ScottsBigMouth

Freedom-To-Marry Activists Prepping To Protest at Holy Name

Andy Thayer sent a message to the members of Picket Anti-Gay Cardinal George on Freedom-To-Marry Day!
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Subject: WHY you should attend Freedom-to-Marry Day 2010 @ Holy Name Cathedral

In contrast to the church laity, who holds a variety of views on gays – pro-equality and anti-equality – the leadership of the Catholic Church has been unified in its opposition to equal rights.

This is not just about the equal right to marry.  In Illinois, Cardinal George and his predecessors over the years have worked behind the scenes to vehemently oppose EVERY piece of equal rights legislation for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender (LGBT) people that has ever been proposed, including opposing:

-- equal employment rights
-- equal access to housing
-- equal access to public accommodations
-- equal access to adoption.

And they haven’t been above playing hardball to get their way:

*       The church leadership recently threatened to torpedo support for Congressman Luis Guiterrez’s immigration law bill if it included any consideration for LGBT people.

*       In Washington, DC, the church leadership threatened remove support for the homeless there if the District upheld its equal marriage rights bill.

On Freedom-to-Marry Day 2010 – aka, Valentine’s Day – we will drag the Church leadership’s bigotry out into the open for all the see with a picket of Cardinal George at Chicago’s Holy Name Cathedral, 735 N State Street at 10:30 AM.   For more information go to http://www.facebook.com/l/f57d1;www.GayLiberation.net or email LGBTliberation@aol.com.  Please join the Facebook Event for the action, http://www.facebook.com/event.php?invites&eid=281885059470, and invite others!

Just a quick note about Jon Hoadley's departure from Stonewall Dems

Folks:

I'm saddened to report that I just got a note from Jon Hoadley, that he is leaving Stonewall Dems.  Jon has been a tireless advocate for the national GLBTQ movement both before (and no doubt after) his tenure at Stonewall Dems; and I personally intend to see what we can do from here in Chicago to support his effort at One Kalamazoo.  ScottsBigMouth, and I'm sure the rest of the hardcore GLBTQ blogerati wish Jon well, and thank him for his service thus far.

Here's the actual letter...PLEASE consider making a donation if you have the means.

Thanks,

Scott Foval

<<<EMAIL FROM STONEWALL DEMOCRATS>>>

Dear Pro-equality Democrat, I wanted to take a moment and say thank you. If you haven't heard, I'm stepping down as Executive Director of Stonewall Democrats to lead One Kalamazoo, a new Kalamazoo, Michigan campaign to protect the local nondiscrimination ordinance that is being challenged in a ballot fight this November. While it was a difficult decision to end my tenure at Stonewall Democrats, I'm confidant the organization will continue to do great work in the capable hands of interim Director Kyle Bailey. Stonewall Democrats is in a secure place financially. We've recently expanded our talented staff, and our new board is smart and strategic. Stonewall will be gearing up for the 2010 elections with new leadership, and I'm excited to see what the organization will accomplish.  Because I know they'll do great things, I'm continuing my financial support of the organization - in fact, I'm increasing it to $125 per month. I know we can't waste the next year, and my money will support Stonewall Democrats like you who are working hard right now to secure victories for pro-equality Democrats around the country. Will you join me in supporting Stonewall Democrats with a gift of $100, $60, or $35? Giving to Stonewall during this important transition will allow the organization's work to continue unabated, and even grow. Our staff has ambitious plans for the next year. We're planning to roll out new services to aid our chapters - and members like you - doing the important field work that elects pro-equality Democrats in cities, counties, and states across the country. Please give to Stonewall - even $35 helps us place staff on key races and turn out LGBT voters for amazing Democrats - to help me say goodbye to the organization that continues to inspire the work I do everyday. To give monthly (or to make a one-time gift), click here. Thank you in advance for your generosity, and thank you for the hard work you continue to do at the grassroots level to build our movement from the ground up. To continued victories, Jon Hoadley

Paid for by National Stonewall Democrats.

1325 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Suite 700
Washington, DC 20005

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GLAAD: Hosts of Rob, Arnie & Dawn in the Morning Plan Special Broadcast on Transgender Issues

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Richard Ferraro
Director of Public Relations
(646) 871-8011
ferraro@glaad.org




Hosts of Rob, Arnie & Dawn in the Morning Plan Special Broadcast
on Transgender Issues

Eleven Advertisers Pull from KRXQ following GLAAD Call to Action
against Anti-Transgender Remarks

June 08, 2009, New York, NY – The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy organization, today spoke with Vice President and General Manager of KRXQ-FM in Sacramento, John Geary, regarding the station’s planned actions to apologize for anti-transgender remarks. The conversation occurred after host Rob Williams posted a letter to the radio station’s Web site admitting "failure as a broadcaster."

