TENNESSEE CHURCH KICKS OUT FAMILY FOR SUPPORTING LESBIAN DAUGHTER

The Coopers of Collegedale, TN had been members of the Ridgedale Church of Christ for over three generations. That all changed when they were photographed at a city council meeting that voted 4-1 to approve same-sex benefits to government employees. The Coopers' daughter, Kat, is a lesbian and a detective with the Collegedale Police Department and had been leading the cause to have those benefits extended to gay couples. Because they showed up to support her, the church met privately with Kat's parents, aunt, and uncle and gave them an ultimatum: repent for their sins and ask forgiveness in front of the congregation, or leave the church, the Times Free Press reports.

Episcopal Church Break-Up Over Gay Clergy Leads To Colossal Legal Battle

A schism in the Episcopal Church over gay clergy has lead to one of the largest church-property disputes in U.S. history.

The Texas Supreme Court will decide who owns more than 50 Fort Worth-area churches, since the Fort Worth Episcopal diocese is no longer affiliated with the mother church. (The regional group left over the ordination of openly gay New Hampshire bishop Gene Robinson and other “liberal” moves.)

Conservative Bishop Jack Iker, who led the schism five years ago, claims his diocese holds the deeds to all church properties, which are valued at more than $100,000. But the national church filed a lawsuit in 2009, claiming the breakaway group couldn’t just take the land and buildings with it. 

A district judge had originally given Iker 30 days to turn over the deeds to the national church, but that order was put on hold as the Fort Worth sect files an appeal.

Pope Denounces Gay Marriage As End Of Society In World Day Of Peace Message

"There is also a need to acknowledge and promote the natural structure of marriage as the union of a man and a woman in the face of attempts to make it juridically equivalent to radically different types of union. Such attempts actually harm and help to destabilize marriage, obscuring its specific nature and its indispensable role in society.These principles are not truths of faith, nor are they simply a corollary of the right to religious freedom. They are inscribed in human nature itself, accessible to reason and thus common to all humanity. The Church’s efforts to promote them are not therefore confessional in character, but addressed to all people, whatever their religious affiliation. Efforts of this kind are all the more necessary the more these principles are denied or misunderstood, since this constitutes an offence against the truth of the human person, with serious harm to justice and peace.”

– From Pope Benedict XVI‘s message for World Day of Peace 2013 (on January 1) entitled “Blessed Are the Peacemakers,”

Robert E. Lee ‘Rolling Over’ In His Grave

Pat Robertson announced three historic Generals must be “rolling over” in their graves upon hearing the news that West Point hosted its first same-sex wedding.

“General Douglas MacArthur, rolling over in his grave. Ulysses S. Grant, rolling over in his. Robert E. Lee, rolling over in his,” was all Robertson had to offer.

Robertson made his remarks of his 700 Club TV show, after the lead-in announcer commented it was a “sad day” to see the gay wedding, almost suggesting the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was related to gay marriage becoming law in New York.

Catholic Priest Denies Minnesota Teen Confirmation For Supporting Marriage Equality

A Catholic teenager in Barnesville, Minn., has been denied the sacrament of confirmation after he posted a photo to Facebook opposing the state's failed effort to amend the constitution to ban same-sex marriage, reports the Star Tribune.

The Rev. Gary LaMoine at Assumption Church denied confirmation to 17-year-old Lennon Cihak, after the teenager posted a photo to his personal Facebook page showing Cihak in front of a pro-marriage amendment yard sign he had altered to read "Vote NO!" The marriage amendment was rejected by Minnesota voters in this month's election.

Cihak said that friends within his confirmation class "liked" the photo on Facebook, but they were still allowed to be confirmed.

''I'LL SEE YOU IN COURT'

Dan Savage takes apart hate group leader Tony Perkins in this new clip from Take Part TV's 'American Savage', noting that Perkins has threatened Savage with court action:

"I welcome a lawsuit. A witness stand is a lonely place to lie. And that's what you do for a living...I look forward to that day in court. I look forward to seeing you on a witness stand, something you have dodged and ducked for decades."

Petraeus Affair OK Because ‘He’s A Man’

Pat Robertson seems to be able to justify the actions of General David Petraeus — Paula Broadwell affair because the resigned-in-disgrace now-former CIA Director and retired four-star general is “a man.” Robertson, 82, a pioneer among televangelists, believes the Bible and marital vows don’t apply when you’re “off in a foreign land” and “lonely.”

Former Baptist Minister, former GOP candidate for president, and professional man of God, Pat Robertson, who spends a good portion of his time advocating against the legalization of same-sex marriage, who tells gay people they are going to hell — using the bible as his defense — ignores the Bible when it comes to heterosexual infidelity.

Hypocrisy? 

The Bible demands stoning to death women adulterers, but not men who cheat on their wives.

Robertson has blamed the ACLU for the 9/11 attacks, he has blamed abortion for the Katrina devastation, and blamed a supposed pact with the Devil Haiti made for the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

Jon Stewart Goes Off On Mike Huckabee Over Gay Marriage

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Jon Stewart welcomed back to the show Mike Huckabee and during the course of their two-part interview, Jon got a little heated over the politician Fox News host’s religious-based condemnation of gay marriage in a controversial political ad:  (around 4:00)

“We can come on and have a conversation but when I see that,  and I go, Mike Huckabee doesn’t just disagree with me, he believes that my position, that gay people are members of the species and whoever they love; that marriage strengthens traditional families because gay families are wonderful families raising wonderful kids and that the value of them is not their gayness. Marriage is about honest, trustworthy people working in a loving household, having nothing to do with what their sexuality is. How can you say that me believing that is registered in the book of fire?”

