This is what we call “full circle wingnut.”
Peter LaBarbera prayed at the sparsely attended May Day rally, and it was a really funny prayer, because he seemed to be trying to propagandize God with one of his blog posts. Imagine for a moment that you are ruling over the heavenlies and that this screed comes through the wires:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Forgive our nation for our sexual sin. Forgive us for our excessive “tolerance” as a nation
Yes, Lord, forgive us for loving people as you have commanded us to do, quite prominently, in the Ten Commandments, and indeed all over the Bible. We shan’t ever do it again.
and, as individuals, for the creeping sins, sexual and otherwise, that we have “tolerated” in our own lives. Father, forgive us for not hating sin like you hate sin. And forgive us for confusing merciful love for homosexuals with ungodly acceptance of homosexual behavior itself.
When did Peter and the twelve people who showed up ever commit the “sin” they’re supposedly repenting for? Oh wait, he’s doing that thing where he prays a prayer in the name of other people who he hates.
Here’s where he starts talking to God as if God were someone who had accidentally stumbled on to the SPLC-certified hate blog of Americans for Truth:
Indeed, it is a long, secular road that America has traveled from “abomination” to “gay.”
I think he’s saying that America used to be an abomination, but that now it is gay? Such a confusing prayer, saith the Lord (possibly).
But Father, forgive us most of all for doing so little to protect the next generations of young people from a sexual sin movement known — deceptively — as “Gay.”
But Peter: Aren’t you aware that all the credible science (which is, after all the study of God’s kingdom, if you believe in that sort of thing) shows that your supposed “sexual sin” is actually a very normal, healthy, continually recurring phenomenon, not only in humans, but also in hundreds of animal species? And if you believe that God is the author of creation, then he totally knows about that, because he put it there. I doubt God likes people asking for forgiveness for loving a part of his creation. He’s probably approximately as offended as he would be if Peter were asking forgiveness for not doing enough to protect children from black people.
The Lord Jesus Himself warned us against putting the eternal destinies of children in danger.
Okay, Peter, again, are you talking to Jesus, or are you talking past him, because Jesus can’t live up to your intense hatred, what with being the embodiment of love, etc.?
We barely put up resistance as the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network set up pro-homosexual student clubs — first in our high schools, next in our middle schools — and one day (God forbid) they will try to set up these homosexual booster clubs in our elementary schools.
21st Century Jesus, being tech-savvy, appreciates hyperlinks.
Also, since kids tend to figure out they’re gay when they hit puberty, at the same time straight kids start figuring out they’re straight, I really doubt there are going to be gay clubs in elementary school. But keep trying to scare the Lord, Peter! What if Mel White has been praying harder or something?
Our hearts tremble, O God, as we watch the “Gay” Lobby
Scare-quotes just in case Jesus isn’t getting the message about how bad gays are.
teach even kindergartners that homosexuality “is just one more kind of love” — to quote “Daddy’ Roommate,” one of many pro-homosexual children’ books used in the classroom.
In case Jesus hasn’t been reading the missives from the Religious Right lately and hasn’t heard of that book.
And while a small number of parents struggled to prevent the systematic corruption of young students’ minds, the homosexual activists rolled up their sleeves to fulfill their wicked plan of turning America’ schools — public and sometimes private — into Homosexuality Promotion Zones.
Man, he’s really covering all his bases here! Pete must assume that God pays so little attention to what’s going on on Earth that he’s dumb enough to fall for this crap. That’s not a very reverent way to treat your God, Peter.
Why is it, O Lord, that militant sexual activists demonstrate more zeal, unity and purpose to spread their lies than Christians do for the Truth?
I assume at this point that God perked up, having finally been addressed personally after so much talking point claptrap.
Finally, Father, we beg you in your “Amazing Grace” to preserve a righteous remnant of young, born-again believers who — like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Book of Daniel
In case God hasn’t read Daniel. Also, why the scare quotes around “Amazing Grace”?
will steadfastly refuse to worship today’ politically-correct “American Idol” of “Gay.”
Pete here is trying to “speak God’s language,” which presumably means that God watches a lot of reality teevee. Also, is this a shot at Ellen DeGeneres?
We humbly ask you to raise up an army of young Christians who will love homosexuals enough to tell them the truth: that Nobody has to be “gay,”
Sorry, Pete, God doesn’t grant wishes that fall outside the realm of the reality he created (if you believe in that sort of thing). Because people sort of are gay. It’s not a “have to be” situation. I mean, nobody “has” to be tall either, but that’s a piss-poor excuse for hacking off your feet. I assume that God would agree with that statement.
because You are there to help those struggling with homosexuality overcome through the power of Jesus Christ.
