Bishop Gene Robinson: "Religion in general still presents the greatest obstacles we face in full equality," he said. "Ninety-five percent of the oppression that we know in our lives comes from the religious community."

"A lot of New Hampshire families have come to know people in their families who are gay, co-workers, former classmates and that's what really made this difference.

We are no longer talking about an issue," he said. "We are talking about people."

Gay bishop rejoices in NH's gay marriage vote

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/a...

ONCORD, N.H. (AP) — It was tough enough to get New Hampshire's lawmakers and governor to approve gay marriage, but Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson says there's an even tougher job ahead: getting churches to fully embrace gay marriage and gay people. "What we have to work against is countless centuries of tradition which has judged homosexual people to be an abomination before God," said Robinson, the Episcopal church's only openly gay bishop. Robinson sat in the front row of the gallery in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, hands clasped at times, praying for lawmakers to push a little green button that indicates a "yes" vote. In the end, there were 198 green lights to legalize gay marriage, and 176 red ones. The gallery erupted and Robinson was caught up in a sea of hugs, which continued as he walked through the Statehouse to a rally outside. "There are a lot of people standing here who, when we grew up, could not have imagined this," Robinson said. "You can't imagine something that is simply impossible. It's happened, in our lifetimes." But Robinson, who was elected bishop six years ago this month, said more must happen to change attitudes in churches. "The law says that every church gets to choose what it will do," he said, meaning they can refuse to perform gay marriages. Robinson approves, saying the law protects religious freedom. "But now we need to be working in our religious institutions to come to this new place about what is God's will about this," Robinson said. "I think a close look at that will reveal God loves all of God's children, not just certain ones, and that's the harder work." The law spells out that churches, their employees and religious groups cannot be forced to officiate at gay marriages or provide other services. They were key elements pushed by Gov. John Lynch to win his approval. But gay marriage opponents said the constitution already provides those protections to religious institutions. Th...

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ONCORD, N.H. (AP) — It was tough enough to get New Hampshire's lawmakers and governor to approve gay marriage, but Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson says there's an even tougher job ahead: getting churches to fully embrace gay marriage and gay people.

"What we have to work against is countless centuries of tradition which has judged homosexual people to be an abomination before God," said Robinson, the Episcopal church's only openly gay bishop.

Robinson sat in the front row of the gallery in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, hands clasped at times, praying for lawmakers to push a little green button that indicates a "yes" vote.

In the end, there were 198 green lights to legalize gay marriage, and 176 red ones.

The gallery erupted and Robinson was caught up in a sea of hugs, which continued as he walked through the Statehouse to a rally outside.

"There are a lot of people standing here who, when we grew up, could not have imagined this," Robinson said. "You can't imagine something that is simply impossible. It's happened, in our lifetimes."

But Robinson, who was elected bishop six years ago this month, said more must happen to change attitudes in churches.

"The law says that every church gets to choose what it will do," he said, meaning they can refuse to perform gay marriages. Robinson approves, saying the law protects religious freedom.

"But now we need to be working in our religious institutions to come to this new place about what is God's will about this," Robinson said. "I think a close look at that will reveal God loves all of God's children, not just certain ones, and that's the harder work."

The law spells out that churches, their employees and religious groups cannot be forced to officiate at gay marriages or provide other services.

They were key elements pushed by Gov. John Lynch to win his approval.

But gay marriage opponents said the constitution already provides those protections to religious institutions. They argued the protections should be expanded to cover commercial vendors, such as photographers and caterers. That drew fire from gay marriage supporters who said the state's anti-discrimination laws would be unraveled by allowing people to discriminate at will.

The law goes into effect in January.

In a speech in Washington last month, Robinson said despite recent momentum, the struggle continues for gay rights supporters in churches.

"Religion in general still presents the greatest obstacles we face in full equality," he said. "Ninety-five percent of the oppression that we know in our lives comes from the religious community."

