1/3/10

Charismatic Church Leader Rick Warren Scams Millions

The Ultimate Pyramid Scheme

Found on Progressive News

Evangelical pastor Rick Warren's plea for donations to fill a $900,000 deficit at his Southern Californiamegachurch brought in $2.4 million, Warren announced to cheers during a sermon at the church on Saturday. Warren said the amount raised after the appeal was posted online Wednesday included only money parishioners brought in person to Saddleback Church by New Year's Eve. More was arriving by hand and by mail, he said.Ron Mills, Progressive News And Podcast, Jan 2010



1/1/10

Activists CRASH Equalty Turncoat NY. Sen. Hiram Monserrate's Christmas Party

Activists enraged with the defeat of marriage equality in the predominantly democratic NY Senate ruin Monserrate's Christmas party.

The poster to the right thanking Monserrate is from a previously unknown group "coalition for morality" has no known website and produces no google returns. It is speculated that Monserrate himself produced these posters.


In December 2008, NY State Senator Hiram Monserrate slashed his girlfriend now fiance's face with a broken glass. Hiram was convicted of the crime. This December woman abusing Hiram Monserrate voted AGAINST allowing loving committed NON-VIOLENT to marry. Sen. Monserrate believes his violent abusive relationship is superior to those of loving peaceful lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender New Yorkers. Angry LGBT activists crash Hiram's Christmas party on the anniversary of his slashing his fiance's face.
Also on Huffington Post

12/30/09

Julia Louis-Dreyfus Your Out of your Freakin Mind!


This was the reaction Julia gave when she was asked to engage in a 'Courageous Conversation' about marriage equality by Eric McCormack! Eric thinks we could do a little better! We certainly could do worse than giving a little donation to our allies in the Courage Campaign.
http://www.couragecampaign.org/JuliaAndEric

Maryland Postpones New Transgender Driver License Gender Marker Requirement

Equality Maryland has some good news. MVA has postponed a change to it's gender marker requirements for transender people. The previous change would have required that a transgender person produce a birth certificate in order to document the requested gender marker change on his/her driver licence.

That requirement, should I still be living in Maryland, would have denied me the opportunity to live my life in the pursuit of happiness as my birth state of Ohio is one of two states that will not amend or issue a new birth certificate regardless if sexual reassignment surgery had been performed or not.

Thank god for little mercies, but wait! They are not finished yet! They admit that the procedure that has been in place for a decade has been effective but they are still considering making statutory changes.

This leaves the door open so as EQMD states "this is a victory" for now insuring we don't slide backwards but it is only that, only a temporary stay.

Please support Equality Maryland's efforts across the board!

*******************
email from Equality Maryland:

Dear Friends,
As you know, the Maryland Vehicle Administration (MVA) was looking at requiring an amended birth certificate in order for transgender individuals to update the gender marker on their driver's license. It was scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2010. This would have required going through the court system. Additionally, a birth certificate change can only be done if the sex of an individual has been changed by surgical procedure.

After literally hundreds of calls and e-mails into the offices of the Governor and the Attorney General, we just received wonderful news - the proposed policy has been halted.

The Attorney General's office shared the following statement from the MVA:

MVA believes that the current policy on gender designation which has been in practice for almost a decade is secure and the procedures we have adopted ensures reasonable accommodation for individuals who are making a gender transition change. At this time, MVA is not effecting a change to that policy. However, written legal advice received from the Office of Attorney General clearly states that MVA's current policy does not meet all statutory requirements and we are therefore continuing to work with the Office of Attorney General before making a final determination on whether a policy update is appropriate.

The MVA intends to stick with current procedures; however, they continue to assert that the policy may not meet all statutory requirements. Equality Maryland and our partners will work to convene relevant stakeholders to either secure a change in the statutory requirements or assess possible policy revisions. We have already scheduled a strategy meeting in the New Year.
Having a legal identity document that does not match a person's gender exposes them to potential risk not just of embarrassment, but of harassment as well. We are pleased that the MVA was willing to halt the implementation of this dangerous policy change in order to allow for constructive dialogue. There is still work to do, but for now let's take a moment to celebrate.

