By Chuck Colson, Breakpoint, Prison Fellowship 

The Gay Agenda and Schoolkids

Once upon a time there was a handsome young prince. When he grew up, he began searching for a wife, but could not find a princess he wanted to marry. One day, he met another prince—and fell in love. The two men married and lived happily ever after.

They must have been the only ones who did. When the fairy tale—which ended with the newly married “couple” kissing—was read to Massachusetts first graders, Christian parents were outraged.

Two sets of parents sued the Lexington school district, claiming that district officials violated both state law and their civil rights by allowing a teacher to read to their 6-year-olds a book that normalizes homosexual love and marriage.

Not surprisingly—this is Massachusetts, after all—federal judge Mark Wolf dismissed the lawsuit. Public schools, he wrote, are “entitled to teach anything that is reasonably related to the goals of preparing students to become engaged and productive citizens in our democracy.”

I guess it is not possible to become a productive citizen without embracing the teachings of radical gays.

Incredibly, the judge said parents did not even have a right to pull their kids from classes that discuss and depict homosexual behavior. Allowing kids to leave, the judge said, “could send the message that gays, lesbians, and the children of same-sex parents are inferior and, therefore, have a damaging effect on those students.”

This decision is so ghastly it is hard to know where to begin. Since when did parents not have the right to control what their children are exposed to when it comes to matters of sexuality? And what about the damaging effect on kids who are taught ideas that conflict with their parents’ teachings?

If the school district is really committed to teaching about all kinds of families, then why not give children a story about a prince who longs for another prince, realizes his longings are disordered, undergoes reparative therapy, and lives happily ever after—with a princess?

The real goal, of course, is normalizing homosexuality. The judge tipped his hand on this when he said that children should be taught to “respect” differences in sexual orientation.

The two families are appealing Judge Wolf’s decision, and we ought to be praying for their ultimate success. But we must also realize what is really going on here.

When it comes to sin, humans have been playing the denial game ever since the Fall. In Romans, Paul says that even pagans know God’s moral law because it is “written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness.”

That’s why it is not enough for homosexuals to be tolerated; in order to live with their own consciences, homosexuals demand unanimous assent that homosexuality is a moral good. And that means silencing those who believe that homosexuality is a disorder, and that homosexual behavior is a moral sin.

You and I must fight back when homosexuals attempt to promote gay “marriage” in public schools. But we must also reach out with compassion to those ensnared by disordered sexual desires.

The Bible teaches that sin—and a guilty conscience—can be erased only by the grace of God through faith in Christ.

More links to resources on this story can be found on Breakpoint’s website.

Regulating ‘Hurtful Speech’ with All the Efficiency of the Post Office

How do you feel about the creation of a federal “anti-hate” bureaucracy “regulating group defamation” and operating with all the efficiency of the U.S. Post Office? This bureaucracy would regulate which speech is acceptable and which is criminal because it might stimulate “harassment” and “intimidation” against specified groups, including homosexuals? Passage of a federal “hate crimes” law (HR 1592) would take America one giant step closer to that leftist goal.

Folks, the time to act is NOW to stop “Thought Crimes” (“Hate Crimes”) legislation in Congress. Please take this threat to our liberties very seriously: with homosexual activists and lawyers already putting their aberrant-sex-based “rights” above our freedoms of religion, conscience and association, why would anyone believe them when they say they don’t want to censor  “hurtful speech”? (And don’t forget: most define mere opposition to their agenda as “hate.”)

TAKE ACTION: Call your member of the House and Senate immediately to oppose H.R. 1592 and all “hate (thought) crimes” legislation! Call toll-free 1-877-851-6437 or toll 1-202-225-3121. There is much more information at http://www.truthtellers.org/ and these other pro-family websites: http://www.traditionalvalues.org/; http://www.frc.org/, http://www.cwfa.org/, and http://www.stopthoughtcrimeslaws.com/   (Check out Janet Folger’s “Hate Crimes Discount Coupon” HERE.)
 
