MANHUNT Daily

Pastor Steve Anderson Doubles Down In Signorile Interview

The controversial Pastor Steve Anderson has come under fire for wishing death upon President Obama, gay people and basically anyone he doesn't like. Now he's going even further in an interview with Michelangelo Signorile, saying he wouldn't call someone who assassinates Obama a murderer.

He seems to think such a person would be a justified vigilante. Can the secret service arrest this guy already?! On top of that he wishes brain cancer on Obama, gay and lesbian people and Signorile himself! It'd almost be entertaining if it weren't so scary!

You can read more and listen to the whole interview at Signorile's blog. But the excerpt above is outrageous enough so take a listen.

- Andy

Let's Talk Religion For A Moment

I've always loved this quote from a holiday special of The Peanuts, in which Linus states something along the lines of, "There are three things you should never talk about: religion, politics and the Great Pumpkin." Well, we're not shy about talking politics, and we haven't had an opportunity to bring up pumpkins. So I guess I don't hold Linus' words close to my heart?

Therefore, I'd like to take a moment to talk about religion. A few days ago, I was filling out a medical history form for my new doctor, and it included a field asking about my religion. This wasn't a question I had to answer on a regular basis, so I became rather stumped. Do I deem myself as ex-Catholic? Recovering Christian? Agnostic? Spiritual in my own way? I had no idea what to write, and finally decided on leaving the field blank.

Much like myself, many gay or bisexual men raised in religious households have completely denounced their places of worship for not accepting who they are. But is the actual religion the problem? Or is it the assholes who misinterpret it for their own personal gain? Take Pastor Steven Anderson as an example. He believes that all gay individuals should be arrested, and that we're all sexual predators who recruit for our evil team by molestation. He's essentially likening us to butt-raping Voldemorts.

It's people like Anderson (among many others) who give Christianity a bad name. The Bible does say some fucked up shit. But on the other hand, it also includes some wonderful ideas. Upon reading historian John Boswell's Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality in college, it became clear to me that you can't blame the original book for all this hate. 

Throughout history, men promoting their own agenda have inflated some lines from Leviticus to become this grand condemnation. Oddly, they choose to ignore the other elements of Leviticus that are completely ridiculous or just inconvenient to their lifestyle. It's not an abomination for them to hit up a Red Lobster and chow down on some delicious crustacean, but it is an abomination for us to roll around naked together. Utterly preposterous.

Now I'm not saying I'm about to go roll up into the nearest Baptist parish and start praising the Lord, but I think we need to be less judgmental of religious folks as a whole. Someone who is an openly gay Christian isn't "stupid" or "retarded". There's too much hate in this world, and if there's one thing we should take away from the fictional or non-fictional life of Jesus... it's his messages of love. Call it corny, but it's all I got to say right now.

- Dewitt

To hear an interview with Paster Steven Anderson, follow the JUMP:

This Pastor Doesn't Like Us Very Much

Pastor Steven Anderson may take the cake for homophobe of the week. Not only does he want us all executed, he wouldn't mind seeing Barney Frank and Barack Obama go that route either. Pastor Anderson preaches at the Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona.

Here are some of his choice quotes (via Pam'sHouseBlend):

"The sodomites are recruiters and you know who they are after? Your children. They are being recruited by the sodomites. They are being molested by the sodomites. They recruit through rape, they recruit through molestation, they recruit through violation. Our country is run by faggots. You know who was the man who was the architect of the bailout? His name is Barney Frank, he is a pedophile..."

"That's who just sold our country into fascism. That's who just sold our corporations to the government. That's who sold out our country, a faggot!"

And in case the Secret Service isn't paying attention, here's another, "God Hates Barack Obama, I hate Barack Obama. I hate Him. God wants me to Hate Barack Obama. Someone who commits murder should get the death penalty." OUCH! That can't be legal...

He calls this religion? What a fool! What do you guys think?

- Andy

(Picture is of Westboro Baptist Church member, not Pastor Anderson)

There Is Only One Queen In Poland

Oops! Madonna's done it again. The "Like A Virgin" singer has pissed off religious groups yet again by "insulting" the original virgin--Mary, the Mother of God. The posters for the August 15th stop of Madge's Sticky and Sweet tour apparently read "There's no room for two queens in this country!"

