Subscribe to Breaking News
Loading ...Palin church promotes turning gays straight
09.08.2008 8:20am EDT
(Anchorage, Alaska) Gov. Sarah Palin’s church is promoting a conference that promises to convert gays into heterosexuals through the power of prayer.
“You’ll be encouraged by the power of God’s love and His desire to transform the lives of those impacted by homosexuality,” according to the insert in the bulletin of the Wasilla Bible Church, where Palin has prayed for about six years.Palin’s conservative Christian views have energized that part of the GOP electorate, which was lukewarm to John McCain’s candidacy before he named her as his vice presidential choice. She is staunchly anti-abortion, opposing exceptions for rape and incest, and opposes gay marriage and spousal rights for gay couples.
Focus on the Family, a national Christian fundamentalist organization, is conducting the “Love Won Out” Conference in Anchorage, about 30 miles from Wasilla.
Palin, campaigning with McCain in the Midwest on Friday, has not publicly expressed a view on the so-called “pray away the gay” movement. Larry Kroon, senior pastor at Palin’s church, was not available to discuss the matter Friday, said a church worker who declined to give her name.
Gay activists in Alaska said Palin has not worked actively against their interests, but early in her administration she supported a bill to overrule a court decision to block state benefits for gay partners of public employees. At the time, less than one-half of 1 percent of state employees had applied for the benefits, which were ordered by a 2005 ruling by the Alaska Supreme Court.
Palin reversed her position and vetoed the bill after the state attorney general said it was unconstitutional. But her reluctant support didn’t win fans among Alaska’s gay population, said Scott Turner, a gay activist in Anchorage.
“Less than 1 percent of state employees would even apply for benefits, so why make a big deal out of such a small number?” he said.
“I think gay Republicans are going to run away” if Palin supports efforts like the prayers to convert gays, said Wayne Besen, founder of the New York-based Truth Wins Out, a gay rights advocacy group. Besen called on Palin to publicly express her views now that she’s a vice presidential nominee.
“People are looking at Sarah Palin as someone who might feasibly be in the White House,” he said.
And it begins!
I find this hilarious, on how religious groups can promote such a thing like converting gays to being straight. Being LATINO myself and growing with strong religious values from my parents didn’t change me for what i am today, a PROUD HOMOSEXUAL. I also have plenty of Latino friends that through out the years their parents will cut them out because of them being gay and because of their religious vbelief; that about 4 of my friends actually tried going back to church and seeing the possible change. 2 of them were christian, 1 evangelist and the other catholic. END RESULT: GAY AS THEY COME>>>> You can’t change something we are. Let us be and mind your own business and respect our beliefs as we respect yours.
That Mrs Palin’s church believes gay people should be ‘cured’ displays their mean-spiritedness (aka the opposite of Christ’s message of love). That Mrs Palin’s church believes gay people can be ‘cured’ displays their delusion.
Perhaps we should start a “pray away the hypocrisy” campaign! Or “pray away the bigotry!” Or “pray away the stupidity!” or just plain ole “pray away their mythology!” I expect they will all result in the same old outcome. Nothing would change in all of their silly campaigns.
There was a scientific study last year, and it proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that prayer simply did not show any results, positive or negative. Science prevailed however.
As a gay senior, this “conversion” nonsense makes me puke!
I don’t think that these people really know anything much about gays! I would suggest that they attend a few gay parties, go to a few gay bars, etc., and find out who, and what we’re all about!
Are the Log Cabin Republicans considering a change in their endorsement?
AR said: “Are the Log Cabin Republicans considering a change in their endorsement?”
Sadly, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for them to do any such thing. They’ve been trying for how long now to try to change the GOP from within? And they’ve had exactly how much success with that venture?
Log Cabin Republicans are as out of touch with reality as the rest of the GOP, IMO. While I can’t say that I’m exactly excited about Obama, in my judgment the LCRs have done their community a gross disservice by endorsing McCain. One could perhaps say that the pick of Palin for VP is the payback for their ill-considered decision They at least will deserve exactly what they get if McCain/Palin get elected. Too bad they have to drag the rest of us down with them.
Was wondering if a detail like this might surface.
Personally, though, it’s not much more offensive to the racist remarks of the pastor of Sen. Obama’s church.
Yes, by all means, let’s have 6 weeks of intensive media coverage on exactly what Mrs Palin’s pastor preaches. Fair’s fair, right? And how about the exact same treatment be given to Mr. McCain’s pastor and what he/she preaches? Can anyone even name McCain’s pastor? (Does he even have one? Not that such a thing should matter in a country that ‘promises’ “there shall be NO religious test to hold public office”.)
It’s time to fight fire with fire!
I advocate educating Christians and teaching them critical thinking! That’ll cure them!
I imagine that there has been a fairly weighty amount of praying that is done every time a young adolescent realizes he/she is gay.
I think the prayer front has been pretty well covered when it comes to an individual’s homosexuality.
Of course, most of those children’s prayers don’t include speaking in tongues or handling serpents. Maybe that’s the trick?!
Kari said, “Personally, though, it’s not much more offensive to the racist remarks of the pastor of Sen. Obama’s church.”
Me too. But, I’m very glad that Obama took a stand against it.
From the LCR website:
August 29, 2008
Log Cabin Republicans Statement about Gov. Sarah Palin
Log Cabin President Patrick Sammon made the following statement about Sen. McCain’s selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin:
“Alaska Governor Sarah Palin can help Sen. McCain win this election by appealing to independent and young voters. She’s a mainstream Republican who will unite the Party and serve John McCain well as Vice President. Gov. Palin is an inclusive Republican who will help Sen. McCain appeal to gay and lesbian voters.”
Hey, if magic fairy dust stylishly applied by “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” couldn’t turn any straights to gay, then why would terrible music and bad hairdos in an Alaskan trailer park church work any better on gays?
…just asking.
I do have a plan though. Maybe we in the GLBT community could send missionaries up there. I just started (a few minutes ago actually) “The Church of Bunny Snuggles“. So grab your Easter Baskets and put on your brightest, gayest bonnets and let us all bring life and cheer back to the land of the midnight sun and Republican anarchists.
It will be Easter egg hunts all year round. We’ll hitch a team of Moose to an egg-shaped sleigh and our most high and furry deity, Bunny Snuggles, will deliver little chocolate sea lions and marshmallow polar bears to all the good little Eskimo children and White Separatist boys and girls.
So, if there are any willing volunteers out there, let me know. We must fight fire with fire, and bad ideas with worst ones.
After all, it is the American way.
(Just click on my name at the top of this response to magically sign up)
Praise be to Bunny Snuggles!
…Amen
This isn’t nothing new. Self-proclaimed Ex-Gays are just recloseting themselves in order to be accepted by a group of people. It’s sad because it shows low self-esteem for oneself to be brainwashed into actually thinking that this is possible. Yes it’s true that you can change behaviors thorough his method, but it’s cruel and it only promotes suffering that will manifest itself in the future that will most definitely harm everyone around the Ex-Gay.
I was raised in a Southern Baptist church, so what kept me from coming out of the closet earlier than now is due to the intolerance they preach towards LBGT/Q people blanketed in what they call “love,” but really code for control and domination of one group towards another.