New ballot efforts seeks voter referendum on “gay marriage/civil unions” in Illinois in 2012

Note: it is outrageous that the State of lllinois would even consider FORCING religious adoption agencies (or irreligious agencies, for that matter) to place children in homes that are motherless or fatherless by design. Adults (proudly) practicing homosexuality are not good role models for impressionable children, who need a mom and a dad. (No, the sexes are not  interchangeable.) The new Illinois “Civil Unions” law — rammed through Springfield in a lame-duck session — must be repealed to preserve religious liberty in the Land of Lincoln. “Exemptions” — even if they are strengthened — won’t preserve freedom.

In the meantime, a new movement has been launched to place an Advisory Referendum on “same-sex marriage” (and “civil unions”) on the Illinois ballot in 2012. Almost 300,000 signatures of Illinos voters must be gathered and turned into the Illlinois Board of Elections by April 2012 to make that happen. To get involved, go to www.DefendMarriageIllinois.org and download a petition and instructions. — Peter LaBarbera, www.aftah.org   

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                     

CONTACT:  Tom Ciesielka, 312-422-1333; tc@tcpr.net; June 7, 2011                                                                                                                   

Catholic Leaders Take Legal Action Over Risk of Losing Foster Care Services

Catholic Charities in Illinois Seek Remedy for Best Interests of Children, Families

(SPRINGFIELD, IL) Leaders of three Catholic dioceses – the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, Peoria and Joliet – took legal action today as their charities fight to continue their work in serving the best interests of thousands of needy children and families throughout the state.

In March of this year, the Attorney General’s office issued a letter stating that the office “received notice that Catholic Charities … discriminates against Illinois citizens based on race, marital status and sexual orientation” in the provision of foster care and adoption services and demanded that Catholic Charities turn over a wide range of documents in response. The June 1 law authorizing civil unions in Illinois has raised further questions and criticism about Catholic Charities’ longstanding position not to place children for adoption and foster care with non-married couples who live together – regardless of sexual orientation.

This lawsuit, filed in Sangamon County Circuit Court, seeks a declaration that the charities are in full compliance with Illinois law in their current practices and an injunction against further action by Illinois government officials to the contrary. The charities argue both that the Illinois Human Rights Act exempts religious adoption agencies from the provisions relied upon by the Attorney General’s office and that the new Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act includes an express protection for the religious freedom of entities like Catholic Charities.

‘Gay’ “Bullying Tactics” won’t dissuade marriage defenders, says TFP leader

Pro-homosexual "marriage" activist attacks TFP banner that proclaimed marriage as it truly is: between a man and a woman. TFP members shouted "Aggressor!" as the assailant did his dirty deed. Later, a TFP member was hit in the head by a beer bottle thrown from a car passing by.

Folks, we’ve seen this nasty brand of homosexual bullying and intolerance so often that we’re no longer shocked by it. Watch the TFP Student Action video as peaceful TFP members shout “Aggressor!” as this troubled man walks up and destroys their banner, in Fairport, New York. Imagine if a bunch of pro-family activists did this to a pro-“gay banner” banner! (CBS, ABC, NBC, and CNN would be lining up to tell the story.) TFP is a Catholic group that has done yeoman’s work standing up for real marriage across the nation. Watch the TFP Student Action video at their website HERE. — Peter LaBarbera,. www.aftah.org

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Video: Pro-Homosexual Advocate Destroys Traditional Marriage Banner in New York

Contact: Contact: John Ritchie, American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property, 717-495-5427

FAIRPORT, N.Y., June 6, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ — Volunteers with the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property (TFP) were assaulted while peacefully demonstrating for traditional marriage in Fairport, New York, on June 2.

As young TFP volunteers stood at the corner of Main Street and Church Street with signs, a pro-homosexualist hurled himself against the group’s thirteen foot long banner inscribed with “God’s Marriage = 1 Man & 1 Woman.” The banner, held by three volunteers, was knocked down and violently torn to pieces.

Watch video footage of the attack HERE.

Prof. Rena Lindevaldsen

UPDATE: Since AFTAH re-aired her Columbus Truth Academy speech, Prof. Rena Lindevaldsen has published a book, “Only One Mommy: A Woman’s Battle for Her Life, Her Daughter, and Her Freedom: The Lisa Miller Story.” It is available through Amazon HERE; go here for Rena’s blog, “Only One Mommy.” Go HERE for Rena’s Facebook page.

