Homophobia has flourished in the Bush era, both as a potent political tool — many people believe George Bush would have lost Ohio in 2004, and thus a second term, if Karl Rove hadn’t made sure there was an anti-gay initiative on the state ballot — and as an industry unto itself. In just one year, the top 10 Christianist groups that promote homophobia raised over $400 million in tax-free dollars:
- Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN)
Founder, CEO and Director: Pat Robertson
2004 Revenue: $186,482,060 - Focus on the Family
Founder and chairman: Dr. James C. Dobson
2005 Revenue: $137,848,520 - Coral Ridge Ministries
Founder and President: Rev. D. James Kennedy
2005 Revenue: $39,253,882 - Alliance Defense Fund (ADF)
President, CEO and General Counsel: Alan Sears
2004 Revenue: $17,921,146 - American Family Association (AFA)
Founder and Chairman: The Rev. Donald Wildmon
2005 Revenue: $17,595,352 - American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ)
Founder and President: Pat Robertson, Chief Counsel: Jay Sekulow
2005 Revenue: $14,485,514 - Family Research Council (FRC)
Founder: James C. Dobson, President and CEO: Tony Perkins
2005 Revenue: $9,958,115 - Jerry Falwell Ministries
Founder and Director: Jerry Falwell (deceased)
2005 Revenue: $8,950,480 - Concerned Women for America (CWA)
Founders: Tim and Beverly LaHaye
2005 Revenue: $8,484,108 - Traditional Values Coalition (TVC)
Founder and Chairman: The Rev. Louis P. Sheldon
2005 Revenue: $6,389,448
All of these groups use homophobia as a fundraising tool, but while some address a wide range of social issues, four of them — Focus on the Family, AFA, FRC, TVC — are one-trick ponies that focus all or most of their activities on promoting homophobia. (The late Falwell and CWA arguably could belong to this group too.) These four groups raised $169 million of the revenue in 2005.
If fundraising for these four hate groups remains flat each year from 2005 through the end of 2007, they will have raised about $500 million among them in three years.
Tax free.
Be cautious to tie religious groups with homophobia. True, the Bible (assuming they’re a Holy Word-orientated Christians) does call homosexualism a sin, but it’s treated like any other sin. When you lie, when you cheat, etc.
You don’t HATE or FEAR the person. You simply hate the sin.
I am not justifying that being gay is wrong. I am pointing that out it is rather unfair of folks to say Christians “preach hate” against gays when we equally (or SUPPOSE to) give love to all, regardless of what you did, or where you’re from.
yay BSB.
Sound to me like you are the guys that are intolerant. As Christians (as a whole) tend to be more tolerant than the supposed (you) tolerant groups. To me you are all (you meaning democrats, homosexuals, vocal minorities, Islamists) are just a bunch of whiny liberals trying to force YOUR views on US.
Heaven forbid people are allowed free speech in this country. I’m not saying that I endorse or support these crazies but at a certain point they have just as much of a right to their fucked up opinion as you do to your reasonable one. :)
Also the guy above me is making me cringe in pain.
Well, if it WERE a sin in the first place… which according to my research into Biblical history it is not (findings here: http://christianityv2.googlepages.com/Version2andHomosexuals.html)
But in essence of these communities it is obvious that thier goal is in Mammon, and not in God. Maybe they should reread the book of Matthew (6:24)
People do what they want. Why the heck would you care what about your neighbors affairs for instance? Its not your life so why? Its not like theres outdoor public gay bars or stuff like that. I can understand gay prostitutes tho..thats sick.
As for “sins”, as if being in love with a different sexe is a sin at all. What the hell is the sin in that? Homophobes on the other hand, thats hate. Thats what the devil supports!
I’m happy to say i’m straight, but the dudes i’ve seen getting beat up just because they have a different taste, is just senseless.
ALL homophones who justify their homophobia with their religion should burn in hell.
Plus if the governement supported it instead of being against it, i bet theyd make more money in some ways haha.
Nuff said.
THE CHURCH AS LIED, TORTURED, STOLEN, MOLESTED, and SPREAD HATRED and INTOLERENCE since its inception.
pathetic mindless fools
radical religion is truly all that is bad in humanity
“Just a bunch of whiny liberals…”
Talk about intolerant.
“You don’t HATE or FEAR the person. You simply hate the sin.”
You must know that’s not the case. What about Falwell saying that AIDS was a punishment for gays? Can you get much more homophobic than that?
Furthermore, Christians are all too zealous to not only preach their beliefs but to force them on others, hence the opposition by Christian organisations to same-sex civil unions in the US. A moderate Christian would say, ‘I feel this is wrong’ and leave it at that. Sadly, these organisations spout hate and feel it is within their remit to abridge the rights of others who do not share their religious convictions, and this is happening on a federal level as well as stated in the article, despite the fact that it is unconstitutional for the US government to support or sponsor any particular religion.
[.. top 10 Christianist groups that promote homophobia raised over $400 million in tax-free dollars ..] it seems really problematic to me, could you recommend an European gay traveler to visit the US? Ar the US a gay friendly destination or at least certain parts of it?
