Is Religious Right Conceding on Gay Rights Issues?

by Rev. Dr. Cindi Love

A few weeks ago Peter Cassels interviewed me for a story on religions’ attitudes toward marriage equality. You can read the article on Edge Boston. Here’s an excerpt.

Some religious right leaders see DOMA’s end as recognition of marriage equality

Some conservative religious leaders have seen the handwriting on the wall and are beginning to acknowledge that marriage equality eventually will be the law of the land.

President Barack Obama’s decision not to defend the Defense of Marriage Act seems to have opened their eyes to the fact that it’s unconstitutional. House Speaker John Boehner has said Congress will pick up the court defense but it is still unclear how that will happen.

A major sign of fundamentalists throwing in the towel was what the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary said during a recent appearance on a Focus on the Family radio show.

“I think it’s clear that something like same-sex marriage is going to become normalized, legalized and recognized in the culture,” Albert Mohler said. “It’s time for Christians to start thinking about how we’re going to deal with that.”

Click to read the full article

Photo by ND Strupler

An Open Letter to American Crossroads and Karl Rove

by Guest Author

The following is  guest post from Lester Leavitt.

Attn:    Steven Law – President
Mike Duncan – Chairman of the Board
(cc: Karl Rove)

Dear Mr. Law and Mr. Duncan:

I have to say that I really appreciate the name of your 527 organization. I, like you, believe that America is at a crossroads. But I am a progressive, and you are conservatives, so on almost every decision we are going to be at odds with each other. There is, however, one social conservative agenda item that I believe we need to agree on, and I am asking you to lead the charge in your camp. It involves individual liberty and limited government, and since I took those words off your web page, I remain hopeful.

Update from Flour Bluff High

by Andi Gentile

Hi friends,

I wanted to share some good news. Nikki Peet, the student who has been trying to start a GSA at Flour Bluff high school and has faced the denial and threats from her principal and superintendent, called last night after an emergency school board meeting. The school board decided to reinstate all extracurricular clubs, and to allow the GSA to form!  This comes after the ACLU sent the school district a demand letter giving them until today to reverse their decision to ban the club or face legal action.  Last week, over 150 people joined a rally outside Flour Bluff High School ISD in support of Nikki and her GSA.  Thousands upon thousands signed an online petition, and sent letters to the school district.

Anti-LGBT Rhetoric Goes Mobile

by Brian Murphy

Exodus International, a large Christian organization which promises to change people from gay, or bisexual, or transgender, or gender variant to straight, gender conforming, “acceptable” Christians, recently released an iPhone/iPod application in apples iTunes Store.

Our friends at Truth Wins Out put together a petition on change.org calling for Apple to remove the application as it violates the companies store policy that “any app that is defamatory, offensive, mean-spirited, or likely to place the targeted individual or group in harms way will be rejected.”

Exodus International claims to offer “freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus Christ” but what they really offer is slick PR and their own definitions of “change” and “freedom.” Using scare tactics, shame, and outright straight supremacy, they work with vulnerable individuals to surpress their natural sexual orientations and gender identities and presentations and to replace them with straight, “gender conforming” behaviors and identities.

We urge you to join us in signing the petition on change.org and demand that Apple remove this misleading, hateful, harmful application. After you sign the petition, please forward this email to your friends and family.

Pick on someone your own size

by Rev. Dr. Cindi Love

Jared Polis is standing up to the bullies — and he needs you to join him.

In all likelihood, the Student Non-Discrimination Act won’t make it past the Republican majority in the House. That’s why he needs you to join him by becoming a citizen co-sponsor.

I don’t need to tell you how destructive bullying can be for students — let alone for LGBT youth. By signing on as a citizen co-sponsor to this important bill, you can help Jared make sure that this issue doesn’t get swept under the rug.

Join us now: http://www.fearlesscampaign.com/join-us-on-snda

Like Jared said, it’s time to tell the bullies to pick on someone their own size.

Bi Invisibility report released by San Fran Human Rights Commission

by Soulforce

San Francisco Human Rights Commission’s LGBT Advisory Committee recently released a report entitled Bisexual Invisibility: Impacts and Recommendations.

Download the report »

Saint Francis Lutheran Church Again An ELCA Congregation

by Guest Author

The following is an update from Phil Soucy of Lutherans Concerned North America.

Saint Francis Lutheran Church, San Francisco, is again a congregation of the Sierra Pacific Synod, ELCA. On February 27, a special ceremony was held at St. Francis during which Bishop Mark Holmerud received the congregation, a ceremony he described as “joyous, healing and celebrative.”

St. Francis was expelled from the ELCA in 1996 for having called and ordained Rev. Ruth Frost and Rev. Phyllis Zillhart as pastors in 1990. This calling was a principled act of ecclesiastical disobedience. The policy of the time was that ministers living in committed, same-gender relationships were precluded from service in the ELCA. St. Francis and First United of San Francisco were thrust into controversy, disciplinary action and expulsion, when St. Francis ordained Ruth and Phyllis, and First United ordained Jeff Johnson as pastors.