ALSO:  Did you know that according to pro-family leaders in Washington, President Bush has NOT yet committed publicly to vetoing “Thought Crimes” and ENDA (the pro-homosexual, pro-“transgender” Employment Nondiscrimination Act) bills in Congress — even as Bush has promised to veto Embryonic Stem Cell research? Call the White House today and urge President Bush to use his Bully Pulpit NOW against “Hate Crimes” laws and ENDA: Call 202-456-1414 and ask for the comment line.  To e-mail the White House, click HERE. 

Ted Pike of the National Prayer Network has done yeoman’s work warning religious people about the implications of “thought crimes” legislation pushed by, among other leftist groups, the Anti-Defamation League, a pro-homosexuality group whose agenda has strayed far beyond the noble calling of fighting anti-Semitism.–Peter LaBarbera 

Here’s Pike’s latest Alert:
 
EMERGENCY ALERT!!!
HATE BILL FAST FORWARDING TO VOTE IN HOUSE

By Rev. Ted Pike

The House version of the federal “anti-hate” bill, H.R. 1592, is scheduled for a last hearing in the Subcommittee on Crime on Tuesday, April 24. The next day the entire House Judiciary Committee will consider the marked-up version, making its own changes. If approved, the bill will be sent forward to the House to be voted on, perhaps immediately.

Those who love free speech must respond NOW with unprecedented calling, not only to the member of the House from your district but to as many members of the House of Representatives as possible.  All House members are listed at http://www.truthtellers.org/. The toll-free number is 1-877-541-6437, or call toll 1-202-224-3121.

Tell them: “Please don’t vote for any hate crimes legislation. Hate laws have taken away free speech in Canada and many European Countries.”

Hate Bill: Worse Than We Imagined

Most persons who are concerned about imminent passage of the federal “anti-hate” bill don’t realize that S. 1105 in the Senate and H.R. 1592 in the House are actually amendments to a federal hate law passed in 1968. During the height of the civil rights movement, “Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 245” stipulated that no one could verbally “…attempt to…intimidate” another person (chiefly black) away from enjoyment of their federally protected right to equal employment, public services, housing, voting rights, jury privileges, etc. If the government finds such verbal “intimidation” in a state and state officials are not enforcing these guarantees, the federal government can invade states’ rights in local law enforcement, upholding Title 18.

Title 18 is considered a “hate crimes” law because it criminalizes bias-motivated, verbal attempts to “intimidate” blacks by persuading them that they are intellectually, hygienically, or morally inferior — unfit to eat at the same lunch counter, attend the same church, work in the same business, get the same education, live in the same apartment complex, or serve on the same jury with whites.

By Peter LaBarbera

The following is the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) online definition of “homophobia.” The ADL is the leading advocate for federal and state “hate crimes” laws that are inclusive of homosexuality and gender confusion (“sexual orientation” and “gender identity”). Note the bolded portions below and how the ADL seemingly gives no ground for acceptable religious and moral opposition to homosexual behavior. This is important because currently many governmental agencies and “hate crime” law advocates rely on the ADL for definitions of “hate,” “prejudice,” etc. To read an online ADL report on Hate Crime Laws, click HERE. To see the ADL’s recommendation of the pro-homosexual “Heather Has Two Mommies” as an “anti-bias book for children,” click HERE.

What does this Orwellian statement mean: “Many researchers claim that homosexuals still find themselves the target of bias within institutions like churches and professional organizations.” Yes, many Bible-believing churches — and orthodox Jewish synogogues, and Islamic mosques — believe homosexual behavior is sinful and harmful to body and soul, but they also believe that people practicing this lifestyle can change (as proven by the existence of many ex-“gays”). Redefining Biblical doctrine as “discrimination” — ie., classifying people practicing homosexuality as “targets of bias” in churches — is precisely the sort of bureaucratic thought-control-speak that must not be made “the law” in our free nation. To tell President Bush to oppose the “Hate Crimes” law moving through the Democrat-led Congress, call 202-456-1414; or go HERE to contact the White House via email.

The Anti-Defamation League on “Homophobia”

 

Homophobia 
 
Homophobia is the hatred or fear of homosexuals – that is, lesbians and gay men – sometimes leading to acts of violence and expressions of hostility. Homophobia is not confined to any one segment of society, and can be found in people from all walks of life. Organized hate groups have viciously attacked homosexuals and have used especially violent language in attempting to persecute and intimidate them.
 