Robinson's election in 2003 caused a rift in the global Anglican Communion, intensifying a long-running debate over what Anglicans should believe about salvation, sexuality and other issues. The Episcopal Church, the Anglican body in the U.S., is more liberal than growing Anglican churches in Africa and elsewhere.

Meeting in Egypt in February, Anglican leaders requested their churches continue a temporary ban — enacted after Robinson's election — on consecrating openly gay bishops and writing prayers for gay unions.

New Hampshire legalized civil unions for gay couples last year, but in a pastoral letter, Robinson told Episcopal clergy he would prefer they not preside at civil unions, instead, presiding over a blessing, afterward.

"It is my hope that we will be able to provide for the private, pastoral needs of the faithful people entrusted to our care, while causing a minimum of further furor in the Church," he wrote in February, 2008, a month after civil unions became legal in the state.

But he said he would be "personally and institutionally supportive" of clergy who did not want to bless a civil union.

Robinson and his partner of 20 years were united in a civil union a year ago this month.

He said legislators recognized that gay marriage is more than a policy question and hopes churches will do the same.

"A lot of New Hampshire families have come to know people in their families who are gay, co-workers, former classmates and that's what really made this difference. We are no longer talking about an issue," he said. "We are talking about people."

Damn I 'love' these people. 

Now they are after the Jews. 

Westboro Baptist Church are a funny bunch. LOL!

Militant anti-gay church turns its sights on Jews

http://jta.org/news/article/2009/05/1...

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- After years of focusing on gays and lesbians with its protests, the Westboro Baptist Church has a new target -- the Jewish community. The Topeka, Kan.-based church, which features the slogan “God Hates Fags,” protested at three Jewish sites here last Friday afternoon. The protests are part of a series of upcoming rallies that will bring members of the church to Jewish community institutions in Omaha, St. Louis, South Florida and Providence in the next few weeks, according to the church's Web site and fliers the group is distributing that list scheduled protests and proclaim “Jews Killed the Lord Jesus.” Led by Pastor Fred Phelps, the 71-member church, according to Anti-Defamation League research, first gained notoriety about a decade ago when it began picketing the funerals of gays or those they thought were gay -- including Matthew Shepard, who was the victim of an anti-gay attack. In recent years, church members frequently have protested outside the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, or at other events that are likely to bring news coverage and, in turn, publicity to the church. One such event was the funeral of three young girls killed in a traffic accident. While picketing outside the Washington office of the Anti-Defamation League last Friday, Phelps' daughter Margie told JTA that the group is now focusing on the Jewish community because church members have been “testifying” to gentiles for 19 years that “America is doomed” and they haven't gotten the message. “Now it's too late," she said. "We're done with them.” Margie Phelps added, “one of the loudest voices” in favor of homosexuality and abortion is “the Jews, especially the rabbis.” “They claim to be God's chosen people,” she said. “Do you think that God is going to wink at that forever?” Deborah Lauter, the ADL's director of civil rights, said the church has always been “anti-Semitic” but never targeted the Jewish community until recently. S...

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- After years of focusing on gays and lesbians with its protests, the Westboro Baptist Church has a new target -- the Jewish community.

The Topeka, Kan.-based church, which features the slogan “God Hates Fags,” protested at three Jewish sites here last Friday afternoon. The protests are part of a series of upcoming rallies that will bring members of the church to Jewish community institutions in Omaha, St. Louis, South Florida and Providence in the next few weeks, according to the church's Web site and fliers the group is distributing that list scheduled protests and proclaim “Jews Killed the Lord Jesus.”

Led by Pastor Fred Phelps, the 71-member church, according to Anti-Defamation League research, first gained notoriety about a decade ago when it began picketing the funerals of gays or those they thought were gay -- including Matthew Shepard, who was the victim of an anti-gay attack.

In recent years, church members frequently have protested outside the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, or at other events that are likely to bring news coverage and, in turn, publicity to the church. One such event was the funeral of three young girls killed in a traffic accident.

