Noted in passing

AP today:

BALTIMORE — The nation's Roman Catholic bishops, at an annual assembly Monday, gave two standing ovations to the Vatican's U.S. ambassador who was behind Pope Francis' controversial meeting with Kim Davis.

No one in the filthy Roman Catholic landscape is more disgusting than the US Council of Catholic Bishops. Appalling creatures, each and every one. If there is a hell (and of course, there isn't), that is where these men belong.

Fighting tooth and nail against the love of two people -- because Jesus. Ugh. Just ugh.

Bruni on the Catholic church's homophobia

I always say the same thing about Bruni's columns: that he nailed it. But he always does. Today he once again tackled the Catholic church's hypocritical attitude about same-sex marriage. Here's a link to the column and here's an excerpt:

It’s crucial to remember that in many cases in which the church has punished same-sex couples, their homosexuality and even their same-sex partnerships were widely known and tacitly condoned for some time beforehand. What changed was their interest in a civil marriage, suddenly made possible by laws that are evolving more humanely than the church is. The couples in question stepped up and made loving commitments of a kind that the church celebrates in other circumstances. For this they were spurned. It’s shameful.

Go read it all. It makes so much sense that I expect the church to drop to its knees this afternoon and beg forgiveness for their hateful actions. There is no rational excuse for the church's pogrom against gays. It's simply evil.

Bruni chimes in on the ousted gay couple

I wrote about this just the other day. As always, Frank Bruni does a far better job of telling the story. In case you've forgotten, the Catholic church ousted an old gay couple from their parish, simply because they got married. Despite the church's insistence that it is the ultimate authority on all moral issues, it doesn't understand love.

Here's a bit from Bruni's column:

The Catholic Church does incalculable good, providing immeasurable comfort — material as well as spiritual — to so many. But it contradicts and undercuts that mission when it fails to recognize what more and more parishioners do: that gay people deserve the same dignity as everyone else, certainly not what happened to the Montana couple. If Francis and his successors don’t get this right, all his other bits of progress and pretty words will be for naught.

The church committed an evil act. That's the bottom line. Part of me hopes the church will wise up. But after all the terrible things the Roman Catholic church has done to gay people, I confess I'd be happier if it just went away.

Noted in passing

I happened to bump into this paragraph today:

“[Obama's] arrogance is breathtaking,” Dr. Janice Shaw Crouse, director and senior fellow of Concerned Women for America’s Beverly LaHaye Institute, told LifeSiteNews. The “president repeatedly insists that his personal values and beliefs are equated with the nation’s values and beliefs. When he insists that those controversial ideas constitute a human right, the president is saying that the deeply-held religious beliefs of many Americans are irrelevant.”

Yup, it's another edition of: "My beautiful Christian faith compels me to spew venom at certain groups of people while trying to harm them and destroy their families -- but I'm blameless!" I don't think we need say anything about that. It's just your typical Christian persecution complex in action. These people are nuts. But that wasn't what struck me about the paragraph.

It was the mention of the Beverly LaHaye Institute. Does that or does that not sound like the kind of place where Myra Breckenridge might work? It's perfect. (It also sounds like a great drag queen name: "And now, help me give a big hand to the fabulous Beverly LaHaye!!!")

Just saying.

Russian males die early because of vodka

As we head toward the Sochi Anti-Gay Bombing Olympics, let us consider the drunken nature of the Russian male:

The high and sharply fluctuating death rates in Russia are due mainly to alcohol, particularly vodka, a new prospective study of 151,000 adults confirms.

Currently, 25% of all Russian men die before the age of 55 years, compared with only 7% of UK men. Alcohol and tobacco account for most of this large difference in premature mortality (appendix, pages 3-5).

"Russian death rates have fluctuated wildly over the past 30 years as alcohol restrictions and social stability varied under Presidents Gorbachev, Yeltsin, and Putin, and the main thing driving these wild fluctuations in death was vodka. This has been shown in retrospective studies, and now we've confirmed it in a big, reliable prospective study", said co-author Professor Sir Richard Peto from the University of Oxford, UK.

But Russia will exercise great control during the Sochi Olympics. Have no fear. Why, just yesterday president Obama said it's "safe" to go to Sochi. Uh-huh.

Did you ever wonder whether those Russian thugs were drunk when they beat up innocent gay guys, videotaped it and put this vile product on the internet? The answer is probably. But there's some consolation. At least the thugs will probably die before the age of 55.

Russia is a pig sty. Nothing new here. Lookin' good, Vladdy! Boo-yah!

Aravosis beat me to it

I was going to rip Russia from stem to stern this morning, but John Aravosis at AmericaBlog beat me to it. Just go read this.

Take that, Vladdy!