New Archbishop Of Canterbury Justin Welby Dances Around Gay Marriage

The Bishop of Durham Justin Welby, a foe of equal marriage in the UK, has been named the next Archbishop of Canterbury, succeeding Dr. Rowan Williams in the post.

The Archbishop of Canterbury is the leader of the Church of England and the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, a 77-million-strong denomination and the third largest Christian sect worldwide.

While his predecessor has admitted the Church’s attitude toward gay relationships has been “harmful” and that it should be advocating equality, Welby is expected to take a more hardline view—even if he wants to keep the dialogue polite.

“I support the House of Bishop’s statement in the summer in answer to the government’s consultation on same-sex marriage. I know I need to listen very attentively to the LGBT communities, and examine my own thinking prayerfully and carefully.

I am always averse to the language of exclusion, when what we are called to is to love in the same way as Jesus Christ loves us. Above all in the church we need to create safe spaces for these issues to be discussed honestly and in love.”

If SCOTUS Makes Gay Marriage Legal US Will See ‘Firestorm’ Of ‘Revolution’

Tony Perkins yesterday threatened the Supreme Court (SCOTUS), saying if they strike down DOMA or legalize same-sex marriage, they will see America in a “firestorm” of “revolution.”

Claiming “the issue of abortion” is still unresolved in America, Perkins, the head of the anti-gay hate group, Family Research Council, says both abortion and same-sex marriage are “unnatural.”

ANTI-GAY MAYOR JANICE DANIELS GETS THE BOOT

Troy, Michigan mayor Janice Daniels, who made national headlines in 2011 over a Facebook update that read "I think I am going to throw away my I Love New York carrying bag now that queers can get married there" and months later said she wanted an expert to testify that homosexuality is a mental illness at an anti-bullying forum, has been sent packing after the elections!

Julie Brown Spoofs Victoria Jackson's Anti-Gay Views

More Anti-Gay Funds

The National Organization for Marriage funneled $1.6 million into the Minnesota marriage equality ballot fight. 

"All told, Minnesota for Marriage raised more than $3.7 million so far this year, much of it from the Catholic Church, affiliated groups and the National Organization for Marriage. That's still far less than the group's opponents."

Voting For Choice and Gay Rights Will Land You In Hell

Failed presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is using some pretty thinly veiled language to scare voters into making the “right”choice next week.

"Many issues are at stake, but some issues are not negotiable: The right to life from conception to natural death. Marriage should be reinforced, not redefined. It is an egregious violation of our cherished principle of religious liberty for the government to force the Church to buy the kind of insurance that leads to the taking of innocent human life.

Your vote will affect the future and be recorded in eternity. Will you vote the values that will stand the test of fire? This is Mike Huckabee asking you to join me November 6th and vote based on values that will stand the test of fire."

LGBT people and supporters are 'worthy of death'

A recent town hall meeting sponsored by the Maryland Family Alliance, a coalition working to defeat Maryland's marriage equality law, has inflamed the gay marriage debate on news that a local pastor declared that LGBT people and their supporters are “worthy of death.”

Speaking during a panel discussion on Oct. 19 on the upcoming Maryland ballot initiative, Question 6, that asks votes to approve or reject the same-sex marriage law approved in the state legislature and signed by Gov. Martin O'Malley earlier this year, the Rev. Robert J. Anderson read from scripture as part of his argument against allowing same-sex unions.

“Those who practice such things are deserving of death,” Anderson said, quoting from Romans, Chapter 1. He went on to argue that if Question 6 is not defeated on Nov. 6, “then we are approving those things that are worthy of death.”

Who is providing the funding?

The Catholic Church and the National Organization for Marriage have provided 60% of the funds aimed at denying same-sex couples the right to marry in four states. They have so far spent a total of $2.5 million on their discriminatory crusade, according to the Human Rights Campaign.

Chick-Fil-A Voted Out By Elon University Students

Students at North Carolina's Elon University this week became the latest to push back against Chick-fil-A and its anti-gay stance. The student government voted 35-11 to ask the school's food vendor, Aramark, to find another restaurant to take the fast food chicken chain's place, the Times-News reports.

Chick-fil-A was at the center of a very public controversy this summer after its president and COO, Dan Cathy, openly declared his opposition to LGBT rights -- saying legalizing same-sex marriage was like "shaking a fist" at God -- and stood by the company's millions of dollars in donations to anti-gay groups. In the wake of the controversy, Cathy reportedly held a "diversity" meeting with campus leaders in Atlanta back in August.

While broader attention to Chick-fil-A seems to have subsided, college students have continued a push on several college campuses to give Chick-fil-A the boot. Two other colleges in North Carolina have ended their relationship with the company (even after North Carolina voters approved a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage earlier this year).

St. Mary's College in Maryland ended its relationship with Chick-fil-A over a year ago. And Davidson College decided to refrain from serving Chick-fil-A at a school sponsored event after students started a petition.

What? Focus on the Family is wrong, again?

Bill Maher picks apart right-wing group Focus On The Family's warnings about an Obama presidency.

Mom Of Gay Son May Go To Hell If She Doesn’t Embrace Church Anti-Gay Teachings

John Nienstedt, the Minnesota Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, told a mother who asked him for acceptance for her gay child, that she might go to hell if she does not embrace the Roman Catholic Church’s teachings on homosexuality.

“Your eternal salvation may well depend upon a conversation of heart on this topic,” Nienstedt told the mother via a letter.” Catholics are bound in conscience to believe in this teaching. Those who do not cannot consider themselves to be Catholic and ought not to participate in the sacramental life of the Church.”

Dan Cathy's Latest Interview: Chick-fil-A Loves 'Biblical Families'