While picketing outside the Washington office of the Anti-Defamation League last Friday, Phelps' daughter Margie told JTA that the group is now focusing on the Jewish community because church members have been “testifying” to gentiles for 19 years that “America is doomed” and they haven't gotten the message.

“Now it's too late," she said. "We're done with them.”

Margie Phelps added, “one of the loudest voices” in favor of homosexuality and abortion is “the Jews, especially the rabbis.”

“They claim to be God's chosen people,” she said. “Do you think that God is going to wink at that forever?”

Deborah Lauter, the ADL's director of civil rights, said the church has always been “anti-Semitic” but never targeted the Jewish community until recently. She said the ADL isn't entirely sure what triggered the new focus on Jews, but speculated that the help the ADL provided to a school that the church picketed last month for performing the musical “Rent” could have something to do with it.

Mark Potok, director of the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project tracking hate groups, said he didn't think there was any real significance to the church's new focus on Jews.

“With a group willing to picket the funerals of little girls killed in a school bus crash, it's hard to be surprised by anything they do,” Potok said.

“They're the farthest fringe,” he said, noting that even hard-line anti-gay groups are embarrassed by Phelps' church.

Lauter added that the protesters are not violent and don't try to recruit others to their cause. But they are provocative and are “baiting the Jewish community to respond.”

“We're advising Jewish institutions not to give them the publicity they crave,” she said, and not engage the protesters.

In Washington, the group first picketed the funeral of former congressman Jack Kemp, and then protested outside the ADL offices, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the city's largest synagogue, Washington Hebrew Congregation. (The group positioned itself across the street from the museum -- on the edge of the National Mall -- meaning that visitors to the museum that afternoon did not even necessarily see them when entering the facility.)

Margie Phelps and three fellow church members stood on the sidewalk and held signs stating that “God Hates Israel,” “Jews Killed Jesus,” “America Is Doomed,” “Israel Is Doomed,” and “ADL Jew Bullies.” One of the four women had an Israeli flag tied around her waist that dragged on the ground; she stepped on the flag as she walked.

Alluding to prophecy in the book of Revelation, Phelps said that all the nations of the world would soon be marching on Israel, led by President Obama, whom she called the “antichrist.” She said “Israel is doomed” and that only the 144,000 “righteous Jews out there” would survive the “persecution” that all other Jews will experience.

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) has awarded its 2009 Felipa de Souza Award to the Lebanese group Helem.

IGLHRC’s Felipa Award recognises the courage and effectiveness of groups or leaders dedicated to improving the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other individuals stigmatised and abused because of their sexuality or HIV status.

Helem is the first organisation in the Arab world to set up a gay and lesbian community centre. Helem’s work has consistently broken new ground in a country that criminalises homosexuality and where violence and abuse are persistent problems.

IGLHRC’s Executive Director Paula Ettelbrick said, “Helem works in very challenging circumstances to make a very real difference to the lives of countless LGBTI people in the Middle East and beyond. We applaud their courage and commitment to human rights for all.”

Helem was founded in 2004 and is based in Beirut, with support chapters in Australia, France, Canada and the United States. The organisation’s work ranges from advocacy to public education. A major focus of its human rights advocacy work revolves around eradicating Article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code, which is used to criminalise homosexuality.

Congratulations to a most deserving and courageous organisation.

Local gay rights organization to receive award in US - The Daily Star - Lebanon News

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.a...