"KRXQ appears to be taking this matter very seriously following widespread response from community members and advertisers," said Rashad Robinson, Senior Director of Media Programs at GLAAD. "Vice-President and General Manger John Geary assured us that the issue would be dealt with in a frank and positive manner this Thursday and that both Rob Williams and Arnie States will apologize."

GLAAD first contacted KRXQ after a concerned listener submitted a GLAAD incident report regarding dehumanizing remarks that hosts Rob Williams and Arnie States made encouraging violence against transgender children.

When the station failed to apologize, GLAAD issued a Call to Action urging constituents to call on KRXQ and hold Williams and States accountable for their remarks. GLAAD also distributed the Call to Action to LGBT advocacy organizations, social networking sites and media outlets.

According to the KRXQ, hundreds of letters poured in, prompting the station manager to promise that Williams and States would respond to their offensive segment, however, Williams and States failed to apologize for their remarks. GLAAD re-issued the Call to Action as LGBT advocates began contacting KRXQ’s advertisers to notify them of the offensive remarks.

AT&T, Bank of America, CKE, Chipotle, Guitar Center, McDonald’s, Nissan, Snapple, SONIC, Verizon and Wells Fargo all pulled advertising from the station or announced plans to discontinue future ad buys. GLAAD coordinated with each company to release statements to the media and constituents. For statements from advertisers please visit http://glaadblog.org/tag/krxq/.

"What people see and hear in the media has a huge impact on what they do everyday and how they treat LGBT people in their families, and local communities,” said GLAAD President Neil Giuliano. “We appreciate the proactive actions of advertisers who realize that their association with these dehumanizing remarks sends a dangerous message that this kind of defamation against our community is okay."

In a letter posted to the station’s Web site, Williams said that “as a show, as people, as broadcasters, we have simply failed on almost every level.” He also announced that the show would refrain from broadcasting new episodes until June 11, 2009 when they plan to address the issue again on the air. To read the full letter please visit: http://glaadblog.org/2009/06/07/update-krxq-radio-host-rob-williams-declares-failure/.

GLAAD spoke with KRXQ today on the planned show and booked two transgender advocates, Kim Pearson and Autumn Sandeen, to appear on the program and further educate the hosts and their listeners about transgender issues. GLAAD’s Media Programs team will continue providing resources about transgender issues to KRXQ and co-host Dawn Rossi, who has defended the community, prior to Thursday’s broadcast.

"We will continue working to demand Williams and States use their radio platform responsibly on future broadcasts,” said Giuliano.

About GLAAD
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org

###

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America Must Realign Itself With Truth, Justice, and Fairness To All Americans

EDITOR'S NOTE: This post originally appeared at LifeLube.org on May 19, 2009.

There is a sad reality to being in a 'minority group' in the United States.

Despite politicians' and pundits' trumpeting of our nation as being the "most free nation on Earth," Americans still have hypocritical double-standards about Gays, Lesbians, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Questioning Americans.

This is especially true when it comes to 3 of the most visible issues our country is facing--1. Gay Marriage, 2. The U.S. "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Policy, and 3. HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment funding.

For decades every other social group in the United States has been prioritized to make strides in our society. Women, ethnic groups, religious minorities; all have seen major strides in equality and equal protection under the law in the past 40 years. Indeed, where it used to be acceptable to discriminate, oppress, physically abuse, and outwardly harm members of these social groups; today they are protected in ways that other countries have yet to catch up to.

A glaring exception, indeed a group that has not only been ignored, but in fact is still actively shunned and told to "deal with it" today; is the GLBTQ community. Even Native Americans, Asian Pacific Americans, and Latin American folks have greater rights to equal treatment than GLBTQ folks, whereas 10 years ago these groups were largely ignored by the greater political power classes, and barely could get 10 minutes with a major political leader to discuss their issues. When you think of ethnic and religious leaders who preach discrimination against GLBTQ Americans, while simultaneously claiming equality is a fundamental right; such is evidence of how far we have yet to go.