Who I am talking to right now!
(And I have met many “ex-gays.”)
The Lord would like a list, and several peer-reviewed studies which show the long-term success rate of “many ex-gays,” and would also like to see some studies which compare that to the emotional and spiritual rape foisted upon innocent gay and lesbian people by ex-gay businesses who sell an anti-scientific, disproven lie to the weak in order to prop up the bigotry of the Religious Right. The Lord is waiting. Tick tock.
Anyway, that’s basically it. It’s really bad when you feel the need to convince God to confirm your biases for you in your prayers. It’s almost as if there’s not much support for your bigotry in the religious faith behind which you choose to hide.
If you want to watch the video [gag], here:
The Bible’ condemnation of homosexuality is very clear and very strong. God says that homosexuality is an “abomination”; that means that God hates, abhors and thoroughly detests homosexual behavior. The Old Testament teaches that people who are convicted of the crime of engaging in homosexual behavior should be put to death (Lev. 18:22, 20:13). The New Testament is in full agreement: the Apostle Paul says that homosexual behavior is “worthy of death” (Rom. 1:32). This is not the opinion of man but the clear teaching of the Word of God.
The people who claim to be compassionate toward homosexuals by excusing and approving of their perverse behavior are liars and false teachers. Their attempts to reinterpret the Bible to make it accepting of homosexuality are nothing more than pitiful excuses made for those who do not want to repent. They are leading homosexuals down the broad path which leads to destruction (Mt. 7:13). They are the true enemies of the homosexual community.
Your only hope is to accept what God says regarding your sinful behavior. If you are going to repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ, you must first be convinced that your behavior is wrong, wicked and deserving of judgment. After Paul says that homosexuals are excluded from God’ kingdom he says, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:11). There were Christians in the church at Corinth who rejected their former homosexual lifestyle and were delivered of their sin. They repented and believed in Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ, as He is presented in the Scriptures, is the sinner’ only hope of salvation: “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Ac. 4:12). If you believe in Him, all your sins will be forgiven. “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame’” (Rom. 10:9-11).
Christ’ sinless blood removes the guilt and curse of sin. His sinless, perfect life is given as a gift to those who believe in Him. When Christians appear before God on the day of judgment they will be clothed with Christ’ perfect righteousness. Believers go to heaven solely because of the merits of Jesus Christ. When Christ rose from the dead on the third day, it proved that His sacrifice was acceptable to God the Father. Christ rose victorious over sin, guilt, death and hell for everyone who places his trust in Him. After His resurrection Christ as the divine-human mediator was made king and Lord over everything in heaven and on earth. “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Ac. 3:19).
Linda said “This is not the opinion of man but the clear teaching of the Word of God.”.
No, its the opinion of primitive, ignorant, bigotted men pretending to speak for their imaginary god.
Linda said “If you are going to repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ, you must first be convinced that your behavior is wrong, wicked and deserving of judgment.”.
You’re never going to convince any rational person a behavior which harms no one is wrong, wicked, or deserving of judgment.
Go away, fool.
Linda, it’s just a book, written by simple Palestinian peasants, who knew noting about science, nothing about evolution, nothing about the earth revolving around the sun. It proves nothing. It’s not evidence for a creator or the cosmos, and certainly not evidence of a god that listens to prayers, or who is remotely interested in what human beings do on planet earth.
For you to be right you have to prove these simple people, including St Paul, were in touch with the mind of god. How do you know this to be so?
It’s your job to prove there is a mind at work in the universe, and your job to prove you are so intimate with its mind, you know ‘God’s’ opinion on our sleeping arrangements.
I don’t believe you can, because it’s not humanly possible to know this information. The good news is that there is no evidence for anything in the books attributed to Moses, or for the divinity of any eccentric preachers at the beginning of the first century. You can walk away from simple beliefs like this any time you like. The Road To Damascus is a two way street. A useful book for you to try is Victor Stenger, ‘God: the failed hypothesis’ – explaining why we don’t need any divine intervention for the origins of the universe, and of course, Richard Dawkins, ‘the blind watchmaker’, explaining how life evolved, with no designer in sight. You’ll find them in the popular science section of any reputable bookstore.
I’m sorry to say, you are praying to nobody, Linda.