BEIRUT: A Lebanese gay rights organization will on Monday be presented with a prestigious international award in the United States in recognition of its work. Helem, an Arabic acronym of "Lebanese Protection for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgenders" but also meaning 'dream,' is a Beirut-based non-governmental organization that has worked since 2004 to promote the legal, social and cultural rights of the above individuals. Helem was the first organization of its kind in the Middle East, though it has since been joined by ASWAT (Voices), an organization for Palestinian lesbians, and the Iranian Queer Railroad. The organization was selected by The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) as the 2009 recipient of the Felipa de Souza Award in recognition of Helem's work to improve the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) and others who face discrimination because of their sexuality or HIV positive status. Announcing the award, IGLHRC said: "The first organization in the Arab world to set up a gay and lesbian community center, Helem's work has consistently broken new ground in a country that criminalizes homosexuality and where violence and abuse are persistent problems. We applaud their courage and commitment to human rights for all." "We are very proud to accept the Felipa Award from IGLHRC," Helem board member Shadi Ghrawi said in a statement. "It's a great honor to be selected. We hope it will help advance the struggle for human rights for LGBTI people in Lebanon and throughout the Middle East." The Felipa Award will be presented to Helem's coordinator, George Azzi, on March 30 in New York and on April 2 in San Francisco, California. Among Helem's primary activities is a campaign to have Article 534, which criminalizes homosexuality under "unnatural sexual intercourse," removed from the Lebanese penal code. Activists claim the article is used to intimidate the LGBTI community, and those convicted un...

BEIRUT: A Lebanese gay rights organization will on Monday be presented with a prestigious international award in the United States in recognition of its work. Helem, an Arabic acronym of "Lebanese Protection for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgenders" but also meaning 'dream,' is a Beirut-based non-governmental organization that has worked since 2004 to promote the legal, social and cultural rights of the above individuals. Helem was the first organization of its kind in the Middle East, though it has since been joined by ASWAT (Voices), an organization for Palestinian lesbians, and the Iranian Queer Railroad.

The organization was selected by The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) as the 2009 recipient of the Felipa de Souza Award in recognition of Helem's work to improve the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) and others who face discrimination because of their sexuality or HIV positive status. Announcing the award, IGLHRC said: "The first organization in the Arab world to set up a gay and lesbian community center, Helem's work has consistently broken new ground in a country that criminalizes homosexuality and where violence and abuse are persistent problems. We applaud their courage and commitment to human rights for all."

"We are very proud to accept the Felipa Award from IGLHRC," Helem board member Shadi Ghrawi said in a statement. "It's a great honor to be selected. We hope it will help advance the struggle for human rights for LGBTI people in Lebanon and throughout the Middle East."

The Felipa Award will be presented to Helem's coordinator, George Azzi, on March 30 in New York and on April 2 in San Francisco, California.

Among Helem's primary activities is a campaign to have Article 534, which criminalizes homosexuality under "unnatural sexual intercourse," removed from the Lebanese penal code. Activists claim the article is used to intimidate the LGBTI community, and those convicted under it can spend up to one year in prison. According to Helem, abolishing Article 534 would "help reduce state and societal persecution and pave the way to achieving equality for the LGBT community in Lebanon."

Helem also offers free and anonymous 15-minute HIV tests to the general public while advocating the rights of HIV positive individuals.

News of Helem's award comes two months after the group's vocal criticism against the violent assault of two gay men by members of the Lebanese Armed Forces in Beirut's Sassine Square area. Soldiers found the two men embracing in the lobby of an abandoned building and dragged them into the street and beat them. "One, half naked, was even exhibited to bystanders  ... just for fun," said a statement by Helem in late January.

According to the group, the men were detained at a military barracks and were handed over to the civil authorities, who continue to detain them. "It is high time that the country's lawmakers looked at an obsolete, ridiculous law that condemns and punishes homosexuality in Lebanon," Helem said of Article 534. "At a time when gay marriage is permitted in many countries, the [Lebanese] authorities hypocritically deny the simplest expression of reality that they will have to face one day or another."

I had a very enjoyable time with family over the Christmas period.  However I am sad to say that my enthusiasm for the celebration of Christmas itself had taken an enormous nose dive.

I had intended writing a post four days prior to Christmas about the positive aspects of the Christmas story in the context of Christianity and that even non-Christians could still find some value in it.

The post was never written.

I had been doing some reading into the formation of the Christian church.  I read about the appalling actions of the founders of the Roman Catholic Church and the extremes they went to in order to cement their view of Christianity onto the public that they "ruled" over.  There was no love or goodwill, but instead there was violence and oppression.  The RCC was an organisation that demanded total conformity from all and stamped out any divergence from their thinking and it did so with charges of heresy and ultimately death to the so called heretic.