Pope makes homophobic nitwit a cardinal

Looks like we're going to get the same old thing from the new, evolved, magical pope:

Pope Francis’ newly chosen Spanish cardinal, 84-year-old Fernando Sebastian Aguilar, has described homosexuality as a “defect” that can be corrected with treatment, sparking condemnation from gay rights groups.

“A lot of people complain and don’t tolerate it but with all respect I say that homosexuality is a defective way of manifesting sexuality, because that has a structure and a purpose, which is procreation,” Sebastian told Malaga newspaper Sur.

Isn't it funny how it's always the sexless old Catholic priests who really know all the ins and outs of sex? Makin' babies. That's all it's for. So all you people out there doing the deed for fun had better stop. Elsewise, after you die you'll go to a nonexistent place called Hell. Horrors! Oh, wait. Maybe it's the ornery, newly-made cardinal who's going to Hell. What a startling turn of events!

Gay and lesbian rights group Colegas called on the archbishop to retract his comment.

“We hope that Fernando Sebastian will correct his words and we note that homosexuality is not a curable disease, but homophobia is,” it said in a statement.

Homosexuality is a perfectly normal state of affairs. Homophobia, however, is a hateful aberration that can be corrected. Good point. Let's hope the locals drive it home.

And as for pope Frankie, boooooooo!

Roundup of Sochi failures

A NY Times story comes down hard on the International Olympic Committee -- and others -- for failing to address Russia's anti-gay law when they had a chance. Some excerpts:

Before the law was passed, the I.O.C. could have pressured Russian officials, saying it would not support the Sochi Games under such conditions. Instead, the Olympic Committee acquiesced. 

“There should have been early, alarmed communications by the I.O.C. in relation to the law,” said Minky Worden, the director of global initiatives and an Olympics expert for Human Rights Watch. “As far as we know, there weren’t.” 

Olympic sponsors like Coca-Cola and McDonald’s also have been publicly muted. In effect, they are underwriting the Games in Sochi that contradict their own corporate policies against discrimination. 

Failure all around. The IOC always seemed to me like a bunch of distant one-percenters. That vision is confirmed. There's one hopeful note in the story, and it's from NBC:

Recently, Mark Lazarus, the chairman of the NBC Sports Group, told television critics, “If it is still their law and it is impacting any part of the Olympic Games, we will make sure that we acknowledge it and recognize it.” 

They'd better. And if they're smart, they'll have Rachel Maddow as the NBC voice of the Sochi Olympics. She'll knock it out of the park. 

I wasn't going to watch the Olympics this year. But now I'll have to. In closing, a special boo for the IOC: You people stink.

Another view of the pope

Spiegel Online has an interview with a gay theologian named David Barger. The interviewer asked Barger how he viewed the pope's recent pronouncements about gays. I was surprised by a few things he said. Here are the relevant excerpts from Barger's response:

[Pope Francis] didn't say anything revolutionary. The notion that gays shouldn't be discriminated against is already in the catechism. But when Francis says in the same breath that gays should please not advertise their sexual orientation, he puts himself in a category with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who supports laws against "homosexual propaganda."

Francis said gays shouldn't "advertise their sexual orientation"? I never read anything about that. You'd think the American media would have jumped on this statement, if those were the pope's words. And here's something else:

Francis's statements often contradict each other. So he first said that atheists are devils, only to say shortly later that they are just as good as Christians. Then it was up to his spokesman to correct the statements and put them into perspective accordingly.

Here we go again. When did the pope say "atheists are devils"? I never heard that, and googling it got me nowhere. Can anyone direct me to those statements?

Barger is not at all pleased with this pope. He said Francis' remarks provide no real change. Let me leave you with his final statement:

Francis's remarks may well bring about improvement in the predominantly Catholic countries. But in Germany we are having this discussion on a different level. As a gay man in Italy, you are satisfied just to get the crumbs that fall from the table of the lord. There, gentle discrimination is already a step forward. It's completely different in Berlin or in Cologne: We have no need to eat the crumbs. Either we sit at the table or we will not take part in the dinner.

I love that ending. And as for Francis, who knows? But no matter what, he's lightyears better than Ratzi. At least, I think so. Time will tell.

Piggy Timmy drops another turd: Pope was "high"

Cardinal Timmy Dolan is an ugly man. And he has a blog. In a post called "What the Holy Father Said", he further "clarifies" the pope's kind words toward gays. I guess Timmy didn't say enough nasty shit on TV, so he moved to the internet to let loose. Here's how he begins his post:

Well, since everybody else is talking about it, I guess I should.

Timmy, you haven't shut up about it since it happened. He goes on (and on, and on):

I’m speaking about, of course, the Holy Father’s remarks to the journalists on the plane returning from World Youth Days in Brazil. For one, the Pope was visibly “on a high” from his first international pastoral visit in Rio.

