Gay "Agenda" Not Even Close When It Comes to Religious Persecution
Religious extremist Bryan Fischer is like the professional anti-Semite whose entire existence is built around hating someone and then appealing to other haters in order to pay his salary. Fischer just hates gays instead–though I often find anti-gay bigotry is often coupled with racism and anti-Semitism, with more than a dash of xenophobia.

Fischer, on his Two Minutes of Hate [note: satire] show, claimed “I firmly believe the homosexual agenda represents the greatest single threat to religious liberty we have EVER seen in the history of our existence as a nation.”

It might be useful to remember what other threats to religious liberty have actually existed in the “history of our existence as a nation.”

The Puritans fled to America, not because they weren’t religiously free but because they felt they should be so “free” that they could impose their ultra piety on others by force. As the Puritan leader Richard Mather put it, they sought the freedom “to censure those who ought to be censured.” By that, they meant Catholics, Quakers, Baptists and other Christians.

Rev. James Mayhew complained that the evil King of England had allowed sports on the Sabbath and “encouraged papists and popishly effected clergymen” instead of repressing them as the Puritans required.

The British monarch dared tell Puritans to stop killing Quakers. Puritans saw this as an infringement of their religious liberty, much as fundamentalists today believe that not being able to impose their beliefs on everyone is a violation of their (italics) religious liberty.

Anne Hutchinson started a Bible study, but the Puritans told her it was immoral for a woman to teach the Bible. She was imprisoned for her offense and the trauma caused her to miscarry–something which the Puritans found delightful. She was banished from the colony as well.

Mary Dwyer was exiled for being a Quaker. When she later returned, the Puritans had her arrested. She and two other Quakers were sentenced to death, but her husband managed to get the governor to pardon her at the last minute. She was arrested a third time and ordered to renounce her religious beliefs. She refused and the Puritans had her executed.

These people couldn’t even seek redress at the ballot box. Only members in good standing of the local Congregational Church of the Pilgrims were allowed to vote.

Other states weren’t much better. Virginia was controlled by Anglicans who banned Puritan preachers, Catholics, Quakers and Jews. Thomas Jefferson noted, “If no execution [of Quakers] took place here, as did in New England, it was not owing to the moderation of the church, or spirit of the legislature… but to historical circumstances which have not been handed down to us.”

Catholic Maryland allowed religious freedom for some Protestants, but had the death penalty if they denied things such as the Incarnation or the Trinity. Puritans from Virginia fled to Maryland for freedom and then once they had it helped Anglicans overthrow the government and strip Catholics of the rights that Catholics had granted them. The new Protestant regime made it a criminal offense to be a priest, punishable by a life sentence, stripped Catholics of the right to vote and said only Anglicans could hold office.

New York’s constitution banned Catholics from holding public office until 1806! Joseph Smith may have been a charlatan and a fraud, but he certainly didn’t have freedom to promote his theology. He was tarred and feathered by a mob in 1832. In 1838, Missouri’s governor expelled Mormons from the state and in 1844 a mob executed Smith, insuring his sect would always see him as a martyr.

That same year, Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, was rocked by the “Bible Riots.” Anti-Catholic Protestants claimed Catholics were involved in a plot to remove the Bible from government schools. Bible-believing Protestants rioted, attacking and destroying two Catholic churches and other buildings, including about 30 homes. A few days later they learned that a Catholic Church in Southwark was armed for protection so they attacked that church as well. Altogether 15 people were killed and another 50 injured.

In the 17th century in the American colonies there were an estimated one dozen Jews, but they were banned from practicing law, medicine and other professions. State laws imposed religious tests effectively banning them from voting or holding public office and such laws remained in place for many years. Rhode Island only repealed these laws in 1842, North Carolina in 1868 and New Hampshire in 1877.

During the Civil War, Ulysses S. Grant issued an order expelling Jews from areas under his control, but Lincoln rescinded it. Grant did get away with a measure “that no Jews are to be permitted to travel on the road southward.”

Much of the anti-immigration hysteria of early 1900s, leading to the restrictive laws we have now, was a reaction to the large number of Jewish immigrants, just as the anti-immigration campaigns of the 1800s were directed against Catholics. The regulations on immigration in the Johnson-Reed Act was worded in such a way that only individuals from specific areas could immigrate and it effectively cut off Jews for the most part. But it was intended to do that, just without explicitly saying so.

Now, keeping this small bit of American history in mind, reconsider the rant from Mr. Fischer: “I firmly believe the homosexual agenda represents the greatest single threat to religious liberty we have EVER seen in the history of our existence as a nation.”

He’s lost touch with reality, if ever had it. Nothing Fischer can point too in contemporary America comes remotely close to the religious intolerance of the past. None of these outbursts of intolerance were the result of some “gay agenda,” but were the results of Christians persecuting one another, or when they weren’t at each other’s throats, ganging up on the Jews.

www.huffingtonpost.com/james-peron/gay-agenda-not-even-close_b_6370912.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

Reality Special 'My Husband’s Not Gay': Deep in Denial?