Post your comments on the egotour blog to help European gay travelershttp://blog.egotour.eu
Dirk
Simple solution. End the tax free status for all religious organizations regardless of their views. Why should the state be subsidizing any particular group anyhow.
There is a reason why the U.S. became a world power so fast. It was our morals, family values that came from are religion, even if you are not religious, the morales of wrong and right came from this. At one time we were a righteous nation and we prospered because of it. Now that everything is about selfish old me, family values are being destroyed and so is this country. Soon pedophiles will have rights and people will be saying, your being intolerant, who are you to judge. Kids are loosing their innocents to early today.
“family values that came from are religion”
completely untrue
“Kids are loosing their innocents to early today.”
the same could have been said a hundred years ago, a thousand.
If anything is destroying america, it’s the neo-cons and their religious agenda.
This is complete bull-crap. I am bi, and have listened to focus on the family radio show and read their publications all of my life. They believe homosexuality is wrong, and don’t hide it. They are NOT “homophobic”. I have never seen or heard of one of their reps being scared of a gay person. Furthermore, they do not build their business on saying being gay is bad, that is just one of their many moral standpoints. They have just as much right to say it is wrong as anyone else has to say it is right, or are you as intolerant as you say they are?
Let me get this straight, these religious groups are saying that it is crazy, wrong, immoral and a sin to be gay. Yet their belief system is basically based on a 2000 year old carpenter who watches over us and judges everyone? Some would feel that that view is crazy, wrong, and just downright ludicrous.
Well gee, SnopesDawg, when you put it that way…
:-)
Religion is a mental defect. Still, you are free to believe whatever crazy crap you want to, as long as it doesn’t run roughshod over my life. When it does, you’ll find yourself on the wrong end of a barrel of a gun.
…I’m not saying that I endorse or support these crazies but at a certain point they have just as much of a right to their fucked up opinion as you do to your reasonable one.
Everyone is entitled to the right of free speech and any other, but only so far as it does not infringe on the rights of others.
“Simple solution. End the tax free status for all religious organizations regardless of their views. Why should the state be subsidizing any particular group anyhow.”
Exactly! Altogether now, U-N-C-O-N-S-T-I-T-U-T-I-O-N-A-L!
oh and I laughed a little when someone wrote ‘homophones’
I just want to meet the person who believes dumping money into this ridiculous cause is going to get rid of gayness, so I can’t point and laugh, maybe fall on the floor laughing, roll around a bit and continue to laugh, pee my pants, cry from laughing so hard, and pass out from laughter in their front yard.
Religion is inexcusable. It’s destructiveness in all facets of man’s existence is well known. We would do best without it. There are some “Christians” on this comment board who rail against “intolerant” liberals, gays, etc and “the sin”. Well at least these groups (I included) may be “intolerant of Christnazis’ hate speech, but at least we are not KILLING christian people or DENYING THYEM THEIR EQUAL RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS. I lay the deaths of Matthew Shepard; a man here in Sacramento, Satender Singh and countless othere Gay men and Lesbian women at your feet, those your warped culture hates. You should not hate homosexuality as you claim it is “unnatural and against God”. Well my closed minded friends, as an individual at the Museum of Natural History in Norway says. “Of all the species on Earth, Man commits the two most unnatural acts; wearing clothes and practicing religion”.
“This is complete bull-crap. I am bi, and have listened to focus on the family radio show and read their publications all of my life. They believe homosexuality is wrong, and don’t hide it. They are NOT “homophobicâ€.”
Translation: I am gay, but believe I can be cured by the beliefs of the people at FOF.
No confident bisexual is going to listen to and defend FOF.
The only ones forcing their view on someone are christians.The religion of hate and intolerence.
When a Rev talks I shut down..It’s just mindless drivel from people who can’t think for themselves.
And all this hate from a group that truely does CHOOSE the religion that they are..Something they like to say gays do which just ones again shows their total ignorance
sorry to be OT, but…
bob @10:31: America did not become a world power because of Christian morals or family values. America became a world power through unfettered capitalism becoming oligarchy at the turn of the last century. This allowed the small number of ‘robber barons’ to become fabulously wealthy and steer the economy, business, etc.; many companies today bear the kernel of those barons’ creations
This all begins as Jesus being a bastard child. That is because he is fatherless. Now.. knowing science, this is magic. All Christians should be burned at the stake if they believe EVERYTHING the bible taught.
Hey Bob: Exactly WHEN was the U.S. a moral, Christian nation? During the 200 years of SLAVERY, when North and South found justifications for stealing, raping, human trafficking, etc. in the HOLY BIBLE? How about all of those years when you REMOVED and SANITIZED the nation of the Native Americans? Was it a righteous Christian nation when it had another hundred years of SEGREGATION, IMMIGRATION RESTICTION,CHINESE EXCLUSION. Oh, let’s not forget ANTI-SEMITISM that was made disresptectful after the full extent of the HOLOCAUST was revealed. You Jesus freaks make me sick. If there was a Jesus and he came back, you’d be the first ones he’d smack down.
Now all you RIGHTEOUS CHRISTIANS want to gang up on and strike down the homosexuals! I say “physician, heal theyself.” I say “thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then thou see clearly to cast out the mote of thy brother’s eye” (Matthew,7:5). I say get your own f***ing house in order!