Linda, the Bible’s condemnation of accepting interest on a loan is very clear and very strong. So if you’ve got a savings account which pays you interest on your money, you’d better close it pretty sharpish. Ditto if you’re paying into pension scheme which depends for its returns on acculumated interest – which, of course, most do.
Sorry for the clumsy typo: I meant “accumulated”.
Stop listening to satan’s lie that homosexuality is not sin…
Stop listening to Satan’s lie that accepting interest on money is not a sin.
Stop listening to men who want to control you by scaring you into believing that there is a red horned boogeyman influencing your thoughts.
Also, Linda, I’m going to have to pull this card on you, so I’m sorry in advance:
By your name, “Linda,” you are presumably a woman. If you interpret the Bible the way you seem to, you should also be aware that the Bible very clearly teaches against women such as yourself attempting to teach men spiritually. I am a man, as are several of the other commenters, and according to the way you interpret the Bible, you are out of line, as a woman.
This rule obviously doesn’t apply to people who don’t cling to such an asinine approach to religious texts, but that’s the approach you’ve chosen, and we expect consistency.
By the way, y’all, Linda is a very thorough troll, as she is also leaving long, absurd comments on my other blog, which have little to nothing to do with the content of the piece.
I don’t know what her deal is, but we should all hope that she finds either gainful employment or a hobby.
The same Bible that “condemns” homosexuality also gives equal condemnation to eating seafood, getting a tattoo (when I found that out, I ran and got my first! Love it, email me and ask to see it. It’s grand!) The three verses used against us pale in comparison (or would if you ever read them) to the 300-400 every American heterosexual does every single day. You can’t cherry pick my morality, baby.
Let me share something else for ALL the world to read: I LOVE BEING GAY! I would say more heterosexuals should try it but, I stopped dating straight married men a while back. Can’t get rid of them! Moreover, my morality won’t permit it. There! Chew on that one! Once they get a taste, it’s like Cocaine for these fellas. Anyway, I feel NOTHING evil, nothing “bad” and nothing “boogie man” about the natural development of my sexuality. I’m PROUD of the man I am.
Let me share what else I think is beautiful and remarkable about my people: We are smart. Damn! We’re smart. We’re sexy. We’re talented. We’re empathic. We fulfill the mission of Christ naturally. We are the apex of society. Every single aspiration American society hopes to acheive is present in the nature of the gay man and woman. We are a peaceful people. And have you heard our music? The WORLD dances to our drumbeat. Now, when and if we can ever stop taking out the abuse this world gives to us upon each other, we’ll be unstoppable. Hint hint, Gayworld.
Being queer is my strength. I shall be glad and rejoice in it! AMEN? AMEN!!! Because I don’t have to chose between Jesus Christ and being gay. I’m both and there is NOTHING you can do about it. Lovin’ life to the fullest. Wish you could join me.
Linda stop trying to spread the lie that there is anything wrong with gayness.
And Linda, please provide evidence for ‘satan’ as well. How do you know such a being exists?
It is great to have these illiterate fundamentalists coming on here, making such fools of themselves. It accelerates the unstoppable decline in religion in the USA.
The only reason Linda believes this – if she is honest – is because she was indoctrinated to do so as a child, and filled with fear about imaginary places like ‘hell’, which awaits her for even daring to doubt anything she was taught to think.
i have known people who started ‘talking to god’ and all ended up either in an institution locked in a room or, most of them, committed suicide; i always wondered where their ‘god’ was then…
The Bible says nothing about homosexuality as an orientation, because they didnt even know that it was one. And those few passages that you do mention are about rape and pederasty or men acting like women (God forbid), I guess every guy who shaves his body in anyway or gets a manicure is an abomination. Remember the Taliban forbids men to shave in any way, shape, or form–your fellow extremist religious whackos linda! And for the record Sodom and Gomorrah were hit by an asteroid which was spotted and recorded by the astronomer/astrologers of that time and region. Buttfucking had nothing to do with it.
Also, your version of ‘Satan’ is a johnny-come-lately too. The original Satan of the old testament meant ‘the accuser’ and spent his time ratting out men to God, like Perry Mason with horns. When they came into contact with Zoroastrianism, which had a god of pure darkness and evil, these traits were wedded onto your modern day version of Satan. He’s only a metaphor or archetype for all the cruel rotten things that people do to each other, like the way you and the other fundies treat gay people.
Stop wasting your time on websites like this, you’re way out of your league here when it comes to intelligence and education. To paraphrase Glinda, be gone before someone drops an asteroid on you!