So the poor pope didn't even know what he was saying? Cuz he was too high from all the adulation? Apparently, at least according to Timmy.

Two, mercy is the word that seems to summarize Francis’ talks...Three, mercy was not just the theme of those radiant World Youth Days in Rio, but also of his now renowned hour-and-twenty minute comfortable conversation with the press on the plane.

So that explains it. The pope was just feeling too merciful when he said those kind words about gays. Cuz he was too "high" from his trip. Ah, now we see.

So, his brief remarks on homosexuality were about mercy...No change in Church teaching here . . . or no intended “correction” to a more “dour” approach by his predecessors. 

He's referring here to Benedict's dyspeptic remarks about gays. We all know how hateful closet cases can be, and Benedict was a major closet case. But according to Timmeh, the new pope's kind words do not erase the old pope's hateful words. (Benedict said those with "deep-seated homosexual tendencies" shouldn't be accepted for the priesthood, and it is he who invented the tag "intrinsically disordered" for gay lives.) Sweet, sweet man, that Benedict. Kinda like Timmy Dolan, come to think of it. But no, Timmy assures us the new, kind words mean absolutely nothing. Gay is still very, very bad. Thanks, Timmy!

Then he veers aside for a moment to take a gratuitous stab at women priests, saying women "hardly need a Roman collar to lead and serve in the Church."

Ah, so the church won't ordain them because they "hardly need a Roman collar", eh? Sweet, Timmy. Just like everything you say. And it's very "catholic" of you to take the time to stab women when you're mostly knifing gays.

Then he wonders if the "Holy Father is frustrated" by all the coverage generated by his remarks about gays.

But, as usual, the press predictably brought these weary issues up, and have given them more ink than any of the other noble themes that rang through Copacabana Beach.  It’s not the Church that is obsessed with those topics, but the media!

Yes, Timmy. And that's why you spend 80% of your time fighting gay marriage. Because the media is "obsessed" by these topics. But not you. You're a rootin', tootin', prayin' man made in jeebus' image. How lucky for you. If you'd been born a girl, you probably would have become a waitress -- because it would allow you to flap your mouth at the customers all day long. But jeebus had a plan for you. That's why he gave you a penis. God sure knows what he's doing, huh?

Go away, Timmy. Just go away. All you do in these appearances is flaunt the rotten state of your soul. Then again, your remarks probably push more people away from your evil church, so I guess it doesn't matter. But you sure are sickening.

Leaving the Scouts for Bizarro World

There is a strange article at NBC news about anti-gay fathers pulling their sons out of the Scouts now that gay kids are welcome in the organization. They seem to think the inclusion of gays instantly transformed every troop into Sodom and Gomorrah.

Consequently, a few wingnut fathers had half-a-chat with their sons, and told them they could no longer be a part of their beloved Boy Scouts. The kids were crushed.

“I feel pretty bad about it,” Evan [a boy whose father pulled him out] told NBC News, noting he liked the camp-outs, and archery and slingshot activities he enjoyed in Pack 56. He said that he understood there was a vote that led to his parents’ decision. He explained that he understood it as: “It was between honor and God, and not honoring God. And [not] honoring God got more votes.” 

The poor kid doesn't even know why his father is pulling him from his favorite activities. That explanation reminds me of how some parents describe sex to their kids without ever mentioning, you know, sex. Here's another tale from the article:

“It was hard to explain to a 9-year-old the complexities of why I was telling him that we had to quit,” Miller said. “He told me, 'Daddy, it should be like church. Everybody should be welcome.'”

Miller said he then told Cody that the point of going to church is to seek forgiveness — not for being all-inclusive.

“I said, 'These people aren’t asking for your forgiveness,'” Miller, 51, told NBC News in a telephone interview. “What they're doing is saying, 'this is what I am and you have to accept me like I am. I'm not coming to try to change.'

Seriously, these are episodes from Bizarro World. I can just imagine the sparkling, new organization these fathers will create for their holy Scouts. They'll probably stage a crucifixion each week to keep the boys on their toes. Maybe dress them up in vestments now and then to play "mass".

Gay-hating men are so weird. I don't think they even understand what they object to. It's just a big, mushy, frightening thing in their brains. It scares them so much that testosterone rages through their bodies and clouds their brains even further. They seem to think they're fighting a war, or something.

Hey, dads. Get over yourselves. Gay people exist and we're not going away. You'll  have to accept us or go find a hole in the ground to live in. And congratulations on making your sons cry for no rational reason. You sure know how to be great dads! PS: Enjoy Father's Day. Maybe someone special will give you some valium.

BSA opens door halfway

It's hard to cheer. The Boy Scouts of America has decided to allow gay kids to be Scouts...but will maintain a ban on gay adult leaders. A story at the NYT tells how one gay Scout sees this change:

Tessier is on track to receive his Eagle Scout award — he only needs to complete his final project — but said he is troubled that on his 18th birthday he could transform from someone holding Scouting's highest rank to someone unfit to be a part of the organization. 