Even deciding which books should be included in the Bible was not a pleasant discussion, but instead consisted of many meetings filled with violent outbursts between the different factions and at times the violence between the factions lead to deaths.

I knew that Christianity and the RCC had been corrupt and had done shocking things such as the Inquisition, but I didn't realise that the institution of Christianity was initially founded on such a high level of hate and violence.

I could go on and on but I won't except to say, this finding on top of the way some churches behaved in promoting Prop 8 in California, was virtually the last straw as far as my tolerance level for the promotion of hate by some religious organisations.

Thankfully there were some signs of love and goodwill out in the community away from the domineering members of organised religion.

This is the carol which was sung at Melbourne's Carol's by Candlelight which improved my Christmas cheer.

It was not the carol itself, but rather the two people who were singing it and the fact that two openly gay men who are a couple were able to sing a duet at Victoria's most traditional annual Christmas event.

Faithful flock back sacked priest's Mass

http://www.theage.com.au/national/fai...

THE first Australian priest to be sacked from his parish for being "not in communion" with Rome has defied the Catholic hierarchy by promising to conduct Mass as usual this weekend. In a decision that is likely to reverberate throughout the Catholic community, the Archbishop of Brisbane yesterday fired Father Peter Kennedy for unorthodox practices. Father Kennedy, of St Mary's in South Brisbane, allows women to preach, blesses gay couples, denies the virgin birth and claims the Catholic Church is dysfunctional. It is the first time a priest has been sacked in Australia for breaking rank with Rome and follows secret filming of unorthodox liturgies at St Mary's and complaints to the Vatican by arch-conservative Catholics. In his decree, the archbishop said Father Kennedy had "caused harm to ecclesiastical communion in spite of frequent requests from me to do otherwise". And in a statement he said: "This decision brings me no satisfaction as division within the church is contrary to all that Christ taught." Father Kennedy said he felt betrayed by the archbishop but conceded that the parish he has led for 28 years was out of line with the teachings of the church. "We have broken liturgical rules," he said yesterday. "We have treated people as adults, we have embraced gay and lesbian people, we have women coming into our community to preach." He said his liturgies were still valid. "We celebrate in a way that is relevant to Australian Catholics, rather than toeing the line in Rome." Father Ken Howell will take over St Mary's tomorrow as an administrator and has said he wants to work towards healing. Father Kennedy will not go quietly — he plans to say Mass at 9am on Sunday and expects 1000 people to turn up. But he has backed away from threats that he would form a breakaway church. "I don't wish to do that. We argue but we are very much within the Catholic tradition." Instead, he will formally appeal against the archbishop's decision, an...

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Father Peter Kennedy

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Father Kennedy has been sacked for challenging traditional Catholic Church practices by changing rituals, allowing women to preach and blessing gay couples.

Father Kennedy said he felt betrayed by the archbishop but conceded that the parish he has led for 28 years was out of line with the teachings of the church. "We have broken liturgical rules," he said yesterday. "We have treated people as adults, we have embraced gay and lesbian people, we have women coming into our community to preach."

He said his liturgies were still valid. "We celebrate in a way that is relevant to Australian Catholics, rather than toeing the line in Rome."

Father Ken Howell will take over St Mary's tomorrow as an administrator and has said he wants to work towards healing.

Father Kennedy will not go quietly — he plans to say Mass at 9am on Sunday and expects 1000 people to turn up. But he has backed away from threats that he would form a breakaway church. "I don't wish to do that. We argue but we are very much within the Catholic tradition."

Instead, he will formally appeal against the archbishop's decision, and until the matter is resolved he will continue attending St Mary's.

Father Kennedy's supporters were distraught at his sacking and predicted it would destroy the good work he has done.

"People see this as the end of the community as we know it," a spokeswoman for the parish, Karyn Walsh, said.

