Montana Family Foundation: Using Scripture To Slander Others

Second, listen to this:
This fundamentalist, smug and patronizing interpretation of Paul’s letter to the Romans by Mr Laszloffy is used to villify and degrade other human beings- and in particular, a human being I consider to be a friend.
Jamee Greer is not part of the radical homosexual agenda or a latter-day Gomorran. He is a man who simply wants identical freedom for all Montanans. This irresponsible podcast advocates harsh judgment, not God’s love and forgiveness.
I’m terrified that some fundamentalist is going to start picking off liberal lobbyists.

Third: If something happens to Jamee Greer because of this, Mr Laszloffy, the cries to heaven will be deafening. So will my words. And they will be these: You are personally responsible for spreading hate and destruction. And I will speak them until you repent.

I asked My friend Kathy to do a bit more work with this. As a straight woman, a Christian, a non-Montanan and a friend, she’s got more objectivity than I do right now.

RESPONSE TO MONTANA FAMILY FOUNDATION’S JEFF LASZLOFFY
by Kathy Baldock, Canyonwalkerconnections.com

The Word of God is a Holy Text. Abuse of the Word of God, unfortunately is rampant in the church. Theology is a compilation of the interpretation that we read (re-written from the original Greek and Hebrew), with our personal translation of what those words mean as understood in our context, our language and our own personal filters. Added to all this, is the personal revelation and relationship we individually have with Jesus.

So, is there room for one person to view Scripture differently than another person? Of course.

One of the most flagrant mis-uses and abuses of verses of the Bible is the section quoted by Jeff Lazloffy on the Legislative Update on the Montana Family Foundation Radio podcast.

Mr. Lazloffy bases his assessment of a group of people at the legislative session in Montana on some verses from the Book of Romans. Verses originally spoken to a group of people left behind in Rome in about 60 AD after all the converted Jewish Christians, the Jews and Gentile “acting like Christians” were forced to leave Rome. Theses groups were infighting over who was right, who got to use the temple space (kind of like today), so the Caesar kicked all the trouble makers out of Rome in the Edict of 54 AD. They were excommunicated for five years. So, after five years, the baby Christians left behind, the ones that were once polytheists and idol worshippers (from generations and culture of both) had fallen back into their old ways of worship in the temples. Duh! They were doing what they knew to do and, they had no mentors around to help stop the falling back.

Priscilla carried a letter from Paul to these Romans (hence the Book) and the letter told the once-gentiles-then-believers-now gentiles-again to please recall commitment once made. Having once known Jesus as Lord, they had turned from Him. THAT was the grave sin. Turning back to idol worship. Not same sex behaviors! Not homosexuality. Idol worship. Putting others things before the commitment to God.

But, misreading and abusing this text from Romans give more fuel to the anti gay crowd, so, we keep on repeating the scenario. “If you are gay and will not stop being gay, God will cut you loose and you will be a reprobate.” Noooooo. If you once had the knowledge of God and turn from Him, He will let you go your own way. Back to your old stuff.

For a full treatment of these verses go to “Romans 1:18-32. . .To Whom Was This Directed?”

It is dreadful when Christians misuse Holy Words to subjugate, threaten and demonize any other group of people . I read the Gospel as Good News. How did a Book of love get to become a weapon of fear and destruction? This is how: you put it in the hands of a people who indeed have an agenda of fear and exclusion, two messages completely contrary to the message of the Gospel.

I speak the same language as you Mr. Lazloffy, so this is for you. I do not believe for one minute that God showed you a vision of Mr. Greer in the way you depicted it. If those were God’s eyes, you would have seen someone you are called to love and serve, not judge and oppress. You were looking at one of God’s children, equal to you in His eyes. If you need a verse, stop camping on the misuse of Romans 1: 28 and drop on back to Isaiah 58:6-12. Cut the cords of oppression, fight for justice. Stop laying more oppression onto the backs of others.

I am assuming many of the objects of your version or “God love” have left churches. Yet, you want them to follow the club rules and, not only have they never bought into the rules, you won’t even let them in the club. (My assumption here, but I do assume you are not welcoming of gay/trans people in your home church, unless they change that is.)

The church has gotten to looking very much unlike Jesus. Rather than look at this group of others as “steeped in sin”, do what God really did ask of you: look at your own sin and, back to this again, love and serve.

Christians like you are keeping the youth away from churches, denying 5% of the population access to a God that somehow was able to handle my sorry self and yours. If He wants to make someone not gay, or not liberal, or not whatever the thing they are that makes you uncomfortable, then let Him do it. This stinky stuff called self-righteousness that we wear out in public is a stench to a Holy God. And it is stinky to others too.

Go love and serve, fight for justice and against oppression and then, you might actually smell sweet enough, like Jesus, to draw people to Him instead of repulsing them away.

