January 2010

Lively Says Uganda Anti-Gay Bill Is "A Step In The Right Direction"

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Tuesday, 1/5/2010 10:52 am

Alan Colmes interviewed Scott Lively on his radio program last night regarding this New York Times article examining Lively's influence on the introduction of a bill that would impose the death penalty for gays.

During the interview with Colmes, Lively continually insisted that he did not support the death penalty aspect of the bill, but called it a "step in the right directon":

Scott Lively, one of three evangelicals who went to Uganda at in 2009 to preach against gays, says he doesn’t support Uganda’s bill that would punish homosexuality by life imprisonment of death. Nevertheless, he said, on my radio show Monday night, it’s “a step in the right direction.” He refused to say that gays should get jail time, but said it should be treated as a we treat those who smoke marijuana. Yet, he refused to back off his “step in the right direction” comment.

The entire interview is fascinating and lasts more than twenty minutes - you can listen to it here:

Right Wing Round-Up

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Monday, 1/4/2010 6:54 pm
  • In times of trouble, remind me not to turn to Brit Hume..

  • Rick Warren needed $900,000 in end-of-the-year donations and got $2.4 million instead.

  • The New York Times examines the role that three American anti-gay activists played in the creation of Uganda's death penalty for gays effort.

  • Apparently, Oklahoma Republicans are going to attempt to "opt-out" of federal hate crimes laws. Good luck with that.

  • The Washington Monthly explains how David Barton, Don McLeroy, and other Texas conservatives are rewriting your kids’ textbooks.

  • You know, if GOProud has a problem with WorldNetDaily's reporting, they ought to take it up with WND, not Good As You.

  • Finally, I never fail to be amazed at the sort of outrageous things conservatives can get away with saying.

Right Wing Leftovers

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Monday, 1/4/2010 6:39 pm
  • Focus on the Family says it is "fully engaged in making our objection known" to CPAC's decision to allow the gay conservative group GOProud to co-sponsor the event.

  • Speaking of Focus, the organization is also reportedly preparing to run an anti-abortion ad during the Super Bowl.

  • James Traficant says that he is going to run for Congress in 2010.

  • Rep. Parker Griffith's entire staff resigned after his recent decision to switch parties and become a Republican.

  • Christian Anti-Defamation Commission released its list of the "Top Ten Anti-Christian Attacks in 2009."

  • Finally, do you know what is causing the delay in the Messiah's appearance in Israel? Abortion, of course.

Farah Joining Bachmann and Palin at National Tea Party Convention

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Monday, 1/4/2010 4:08 pm

We already knew that Sarah Palin and Rep. Michele Bachmann were going to be joining right-wing activists like Roy Moore and Rick Scarborough at the First National Tea Party Convention next month.

But now organizers have added another new and exciting guest - Joseph Farah:

The First National Tea Party Convention hosted by Tea Party Nation is happy to announce updates to the convention itinerary.

World Net Daily's Joseph Farah and Fox News Contributor Angela McGlowan will be attending the convention and both will be speaking at the Friday evening dinner.

If the fact that Palin, the 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate, will be sharing the stage with Farah, a full-fledged conspiracy theorist/Birther, doesn't perfectly sum up the current state of the conservative movement, I don't know what does.

What Passes For News At CBN

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Monday, 1/4/2010 2:32 pm

CBN's David Brody asks "why is everybody so angry at government these days?" And by "everybody," he apparently means "right wing tea party activists" and Republican leaders like Rep. Michele Bachmann and Newt Gingrich, which is why he produced this segment in which he likens the current right-wing opposition to President Obama and the Democratic Congress to the American Revolution, with Gingrich explaining that Americans are once again outraged at their "aloof" and "dictatorial" government:

Obama Lied About Being A Christian

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Monday, 1/4/2010 1:18 pm

Patrick Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition declares that President Obama is not a Christian and lists some of the reasons why:

The President covered up a white cross and a symbol for the name of Jesus at a Georgetown University speech.

President Obama did not publicly celebrate the National Day of Prayer at the White House yet celebrated Gay and Lesbian Pride Month as well as Islamic religious observations at the White House.

For the first time in 43 years, the Obama Administration banned a military flyover at a "God and Country Rally" in Nampa, Idaho.

On a White House Christmas tree, the President asked that no religious ornaments be sent it, yet they displayed an ornament with the image of the brutal dictator, Mao Zedong, a leader who oversaw the deaths of over 50,000,000 million of his own people.

The President issued strong support for a Senate Health Care Bill which included public monies to fund abortions.

In the midst of the worst economic downturn in decades, Team Obama spent $150, 000,000 on the Presidential Inauguration ignoring the needs of the poor and struggling across the country.

Mahoney goes on the accuse Obama of intentionally misleading America into believing that he was a Christian when he obviously is not, as proven by the fact that the Obama's don't go to church enough: 

"It is important to note that it was President Obama who made his regular church attendance and the importance of a local church community a major part of his campaign. He stated in the national press that he, 'regularly attends church while on the campaign trail.'

"The issue is not whether a President has to attend church on a regular basis to be an effective President. They do not. The issue is one of integrity and honesty. To portray yourself as person of deep Christian faith and very involved in the life of the local church during the campaign and then abandon that position after you are elected reduces faith to a commodity and religion to a political tool.

"Finally, the White House has said they have not found a church home for President Obama and his family in Washington, D.C. because they do not want to be a disruptive factor for the local church. This is a completely disingenuous and misleading argument. The overwhelming majority of churches in the Washington would love to have the President and his family attend their church and would welcome them with open arms.