It is refreshing to see members of the Catholic Church taking a stand against the discrimination against women and LGBT people.  I know that there have been quite a number of people trying to work within the frame work of the RCC to effect change, especially in regards to the ordination of women priests. 

I cannot understand how the RCC can justify not allowing women clergy.  The only justification I can see is that they are misusing Christian scripture to keep their church as an "all boys club." 

The RCC generally claims that Christian scripture and its interpretation is always alive and fluid; as we continue to understand the world and as our culture shifts in positive directions, then scripture should be reassessed and possibly reinterpreted.

If this did not occur then the RCC would still:

Forbid banks to charge interest on loans.

Be in favour of slavery.

Believe that the Sun revolved around the Earth.

Not accept evolution

Not accept democracy.

And the list goes on.

The interpretation of the Christian Bible and homosexuality also needs to be reviewed by the RCC and many other churches.  There are plenty of interpretations around now to show that a committed same sex couple are not living in sin and deserve to have their relationship blessed by the church.

The only way the RCC will change its doctrine is if enough people start to challenge the RCC.

I wish Father Peter Kennedy and his supporters the best of luck in their endeavour to challenge the teachings of the RCC. 

The world needs more people like Father Peter Kennedy.

For more information on interpretation of Christian scripture in regards to both women clergy and LGBT people in the church see these websites:

The ordination of women in the Roman Catholic Church

A Letter to Louise - A Biblical Affirmation of Homosexuality

Fortunate Families

Homosexuality

I couldn't agree more.

To This Minister, Prop. 8 Is Repugnant

By The Rev. Madison Shockley

As a minister for almost 30 years I have had the joy of performing many weddings. Ministers are called upon to participate in a variety of important moments in the lives of their people; none is more filled with joy than a wedding. In recent years, I have had the opportunity to perform same-gender wedding ceremonies with the blessing of my denomination, the United Church of Christ. But it wasn’t until recent months (June to be exact) that I was able to perform such weddings with the authority of the state of California.

Since the state court ruling legalizing equal marriage in California, I have performed eight weddings for same-gender couples. Only one of them had not previously had some other kind of religious or social ceremony to celebrate their relationship. What I find most interesting is how important it is for couples, many of whom have been together for decades, to have the opportunity to be legally married. For most of us straight allies, the right to marry is so fundamental it is difficult to imagine what it would mean to be prohibited from marrying the person we love. Even more difficult to imagine is that the voters of California could conspire to negate my marriage of 25 years! And that brings us to the situation in which we find ourselves regarding Proposition 8, on Tuesday’s ballot in California.

The thousands of same-gender couples who have married in the few months since the California Supreme Court cleared the way are in fact married. The notion that a majority vote by people who are not party to these marriages of love, commitment, care and family will have the power to impose a divorce on these couples is flatly repugnant. The idea that those who wish to form relationships that will enhance their lives, provide a framework of support and nurture for their relationship, protect their families (especially their children) from uncertainty at the most vulnerable times in life (particularly illness and death) should be prohibited because of the religious feelings of some and the blatant bias of others strikes me as un-American.

It has often been noted that the Bill of Rights would have a difficult time passing today. The freedom of religion goes both ways. One is free to marry according to one’s faith (or personal beliefs) and others are free to marry according to their faith (or personal beliefs). As a minister of one of the oldest religious traditions in America (the Pilgrim Congregationalists are our ecclesiastical ancestors) I stand in the tradition of the freedom of conscience that was the basis not only of Protestantism but of democracy and liberty at the founding of the United States.

