So Congress is about to decide, whether to spend 141 Million dollars on Abstinence Only Programs, that is an increase of almost $28 Million. Now with all the crap going on, about how schools are in such poor shape, how books are so old they are no longer valid, it seems that this program is simply another example of government waste.

Since 1996, the federal government has spent over a half a billion taxpayer dollars on abstinence-only programs, despite federal, state and independent evaluations showing the programs to be counterproductive and fiscally wasteful.  (source)

To begin with, Abstinence Only type of education is racist. It promotes racial differences, making being different unacceptable. It uses religion as its basis, in the worst possible way really. It creates differences, that shouldn’t be in schools.

Schoold need teachers who can teach kids to read, to write, and to add. Schools need books that are up to date, that show there are other countries in the world than just the United States. They need to establish music classes, and other activities, if they truly want to make a dent in juvenile use of drugs and gangs. This is what schools should do, not encourage drop outs, not encourage violent behavior. Abstinence programs do not promote health, but a way of life that is not everyone’s belief. IT is forcing a religious viewpoint on all kids, yet they won’t allow School Prayers? So instead we screw up the kids with warped information about sex?

Sex is beautiful, when it means something.

These programs make sex dirty, and that isn’t of any help. Abstinence, is a preferred method for kids, but let’s be honest. Kids are hormone crazed without the judgment skills that adults have. Teaching them those skills would go a lot further than trying to tell them not to have sex.

Congress should not only refuse to fund this increase, but actually eliminate it. Give the Schools the money, for what is needed, like more teachers? 

So LOGO is going to air a debate among Presidential Candidates, on August 9th at 9pm. Now not sure if that is PST or EST as they also list 6pm, but both are shown as EST. Figures doens’t it?

The one-hour event will be held on August 9 and broadcast on gay network LOGO at 9:00 pm ET (6:00 pm ET) and through live streaming video at LOGOonline.com. (source)

So far they have Obama, Clinton, Edwards appearing, which could be interesting. The question though, is how hard will the questioning be? I mean let’s face it, today’s media rarely asks tough questions, nor do they even attempt to ask them. It is a piss off, because while these are the top runners, it shouldn’t give them a free pass. All three so far, have stated they support civil unions, but why? I mean if they think its okay for us to have a partnership, will full marriage benefits, then why not Marriage?

Then too, there is the line up itself. What about the Republican Candidates? Are they too chicken to appear or were they even asked? I’d love to see Mitt Romney, Guiliani, Brownback, be there, to explain why they believe Gays are 3rd class citizens. Hell I’d like all of the candidates to explain why Equality isn’t something they support 100%, irrespective of what any Church says, any Religion. I’d like to know why they are willing to supplant Civil Rights with Religious Laws.

In short, I’d like to see every single candidate be questioned and not let off the hook. I want to know why any of them are worthy of voter support, when they all fail to support the very principles that founded America.

Yeah, I am dreaming, instead it’ll be another media hype of Republican Bashing, Bush Bashing, and Ducking the Issues. 

But, damn, wouldn’t it be fun to see? 

You would think that honesty would be a trait of value, specially if you are a Priest or Pastor, however if it means admitting to being a Homosexual, well, it sure doesn’t pay to be honest, to be willing to accept who you were created to be. Least not if you are a Catholic, and now, not if you are Lutheran Minister.

(Atlanta, Georgia) An openly gay Atlanta pastor who told his bishop that he is in a same-sex relationship has lost his final appeal and was struck from the list of clergy for the Evangelical Lutheran Church. (source)

It really isn’t a surprise, but you have to wonder these days. Is it really about theological belief that makes these Churches so anti-gay? I mean if you look at those that have accepted homosexuality, have accepted Gay leaders at the local level, and the violent and vitriolic opposition it has created, do you honestly believe that this type of action is about religion, or about the money?

The Anglicans are being torn apart by secular unrest. Some who hold to one belief threaten to leave, and many of them are wealthy contributors. Then too there is the property, tax benefits, and other financial ramifications a split can have on a Religious Order. So I am wondering, is this truly about the Word? or is it about the Cash?

‘Doing What is Right‘ is not a guarantee that you will win. However, it would be nice if those who Preach the Word of God, or are supposedly entrusted with his spirit, his will, that they at least, would try harder to do what was right. At times that does indeed mean taking an unpopular stand. This Priest is popular, has improved the relationship between his flock and the Church, and isn’t that what a Priest should do?

Yet he’s ostracized because he is Gay and involved with another man, in a long term relationship, not a passing fancy. It is a testament to the spirit itself, of a willingness to do what is not always easy, to be honest and accepting. The ruling certainly doesn’t show any regard for such honesty, it makes no allowances, and I wonder too, where does that dogmatic adherence to rules come from?

Are laws black or white?

Certainly not in life, and certainly not in politics, where two wrongs somehow make a right. I mean just look at the mindset of Republican hopefuls. They have no problem supporting free rides or get of jail free cards for those they support, (see comment ‘Republican Mind Set‘) yet are the same one’s who railed against Bill Clinton for doing the same thing.  If laws were indeed that simple, then would Gays still be fighting for acceptance in society?

There is a positive side to this. It has brought awareness to the issue, but more importantly, it has galvanized some. The people in this Church have indicated, they aren’t about to let it go, and that is good. Maybe that is all one can hope for, when they do the right thing? They may not benefit, but those after them might.

Sometimes you have to wonder about these Religious Types. I mean are they so befuddled by all the words in the Bible that they forget they live in a real world? I mean yes, having Faith means believing in what you cannot prove, or disprove. I for one think I have faith, as I do believe in GOD, but when you listen to some, like the Pope, or this Bishop out of London, you really have to wonder, are they really that stupid?