I am a straight Evangelical Christian who is finally understanding the message of Jesus that is not embodied in Romans 1:28. The overarching message of the Bible is not power packed into six anti gay verses, it is this : love your neighbor (told once) and love your enemy/the stranger (told twenty six times). I do not need a vision to confirm that you are failing at that calling. I only needed to listen to your three minute legislative summary.

Go apologize and serve the others, then, you will begin to look like the Lord I love and serve

More Discrimination

Mar8 by D Gregory Smith

…by legislation to be debated before the Montana State Senate.
From Montana Equality Now:

HB 516, the bill to nullify Missoula (and Bozeman) ‘s non-discrimination ordinance(s), will come before the Senate Local Government Committee Monday, March 14th, at 3 pm and our legislators need to hear your voice.

This bill would not only nullify the Missoula Ordinance, but would ban most attempts by cities and towns to ensure their LGBT citizens feel secure on the job, at home, and in the community. Please come and tell our Senators why you support equality and they shouldn’t legislate away a vital tool for cities and towns to meet to needs of their citizens.

All you need to do to participate iis show up and give brief testimony the the committee on why non-discrimination ordinances matter to you.

Carpooling by Montana Equality Now will be available from Missoula, leaving at 12:20 PM from the East Broadway Park and Ride, at 1122 E. Broadway (Near the wind turbine).

Other carpool locations should be available soon.

Please spread the word.

If you can’t make it then you can still send the committee a message at:
http://leg.mt.gov/css/sessions/62nd/legwebmessage.asp

If you want to read the bill it is available at:
http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2011/billpdf/HB0516.pdf

I’m going. Hope you will, too.
My statements about LGBT and gender discrimination are here.

NYT Weighs In On Montana’s Medical Marijuana Snafu

Mar6 by D Gregory Smith

Kirk Johnson of the New York Times covers the economic angle of repealing Montana’s medical marijuana referendum:

Questions about who really benefits from medical marijuana are now gripping Montana. In the Legislature, a resurgent Republican majority elected last fall is leading a drive to repeal the six-year-old voter-approved statute permitting the use of marijuana for medical purposes, which opponents argue is promoting recreational use and crime.

If repeal forces succeed — the House last month voted strongly for repeal, and the Senate is now considering it — Montana would be the first to recant among the 15 states and the District of Columbia that have such laws.

In Bozeman, a college and tourism town north of Yellowstone National Park, construction jobs and tax collections dried up just as the marijuana business was blossoming; residents and politicians here say the interconnection of economics and legal drugs would be much more complicated to undo.

Something the ~~morality~~ economy-geared legislature seems to be forgetting. For those with few options, marijuana can be an excellent idea. I do not use it myself, but I know people who have benefitted greatly- with pain management issues, insomnia, low appetite and nausea- all issues persons with chronic illness such as HIV can have as a result of legally prescribed medication. It makes sense that this relief also be legally prescribed.

If it becomes illegal and you knew it had helped you, would you break the law?

Flathead News Alert!

Mar1 by D Gregory Smith

Cowgirl reports that Frank Miele, editor of the Flathead Daily Interlake is a vitriolic birther, who’s defending Billy Bob Wagner’s bill to require presidential birth certificates to be on the ballot in Montana. Miele also goes after Anderson Cooper, on whose show Wagner was completely unmasked as a redneck jackass (apologies to Democrats).

Must be seen to be believed. Read it here.

In Case You Missed It: The Billionaire Koch Brothers’ War Against Obama

Feb27 by D Gregory Smith

If you want to understand the numb-hearted libertarian movement- and the money behind it, you could do worse than read Jane Mayer’s August 2010 article in the New Yorker. Excerpt:

In Washington, (David) Koch is best known as part of a family that has repeatedly funded stealth attacks on the federal government, and on the Obama Administration in particular.

With his brother Charles, who is seventy-four, David Koch owns virtually all of Koch Industries, a conglomerate, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, whose annual revenues are estimated to be a hundred billion dollars. The company has grown spectacularly since their father, Fred, died, in 1967, and the brothers took charge. The Kochs operate oil refineries in Alaska, Texas, and Minnesota, and control some four thousand miles of pipeline. Koch Industries owns Brawny paper towels, Dixie cups, Georgia-Pacific lumber, Stainmaster carpet, and Lycra, among other products. Forbes ranks it as the second-largest private company in the country, after Cargill, and its consistent profitability has made David and Charles Koch—who, years ago, bought out two other brothers—among the richest men in America. Their combined fortune of thirty-five billion dollars is exceeded only by those of Bill Gates and Warren Buffett.

The Kochs are longtime libertarians who believe in drastically lower personal and corporate taxes, minimal social services for the needy, and much less oversight of industry—especially environmental regulation. These views dovetail with the brothers’ corporate interests. In a study released this spring, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst’s Political Economy Research Institute named Koch Industries one of the top ten air polluters in the United States. And Greenpeace issued a report identifying the company as a “kingpin of climate science denial.” The report showed that, from 2005 to 2008, the Kochs vastly outdid ExxonMobil in giving money to organizations fighting legislation related to climate change, underwriting a huge network of foundations, think tanks, and political front groups. Indeed, the brothers have funded opposition campaigns against so many Obama Administration policies—from health-care reform to the economic-stimulus program—that, in political circles, their ideological network is known as the Kochtopus.

