Remember Those Homophobic Chapel Owners? Now They’re Mounting 1,000 Antigay Billboards
You may recall Dick and Betty Odgaard, the militantly vomity Christian power couple from Iowa, who recently decided to shut down their wedding chapel after refusing to host a gay wedding, and getting sued in 2013 as a consequence.
Related: Iowa Venue Refuses To Host Same Sex Wedding Due To Religious Beliefs
Well, Gay Star News reports they’re now using their ample downtime to put up 1,000 taunting billboards that oppose gay marriage. The first one, a “14’x48′ lighted beauty,” in their parlance, was just mounted beside a highway five miles south of Durant, Oklahoma on July 24. Betty has previously referred to herself as a “melancholy artist,” and the billboard is evidently the fruit of her creative labor: “Marriage = 1 man and 1 woman,” it reads. “Please… I need your help with this! – God”
“This billboard is funded 100% by your generous donations,” the Odgaards typed into the Facebook page of their new tax-exempt charity, God’s Original Design Ministry. (Mission statement: To “Restore The Biblical definition of marriage in our society.”)
“One down and 999 to go for 1,000 points of light. Thank you and god bless!”
As you might imagine, this vanity project of coiled hatred has met with some hostility in the comments:
“Since it costs approximately between 500 and 8,000 to do this, that would help clothe and feed a lot of homeless people (but I’m assuming only if they aren’t gay)?!”
“I love how you forged God’s signature at the bottom!” wrote someone we’d like to marry.
Related: Antigay Business Owners Claim They’re Targets of Intolerance and Hate
Also, the ever-busy Odgaards recently shot a goblinesque cameo in a Ted Cruz campaign video, claiming they were “forced” to close their wedding chapel because they turned away a gay couple due to their staunch religious beliefs:
But this is what is known in academic circles as total horsecrap. The Odgaards were only fined $5,000, but refused to adhere to the state’s anti-discrimination laws and shut down their whole business instead. The converted church will be closing its doors sometime this month.
A post from July 14th reads: “We will continue an open policy on our Facebook page. With that we can expect and welcome civil comments in opposition to our ministry and/or our mission… While we are all sinners, we (his children) are still loved by our Father…even those who hate. Fortunately, by His grace we have all been given the opportunity to repent and be saved!”
We strongly encourage you to stop by their Facebook page, and hope you’ll keep your comments as civil as you do on our own posts.
Derek de Koff
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