The following presentation [click HERE to listen] is excerpted from a speech by Liberty University School of Law Prof. Rena Lindevaldsen was made at the Truth Academy in Columbus, Ohio, April 1-2, 2011 — sponsored jointly by Americans For Truth About Homosexuality and Mission America. We aired Prof. Lindevaldsen’s talk (edited down slightly from the original, without the ‘Q&A’ session) on the “Americans For Truth Hour” radio program May 21, 2011. Lindevaldsen discusses the escalating “gay” activist campaign to establish homosexuality — and same-sex “marriage” — as a “civil right.” She discusses the growing threat to religious and First Amendment freedoms arising from pro-homosexual court rulings and policies. Lindevaldsen explains how President Obama is undermining the Defense of Marriage Act, and warns that religious liberty will suffer a crushing blow if homosexuals receive favored “suspect class” status in the law. NOTE: All of Prof. Lindevaldsen’t excellent presentations at AFTAH’s Truth Academies are available below:

Order Truth Academy Sets: DVDs of Chicago 2010 or CDs of Columbus 2011 — Rena Lindevaldsen has spoken at both of AFTAH’s Truth Academies.  Columbus 2011: A 13-CD AUDIO set of this year’s two-day Truth Academy in Columbus, OH — co-sponsored by Mission America — is available for just $49 postpaid.  This 13-CD set includes the full talk above by Prof. Lindevaldsen, as well as presentations by Greg Quinlan, Matt Barber, Linda Harvey, Gary Glenn, Prof. Rob Gagnon, Peter LaBarbera and WorldNetDaily’s David Kupelian. Chicago 2010: A DVD-video set of the entire three-day Truth Academy — featuring two talks by Rena Lindevaldsen — is available for $89 (including postage). Other Chicago speakers include: Robert Knight, Barber, Quinlan, Ryan Sorba, Laurie Higgins, Gagnon, Arthur Goldberg, Cliff Kincaid and AFTAH President Peter LaBarbera. Double order discount: Order BOTH Truth Academy sets (the Chicago DVD-VIDEO and the Columbus CD-AUDIO) for a discount price of $129 (postage included). Send your check and specify your order to AFTAH, PO Box 5522, Naperville, IL 60567-5522; or give online at www.americansfortruth.com/donate/ (please use PayPal if possible). Send queries to americans

HOW TO LISTEN: This is an mp3 file, supported in most operating systems by Windows Media Player, Quick Time and/or I-Tunes.  Do not use Real Player.  It is not supported and there may be difficulty listening with it.  Left click once on the link below to play.  (Please be patient, depending upon the speed of your internet connection it may take a moment or two to load.)  OR right click the link then “save target as” to download the whole show.

5-21-11, Prof. Rena Lindevaldsen

Pro-family advocates in Chicago rally against the new "Civil Unions" law in Illinois. The bill, HB 1716, was passed in a lame-duck session and ironically called the "Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Unions Act" despite the fact that its passage immediately put Illinois citizens' religious and First Amendment liberties in jeopardy. Photo by Lynn Thomas; click to enlarge.

Americans For Truth About Homosexuality (www.aftah.org); June 1, 2011

Contact: Peter LaBarbera: 630-717-7631; americansfortruth@gmail.com

CHICAGO–Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans For Truth About Homosexuality and a principal behind the Illinois Defense of Marriage Initiative (www.DefendMarriageIL.org), issued the following statement on the new Illinois “Civil Unions” law that takes effect today:

Homosexual behavior is always wrong, according to the broad sweep of Judeo-Christian history, so it is tragic to behold the State of Illinois – or any government entity – recognizing immoral same-sex relationships and treating them like marriage. Moreover, for the City of Chicago and Gov. Pat Quinn to celebrate homosexuality with a mass Civil Union ceremony June 2^nd is an act of hubris and defiance toward the Creator that mocks His wonderful plan for real marriage – the sacred union of a man and a woman to produce children and family. The pandering Quinn – epitomizing the modern Democratic politician –mocks his own professed Catholicism by working tirelessly to undermine its clear moral dictates.