Discrimination against homosexuals comes in many forms. At times homophobic beliefs lead people toward prejudiced actions at work, at schools, at clubs and in many other areas as well. Prejudiced views directed at homosexuals often stem from the perception that homosexual activity is immoral. Homophobia makes some people think that they are superior to homosexuals. In fact, studies show that anti-gay bias is far more accepted among large numbers of Americans than is bias against other minorities.

 

Many researchers claim that homosexuals still find themselves the target of bias within institutions like churches and professional organizations. Many church and religious groups maintain that homosexual behavior is a sin and runs counter to the will of God as expressed in certain Biblical passages. Up until 1980, many psychiatrists still looked upon homosexuality as a mental disorder. Today, medical professionals believe that homosexuality is not an illness, mental disorder or emotional problem.

 

Homophobia is most dangerous when it serves as the justification for violent action against homosexuals. In recent years attacks on homosexuals have risen. While the violent crime rate in many areas continues to drop, anti-gay crime is moving in the other direction. What is most disturbing is the cruelty and viciousness of many of these attacks.

 

The severity of many of these crimes helps to show the strong hatred that homophobia can create.

 

Many conservative religious leaders have, at some point, spoken out against the gay community and warned of the danger they supposedly pose to America. 700 Club television host Pat Robertson said that, “Many of those people involved in Adolf Hitler were Satanists, many of them were homosexuals – the two things seem to go together.” Former Congressman William Dannemeyer also compared homosexuals to Nazis when he wrote that “the homosexual blitzkrieg has been better planned than Hitler’s…” Clearly, it is ridiculous to compare homosexuals in America to Germany’s Nazi government which believed in warfare and mass murder as a means for taking over the world.

 

Apart from these views, many violent extremist groups also hold homophobic beliefs. The neo-Nazi National Alliance has allegedly been involved in anti-gay violence, while racist skinheads around the country have attacked and beaten homosexuals.

How can students in the United States of America be allowed to promote the acceptance of homosexuality (e.g., the national Day of Silence) but not criticize it? Remember: many people of faith (and others) do not agree with the modern, trendy notion of “gayness” as personhood — i.e., that it is a part of a person’s intrinsic identity. Instead, they view homosexuality as changeable, unnatural and/or sinful behavior, as evidenced by the many men and women who once considered themselves “gay” but have since left their homosexual lifestyle behind.

Judge Hart’s decision creates classic viewpoint discrimination in a public, taxpayer-funded forum (schools) and we hope ultimately that it will be struck down in appeal. I trust that even some of our “gay” critics will see how this ruling is incompatible with the First Amendment.– Peter LaBarbera

Associate Press reports: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C266716%2C00.html

Judge Upholds Illinois School’s Ban on ‘Be Happy, Not Gay’ Shirt

Wednesday, April 18, 2007
CHICAGO — Two Neuqua Valley High School [in Naperville, Illinois] students won’t be able to wear T-shirts saying “Be Happy, Not Gay,” to school on Thursday following a judge’s ruling.

U.S. District Judge William T. Hart ruled in favor of the high school Tuesday in a preliminary injunction that would have allowed the students to wear the shirts the day after Wednesday’s National Day of Silence.

On the Day of Silence, students can refrain from speaking as an effort to protest discrimination against homosexuals.

The Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund is representing Heidi Zamecnik of Naperville and Alexander Nuxoll of Bolingbrook in a lawsuit that claims Zamecnik’s rights were violated last year when she wasn’t allowed to wear the shirt in school.

The Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative Christian litigation group, will appeal the judge’s decision on the preliminary injunction to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, attorney Jonathan Scruggs said. The lawsuit is still pending.

Scruggs said the school is violating the students’ rights to free speech by banning the shirt.

“The school cannot silence speech merely because some people find it offensive,” Scruggs said. “We believe that’s the core of what the First Amendment protects.”

Jack Canna, an attorney for Indian Prairie Unit School District 204, said banning the shirt is part of a policy “to preserve the notion that kids shouldn’t make negative or derogatory comments about other students.”