"That one couple hours (between 17 and 18) will make me not a good person," he said. 

It's that twisted. But hey, gay Scouts are in. Let's see how long the ban on gay adult leaders lasts. Not long, I would think. 

I do have another concern, one I don't see echoed in any of the stories about this change at BSA. As matters stand, I think there's good reason to worry about handing your gay kid over to a straight male Scout leader who could easily be a homophobe. I'll bet there are lots of anti-gay nutjobs leading troops right now. Remember, the BSA has been a safe haven for such men for a very long time. For this reason, the BSA needs to arrange for a competent gay organization to provide sensitivity training sessions for all current and future leaders. And that's just the start. We'll also need to monitor how gay Scouts are treated by adult staff (and by straight Scouts who have been brain-damaged by all the crazy talk that preceded this decision).

But for today, let's just sit back and wait for wingnut heads to explode. This should be fun.

Gee, thanks!

Under pressure over its longstanding ban on gays, the Boys Scouts of America is proposing to lift the ban for youth members but continue to exclude gays as adult leaders. 

That will be a plus (I hope) for the gay boy scouts who are allowed in, though one wonders how they'll be treated by the bigoted staff and whether they'll be awarded badges like the normal other kids.

And when these gay scouts grow up and decide to share what they've learned by becoming adult scout leaders, I assume they'll be shown the door -- in a loving, godly way, of course. Like, don't let the door slam your ass on the way out, kid. What a wonderful experience for the child.

The Boy Scouts of America, like the Vatican, is determined to remain confused by sexuality. It's just too hard for them to understand.

BTW, the story hints at the responses the BSA received after sending out their dreadful survey. (I wrote about the survey when they announced that they were sending it out to members.) The questions were designed to elicit a negative response to gay scouts and leaders. However, it seems the BSA was surprised by the opposite response. In other words, everyone accurately sees them as bigots.

This decision only confirms the BSA's bigotry. It's a half-assed gesture that tells the world they've learned nothing during their self-imposed and very public period of introspection.

Maybe I'll root for the Ravens

Not every football player is homophobic. Terrell Suggs of the Ravens countered Chris Culliver's homophobia with these remarks:

Asked if he would have a problem with a gay teammate, Suggs answered, “Absolutely not.” Suggs then added that the rest of the team would welcome a gay teammate as well.
“We wouldn’t have a problem with it,” Suggs said. “We don’t care. Our biggest thing in the locker room is to just have fun and stay loose. We don’t really care too much about that. We’re a football team. I said it yesterday; everybody deserves a certain amount of privacy. Who cares? Whatever a person’s choice is, it’s their choice.”
Suggs said the Ravens’ locker room is a welcoming environment.
“On this team, with so many different personalities, we just accept people for who they are and we don’t really care too much about a player’s sexuality,” Suggs said. “To each their own. You know who you are, and we accept you for it.”

Hmmm. If I root for the Ravens, I'm rooting for the sexy manager. Hmmmmmmmm.

You have to wonder about that anti-gay crowd

Hat tip to Ed Brayton on this. He quotes from an article about Russia's inane charges against Madonna for championing gay rights during a concert. Apparently, the hearing on the matter was hilarious, even to Russians.

The ruling came after a one-day hearing that bordered on the farcical. During it, plaintiffs claimed that Madonna’s so-called “propaganda of perversion” would negatively affect Russia’s birthrate and erode the nation’s defense capability by depriving the country of future soldiers. At one point, the judge threatened to expel journalists from the courtroom if they laughed too much…

You really have to wonder about these religious-right, anti-gay loons. To even say such a thing -- that Russia's birthrate would plunge because the word "gay" was mentioned during a concert -- seems to indicate that the people making the charges experience same-sex attractions. Why else would they think this is a logical outcome of even mentioning teh gay? They must be fighting their own internal demons. They want to be gay, they want to act on the feelings that nearly overpower them. Therefore Madonna saying there's nothing wrong with being gay will cause hordes of men to seek out other men for sex.

Anti-gay loons are closet cases. I've always said this. And seeing this play out in a Russian courtroom only intensifies my suspicions.

Dolan rewarded for anti-gay bigotry

The popey guy pays his debt to the man who leads the church's anti-gay bigotry in the United States.

Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan will be among those elevated to cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church in a Vatican ceremony next month, the Archdiocese of New York announced in a news release on Friday.

Hitting on the homos really pays off. Dolan's going to get much better clothing out of this deal. The gold content will go up dramatically. I can just imagine the smile on his fat, stupid, sleazy face when he heard the news. God is good. Hallelujuah!