Kay Hagan's Liberal Church: The "Religious Right" is the Big Problem-- vs. the Reality

The meeting First Presbyterian hosted here in Greensboro last week was sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign.  Its press release about the meeting gave a clue as to one of the chief problems they saw that they were trying to solve.

That problem is the dreaded "religious right":

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, hosted today a town hall conversation in Greensboro, NC to engage people of faith in LGBT equality advocacy and address ways to combat misleading information from the religious right about LGBT people and families. 

This, of course, is all about the cultural normalization of homosexuality, which Kay Hagan's church apparently endorses.

But a couple of weeks ago, we received a slightly different message from the Centers for Disease Control, the federal public health authority:

A data analysis released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention underscores the disproportionate impact of HIV and syphilis among gay and bisexual men in the United States.

The data, presented at CDC's 2010 National STD Prevention Conference, finds that the rate of new HIV diagnoses among men who have sex with men (MSM) is more than 44 times that of other men and more than 40 times that of women.

The range was 522-989 cases of new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 MSM vs. 12 per 100,000 other men and 13 per 100,000 women.

The rate of primary and secondary syphilis among MSM is more than 46 times that of other men and more than 71 times that of women, the analysis says. The range was 91-173 cases per 100,000 MSM vs. 2 per 100,000 other men and 1 per 100,000 women...

Research shows that a range of complex factors contribute to the high rates of HIV and syphilis among gay and bisexual men. These factors include high prevalence of HIV and other STDs among MSM, which increases the risk of disease exposure, and limited access to prevention services. Other factors are complacency about HIV risk, particularly among young gay and bisexual men; difficulty of consistently maintaining safe behaviors with every sexual encounter over the course of a lifetime; and lack of awareness of syphilis symptoms and how it can be transmitted (e.g., oral sex). Additionally, factors such as homophobia and stigma can prevent MSM from seeking prevention, testing, and treatment services.

Also, the risk of HIV transmission through receptive anal sex is much greater than the risk of transmission via other sexual activities, and some gay and bisexual men are relying on prevention strategies that may be less effective than consistent condom use.

It appears there may be factors affecting the well-being of the "LGBT" community that are much more profound than anything the dreaded "religious right" can cause.  Perhaps Kay Hagan's liberal church ought to reevaluate its stance, and its alliances.

Comments

[Beulah]

Let's round all those sick butt f*&kers and illigitimate children up and ship 'em off to some island with them nasty Mexicans.

[Joe Guarino]

No, Beulah, I don't think that is the solution. But I appreciate your comment.

[jaycee]

I've got a better idea, Beulah. Why don't you adopt a gay homosexual pedophile and let him share a bedroom in your house with your young child. Practice your diversity.

[Bobby Joe]

Aids is gods way of taking care of those horrible fagits.

[Ken Hill]

At the time that AIDS first became a news topic, Jesse Helms was excoriated for suggesting that people change their behavior. Technically and Biblically, that is good advice. How can responsible people object?

[Brandon Burgess]

Mick, Roch, are you guys going to admonish the leftists here who are attempting to paint Joe's position as extremist?

Here we have a right-wing blogger attempting to discuss serious issues with regard to the gay community, a predominately left leaning demographic. This is a conversation we need to be having.

Looking at these comments from the left, it appears that they do not wish to take part in a serious discussion about issues relating to gays and lesbians. It's shameful.

Joe, good for you for handling these morons with more class than I could ever muster up.

[Brandon Burgess]

Jaycee, I would be careful about painting homosexuals with such a wide brush. I don't think gays are anymore prone to child molestation than middle aged white men on the internet :p

But seriously, Joe makes some interesting points about folks who are being led to believe that all of their problems can be solved if we just elect a few more democrats.

How can the gay community take the left seriously (referring to Beulah's and Bobby's comments) when they (on the left) mock those on the right who are concerned with some very serious problems?

I wouldn't be surprised to learn that many gay folks share some of the same libertarian-ish and fiscally conservative values as many other conservatives. I've always felt that GENERALLY, the difference between conservatives and liberals is that one view is guided by logic and the other by empathy. I have no doubts that there are gay conservatives who are repulsed by the stereotypes that Beualah, Bobby, and Jaycee have utilized.

[mick]

Who was it again that not that long ago admonished me for calling out someone not in the least involved in a conversation? Oh yeah...... I remember now.

I dont see this at all as a conversation I "need to be having". I dont involve myself in all discussions here or elsewhere. I am not in the habit of criticizing anyone's religion, church, beliefs or practices (particularly publically). I dont like discussing religion here or even in polite conversation. It is usually a lose-lose.

I dont think the obvious lefties throwing BS bomb type comments helps in the least. But I am also having a difficult time accepting any valid reason for Joe's recent fascination with FPC, their policies and the very private, personal and no doubt sometimes difficult nature of decisions made by their membership as a group or as individuals.

I have elected to not participate in this discussion for what I believe to be good reasons. Some of the above comments as well as others in the related threads are re-enforcing my decision. Have at it zealots of all stripes. I'm out.

But thanks for thinking of me Brandon for whatever reason.

[Joe Guarino]

Brandon, I appreciate your excellent comments. But when we speak of stereotypes, we need to think back on the one employed by the Human Rights Campaign, and by proxy, its host-- First Presbyterian Church, Greensboro. That stereotype is against the "religious right". We are to believe the "religious right" is one of the main sources of the problems faced by folks in the "LGBT" community, according to the stereotype that is being peddled.

[mick]

Joe,

Agreed. Stereotypes are usually bad no matter which way they cut.

[Stormy]

I wonder how they explain this scripture away at First Presbyterian? If one does not hold faith in the Christian church, I suppose that I can understand their position, but if you do hold faith, how can you dismiss this scripture? It sounds pretty clear to me that the bible states that you will not inherit the kingdom of God, so this is in conflict with the teachings of the bible.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 - "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

[bubba]

"I wonder how they explain this scripture away at First Presbyterian?"

Doug Clark would probably suggest you go visit with his fellow Presbyterians for a while and find out for yourself.

[Stormy]

Bubba,

I don't want to know that badly.

[jaycee]

As far as stereotypes, the Dems would have the world believe that any Christian is a "right wing extremist" and must be crushed by The State to protect us all.
Brandon, go to Google News and query "boy scout." You'll get a screen full about homosexual pedophilia.