Arizona became the 16th state to reject federal funds for ‘Abstinence Only‘ education programs. Since its inception, the program has cost US Taxpayer’s nearly a half billion dollars, and so far studies have shown that the program is worthless. That is has no real impact on kids, and that it can actually do harm.

Like that took how many years for them to realize?

The study found that while abstinence-only efforts appear to have little positive impact, more comprehensive sex education programs were having “positive outcomes” including teenagers “delaying the initiation of sex, reducing the frequency of sex, reducing the number of sexual partners and increasing condom or contraceptive use.” (source)

Like it isn’t Rocket Science to know that telling kids not to have sex before they are married is not going to work. Teenagers love to party, to have fun and the last thing on their mind is about ‘saving themselves‘ for MR or MISS Right. It has been well proven in other countries, that only comprehensive education helps reduce sexual activity among teenagers.

It also helps reduce pregnancies and disease, but does George W. Bush and the Republicans understand that? Course not, because that would mean they actually gave a damn about people. Truth is, these programs are nothing but political payoff to a group of narrow minded bigots, that somehow took over the Republican Party.

Simple truth is, these abstinence programs were a payoff. No different than any other BRIBE.

Three years ago today, a Rabbi married David and myself in a ceremony at our home. She signed a registration book, and we paid $100 to have a license, and it was all made nice and legal. In that time, we have changed, and I think for the better. I don’t know, guess others will have to decide that one, but I feel different. Now I know, a piece of paper really doesn’t change much, or so many claim. I have to disagree, because frankly it has indeed changed us.

To begin with, we are more open with each other, and I think that comes from being more open outside of the home. I think that stupid piece of paper, that makes it legal for us to be together, has helped us to feel more secure with each other, as well as with those around us. I mean Dave kisses me in front of mom now, no hiding it. He calls me dear in front of company that come for dinner and there is no reticence, no reservations. It is all real, unabashed.

And that I think is from that simple piece of paper. I think, deep down, it has given us the security to be at ease with loving each other, with being gay even. It kind of says that no matter what others might think, or how they might object to our way of life, our Government, Our Country, says it is okay, says it is acceptable behavior, and not something to be ashamed of. And that is worth a damn lot, these days.

Call it what you want, but you know, it is damn nice to feel like we didn’t do anything wrong by being in love with each other.

Pope Benedict must still be living in Middle Ages. Least most of his pronouncements, edicts, seem based on Ancient Times, when Man rode Horses, wore suits of armor and went off to war to pillage and rape other civilizations. I suppose the old man is just waxing on what he wishes it would be like today, when he could ORDER other world leaders to do his bidding, In The Name of God.

Thankfully many today are a bit smarter, plus his power is not as strong as it once was. Yet at the same time, this man does wield enormous power, and so far he has shown his inability to wield it for GOOD. Instead he insults Muslims, and tries to force his will on the other religious orders of Christianity. He claims the mantle of being the Only True Believer in Christ. At the same time, he glosses over his involvement with the Nazis.

In Spanish the Pope said that the family is “based on the unbreakable union of man and woman and represents the privileged environment where human life is welcomed and protected from the beginning to its natural end.” (source)

So much for compassion, for charity. You would think that with it being Christmas and all, he had some of that, but guess not. Instead he wants to push his racism and take away from the true message of GOD. A family is not just a man & woman, but is any adults who care for children, whether by natural birth or through adoption.

It is so disheartening to see that today’s Pope is still living in the past. Religion is finding a loss of members, and yet they can’t see the writing on the wall. People aren’t looking for who to hate, they are looking for acceptance. Isn’t it time that Organized Religion started being INCLUSIVE, instead of trying to push everyone away from GOD?

The recent apology from Canada’s top church official, Cardinal Ouellet seems more about scoring political brownie points, than addressing the real issue of the Roman Catholic Church’s record on human rights.

Marc Cardinal Ouellet admitted in an open letter published in Quebec newspapers Wednesday that scandals have tarnished the image of the church in Quebec and that “we must humbly ask forgiveness.” (source)

While it is nice to say he’s sorry, he doesn’t really say for what. No details, nor does it appear to be an ‘official‘ apology, as the Church was quick to point out. So frankly, what good is it? I mean the Pope continues to rail against Homosexuals, continues to hide the truth about how the Church has dealt with orphans and other abuses, so really what good is it? 

It is sad to see supposed Men of God resort to bigotry and racism, in order to push their hatred onto others. While many are not fans of Microsoft, the attack by their neighbor pastor is just one example of the bigotry facing Homosexuals in the United States. And the candidates of both parties (see Gay Talk comment ‘Battling for God’s Voters‘) have demonstrated their inability to accept the role of Leader, by condemning such hatred.