When it comes to Gay Marriage; the religious right has no problem with any other type of 'married' relationship between two people. They have no problem with multi-ethnic, cross-denomination, cross-religious, even cross-class unions. GLBTQ marriages are the sole area where they claim the "sanctity of marriage is threatened." Heck, they don't even make this much noise about 'non-believers' like Pagans, Atheists, non-Christian faiths, or WICCANS. Nope, they only raise caine about GLBTQ Americans' wanting to have legal equality.

On the U.S. Military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, when you compare us to the other top military organizations in the world, we have fallen way behind other countries. From the United Kingdom, to Canada, to Australia, to the UN peacekeeping forces--all see all of their soldiers as equally valuable and equally necessary. The U.S. Military, though, under Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and even William J. Clinton; the creator of the bizzare and outwardly harmful "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy; through George W. Bush's regime, all continued to open up the ranks to all comers except GLBTQ members. They claimed that recognizing the equality and necessity of GLBTQ members would harm troop morale; but if you talk to real troops, real commanders (at least the modern and forward-thinking ones), and real military leaders--they'll tell you that GLBTQ officers and enlisted soldiers continue to be some of the most dedicated patriots ever to wear their uniforms.

When it comes to global epidemics, the media raises all kinds of hyper-awareness about the H1N1 "Swine Flu," Breast Cancer, Diabetes, and Autism; but couldn't care less that HIV/AIDS is still as rampant in the U.S. as it ever was. Last night I watched Uncle Charlie Gibson shine the ABC World News "light of truth" on the 2nd wave of drug-resistant HIV/AIDS and an epidemic of anti-retroviral drug abuse in South Africa, but I can't even remember the last time I saw a network news report about how drug resistant strains of HIV/AIDS, MRSA, Hepatitis, and Syphilis are ravaging the GLBTQ communities in whole new ways. Stranger still is how the local media here in Chicago have outright ignored the reality that Governor Pat Quinn has targeted public health programs that feed the ADAP, Ryan White, and other HIV/AIDS victim support programs as some of the biggest cuts proposed under his new budget. Even after the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, LifeLube.org, The Windy City Times, The Free Press, and Gay Chicago all decried the cuts in their pages, and Gay Liberation Networks' Andy Thayer was acquitted by a jury for allegedly assaulting a Chicago Police Officer; our community's issues are nearly ignored by the rest of our local press and political establishment.

Except, that is, when they want our money. Yep, Illinois political and business leaders have suggested that Illinois should be the "honeymoon destination" for GLBTQ couples who get married in Iowa. Of course, these same hypocrites can't see fit to give GLBTQ Illinoisans equal rights to marry as Iowa does. Nope, they just want the gay dollar without giving us the equal protection under the law against discrimination, tax fairness, or even protecting the salaries that produce it.

Now I'm not saying that America is bad, or that Americans are bad. I'm just pointing out here that America is the land of hypocritical attitudes when it comes to true equality for all people. Straight folks, especially those in the religious and ethnic minority communities, seem to want equality only for themselves and not truly for everyone. Politicians are even worse, because they're willing to ask for gay money, but don't have the political cohones to actually stand up and deliver real equal rights for the GLBTQ folks from whom they almost always have their hands out to squeeze a few bucks.

It is time for all Americans to deal this hypocrisy a fatal blow, and truly level the playing field for all Americans, and it starts at the top. President Obama relentlessly worked the gay community to support him, promising all measures of change under his administration. As of yet, he has yet to deliver. Governor Quinn, Mayor Daley, legislators, supervisors, and aldermen are no better; as they have continued to ask for our wallets, but pretend our money, health, and value as productive contributors to society isn't as important when the heat is on from the religious leaders, corporate beancounters, and agents of intolerance.

It is time for America to realign itself with true equality, to give GLBTQ Americans all the same prioritization; and to give the same amount of respect and dignity to us that they do any other productive and patriotic community in our country. It is time for us to stand up and make them, especially now, when we have been promised change, but have yet to see any happen.

Lowenstein: Time for Obama to speak up for the LGBT community

Lowenstein: Time for Obama to speak up for the LGBT community

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Joe The Plumber Denegrates "Queers" And Limbaugh Backs Him, But Lily Allen and Friends 'Articulated' A Suitable Answer

Did you hear about Joe The Plummer's little anti-gay hate comment yesterday?  "Christianity Today" released an interview with him yesterday where he decided that his version of morality is better than the rest of us, and said 'Queer' and 'Honky' aren't slurs. (Tipped-off by: JoeMyGod/GoodAsYou/Bilerico Project)

Christianity Today: In the last month, same-sex marriage has become legal in Iowa and Vermont. What do you think about same-sex marriage at a state level?