The anti-Christian Civil Unions law must be repealed. It was passed in a lame-duck session that once again revealed the contempt that liberal Illinois lawmakers have for the citizens they are supposed to serve. Ironically, shortly after passage of this bill – mischievously titled the Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Unions Act –religious liberty for Illinois citizens and religious institutions was immediately put in jeopardy. A homosexual male couple targeted Paxton, Illinois, bed-and-breakfast owners Jim and Beth Walder – who now face prosecution by the State because they refuse – as Christians – to hold “civil union” ceremonies celebrating homosexuality on their own business property. And the Rockford Diocese’s Catholic Charities announced that it will halt its state-funded foster care and adoption services rather than be forced by the State of Illinois to place children in same-sex households that are motherless or fatherless by design.

News Release, May 22, 2011

CONTACT: Peter LaBarbera (630)717-7631; americansfortruth@gmail.com

Christian business owners Jim and Beth Walder could be tied up in litigation for years to stop an attempt by homosexual activists and the State of Illinois to force them to host homosexual "civil union" ceremonies -- against their religious beliefs -- at their bed-and-breakfast in Paxton, Illinois. Here the Walders are shown with their five children.

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois – Americans For Truth President Peter LaBarbera said today that Springfield’s first-ever “Gay Pride” celebration is another tragic watershed for the Land of Lincoln – and said aggressive homosexual activism encroaching on America’s heartland will surely undermine the First Amendment and religious liberties of citizens who stand for traditional, biblical morality.

LaBarbera and AFTAH (Americans For Truth About Homosexuality) will stand in silent counter-protest to the Springfield homosexual “pride” festival near the state capitol (on Capital Avenue between Fifth and Sixth Streets), under the banner: “Homosexuality: Wrong. Unhealthy. Unnatural. Changeable.”

AFTAH expands on the banner’s message below:

•  Wrong:  Historic Judeo-Christian teaching  – Old and New Testament — holds that homosexual practice is sinful. (See Pittsburgh Theological Seminary Professor Robert Gagnon’s website, www.robgagnon.net, which ably refutes various LGBT attempts to affirm homosexuality as consistent with Christian ethos.) The Roman Catholic Church teaches that homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered.” Other major religions including Islam similarly teach that homosexual practice defies the Creator.

Naturally, efforts to transform American law to affirm people practicing same-sex behavior have collided with the religious and First Amendment liberties of those who disagree with homosexuality. In Illinois, shortly after lame-duck passage of the ”civil unions” bill, a homosexual  male couple targeted Paxton bed-and-breakfast owners Jim and Beth Walder, who have held wedding ceremonies on their property. The “gay” activists seek to use the new law to FORCE the Walders to use their own private business (and property) to host homosexual “civil union” ceremonies against their Christian conscience. Similarly, LGBT activists are maneuvering to FORCE private, religious adoption agencies in Illinois to place children in homosexual-led households against their religious beliefs.

Read the rest of this article »

“A Queer Thing” author assails Andrew Marin’s flawed biblical exegesis

Dr. Michael Brown, author of "A Queer Thing Happened to America," says true biblical love cannot bury the truth that homosexual behavior and relationships are sinful.

This is the fourth and final part of AFTAH President Peter LaBarbera’s interview with Dr. Michael Brown, author of “A Queer Thing Happened to America.”  This aired May 14, 2011. [Click HERE to listen.] Brown, director of Coalition of Conscience, and LaBarbera discuss the proper approach of telling the “truth in love” to people practicing homosexuality. Brown espouses a “Reach Out and Resist” approach of lovingly reaching out to homosexuals with the Gospel while steadfastly resisting the agenda to normalize homosexual, bisexual and transgender behavior through the law and culture.

When asked about controversial pro-“gay” Grove City College professor Warren Throckmorton and others who support “civil unions” and pro-homosexual “sexual orientation” laws as an alleged outworking of Christian compassion, Brown says faithful Christians cannot support the idea of legal “civil rights” based on sinful behavior.  He assails the non-biblical approach of “Love Is An Orientation” author Andrew Marin, a liberal Chicago evangelical living in Boystown who seems reluctant to affirm clear Scriptural teachings that homosexual behavior is always sinful. Brown also prays for “Chaz” Bono, the daughter (Chastity) of Sonny and Cher who has gained immense sympathetic media attention surrounding her tragic quest to become a “man.”