(Seattle, Washington) Gay rights foe Rev. Ken Hutcherson is calling on religious conservatives to buy stock in Microsoft so they can force a shareholders vote on the company’s policy that provides equality for gay workers. (source)

If you listen to the man, he denies that this is racist, simply because he hasn’t seen any Gay’s forced to sit in the back of the bus. Nor has he seen them denied education or nor has he seen them change to a different color. Least so he says, but has he heard about Mathew Shepard?

Just as ‘african americans‘ were hunted, beaten, denied jobs because of color, Homosexuals today are hunted down, beaten when they walk out of restaurants, and denied jobs such as serving the US Military, just as ‘his‘ people were back in the day before civil rights. To claim this isn’t anything but racism, shows how convenient it is for this man to put aside the teachings of the one he claims is on his side.

If one believes the tales, Christ is supposed to have demanded that those shunned by society, those reviled, be brought to him, for they needed him the most, to hear the message of love he brought them from GOD. Too bad no one told Mr Hutcherson that.

There is no ‘Gay Agenda‘ other than the agenda to stop hiding, to stop being thought of as second class, or evil. While some will pretend to be straight, in order to avoid the stigma society has placed on being Homosexual, Mr Hutcherson forgets that many African American’s tried similar acts, if they had a lighter skin tone than most. He forgets that the GOD he ministers for, is a GOD OF LOVE, not HATE.

Homosexuals seek no ‘special‘ place in society, we simply wish to be treated like all other human beings, with dignity, respect, and be left alone to be who we are. We don’t want schools to be battlegrounds, so as to deny us the ability to learn, nor do we want our young to be hounded to the point where suicide is preferred to living.

If that is the ‘secret gay agenda‘ then so be it. It is the same ‘agenda‘ most minorities have, when their rights are denied. Perhaps one day, GOD will send Mr Hutcherson a ‘cease & desist‘ order. Better yet, maybe he’ll buy a computer that isn’t filled with Microsoft Products, and he can twiddle his thumbs trying to find something that will work on his ‘anti microsof’ machine.

The idea of having people spend money to become shareholders, to vote against a company’s support of equal rights is okay with me. He forgets, Bill Gates owns the majority of shares, so go on Mr Hutcherson, fill Bill Gates’ pockets with more money. The more you spend, the less you’ll have to pay for your outrageous expenses, the less money you’ll have to buy new mansions, to fly around spewing your hate. So go on, buy Microsoft Shares.

Special Interests abound in today’s society. You have the ‘Open Borders‘ group, the ‘Free Trade‘ group, the ‘Cheap Labor‘ group and yes, you have the ‘Religious Groups‘ such as the Evangelical group who think they own the Republican Party. They are so wrapped up in themselves, they are even threatening to run a third party (see Gay Talk comment ‘GOD’s Own Party… maybe.‘) if the Republican’s don’t nominate their choice for President. Course what ‘other people‘ want is immaterial to them. And now you even have the Catholic Church wading in on what criteria people should use to select a Nominee.

(Baltimore, Maryland) Roman Catholics voting in the 2008 elections must heed church teaching when deciding which candidates and policies to support, U.S. bishops said Wednesday. (source)

I find it interesting at how Religion seems so intent on guiding all of us, yet ignores it’s own failures. Look at the huge cash settlements for Priests molesting children as a prime example. Here the Church is advocating how the people should vote, how they should adhere to the Principles of the Church, while all this time they deliberately hid Priests from justice.

The Hypocrisy is unreal, and yet they dare to take a high moral road, because they are servants of the Lord. So they claim. So how does it serve God, to have people who molest children, and then hide them from Justice? Worse, return them elsewhere to continue with their molesting?

While these Bishops gather around, sending out pamphlets on how people should choose candidates to vote for, they preach for Open Borders, for Increased Immigration. Yet at the same time they say nothing about the fact that so many of their followers hire these ‘Illegal Immigrants‘ and pay them FAR LESS than they would a citizen. They say NOTHING about how these people are abused, and taken advantage of. So much for their having the ‘interests of the soul‘ in the forefront.

They preach about helping the poor, while the Pope sits in opulence, lives in several Palaces. Bishops live in huge million dollar mansions, paid for by donations, by the average parishioner. Yet it is up to the average person to dig deep, to deny themselves their own well being in order to help others. Noble sentiment, but why isn’t the Pope or Bishops living in something a little less extravagant? Does he need his own ‘Palace Guards‘? Or how about his own private fleet of Aircraft? Worse, is all the money the Church collects, yet while it directed the hiding of Molesting Priests, it won’t cough up the money to settle the lawsuits.

Instead it makes the local people pay, even to the point where they sell off property, evicting elderly Nuns in the process. This isn’t doing God’s Work in my mind, and it makes their edicts even less important. I believe in GOD, but not the one that today’s religious orders seem to follow. Never heard of My God being about Money, Power, & Influence.