Messages left by The Associated Press with the Indian Prairie Unit School District 204 and Neuqua Valley High School were not immediately returned Wednesday morning.

I am shocked — shocked — at the claims of Brian Camenker and our friends at Mass Resistance: are they saying that self-styled “queer” activists would actually use lies and deception, and manipulate the legal system, to bring down a conservative foe? Of course that’s what they’re saying — and Camenker knows the “gay” lobby like few others, since he — as the leading defender of pro-family values on the homosexual issue in Massachusetts — has been a target of its wrath. Remember, it’s all about ends justifying the means for so many homosexual activists, and it appears Cirignano is their latest victim.– Peter LaBarbera

MassResistance reports: 

Catholic activist Larry Cirignano arraigned in court on assault & battery, civil rights violation — completely phony charges against him by homosexual activists. Hearing on May 1. The justice system turned upside down.  ===

On Tuesday, April 11, Catholic activist Larry Cirignano was arraigned in a Worcester [Mass.] courthouse on charges of assault and battery, and civil rights violations. He will have his pre-trial hearing on May 1. Not only could Larry be convicted of these, but they are also exploring whether to also charge him with a hate crime.  This is being driven — with great energy — by local homosexual activists and the ACLU.

Words cannot express what an incredible, unbelievable fraud and injustice this is.  On Saturday morning, Dec. 16, 2006, Larry was helping run a pro-traditional marriage rally for VoteOnMarriage on the steps of Worcester City Hall. They had speakers, signs, and several dozen people who came to hear and see it. They had a permit to be there and made sure that police officers were present.

Homosexual activists also brought a sizeable group of people there. They gathered right in the same area. Their purpose was to scream and mingle and to disrupt the event in any way they could (see the video link HERE). At one point, one of them came right up and stood, with a sign, in front of the podium and started chanting, in order to disrupt it further. The police (who had already told them to back off) did nothing. So Larry walked up and walked her back into the crowd, away from the podium. When Larry was coming back, he heard screams. The woman (who it turns out is an ACLU Board Member) had dived to the ground and was claiming that Larry had pushed her!  But six eyewitnesses we talked to said that it was an act, an happened well after Larry had started walking the other way. Nevertheless, homosexual activists insisted that Larry had assaulted her and pushed her to the ground!

In the days following that incident, we talked to the Worcester police official responsible for deciding what to do. It became clear to us that the police were, shall we say, unbelievably sympathetic to the homosexual activists (“she had a right to free speech there”) and contempt for the pro-family community.

Now Larry’s being charged with a crime, a civil rights violation, and possible an additional hate crime!  The Orwellian absurdity of this is mind-numbing. The homosexual “community” has been celebrating and are determined to punish Larry as much as they can.

Here’s this week’s Worcester Telegram article on Wednesday’s arraignment. It’s completely slanted. It doesn’t mention that there are a MINIMUM of six close eye-witnesses (whom we’ve talked to) that say the alleged “attack” simply did not happen.
http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070412/NEWS/704120752/1008/NEWS02

Video of disgusting behavior by homosexual activists at the December 16 event
Here’s our current web page on this incident.   It includes a disgusting video of what the homosexual activists were doing during that event to disrupt it — besides the outrageous and phony stunt they pulled on Larry Cirignano. Unfortunately, this video does not have the actual incident, but it shows you what else was going on. We’ll be updating this page over the next week.
COMING UP SOON:  We have a copy of the only video taken during the actual incident. We will be posting that on the MassResistance website for you to see for yourself.

WE WILL KEEP YOU UP TO DATE ON THIS!

 TAKE ACTION: Call your Congressman and Senators at 202-224-3121 and tell them to actively oppose “hate crimes” legislation (H.R. 1592: the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Protection Act). And help Janet Folger and Faith2Action’s StopHateCrimesNow.com campaign run national ads to educate Americans on the dangerous specter of federal “Hate Crimes” legislation.