“The moral arc of the universe is long but it bends toward justice” are words made more famous by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the course of the civil rights movement of the 1960s. It was his subtle way of warning those wedded to the ideology of segregation that they were not only inevitably wrong but that the world, despite their best efforts, would inevitably change. Many of the advances of the civil rights era were won at the bar of the court and not at the ballot box. It is sad to see black clergy of the megachurch movement, like Frederick Price of the Crenshaw Christian Center, sullying the moral authority of the black church by partnering with the right-wing evangelicals, Mormons and Knights of Columbus to pass Proposition 8. It is a travesty to see the proponents of Prop. 8 use children like human shields against any charge of homophobia that might rightly be leveled against them. They send out mailers and produce ads that use words like violated and child sacrifice in the same sentence with their protestations against gay marriage. The most ironic part of this unholy alliance is that removing discrimination against a class of people is at the heart of equal marriage. The proponents feel if they can leverage the symbol of the struggle against discrimination (black folks) they can blunt the edge of the argument for equal marriage.

I do pray that voters in California will get on the right side of justice and the right side of history on Tuesday. If Proposition 8 passes it will be a devastatingly painful affirmation of our culture’s capacity to inflict intentional harm on millions of persons whose only crime is a desire to live and love honestly. This time it is different from 2000 when Californians voted on Proposition 22, a measure to block same-sex marriage. Then, we had inherited a world in which these relationships were not recognized by law or custom. But now we have entered, although only recently, a brave new world in which all persons may live and love with equality before the law. To go backward would be a tragedy; not just for them but also for all of us who regard as more civilized a society that offers more and not less opportunity for meaningful, legitimate participation by all its citizens.

.

Hell we have to blame someone for all of the wrongs and the natural disasters in the world so it may as well be the gays and their evil ways. 

Then if not we can blame the Jews, the blacks, the Muslims, the elderly, the sick, the poor, the atheists, the Catholics, the liberals, the socialists, the communists, the intellectuals, the artists, the gypsies, the ......., the ......., the ......., the ........ oh to hell with it, I will let you fill in the gaps.

Same-sex relationship laws still lagging: High Court Judge Michael Kirby

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/20...

High Court Judge Michael Kirby says despite moves to amend discrimination in a number of federal laws, same-sex relationships have been left behind. Delivering the Rights Australia inaugural John Marsden lecture in Sydney last night, Justice Kirby said denying homosexuals the civil status of marriage was discriminatory. He said that while many other countries had adopted marriage or civil union laws to protect the civic rights of same-sex couples, Australia lagged behind. "In Australia, legislation is presently before the Federal Parliament to rectify the discriminatory provisions in a large collection of federal laws," he said in his speech. "However, relationship measures lag behind." Justice Kirby said even civil unions seemed a bridge too far. "The relationships of same-sex couples can only be registered, rather like a dog or busker's licence," the openly gay judge said. "I hope that fellow citizens of goodwill who think upon this will not be surprised if many homosexual people in loving relationships say politely to this differentiation: 'Thank you, but no thank you'." Justice Kirby said the debate on recognition for same-sex unions would continue in Australia. "The direction of history, at least in countries like our own, seems to be in favour of the abiding principle of the equality of citizens of all ages, races, colours, creeds and sexualities," he said. Marsden Mr Marsden, a controversial figure who was also open about his homosexuality, was president of the NSW Law Society and the NSW Council of Civil Liberties during his career. In 1994, he became the subject of paedophilia allegations aired under privilege in the NSW Parliament, but the Director of Public Prosecutions found insufficient evidence to support the claims. Mr Marsden then sued commercial television station Channel Seven after its Today Tonight and Witness current affairs programs aired similar allegations. He eventually won what became Australia's l...

Come on Australia we shouldn't be lagging behind the world on this matter.  We are a secular society and one of the most secular in the world.

I know this will be a slow process but it just seems so simple to me.

In the main religious views seem to prevent same sex marriages from becoming lawful as it seems religious groups are the ones who get most irate when this subject is raised.

So if we are living in a secular society it is totally beyond me why we can't at least have civil marriages conducted by celebrants or other non-religious people who are permitted to conduct such a service.  Then let those churches who are against same sex marriage catch up when they have sorted their views out amongst themselves.  There will at least be some church organisations willing to conduct same sex marriages in their church if a couple wish to be married in a church.