It’s fascinating stuff. Read the rest here.

The Men Who Hate Women

Feb26 by D Gregory Smith

Fascinating analysis and reasoning from Duganz over at 4&20 Blackbirds:

I’m intentionally referencing the original title of Steig Larsson’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” because it is the most upfront and real statement about the west. We – Europe, Canada, and the US – are societies that hate women. Yes, we let them vote, work and dress as they see fit, but that doesn’t mean we love – or even like – women.

Don’t believe me? Read on.

Seriously. Read on.

Enough is Enough. Isn’t It?

Feb25 by D Gregory Smith

According to Wulfgar it is. I missed this when I was fighting with my internets the past two days. Still so worth reading.

Excerpt:

But, simply put, the Montana online right is getting to the point that even I can’t read them any more. That’s a sad admission coming on a sad afternoon after many such sad afternoons. It’s also very true. The same old lies, the same old ignorance. It’s kinda pointless.

…It’s pretty obvious at this point that the Montana GOP doesn’t give a flying shit about jobs, or Montana, or even a balanced budget. And the only thing coming from the Montana “Dextra” is the sad soft whine that these people should be more what they want and less what they don’t want.

Oh, yes, he did.
Read the rest here.

The Montana Taliban’s Jihad

Feb23 by D Gregory Smith

Yesterday, the Montana House of Representatives voted to nullify any local anti-discrimination ordinances (Missoula and Bozeman), forcing cities and towns to rely on state law which doesn’t protect LGBT persons from discrimination. 60 Republicans voted for the bill, all 32 House Democrats joined by seven enlightened Republicans voted against. From The Missoulian

It was the second bill that passed Tuesday to nullify a locally adopted policy in Missoula. Earlier, the House banned enactment of local initiatives such as the one Missoula County voters approved in 2006 to make marijuana crimes the lowest priority of law enforcement.
“It is ironic that the first bill of the day and the last bill of the day both intend to override the expressed will of Missoulians to govern ourselves as we see fit,” said Rep. Diane Sands, D-Missoula.

It’s time to call a spade a spade.

There is only one way to describe the faction of the Montana Republican party which is voting to legislate their own arrogant morality, usurping the clear will of persons in municipalities to govern themselves in favor of theological, idealogical and biblical precepts while blatantly ignoring science, reason and due diligence: Religious extremism.

Like The Taliban.

And there is not much they won’t do to erode the rights of other human beings- including ignoring valid democratic processes. I almost believe that they won’t be happy until the statue of the Goddess of Liberty is torn from the top of the Capitol Building and replaced with a cross….

In my opinion, term limits have simply contributed to this process, giving people no chance to cultivate relationships and actually govern. Instead, people are focused on issues and positions, not long-term goals and objectives.

Montana’s Taliban needs to be called to accountability. I refuse to believe that the will of the people is to strip other human beings of protections which were carefully put into place by those who know them best. I refuse to believe that the majority of Montanans approve of the ignorant, dirty dancing these legislators are doing in the name of ~~God~~ their constituents. I refuse to believe that most Montanans want LGBT persons discriminated against, maimed- perhaps dead, because of a lack of protection.

Prove me right. Please.

Ravndal’s Very Very Very Latest- A FREEDOM Rally. With Guns.

Feb21 by D Gregory Smith

Yep- the man who advocated violence against gay people (fruits) is now promoting a Freedom Action Rally with a call to arms on the steps of the Montana State Capitol Building:

Are you ready to rock the steps of the capitol? grab your favorite weapon and join us on the steps of the capitol March 4th at 11:00AM. We will be focused on the Constitution and our rights. We will highlight the 2nd and 10th Amendments to our Constitution and will send a very very very loud message to our legislators who will be in the building when we are gathered outside on the steps. “A coward will die a thousand deaths, while a brave warrior will die only one!” -The Alamo (sic)

Three points.

This sounds like a threat. Even less veiled than Denny Rehberg’s about a federal judge, or Sarah Palin’s webpage gunsights- are they getting bolder? Um, Yes.
Ravndal knows not his Shakespeare (or proper comma usage). The quote is “Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. ” This is from Act 1 Scene 2 Line 32 of “Julius Cesear”, written by William Shakespeare- but I never figured him for a classical education anyway.
This makes my blood run cold. There have been threats of violence and war from these people. It is frickin’ scary, creepy and possibly illegal (any legal scholars want to weigh in?) and I am getting very worried.

Where will this end?

O'Sullivan, A Harvest of Death, Gettysburg July, 1863

I Stand To Be Corrected

Feb21 by D Gregory Smith

From Ballon Juice, one of the best posts I’ve ever read on the ridiculous “strength of non-wisdom” meme that circulates through the neocon-tea-redneck (frat) party.