Special “A Queer Thing” Offer: Michael Brown’s book “A Queer Thing Happened to America” is available through AFTAH at a discount price fo $25 (including shipping and postage). Make a $25 gift online at www.americansfortruth.com/donate/; or mail your $25 donation requesting the book to: AFTAH, PO Box 5522, Naperville, IL 60567-5522.

HOW TO LISTEN: This is an mp3 file, supported in most operating systems by Windows Media Player, Quick Time and/or I-Tunes.  Do not use Real Player.  It is not supported and there may be difficulty listening with it.  Left click once on the link below to play.  (Please be patient, depending upon the speed of your internet connection it may take a moment or two to load.)  OR right click the link then “save target as” to download the whole show. 

5-14-11, Dr. Michael Brown

AFTAH in the News: Another victim of ‘homo-fascism’

Dear AFTAH Readers,

Homo-fascism is escalating, and good people — and the national interest — are its tragic victims.  The idea that Americans should be smeared as “hateful” because they take a stand against oxymoronic “same-sex marriage” — when citizens in 31 states voted to defend traditional (real) marriage — is beyond absurd.  (In fact, it is hateful!)  The name of the game is INTIMIDATION — and after so many years of practice, the “gay” activists are quite good at it.  But their strategy could not work without the liberal media acting as a de facto arm of the Homosexual Lobby.

Of course, my heart goes out to Peter Vidmar — and all victims of homosexualist intolerance — but at some point leaders will have to stand up to the “gay” bullies or America will cease to be a free land.  You can call or write Vidmar (760-603-8010) using THIS FORM, or send him an e-mail at info@speakersoffice.com.  To call Congress to voice your strong opposition to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act — a federal “sexual orientation” bill that would surely create thousands of new “Peter Vidmars” (always in the name of “tolerance” and “gay civil rights,” of course…) — call 202-224-3121 (Senate) or 202-225-3121 (House).  Or go to www.Congress.org.  [More info on ENDA: Click HERE for a GovTrack report on the 2011 version of ENDA, HR 1397; click HERE to read my piece: “14 Good Reasons to Oppose the ‘ENDA Our Freedom’ Bill”]

Stay strong: the homo-fascists may be winning now, but Americans will see through their schemes, and fight back against their evil agenda of demonizing religious people by equating the defense of historic Judeo-Christian values with  “hate and bigotry.”  — Peter LaBarbera, www.aftah.org; americansfortruth@gmail.com    

American Family Association’s “One News Now” reports:

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Gold medalist resigns, thanks to pro-‘gay’ criticism

Charlie Butts – OneNewsNow – 5/12/2011 [Click HERE to read story online; to listen to the report, click the microphone icon at the upper right of the story on the One News Now page.]

Pressure from homosexual activist groups has compelled the head of the 2012 U.S. Olympic gymnastics team to quit.

This is the third of our four-part interview with Dr. Mike Brown, author of “A Queer Thing Happened to Amer (www.aqueerthing.com).  This pre-recorded interview aired May 8, 2011. [Click HERE to listen.] Brown discusses “gay theology” and its extreme teachings, such as those surrounding the “queerness” of Jesus Christ. The excerpts read from Brown’s book are shocking and yet not on the fringe of the “gay Christian” movement, Brown says. AFTAH is offering “A Queer Thing” at a discount of $25 (including postage). Order the book by sending an email to americansfortruth@gmail.com and your check to: AFTAH, PO Box 5522, Naperville, IL 60567-5522, or give online at www.americansfortruth.com/donate/ and specify that you are ordering the book.

HOW TO LISTEN: This is an mp3 file, supported in most operating systems by Windows Media Player, Quick Time and/or I-Tunes.  Do Not Use Real Player.  It is not supported and there may be difficulty listening with it.  Left click once on the link below to play.  (Please be patient, depending upon the speed of your internet connection it may take a moment or two to load.)  OR right click the link then “save target as” to download the whole show. 

5-07-11, Dr. Michael Brown