Take a minute to watch both online ads about two grandmothers who were arrested under Pennsylvania’s pro-homosexual “Hate Crimes” law for sharing the Gospel at a Philadelphia “gay pride” event. Please help buy more airtime for these ads. Janet Folger is doing her part to preserve our freedom: are you doing yours? — Peter LaBarbera

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Rep. Conyers’ ‘Hate Grandma’ Bill Introduced in House 

By Janet Folger 

t’s all about hate. And judging by the introduction of H.R. 1592, Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., must hate free speech. He must hate equality. And he must hate…grandma. And I think it’s a crime. You see, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee just introduced the “Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act” which would not only restrict our speech and remove equal justice, but it would give senior citizens (and the rest of us) less protection than homosexual activists.

So, if you’re going to mug someone, better make sure it’s grandma (unless she’s become a lesbian) – because if the guy whose money you steal happens to be a homosexual, you’re looking at a triple sentence. Go after grandma, and it’s one-third off! Hey, why don’t we save everyone a lot of time and just hand out “Conyers’ Coupons for Criminals!”

Besides it’s way cheaper than the blank check (“such sums as are necessary”) that’s included to “increase the number of personnel to prevent and respond to alleged violations.” Here come the thought police. HR 1592 mandates that the Department of Justice “shall award grants” to “state and local programs designed to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles, including programs to train local law enforcement officers in identifying, investigating, prosecuting, and preventing hate crimes.” Here come the re-education camps….

Read the rest of Folger’s article in WorldNetDaily by clicking HERE

To express your appreciation to Indianapolis Colts Coach
Tony Dungy for his firm stand, click HERE.

From Dungy Affirms Opposition to Same-Sex ‘Marriage’, by Kevin Jackson, published Mar 21, 2007, by The Christian Post:

Tony Dungy, the Christian coach of this year’s Super Bowl champions, clearly laid out his position against same-sex “marriage” Tuesday night.

In front of a crowd of 700 at the Indiana Family Institute (IFI)’s banquet, the Indianapolis Colts coach agreed with IFI’s position of defining a marriage as being between a man and a woman.

“I appreciate the stance they’re taking,” he said, according to the Indianapolis Star, “and I embrace that stance.”

Before the awards dinner, several pro-homosexual and gay rights groups had criticized Dungy for attending the event. IFI, which has affiliations with Focus on the Family, has been a major voice in supporting a marriage amendment that is currently in the Indiana House, legally defining marriage as one man and one woman. The gay rights groups felt the professional football coach should stay away from all politics.

“We’re not anti-anything else,” explained Dungy, according to USA Today. “We’re not trying to downgrade anyone else. But we’re trying to promote the family – family values the Lord’s way.”

The coach went on to say that his comments should not be looked at as “gay bashing,” but that everything he said should be looked at from his foundation on faith.

Dungy attended the banquet held in Carmel, Ind., about 20 miles north of Indianapolis, to receive the group’s “Friend of the Family” award. Past recipients include Shirley Dobson, co-founder of Focus on the Family, and former federal independent counsel Kenneth Starr.

During his speech, the night’s honoree said he was not ashamed to be at the event.

“IFI is saying what the Lord says,” explained Dungy, according to USA Today. “You can take that and make your decision on which way you want to be. I’m on the Lord’s side.”

Excerpted from Brazilian Priests Could Face Jail-time for Saying that Homosexuality is A Sin, by Meg Jalsevac, published Mar 19, 2007, by LifeSite News:

Brazil’s Senate is currently engaged in a debate over proposed legislation that would criminalize anything deemed a condemnation of homosexuality.  The new legislation, labeled the ‘homophobia law’ would demand jail time for violations of the law and would not provide for any religious exception.

…According to ZENIT, priests who preached against homosexuality could face 3 to 5 years in jail and seminaries would not be permitted to reject applicants based on their sexual orientation.

…Exodus Brazil, the Brazilian branch of the international ex-homosexual ministry, has expressed grave concern about the law saying, “It will extinguish ex-gay ministry in Brazil for all practical purposes.”

Brazil has been a recent leader in pushing for gay rights and trumping traditional family values.  In 2005, Brazil legalized homosexual adoption.  As previously reported by LifeSiteNews.com, Brazilian ambassadors have been the driving force behind a 2006 proposal to the Organization of American States to designate sexual orientation an “inalienable right” with full human-rights protection.

Continue reading at LifeSite News…