“In order to get a 100-percent rating [from the HRC], you now have to provide funding for sex-change operations for transsexuals. So…they keep ramping up the demands to get the 100-percent rating, knowing that companies are bragging about having the rating,” states Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality.

This is from a Christian Newspaper, that purports to keep the news Christ centered. Too bad Christ, in this case, doesn’t mean honesty, but what would you expect from a group that claims to be the truth about homosexuality. But no one ought to be surprised by this standard message from  Peter LaBarbera. I wanted  to bring it to your attention to highlight a few points that might be easily missed. Check out the full article to better understand my points today.

The conflation of religion and politics

There is nothing about this story which is Christ-like.  Christ isn’t quoted anywhere  as having made any comment about homosexuality in general, and most specifically about treating all people equally, including transgender individuals. The message here is utterly political and fear based. The linkage to Obama, and Health care reform that LaBarbera tries to make demonstrates that.

Bearing false witness is a sin

While facts aren’t considered very important to this paper, they ought to be given that one of the commandments talks about lying. Did anyone ask, how true any of these assertions are? I don’t think so.  But the point rather is to portray corporations as mindless idiots who care only about some rating, and the demonization of gay rights activists and transgender individuals, and (here is the important part) Obama Health Care Reform.

The Tea Party is just a facade for extreme social issues control

We are but a few weeks from an extremely important election where the conservatives have tried to paint a facade around the Tea Party crazies as if they are really all about fiscal conservatism, when I’m reality, they are all about traditional family values, and social issues control. Look at any,Tea Party candidate or Tea Party enthusiast at the government side of things and they are all extreme when it comes to any social issue like reproductive rights, abortion, and gay rights.  Is simply doing his part to stoke the fear and help get out the vote for this social control agenda.

A ministry of fear

All so-called Christian attacks on the LGBT movement use some level of fear mongering, and the one used here is pretty standard. The gays have a never ending agenda that grows and grows. Give them an inch and soon they will want more and more. This suggests an economy of scarcity- there isn’t enough to go around, and couldn’t be less Christ-like, where a Christ-centered message is one of the abundance of God’s love for all.

What will you do on election day?

On election day, will you help  LaBarbera and the social conservatives achieve their end goal, and regain the power needed to bring all movement towards equality to a halt? Or will you help stop him and this extreme social conservatism by electing and retaining democrats including the moderates? Here in Pennsylvania, that will play out in a few ways. At the national level, we have the opportunity to elect Joe Sestak who has been on the front lines fitting for Women’s issues and LGBT issues, or we can see Pat Toomey elected who is too extreme. Even Rick Santorum called him too extreme for Pennsylvania. We also have the choice to elect Dan Onorato, who has been vocal throughout the campaign about his support for nondiscrimination protections for LGBT persons within our state.