What's the big deal? Well, the show just happens to fall on the same day as the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Poland, a national holiday in which "hundreds of thousands of pilgrims arrive at the Our Lady of Czestochowa shrine at Jasna Gora after weeks of pilgrimages from all around the country." Are they overreacting or is Ms. Ciccone being entirely disrespectful?

- Dewitt

To read the e-blast sent out about this, follow the JUMP:

Episcopal Church Says Yes To Gay Bishops

In an overwhelming vote yesterday, the Episcopal Church has decided to open the doors of "any ordained ministry" to openly gay bishops. This move basically puts an end to a ban put in place three years ago that attempted to calm individuals who were shocked by the ordainment of Bishop V. Gene Robinson.

Frankly, I think banning openly gay individuals from practicing religion is almost as ridiculous as Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Religious texts are open to different interpretations, and someone's sexuality won't stop them from doing the job right. What do you think?

- Dewitt

Photo credit: Chris Pizzello/Associated Press

Naked HIV-Positive Man Invades Seattle Church

When one of the gay parishioners of Seattle's Unity Church of God in Christ prayed that a naked man would enter his life, he probably didn't expect a naked HIV-positive man to shatter through the window and smear his blood all over the walls.

Okay, so we're kidding about the whole prayer part, but the latter bit wasn't a joke. A 46 year-old man, possibly high on PCP, chose an unconventional method of entering the Lord's house, breaking more than some stained glass in the process. According to reports, "a picture gallery was torn from the walls, a trophy case was broken open, mirrors were shattered - and blood was smeared on walls, fixtures and furniture."

Members of the congregation began cleaning up the blood until they discovered that the man was HIV-positive and had hepatitis C. The church has forgiven the man for the "really really devastating" incident upon learning that his brother killed himself on their property 29 years ago on that same Sunday.

Yowsers! Do you think he's been planning this ambush over all these years? I don't really understand why he'd take out his frustration on the church for his brother's suicide, but I guess I don't know the full story, eh?

- Dewitt

Gay Is The New Fat

A Catholic deacon by the name of Keith Fournier has published a piece entitled "Should Disordered Appetites be Civil Rights?" which compares obesity to homosexuality.

Fournier writes, "Some maintain that same sex attraction is a genetic predisposition... Even if it were the case, that does not give homosexual activity any more of a claim to being given a special civil rights status. Should we really give disordered appetites civil rights status under the law?...A very good argument can be made that obesity also has a genetic predisposition...It is a disordered appetite. Should we as a Nation decide that fat people have a civil right to be fat? Should those who insist that they resist that 'genetic predisposition' to overeat be called Fata-phobic?"

What the hell is this ridiculousness that he's spouting out? It's even sadder that this man is a leader within his community. 

- Dewitt

Biblical Marriage Is Between...

Gay marriage opponents may say that the Bible opposes it, but have they ever stopped to think what kind of marriages the Bible does allow? Betty Bowers, "America's Best Christian", has made a little video "to explain to less informed Christians the curious details of the Lord's concept of marriage." There are some pretty fantastic points being made here!

- Dewitt

Texas Christian University Changes Their Mind About Gay Housing

If you weren't so crazy about Texas Christian University's decision to offer LGBT housing for students, you weren't alone. The school has canceled their plans to offer themed units, including others such as patriotism, marine life and Christianity. 

TCU Chancellor Victor J. Boschini Jr. claimed that students, faculty, alumni and others expressed concerns that the housing would be "splitting students up instead of uniting them." 

But one student, Carson Russell, has publicly stated otherwise. "I had not heard much, if any, complaint from the majority of the student body, so whoever it was that changed TCU's mind must be more important than its students, I guess," said Russell.

Since the housing is optional, I think it seems silly to consider this as "splitting students up". Plenty of LGBT students would obviously choose to live in other housing, and I'm sure plenty of straight students would wind up living there as allies. But alas, these decisions aren't up to me! What do you think about the university's decision to not offer themed housing?

- Dewitt

Texas Christian University Offers Gay Housing

Though LGBT housing areas on campuses aren't entirely unheard of in these days, it's not as likely that you'll find them at a religious college. That's why it's so great to hear that Texas Christian University will begin offering such housing to students next fall.

The school's DiversCity Q housing will be open to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender individuals and their allies. TCU's Director for Residential Life emphasized the importance of this unique experience and hopes that it will enhance students' connection to the school. 

While I do think this is great news, I'm curious to see how the student body will react to this administrative decision. Do you think the housing plan will go as smoothly as they intend?

- Dewitt