Jeremy Hooper's Blog, page 56

Video: Vatican #Humanum event claims terms homosexuality, heterosexuality 'were created for political battles'

I've written up my thoughts about Day One of the Vatican's big anti-gay event, The Complementarity of Man and Woman: An International Colloquium, which will be up later today. But in the meantime, here's the scene at Day Two, where participants (including Maggie Gallagher, Brian Brown, Tony Perkins, Ryan T. Anderson and a whole host of anti-gay political activists) were greeted with a video that claims sexual orientation is nothing more than a political construct, followed by a lengthy clip o...

Social conservatives vow to further divide GOP with outdated 'culture war': Rob Portman edition

One of the big stories of the recent midterms is how anti-gay groups like the National Organization For Marriage played a role in helping elect pro-equality Democrats by waging war against moderate Republicans in a few key races. NOM has already announced plans to do the same in Ohio in 2016, when pro-equality Republican US Senator Rob Portman comes up for reelection (or runs for president). Some locals are already signing on to the idea:

Still, former supporters like Lori Viars, a political o...

In accusing HRC of 'war on Christians,' American Family Association reveals own desire (need?) to fight

The Human Rights Campaign has launched new initiatives to talk to and with Christians in the southern United States. "A war on Christians," demands the American Family Association:

“There is a war against the Bible in America and a war to marginalize the millions of Americans who believe the Bible,” said AFA President Tim Wildmon. “HRC is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in outside monies to undermine what Scripture teaches and to insult, denigrate and target those who hold to Scriptu...

Matt Barber: Scott Lively's critics are 'enemies of God'

Scott Lively's work and rhetoric has been so over-the-top that even his own movement doesn't really support him. Even like a Family Research Council or a National Organization For Marriage would never hold him up as a team member since they know his actions are so often out of line and his engagement so drained of pragmatism.

But according to Matt Barber, it's Lively's critics who are really out of touch. In fact, we're all "enemies of God":

Lively loves those who seek to defend him just as he...

Before the anti-gay movement makes Arizona wedding officiant their next martyr...

...they might want to consider a few other things that Susan Latimer believes. All of these come from the "Affordable Wedding Minister" Facebook page on which she, a wedding planner and minister who pointedly and proudly turns away same-sex couples, promotes her business.

(1) Government trying to kill people through Ebola:

[Affordable Wedding Planner on Facebook]

(2) The Obama administration faked Osama Bin Laden's death certificate:

[Affordable Wedding Minister on Facebook]

(3) The government is...

Let's be clear: Ben Carson is very much against same-sex marriage

The PR person who pitched me the following clip presented it coupled with the claim that Ben Carson, conservative pundit, rumored presidential candidate, and man who has equaled homosexuality with bestiality, is "not against same sex marriage." Just because he said this:

CARSON: "For me, it’s not a big issue. You know, I think any people can do anything they want to do. It’s just that they don’t get to redefine everything for anybody else. So I’m very much a libertarian in the sense of believi...

Yeah, that's smart, Brian Brown—'sharply condemn' the Supreme Court. Go ahead, buddy

What do you do when you can't get the conservative-tilting United States Supreme Court to ever (like ever) come down the way you want them to on marriage cases? Well if you're the head of a conservative special interest group that very much needs that Supreme Court to see you as credible, reasonable, and rational, you apparently just go ahead an "sharply condemn" that very body that you very much need for what you will try your best to portray as some sort of judicial anarchy. Then you encour...

Audio: Catholic radio host warns of 'abnormal' gays and the 'grave consequences' we bring to society

In between interviews with National Organization for Marriage co-founder Robert George and former NOM senior official Jennifer Roback Morse, Catholic radio show host Drew Mariani went on a truly breathless rant about those pesky gay Americans whose existences corporate America is peacefully acknowledging. From Amazon to Google to HoneyMaid, it's all a part to make "abnormal" gay people seem normal, claims NOM's favorite radio host:

SOURCE: Relevant Radio

Yes, Drew, you are going to have to see...

Gay Westboro Baptist members can finally marry in-state

Marriage equality has come to Kansas, per late-day Supreme Court action:

GEIDNER: Supreme Court Allows Same-Sex Marriages To Proceed In Kansas [Buzzfeed]

Congrats, friends of Dorothy.

This wacky idea that marriage court cases are themselves out-of-line

On Monday's edition of Catholic radio's The Drew Mariani Show, National Organization For Marriage president coupled his concession that the Supreme Court might rule against his movement with the idea that the courts never should have been involved in the first place. Here's a short clip:

[Drew Mariani, 11/10/14]

First off, let me say that marriage cases could've happened no matter the circumstances. As long as there is an institution called marriage, citizens with their own human will, and a ju...