"Simply stated; Mr. President if your Christian faith and involvement with a local church means as much to you as you say it does please find a vibrant local community for you and your family to worship Christ."

Lisa Miller Disappears, Liberty Counsel Silent

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Monday, 1/4/2010 11:51 am

Last week we noted that with the deadline approaching for Lisa Miller to hand over custody of her daughter Isabella to her former partner, Janet Jenkins, due to her consistent refusal to abide by court-ordered custody arrangement, Miller and Isabella had suddenly disappeared.

Well, the deadline has come and gone and the two are nowhere to be seen:

A woman at the center of a complex dispute with her former lesbian partner defied a court order to give up custody of her 7-year-old daughter Friday, opening the door to possible criminal charges.

A Vermont judge had ordered Lisa Miller to turn over daughter Isabella to Janet Jenkins at 1 p.m. Friday at the Falls Church, Va., home of Jenkins' parents. Miller did not show up with the girl, according to Fairfax County, Va., police and Jenkins' Vermont-based attorney.

"She's very disappointed, obviously," said Sarah Star, Jenkins' lawyer. "She's very concerned about Isabella and asks that if anybody sees Isabella, that they please contact the authorities."

The Jenkins family called police after Miller failed to show. A detective interviewed the family and determined that Fairfax County authorities would not be investigating the girl's whereabouts because of jurisdictional concerns, said Officer Tawny Wright, a police spokeswoman.

Star said she had also contacted authorities in Rutland County, Vt., where Jenkins lives, and Bedford County, Va., where Miller was living the last time Jenkins knew her whereabouts. Wright said it would be up to authorities in those counties to decide whether to investigate.

If police believe a crime has been committed, they would obtain a criminal warrant charging Miller with parental abduction. For the time being, the case remains a civil matter.

Interestingly, neither Mat Staver nor anyone from Liberty Counsel, who have been representing Miller, have had any comment, despite the fact that they have spent the last several years turning Miller into a right-wing hero, even creating a Facebook page to support her.

So while the organization apparently has nothing to say about the fact that the "ex-gay" Christian woman they represent has disappeared with her daughter rather than abide by court orders, Liberty Counsel does have the time to issue new press releases claiming that abortion coverage in healthcare legislation is unconstitutional.

Here is a CNN segment on the case, via Truth Wins Out:

James Dobson Striking Out On His Own

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Monday, 1/4/2010 11:14 am

Last February, it was announced that James Dobson was stepping down from his position as Chairman of Focus on the Family.  Following that announcement, we started seeing lots of articles claiming that Dobson had conceded the culture wars and was throwing in the towel, a claim which Dobson vigorously disputed, saying that even though he was stepping down as Chairman, we would maintain his presence as the voice of Focus on the Family's flagship radio program and continue to speak out on moral and political issues.

Then Jim Daly took over as Chairman for the organization and began hinting that we'd see a different tone from them ... but that proved to be easier said then done, with Dobson remaining that voice of the organization and agenda.  Which is why, in October, it was announced that Dobson would be leaving the Focus radio program in February.

As Dobson made clear, the decision to leave was not his, but came to him from the Board of Directors, which Dobson only accepted because God told him that he had bigger plans in mind.

Now it looks like those plans are beginning to take shape because when Dobson leaves Focus in February, he's striking out on his own and setting up a new organization and radio program that will seemingly compete directly with his former organization because, as he explains, he just cannot sit on the sidelines at a time of such "moral decline":

This is the first announcement of a brand new 30 minute daily radio program to be carried on numerous stations, beginning in March, 2010. It is called JCDs Family Forum, and will be changed soon to James Dobson on the Family. The program will be much like what you have heard on Focus on the Family for the past 33 years. It will deal with marriage, child-rearing, family finances, medical and psychological concerns, national issues, the sanctity of human life, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. My son, Ryan Dobson, will co-host the program with me, which will be a exciting adventure.

...

From one perspective, it would be pleasurable for Shirley and me to get up in the morning and go to breakfast, read the newspaper, travel and be with friends. That prospect of an easy life is attractive to us. On the other hand, the institution of the family continues to be in deplorable condition, and children are growing up in a culture that often twists and warps their young minds. Furthermore, our nation is facing a crisis that threatens its very existence. We are in a moral decline of shocking dimensions. I have asked myself how I can I sit and watch the world go by without trying to help if I can. That is what motivates me at this time.

It is not fame or fortune that drives this new effort. I will not take a salary from the ministry and I have had more than my share of fame. My purpose is much like it was all those years ago when I made the most dramatic career move of my life, transitioning from a coveted professorial position in academia to a lowly little Christian radio program heard once a week on 34 stations. Tyndale House Publishers gave us a grant of $35,000 to get us started, and when that money ran out, we almost closed our doors. But then, the Lord's people reached out to us generously and the ministry caught fire. Perhaps it will happen again.

If you wish to help us get started, send your contributions to JCD's Family Forum, which will later be called James Dobson on the Family. Gifts are tax deductible and will be receipted. The address is 7150 Campus Drive, Suite 150, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80920. Contributions can also be made through the website. Your participation will be greatly appreciated, especially during this time when startup costs will be very expensive. The budget for the first year, including the costs of radio airtime, will be about two million dollars. Even a small gift for that purpose will be significant.

Once again, we will build from the ground up in a shared venture.

Please be in prayer for us as we take this step. We don't want to get ahead of or behind the Lord. If He doesn't bless our efforts to serve Him, it will all be for naught. Thank you for reading along with me today. Once again, my heart is pounding with the excitement of doing something that could be significant for others. I invite you to take the journey with us.