FRC Gives Watchman Of The Year Award to Another Hateful NC Pastor

May 25, 2012 By 2 Comments

What is it with NC pastors this week? First we heard about this guy and now…

Tony Perkins and the FRC (Family Research Council) just gave their Watchman of The Year award to Pastor Ron Baity. Apparently Mr. Baity did a lot of work making sure that Amendment 1 passed in North Carolina (defining marriage between a man and a woman.)

The problem? This very same Pastor has said:

  • Gays act worse than maggots
  • Compares them to murderers
  • Says accepting gay people will make society “more filthy”
  • Says God had an urban renewal program for “Sodom & Gomorrah” and basically we are headed for God to act swiftly in doing the same here.
  • Says gay marriage is America’s death warrant

I think I will stop there. There is more but … that’s enough.

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Thor + Bonsai = Thorsai

May 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

So, I am going to a Bonsai thingamajig tomorrow with my friend who looks exactly like the guy who plays Thor in The Avengers. I have been known to commit planticide in the past so it might take the mighty power of fake Thor to prevent another plant nightmare.

Yes, totally going to make a video. I doubt I will convince him to wear his Thor costume while looking at the Bonsai … stuff. I don’t even know what to expect on this excursion.

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Brett Kimberlin Blog-Burst

May 25, 2012 By 1 Comment

Way back in my old blogging days we used to see “blog bursts” quite regularly across conservative blogs. Today many are blogging about Brett Kimberlin. I have read about a dozen different posts and articles about him and it appears he’s a pretty ruthless cyber bully. Check out the tweets …wow. I’ve never met the man so I can’t personally confirm the accusation. However, his public record (did time for domestic terrorism) and alleged cyber-stalking and lawfare tactics against conservative bloggers is enough to make the hair stand up on the back of your neck.

I have wrestled over whether to blog about this or not. No, I didn’t lose any sleep or anything. I am doing so because we briefly mentioned online bullying in a recent post and the resulting comments. We lightly touched on how the online community can take care of itself and doesn’t need the nanny state outlawing anonymous comments. While existing law could and needs to be used to stop Mr. Kimberlin, the online community is exposing the need for that to happen to protect others from this man’s terrifying, and possibly illegal, tactics. Effective use of “blog-bursts” is another way the online community can and does take care of its own.

Would you agree? … or is this just piling on/echo chamber type of stuff?

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My Hero

May 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

For as long as I can remember, in my adult life, I tell people they are my favoritist whatever their name is I know. For example, Kathy Koch. She is my favoritist Kathy Koch ever. NO other Kathy Koch could ever replace her as my favorite … ever. Same thing with Joe Dallas. NO OTHER Joe Dallas will ever be my favorite. Don’t even try.  And I usually play it up as a HUGE honor because it should be.
:)

I also have told quite a few people they are my hero. A former co-worker got that designation a lot when he would go on Starbucks runs.

Speaking of Kathy Koch, she asked a great set of questions in her Thought Provoking Discussion Starters: Remembering Our Heroes post today (my thoughts after the jump):

With Memorial Day on my mind, I’ve been thinking about how we remember our heroes. How do I? How do you? How do your friends?

Maybe the first question should be, how do we decide who our heroes are? How do I? How do you? How do your friends?

…

There is more to her post so definitely go read the whole thing. I am only going to be addressing the above but her post goes on to cite an intriguing quote by Joseph Campbell as well.

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Defending S.E. Cupp … And All People “Degraded” by Porn

May 24, 2012 By 3 Comments

S. E. (Sarah Elizabeth) Cupp

Yesterday’s news cycle, at least in conservative circles, was all discombobulated by Larry Flynt allowing his evil magazine Hustler to Photoshop conservative commentator S.E. Cuppin a very unflattering and degrading way.No, I will not link to Hustler or even a blurred out picture of the horrible prank. If you did not already hear about or see it … trust me … it happened.

When I first heard of the situation I was upset, like most, that once again another smart, intelligent and conservative woman was treated so poorly. Flynt (via Hustler) attacked her with ultimate disrespect and obvious misogyny.

That said, as the day progressed and I saw blog post after blog post, tweet after tweet… comment after comment … defending S.E. Cupp … something felt “amiss.”

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Quotable Grace: How Do We “Reign” in Life? – Pure Grace Online

May 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

“We have moments when we seem to reign in life, but they fade quickly as the circumstances of life beat us down. Ok, so how do we get there, and stay there – reigning in life?” (Pg. 41 Pure Grace)

via Quotable Grace: How Do We “Reign” in Life? – Pure Grace Online.

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Outlawing Anonymity

May 23, 2012 By 5 Comments

It seems some politicians want to make a name for themselves by forcing people to name themselves:

Lawmakers in New York State think the root of all Internet evil lies in the anonymous nature by which comments get posted on news websites and social media. Their solution? They’ve introduced Internet anonymity legislation that would make New York-based website owners delete any anonymous posts that other Internet users label as cyberbullying.

Should the bills pass, any Internet user could call up a toll-free number that websites would be required to set up to handle such grievances. Anonymous web users would then have but a single recourse to save their posts if such a compliant is lodged against them: unmask completely by revealing their name and going through an identification process.

Should they refuse, the post must be deleted within 48 hours.

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Exodus International Transcends the “War” to Help Church Minister to Those With SSA

May 23, 2012 By 1 Comment

Here are my favorite parts of the full press-release. My brief comments after:

Orlando, Fla. – The furor over same-sex marriage and homosexuality has not abated in recent days as commentators continue to speak about President Obama’s remarks, legislation to ban so called gay-to-straight therapy in California, and the fallout from North Carolina’s marriage vote.

…

While a minority of people such as North Carolina pastor Charles Worley represent the outdated and homophobic fringe of Christianity and should not be taken seriously, excellent churches like National Community Church in Washington, D.C. are drawing approximately 200 people each week to Ebenezer’s Coffee House. These individuals gather to thoughtfully discuss how the church can better care for people with same-sex attractions (SSA), those inside and outside of the church.

…

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What is Righteous Anger?

May 23, 2012 By 4 Comments

Yesterday I asked for people to submit blog topic suggestions, news tips and questions and … a number of you did! Thank you very much.

The first question to come through was from my long time friend Pati. She writes (linkage mine):

Randy, I do have a question.  Yesterday when you posted about the pastor out of North Carolina, I was one of the first to jump, with great anger, onto the comments about how disturbed I was over it.  My question is:  was that what is considered “righteous anger”?  I have heard this being used many times by Christian – righteous anger – and what does define it?  I can’t say I have felt badly at all for my emotions toward this man and his statements.  Thanks..

Anger as an emotion is natural, authentic, and a god-given warning bell that something is not right. Whether it is personal safety, relational difficulty or a matter of justice (on any level) anger informs us that something is out of balance and in need of correction.

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LEADER BEWARE

May 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

LEADER BEWARE: Having influence doesn’t just attract attackers, it also attracts flatterers. Love attackers. Fear flatterers!

via Twitter / JeffWBuchanan retweeting @RickWarren.

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