Joe: At a state level, it's up to them. I don't want it to be a federal thing. I personally still think it's wrong. People don't understand the dictionary—it's called queer. Queer means strange and unusual. It's not like a slur, like you would call a white person a honky or something like that. You know, God is pretty explicit in what we're supposed to do—what man and woman are for. Now, at the same time, we're supposed to love everybody and accept people, and preach against the sins. I've had some friends that are actually homosexual. And, I mean, they know where I stand, and they know that I wouldn't have them anywhere near my children. But at the same time, they're people, and they're going to do their thing.

So Rush then says that Dems and the Media are picking on Joe (Samuel Wurzelbacker) The Plumber, that he hasn't done anything to deserve being "kneecapped."  (From MediaMatters.org)

Oh Rush...the guy isn't articulate.  You are articulate.  Wrong, but articulate, in a mean and hateful way.

So to answer Joe The Plumber's 'articulate' speech over the past several months since he slithered out into the spotlight from under the publicity-machine rock that he came from, JoeMyGod/Bilerico Project deserve credit for helping us find a response to good 'ol Joe The Plumber and Rush Limbaugh.

Okay, everyone get your dancing shoes on for Lily Allen's "Fuck You."  YAAAY! Dance, boys and girls!

Kudos to JoeMyGod.com, BilericoProject.com, GoodAsYou.org, MediaMatters.org, Lily Allen, and all my GLBTQ sisters and brothers out there!

Federal Lawsuits To Name Anti-Gay Cop Operating In Lakeview, Boystown

Local GLBTQ activists and victims' attorneys say an anti-gay cop used his badge to rack up extra overtime and is to be named in 7 Federal Lawsuits.  Officer Richard Fiorito, who is assigned to the Addison and Halsted landmark "Town Hall" station, is alleged to have racked up the OT to be paid for court time at the expense of people's rights.

In a release detailing the allegations, members of Chicago's GLBTQ community and lawyers representing victims of Fiorito's hyperactive ticket book say there will be 11 more lawsuits filed over the next several weeks, beginning with 4 to be filed today.  An 11AM press conference is scheduled today in the lobby of Chicago's Dirksen Federal Court Building.

Victims allege in the release that Fiorito was so zealous in writing bogus tickets for DUI, etc., that other CPD lock-up officers disparaged him behind his back, and made efforts to correct the situation through official notations in their reports that contradicted Fiorito's arrest reports.  The release, re-published below, says the CPD has not taken adequate action to correct Fiorito's conduct.

>>>>> PRESS RELEASE <<<<<

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Thursday, April 2, 2009
 
For Information:   
Attorney Jon Erickson, Erickson & Oppenheimer Attorneys at Law, 773.875.4646
Andy Thayer, co-founder, Gay Liberation Network (www.GayLiberation.net), 773.209.1187, LGBTliberation@aol.com

Anti-Gay Cop Operating
In the Heart of Chicago's Gay Community
Called to Account in 7 Federal Suits

Officer Allegedly Trumped Up Charges Against Gays & Lesbians
to Win Overtime Pay for Court Appearances

Press Conference:  11 AM, Thursday, April 2
Lobby of the Federal Court Building, 219 S. Dearborn
With victims, community leaders and their attorneys

Officer Richard Fiorito allegedly rang up false charges so frequently against lesbian and gay drivers in the heart of the gay North Halsted entertainment district that out of his earshot, his fellow officers disparaged the charges to the people he pulled over.
 
According to several of Fiorito’s victims, the transport officer from the 23rd to the 19th Districts routinely informs defendants that "Fiorito is an overtime whore and the arrestee should get a lawyer."  No official action has=2 0been taken to curb Fiorito, 60, who is assigned to the 23rd District "Town Hall" police statio n at Addison and Halsted.  Fiorito is among the state's highest writers of DUI tickets and arrested over 300 people for DUI last year.
 
On Thursday, four more federal lawsuits will be filed against Fiorito, in addition to three already filed, alleging that he targets lesbian and gay for false charges, frequently using anti-gay epithets during arrests, and occasionally uses excessive force.  Attorney Jon Erickson says that as many as 11 more similar suits will be filed against Fiorito over the next six weeks.
 