All the best to you and yours this holiday season,
Morgan Meneses-Sheets
Executive Director
Equality Maryland

Equality Maryland press release: MVA Delays Implementation of Harmful License Policy

P.S. Support our efforts to protect the rights of transgender Marylanders! We are on the front lines with you everyday working to update and enhance the protections that exist for transgender Marylanders and avoid rollbacks like the proposed policy. Help us keep up the fight by visiting Equality Maryland.org today and making a donation!

12/29/09

Pope 'led cover-up of child abuse by priests' London Evening Standard


Catholic priests continue to rape babies.

Source: Thalamus Center: "The Pope played a leading role in a systematic cover-up of child sex abuse by Roman Catholic priests, according to a shocking documentary to be screened by the BBC tonight."

While he was a cardinal, ultra conservative Joseph Ratzinger who was then head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a Vatican edict Read the previously secret document to Catholic bishops all over the world, instructing them to put the Church's interests ahead of child safety. Read this and much more by Father Marty Kurylowicz at the Thalamus Center - Early Childhood Psychological Development Growing Up Gay

Prior to the recent additional public disclosure of the latest catholic aiding and abetting of pedophile catholic priests, Archbishop Vincent Nichols Chairman of the Catholic Office for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults, attacked the BBC for what it considered 'sensational tactics' regarding it's reporting of catholic child abuse and issued a statement that "The Catholic Church in England and Wales is doing so,(apply[ing] the law of the Church to allegations and offences of child abuse) with transparency and care, and, in every case, cooperating fully and immediately with public authorities."Read Vincent Nichols statement

Once again the catholic pope's duplicitous, insidious and demonic insistence to cultivate a secretive society where the raping of children is promoted and protected is being laid bare, exposed to the world. Recent developments have proven Archbishop Vincent Nichols to be in collusion with the Vatican and also a liar as Irish #Catholic's are accused of pedophile priest cover-up http://bit.ly/4Uvqpy and second bishop resigns while police promise justice http://bit.ly/5xdPYO

How long must we allow catholic criminals to rape babies before our governments protect the most innocent? How long will the Catholic church be allowed to defer justice by financing and sensationalizing its war against transgender and homosexual people? Apparently not very long as the Irish police have sworn to break it's 2,000 year pact of cooperation with the Vatican and pursue criminal charges against the church. [cynically written]

Read complete article - London Evening Standard – standard.co.uk

12/24/09

Integrity Uganda 12 Days of Blessings Episcopal Church's Christian Response

No doubt you have been following recent news about the draconian Anti-Homosexuality Bill that is currently before the Ugandan Parliament. If passed, LGBT Ugandans could be punished with life imprisonment or even death.

Now, more than ever, LGBT Anglicans in Uganda need our prayers and financial support. That's why Integrity USA's Board of Directors has designated 10% of all donations received during the 100,000 Blessings campaign to the Hopkins Fund for Global Mission—almost all of which will be allocated to the ministry of Integrity Uganda during 2010.

It costs $700 per month to provide the members of Integrity Uganda with a safe meeting space, public transportation to worship, and emergency assistance with basic living expenses. Many members have little or no income--they have been fired from their jobs and ostracized by their families because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Health care for malaria and HIV/AIDS is financially unobtainable for some.

During Christmastide, we're asking you to make a gift to the 100,000 Blessings campaign so that Integrity USA can continue providing vital aid to our sisters and brothers in Uganda . Our goal is to raise at least $8400 for Integrity Uganda during the next 12 days.
Click here to visit the campaign website and make a donation!
A contribution of $1000 or more will qualify you for lifetime membership. If you wish, you may give in honor or memory of a loved one. Remember that donations to Integrity are tax-deductible.--Posted By Integrity USA to Walking With Integrity at 12/24/2009 10:08:00 AM