Former McCain Supporter Accuses the Senator of “Deliberately Feeding the Most Unhinged Elements of Our Society the Red Meat of Hate”

Frank Schaeffer is the bestselling author of Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back. He is the son of the late evangelist Francis Schaeffer and considered himself a lifelong Republican. He voted for John McCain in 2000, and McCain even endorsed one of Schaeffer’s earlier books on military service. But on Friday, Schaeffer published an open letter to McCain excoriating the Arizona senator.

“John McCain: If your campaign does not stop equating Sen. Barack Obama with terrorism, questioning his patriotism and portraying Mr. Obama as ‘not one of us,’ I accuse you of deliberately feeding the most unhinged elements of our society the red meat of hate, and therefore of potentially instigating violence.

“At a Sarah Palin rally, someone called out, ‘Kill him!’ At one of your rallies, someone called out, ‘Terrorist!’ Neither was answered or denounced by you or your running mate, as the crowd laughed and cheered. At your campaign event Wednesday in Bethlehem, Pa., the crowd was seething with hatred for the Democratic nominee—an attitude encouraged in speeches there by you, your running mate, your wife and the local Republican chairman.

“Shame!

“John McCain: In 2000, as a lifelong Republican, I worked to get you elected instead of George W. Bush. In return, you wrote an endorsement of one of my books about military service. You seemed to be a man who put principle ahead of mere political gain.

“You have changed. You have a choice: Go down in history as a decent senator and an honorable military man with many successes, or go down in history as the latest abettor of right-wing extremist hate.

“John McCain, you are no fool, and you understand the depths of hatred that [surround] the issue of race in this country. You also know that, post-9/11, to call someone a friend of a terrorist is a very serious matter. You also know we are [a bitterly divided country] on many other issues. You know that, sadly, in America, violence is always just a moment away. You know that there are plenty of crazy people out there.

“Stop! Think! Your rallies are beginning to look, sound, feel and smell like lynch mobs.

“John McCain, you’re walking a perilous line. If you do not stand up for all that is good in America and declare that Senator Obama is a patriot, fit for office, and denounce your hate-filled supporters when they scream out ‘Terrorist’ or ‘Kill him,’ history will hold you responsible for all that follows.

“John McCain and Sarah Palin, you are playing with fire, and you know it. You are unleashing the monster of American hatred and prejudice, to the peril of all of us. You are doing this in wartime. You are doing this as our economy collapses. You are doing this in a country with a history of assassinations.

“Change the atmosphere of your campaign. Talk about the issues at hand. Make your case. But stop stirring up the lunatic fringe of haters, or risk suffering the judgment of history and the loathing of the American people—forever.

“We will hold you responsible.”

See the full interview from DemocracyNow

These interviews are also worth a look at as well:

Max Blumenthal on Sarah Palin’s Radical Right-Wing Pals and Her Ties to the Pro-Secessionist Alaskan Independence Party

Robert Parry: Why Are McCain Backers So Angry?

Max Blumenthal's latest videos from Wasilla Alaska as mentioned and partly shown on the link above about Palin's Right-Wing Pals

Equality 4 Everyone

Equal Love = Equal Rights

Hi,

71% of Australians believe same sex couples should have the same rights as de facto couples, as does every Australian State and Territory Government.

Despite this, in almost 60 pieces of federal legislation, same sex couples are discriminated against – an affront to our basic values of fairness and justice.

Finally, after more than a year of intense lobbying, the Senate will debate laws tomorrow that remove this outdated discrimination but some opposed to removing the discrimination are trying to introduce amendments to frustrate and delay the bill.

Can you join me in signing this petition today to help finally wipe this discrimination off the books?

http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/EqualBeforeTheLaw

We all deserve to live our lives free from government discrimination. This petition could be the difference in finally scrapping these laws. Your signature can help start us firmly on the path towards greater equality.

We need every last signature to convince the remaining doubters that no excuses remain for not wiping this discrimination off the books. Will you join me and add to the final figure being presented to politicians before they vote?

http://www.getup.org.au/campaign/EqualBeforeTheLaw

Thanks!