In two separate cases of lesbians arrested by Fiorito, the lock-up officers at the Belmont and Western 19th District station made entries on the arrest report that directly contradict Officer Fiorito’s account..  In one report, the lock-up officer wrote that the subject was "not under the influence of alcohol/drugs," and that "Chicago Police Officer Neita was unable to detect the smell of alcohol coming from subject." In another report, the lock-up officer wrote, “arrestee entered women's lockup she seems to be fine at this time is speaking clearly."
 
In two other cases, Fiorito insisted on conducting field sobriety test which test the subject’s ability to listen to and follow instructions even though the arrestees told Fiorito they are deaf.  Lawyers claim Fiorito made bogus arrests to rack up overtime pay by appearing in court when he wasn't on duty ..
 
Some of the victims of Fiorito's alleged misconduct, their attorneys, and community activists with the Gay Liberation Network will hold a press conference at 11 AM, Thursday, April 2 in the lobby of the Dirksen Federal Court Building, 219 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago.
 
#     #     #

BREAKING: Wisconsin Governor Proposes Domestic Partnership Protections In State Budget

In his biennial budget proposal Tuesday, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle announced the first Domestic Partnership protections proposed by any mid-western U.S. state. The basic protections include hospital visitation rights and Family Medical Leave rights for same-sex domestic partners in committed relationships.

In a statement published and released to the media Tuesday night, the Executive Director of GLBTQ advocacy organization Fair Wisconsin, Glenn Carlson, commended Governor Doyle for including the protections in this year's budget proposal.

"This is an important step toward ensuring that someone in a committed relationship is able to care for his or her partner," Carson said in the release. "No one should ever have to worry about being blocked at their partner's hospital room door, or have to make the heartbreaking decision to quit their job in order to care for a seriously ill partner. This isn't about being gay or straight--it's about being decent."

Fair Wisconsin was one of 10 organizations included in the statement commending Doyle for the move. Details of the proposed protections are still emerging, and must be introduced and debated by the Wisconsin State Assembly before they are passed into law.

Initial information indicates the requirements for inclusion in the domestic partnership protections, if enacted, will include specific stipulations that members of covered partnerships must be 18 years of age, that the partners are only in one domestic partnership, and that counties will administer documentation including signed statements to certify the partnerships.

This Christian Believes Pastor Warren Should Put A Sock In It

There are a lot of ways that Christians differ between various denominations.  Like Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, and scores of other world religions; your beliefs emanate largely from your particular slice of your chosen Christian sect.  This time, it would seem that I am at odds with my Christian brother Rev. Rick Warren of the Saddleback Church in Orange County.

Apparently, on the night of December 21st, Pastor Rick decided to record a little video ditty for his congregation, and people like me--many of whom have criticized some of the crazy crap he has been spewing regarding homosexuals and our need to have equal civil rights in this country.  Specifically, I and other writers, commentators, and GLBTQ luminaries; have expressed sheer outrage that Warren has compared homosexuals to pedophiles, outlawed them from joining his church, and instituted a systematic pattern of exclusion in beliefs and practices from his special "Saddleback brand" of Christianity.

Further, we called for President-Elect Barack Obama to withdraw the invitation for Pastor Rick to give the invocation at his inaugural ceremony; citing the aforementioned pattern of exclusion and homophobic commentary that has leaked from Warren's pie hole over the past several months leading up to California's Prop 8 vote.  Now it would seem that Pastor Rick has thrown the verbal equivalent of kerosene on the fire right before Christmas, by referring to people who criticize him as "Christophobes."

Here's just a sampling of what Warren said during his 22-minute rambling commentary, courtesy of Rachel Maddow on MSNBC...

Okay, Pastor Rick; time to stop this stuff. You are now labeling anyone who criticizes you a "Christophobe." As a Christian who happens to be a gay man, who also happens to be a commentator and blogger, and who also comes from a long line of Christians in long-devout Christian families; I assure you...I am no "Christophobe." As a matter of fact, I'm about as much as a "Christophobe" as you are a drag queen. Now, unfortunately, I may be a "Pastor Rick-o-phobe" as Rachel cleverly coined.

Your incessant need to re-clarify your position on something that you never should have been so exclusionary in the first place, is now beginning to harm your legitimacy as a Christian leader.  It threatens to cause people to just look at you and your ministry as zealotry.  I mean, are you even being Christian when you call other people names?

