
12/06/2008 8:32 PM
The religious right bear false witness for sport. They don't know much about scripture and ignore whatever they don't like, which turns out to be all the major demands for fairness and social justice. They're twisted. But pharisees have been cherry picking the bible since forever, and arguing with them is a waste of time.
posted by Anonymous, at
12/06/2008 10:32 PM
On the Web site for this group, www.nomobveto.org, there is a section called “Tell Us Your Story.” No doubt they are waiting to hear all about the persecution of Christians by gay activists. I recommend everyone do as I did and tell them how it feels to be a gay person persecuted by powerful and intolerant religious institutions.
posted by Keith in Dallas, at
12/08/2008 10:56 AM
More of the outrageous fear mongering by those who claim to be Christian, when actuality, they are of the devil himself. Wolves in sheep's clothing. These people are the real terriorists of America pandering their sordid hate and peddling lies and deceipt. It's almost enough to make those of use who are Christian to leave the church. Great post Wayne!
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