In mid-November, the Colorado Springs-based media empire and political organization laid off 202 of its employees — about 20 percent of its workforce. The group’s explanation for the mass layoffs is the nation’s economic crisis. However, Focus’ money woes may stem, in part, from the more than half a million dollars it spent this fall to help defeat Proposition 8, the recently passed legislation that took civil-marriage rights away from GLBT Californians.

Today, we get new information: While Focus employees were getting the workplace equivalent to lumps of coal, Focus was busy spending more money: The Colorado Independent reports that the organization spent $35,310 to produce radio ads promoting Georgia Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss’ successful runoff re-election campaign this week. The commercials — which had to have been purchased after the Nov. 4 election that made the runoff vote necessary — reportedly were in production around the same time Focus workers were getting the bad news.

What does this move say about Focus on the Family’s priorities? In this season of love and goodwill, when much of the world’s focus will be on the Holy Family, the organization has opted to throw its money into a political move to destroy families. At the same time, Focus tells more than 200 of its workers and their families that for them, there is no more room at the inn.

Bah humbug, indeed. What would Jesus say?

Focus on the Family blames committed gay couples for a lack of commitment among gender-biased heterosexual Christian couples.

On Oct. 9, Focus cited one supposed victim of marriage for gay couples: An antigay California couple whose marriage license was rejected after they marred it by crossing out inclusive language and replacing it with sexist language.

Focus also complained that an antigay New Jersey retreat, the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, lost its special tax breaks after it violated its legal commitment to make a boardwalk pavilion equally available to all taxpayers in exchange for that tax exemption.

Focus further complained that two federal courts “rudely” foiled two Massachusetts antigay couples in their attempt to force overworked public-school teachers to warn them prior to any lessons that the parents deemed to be politically incorrect.

Also on Oct. 9, Focus on the Family indirectly protested California law which requires primary-school children to be educated about marriage. Again, it seems, Focus only wants kids to be educated about marriages that it deems to be politically correct — in other words, evangelical, heterosexual, and Republican.