According to my Christian upbringing, the answer would clearly be a resounding "no." The way my Christian faith follows, 1) God loves all his children, 2) has a very high tolerance for diversity and love between people in all its forms, and 3) has a very low tolerance for people who use the name of Christ for zealotry, divisiveness, and hate speech.

I am not saying at this point that you are intentionally misusing your position as a Pastor to manipulate people into believing your homophobic schlock, but I really must believe at this point that you are attempting to create your own belief-system that is diverging from the core of "Christ died on the cross to cleanse all our sins." That's called dogma, Pastor Rick, and God frowns on a lot of dogma.

God frowns upon the clerics and zeaolts who purport to spread divisiveness, bigotry, and yes, hate. What you are doing by turning to attack your critics as "Christophobes," is manipulating the core message. You have crossed over from mere religious teaching, into preaching divisiveness and perhaps zealotry to your followers.

I don't care how many visits to West Hollywood book stores you make, how many times you scrub your church's website, or how many times you send money to Africa to fight HIV/AIDS (oh yeah, I'm HIV+ too!). Until you clean up your act as a man of God and do some repenting on this issue, I am going to continue to demand my President-Elect denounces your clerical lynching, and demand that you make an apology to all gays, lesbians, transgendered and questioning persons.

I will demand from you, my brother, as a Christian, that you do some praying about this--and then get back to us about whether you really believe that all of us who criticize you are "Christophobes." That's just name-calling, and it is not what I believe is devoutly Christian behavior. Rather, your ego is doing the talking; and not the voice of the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit.

>>>>>>>>>>> ScottsBigMouth Is Presented By <<<<<<<<<<<

Rick Warren's Saddleback Church Pulls Language From Website

Dave Winer tweeted tonight that Rick Warren's Saddleback Church has pulled certain language from their website.  Notable in its absence is language referring to banning gays from membership.  What is not yet clear is whether other language, also controversial in that it is hard-line and anti-homosexual in tone and explicitly clear as to Saddleback's anti-gay beliefs, will be pulled or toned-down.  Pastor Warren has repeatedly made anti-gay comments as a part of his ministry.  The original post, at AmericaBlog.com; featured this screen-capture of the missing information...

Again, it is not yet clear whether Saddleback is cleaning its site in preparation for the scrutiny that comes with appearing at President-Elect Barack Obama's Inauguration as 44th POTUS, or whether the Obama Transition Team made any suggestions as to what content should be altered.  ScottsBigMouth will inquire with Change.gov and the President-Elect's Transition Offices in Chicago to see what they say.  Below is captured language from Google's December 16, 2008 archive of the Saddleback Church website.  Thanks again to Dave Winer for the head's up on the possible changes!

From the Google Archive of http://www.saddlebackfamily.com as of December 16, 2008...

What does the Bible say about homosexuality?
 The Bible very clearly says that homosexuality is a sin.

"Homosexuality is absolutely forbidden, for it is an enormous sin." (Lev. 18:22 TLB)

"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexual offenders, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Cor 6:9-11 NIV)

While all sin is destructive, Romans 6 warns us of the great dangers in sexual sin when it says, "Run away from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body." (1 Cor 6:18 NLT) This includes not only homosexuality, but all sexual immorality: adultery, sex without marriage, pornography. We must not act as if homosexuality is the only serious sexual sin, and we must not act as if homosexuality is not a serious sexual sin.

I've heard it asked, "Isn't being homosexual something that a person is physically born with?" First of all, there are absolutely no facts to support this claim. From time to time studies have been reported in the news that seemed to indicate this, but every one of these studies has proven to be wrong. Secondly, even if some physical difference were discovered, it would be no excuse for sin. We know that some people can develop a stronger physical addiction to alcohol than others, but that's obviously no excuse for living an alcoholic lifestyle.

Finally, a word about being judgmental. It's not judgmental to say that what the Bible calls a sin is a sin, that's just telling the truth. Not being willing to talk to someone caught up in sin, or not believing that they can be forgiven, or thinking that you are not just as much in need of Jesus as they are ... that's being judgmental.

Because membership in a church is an outgrowth of accepting the Lordship and leadership of Jesus in one’s life, someone unwilling to repent of their homosexual lifestyle would not be accepted at a member at Saddleback Church. That does not mean they cannot attend church – we hope they do! God’s Word has the power to change our lives.

In equal desire to follow Jesus, we also would not accept a couple into membership at Saddleback who were not willing to repent of the sexual sin of living together before marriage. That does not mean this couple cannot attend church – we hope they do! God’s Word has the power to change our lives.

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