This Bishop claims that the recent flooding in England is GOD’s wrath at them, for being permissive, and in the nation supporting Gay Rights. I kid you not, this is his take on the recent bad weather hitting England, and elsewhere.

(London) A senior Church of England bishop says floods that have caused widespread damage in the UK are the result of God’s wrath on a permissive society that endorses gay right. (source)

I suppose many will buy into that argument, when the simple fact is, he is simply taking advantage of an occurrence, to justify his bigotry. Fact is, Man himself can be blamed for a lot of these changes, due to our disregard for the careful balances of Nature. Our pollution, our greed, has effected the weather patterns of our Planet. While we don’t like to say it, because it would mean we would have to do something, people like Bishop Dow are worse, because they use these things to point their fingers at others.

This is an old tactic. One honed and refined by Adolph Hitler and his Nazis when they pointed to the problems of the country, and made the Jews the scapegoats. Today’s modern churches are doing the same thing, though for them it isn’t just the Jews, Muslims, but primarily the Homosexuals.

Faith is one thing, but when there is proof, it is no longer faith, but stupidity to buy into something that is clearly not. Global Warming is real, and as these types prefer to ignore such realities of our world, they endanger us even more. That isn’t what I believe GOD’s intention, to blindly walk into the fires. He gave us the ability to reason for a purpose, and men like Bishop Dow, Pope Benedict, George W Bush, all forget that simple truth. Instead, rather than trying to solve the problem, they point the finger of blame at some minority, because frankly, it is easier to accuse someone else than to accept one’s own culpability.

That is todays Religion. Call it wrestling with issues if you want, but it is simple really. Many prefer to be shown who to blame, than to do something about the problems, such as Global Warming. Let’s be honest, to attempt to fix such a huge problem, it will mean sacrifice, and yes, economic sacrifice. So rather than give up our SUV, we’d rather place the blame on Gays, hate them and drive blissfully onwards, increasing the problem rather than tackling it, and solving it.

It should be disquieting to many, that a suicide prevention and help line, aiding GLBT youth from taking their own lives, is feeling the need to expand its operation. While it should expand, given the need for it, it is a sad commentary on today’s society that it needs to.

The Trevor Project ( 866-4-U-TREVOR ) has taken over 98,000 calls since its founding. That alone speaks volume to the crisis facing GLBT Youth.

Founded by James Lecesne, Peggy Rajski, and Randy Stone – the producers of the 1994 Academy Award winning short film “Trevor” about a gay 13-year old boy who, when rejected by friends and peers because of his sexuality, makes an attempt to take his life – it is the only nationwide, around-the-clock suicide prevention helpline for gay and questioning youth. (source)

We can talk about how comments and actions by leaders effect our youth, but these people deal with the reality of it. This is the result of Homophobia in its ultimate form, when children are so desperate for relief, that suicide becomes a viable option. When a Preacher speaks from his pulpit, condemning homosexuality, when world leaders like Bush hold news conferences to seek amendments to deny GLBT basic civil rights, or threatens to VETO legislation designed to help protect them, it is the people who man the hotlines at the Trevor Project who deal with the real reality of it.

Is this what Mitt Romney means when he talks about a just society, a fair Christian valued society? Where innocent children are robbed of hope, of believing in a world where they aren’t taunted, hated?

The saddest part of all this, is that it is so called ‘men of faith‘ are at the cause of most of this despair. Men who should be the guiding force to healing it, to building the bridges over the divide between the straight world and the gay community. It is Religion that should be embracing these children, not pushing them over the edge. So, yes it is important for organizations like the Trevor Project to expand, it is a shame that there is the need for such expansion. 

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Visit the Trevor Project website.

With so many Church Leaders condemning gay’s, homosexuality, you would assume that many who are religious, are anti-gay. However, it does appear that some actually do get what a Church is, what religion is. Take Atlanta, of all places, where a Lutheran Minister is under the appeal process for being booted out, because he is Gay and in a long term relationship.

The way so many talk, you would figure that he’d be a pariah with his congregation, as has happened very often, or so it is reported. However, that isn’t the case here as not only has his congregation supported him, but it has grown in number too, directly because of his ‘confession‘. In short, people are coming to listen to the word of GOD, because the man delivering the message is good at his job, and Gay.

Since the panel’s ruling, his congregation’s membership has spiked and he came in fourth in the election for the region’s next Lutheran bishop. He was even chosen grand marshal for Sunday’s annual gay pride parade in Atlanta, one of the nation’s largest gay pride festivals. (source)

It is nice to know that people who believe in GOD, can understand that the Church isn’t just about some ancient text, that it is about a message, one that at least this Church understands. People are supposed to be included, not excluded from God. It is those who need his help the most, his love the most that should be encouraged to be a part of HIS Church, which is something people like the Pope and others ignore.

While it is possible he will be defrocked, and forced to leave his vocation, the simple fact that those in his congregation support him now, speaks volumes. That is true religion at its finest, where men of faith are tested, and those around them rally around. That is real faith, real belief.

It is interesting to note, that despite ruling he should be forced out, the committee also suggested that the Church needs to re-examine its views. In short, that it shouldn’t exclude homosexuals from being a viable part of the Church itself, even as Pastors. Seems that perhaps they too, get it.

The ELCA could consider making such a change at its churchwide assembly starting Aug. 6 in Chicago. Church leaders will meet this week to sort through 119 proposals, and roughly half are related to gay and lesbian matters, said John Brooks, an ELCA spokesman. (source)

Unfortunately, far too many don’t. Right George, Mitt, Hilary, Stephen?