A TLC special looks at Mormon men who are attracted to other men, yet have married women.

read more

Dawn Ennis

www.advocate.com/politics/media/2014/12/22/reality-special-my-husband-s-not-gay-deep-denial

All We Want For Christmas: The Queerty Wish List

Dear Gay Santa,

Everyone at Queerty and our parent company GayCities has been incredibly naughty relatively nice this year. We’ve worked very hard to keep our readers up-to-date with the great strides made in achieving equality during the past 12 months. We’ve also applauded all the notable folks who’ve come out this year and we’ve hissed at all the silly haters in 2014. So now it’s payback time and we’ve compiled a list of things we want for Christmas. We tried not to be too selfish.

Happy holidays!

The Queerty and GayCities staff

Pour yourself another brandy egg nog and scroll down for our lists.

Scott Gatz, GayCities, Inc. Founder & CEO:

Native Union’s JUMP Cable

Someone just got me this and it’s awesome. It charges its own battery while you charge your phone and then you can use it as a back up if your phone dies. But most importantly is how small it is. It can fit into your pocket very easily, while all the other solutions are just too bulky to remember to carry with me.

 

Tile

I always misplace things around my house, this little tile goes on a keychain or gets stuck to your remote and has an app that allows you to find it easily.  ALso good when you lose something away from the house:  While Tile doesn’t have GPS real-time location information, the app does automatically record the last place your phone saw your Tile. Because if you have to retrace your steps, it’s good to know where to start walking.

Chris Bull, Queerty Editorial Director:

Two weeks at the Sofitel So in Bangkok

Beautiful hotel next to gay hood, featuring views of downtown, spa, pool and roof deck party palace.

Layer 23 Time Machine Watch by N.I.C.E. Collective

Stylish watch by the fabulous San Francisco-based designer boys, Joe and Ian.

Soft Horse Leather Backpack by Guide

Guidi make fashionable backpacks that will last you a lifetime in style

Dan Tracer, Queerty staff writer:

Fleetwood Mac tickets

I’ve been trying to see them for years and it needs to finally happen, already. I’m confident Stevie feels the same way.

Kabuki Spa

An annual pass to the spa in San Francisco’s Japan Town, complete with a 50 mins. massage every other week, of course.

Jake Myers, Account Manager for Queerty and GayCities:

 Sonos wireless speaker

The Sonos speaker is a wireless speaker that I can stream my iTunes to, as well as stream my Howard Stern every morning on Sirius Satellite Radio. In a post-stereo age, I need something that can listen to music throughout my apartment with better sound quality than a laptop or my iPhone.

Babolat PLAY Pure Drive

A tennis racquet that tracks your play.

HoMedics Sound Spa Relaxation Sound Machine

I’m a city boy and sleeping in silence is deafening. I need something to drown out the silence, and I don’t really want to use my iPhone app every night.

Gabe Cooper, GayCities and Queerty Marketing, Content and Community:

A strapping gift box

The gift box comes fully wrapped and includes a tie or bow tie of your choosing, a handmade skin care product (shave kit or specialty bar of soap) and two pairs of socks.

Fitbit

It really helps motivate me to at least hit 10,000 steps per day and drink enough water.

Soul Socks

I love funky dress socks, and they make great stocking stuffers.

Dave McMahon, GayCities & Queerty Marketing & Sales Associate:

Revolights Bike Lights

I’ll settle for a bike helmet that doesn’t make me look like Toad from Super Mario Bros.

Button-down shirts

I’m always on the lookout for cool and comfy new shirts that make me feel a tiny bit professional or fashionable.

Music

The way to my heart is through my Spotify.

Jeremy Kinser, Managing Editor, Queerty:

Buckler’s Camp Blend Soy Candle 

This scent will take you back to that first feeling of freedom you experienced sitting around the campfire with your buds. Light it up, pass it around.

Barbra Streisand by Steve Schapiro and Lawrence Schiller

Only the entertainer commonly referred to as “the greatest star” could merit a lavish photo book that costs $750 (and there’s a special “art edition” with a price tag of $1800!). I’ll accept either.

Modern Painted Aspen Tree Ring Art

Until I can live in a rustic cabin in the woods, this is the next best thing.

Graham Gremore, Queerty contributing writer:

Meryl Streep Risograph Print

This limited edition risograph print of Meryl Streep by illustrator Caroline Dowsett is almost too much to handle.

Woven Elephant Boxers

There’s nothing I don’t love about these elephant boxer shorts with a trap door in the back. Seriously, nothing.

Gladys Goose Lamp

I already have one of these in my guest room, but I love it so much I want another one for my bedroom. And maybe a third one for my living room. Ideally, I would like a Gladys Goose lamp in every room of my house.

Matt Baume, Queerty contributing writer:

Jeremy Kinser

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/HdfGX9fCPWg/all-we-want-for-christmas-the-queerty-wish-list-20141222