I have in my hands a brochure advertising a series of conferences, which have apparently been going on since 1998, and sponsored by James Dobson’s tax-exempt religious advertising corporation called Focus on the Family (FOTF). Among the many treasures to be gleaned from this conference, endearingly titled “Love Won Out – Finding Truth in the Controversy”, for the low low price of $60 a head, is the ability to deal with the terrible dilemma of being “forced to choose between rejecting Christian sexual morals or adopting beliefs that their friends and educators consider homophobic and bigoted.”
The brochure continues: “You’d think all the discussion and debate would eventually bring clarity and truth to the matter. But it hasn’t. Because of the various worldviews competing within our coulture, voices of reason are silenced or maligned – and wherever questions abound, confusion rules.” Thank goodness that FOTF has this one all figured out. Among the many things you’ll learn for your 60 bucks is how to “respond to misinformation in our culture”, and how to “defend biblical beliefs and prevent your child from embracing this destructive way of life.” Where do I sign up? is all I have to say.
This kind of subliminal fear-mongering is really pretty typical of the whole right-wing fundamentalist machine. Everyone knows that the punishment for homosexuality, right there in the old testament, is death – the same as for working on the sabbath. The unspoken fear of course, is that homosexuality will send those practising it straight to the pit of fire, where the worm does not die, along with much wailing and gnashing of teeth, for all eternity. The fundamentalists have polished their message a lot the last 20 or 30 years, and you don’t so much hear about going to hell as you do about an “eternal separation from god”.
These people are well funded, motivated, and need to be fought. This type of conference exists for one purpose only, to convince as many gay people as possible that 1) hell is indeed a real place, and 2) you’d better ask jesus into your heart right now, or else guess what happens when you die. Oh by the way, it will cost you 10% of every penny you make for the rest of your life.
For those of you masochistic enough to want even more, check out their web site here.
GD
Posted by gdgd 