Is it a coincidence that the phrase “of biblical proportions” always refers to calamities in which vast numbers of human beings suffer horribly and die “by the hand of God” (or those claiming to be working for Him)?

The Old Testament “wrath of God” stuff was supposedly replaced by Yeshua’s new message of love and justice. But as soon as he departed planet Earth, the creators of “Christianity” concocted new horrors of biblical proportions. Some of the most demented and gruesome are called “Revelations.” 

Is it a coincidence that none of the leaders of the Christian Right can quote anything Yeshua said when it comes to their faith-based political diatribes against gay Americans? Or is that testament to their hypocrisy “of biblical proportions”? It does underscore their working toward a new Dark Ages when science will once again become synonymous with evil and equality for all citizens will be deemed an immoral perversion of “God’s law.”

Among those leading the plunge – of biblical proportions – into the darkness of blind hatred is homophobe extraordinaire Lou Sheldon of the Traditional Values Coalition. Lou’s busy these days pleading with the faithful to buy his book. The tome’s promo proudly proclaims that Sheldon is still hate-mongering using the same old fear tactics and discredited stereotypes and myths: “‘The Agenda’ describes how homosexual activists plan on recruiting your children into the lifestyle; how they’re undermining traditional marriage; and how they will eventually criminalize any public criticism of homosexual conduct.”

But the purveyors of hate, wrath, and malice aforethought of biblical – and political – proportions are also busy elsewhere. Consider Pastor Russell Johnson of “Patriot Pastors” who, according to a USA Today article, “paces across the broad stage as he decries the ‘secular jihadists’ who have ‘hijacked’ America, [and] accuses the public schools of neglecting to teach that Hitler was ‘an avid evolutionist.’”

Perhaps schools should also teach that Hitler thought “God” was helping him resurrect patriotism and save Germany – “We are all proud that through God’s powerful aid, we have become once again true Germans” – and that he thought the Divine was his personal savior – “Who says I am not under the special protection of God?” That sounds like Patriot Pastor Johnson, doesn’t it?

Maybe schools should also teach that one of Hitler’s tactics was – with the help of his supporters – to set himself up as a spokesman for “God” and the embodiment of “patriotism,” much like Johnson and the Partriot Pastors are doing with the help of their supporters:

Interviews with a dozen worshipers after the service … find only enthusiasm for Johnson's message. No one raises concerns that the church is moving into terrain where it doesn't belong. “There's a plumb line that our nation needs to stand for,” with Christian principles guiding public policy, says Vicki Cantrell, 50, a homemaker. Her words echo Johnson's sermon. …

If there was every a group openly dedicated to theofascist rule, Johnson’s cult is it.

But perhaps the “Patriot Pastors” could pose for a group photo. They’d make a lovely billboard ad: “Pastors of the Fourth Reich.” The copy for the ad has already been written by evangelical Randal Terry: “I want you to just let a wave of intolerance wash over you. I want you to let a wave of hatred wash over you. Yes, hate is good...Our goal is a Christian nation. We have a Biblical duty, we are called by God, to conquer this country. We don’t want equal time. We don’t want pluralism.”

The first “Pastors of the Fourth Reich” billboards should appear in the 38 Georgia counties where one of the nation’s largest outdoor advertising firms, Lamar Outdoor Advertising, recently refused ads because the proposed billboards’ copy didn’t meet what they called “community standards.” And what did this unacceptable copy say?

According to the Savannah Morning News, “The billboards proposed by Georgia Equality feature images of professionals, such as a male firefighter and a female doctor, and include tag lines that read, ‘I protect you. And ... I am gay. We Are Your Neighbors.’” Another of the Georgia Equality ads featured average, multiracial men and women – standing together, smiling – over the words “We are your neighbors. And… We Are Gay.”

When Lamar manager James Locke was “asked twice to point out which words in the Georgia Equality billboard were objectionable, Locke would not identify any specific words. ‘We’re not turning down business from Georgia Equality, we’re just turning down these actual ads,’ he said.”

Do you think he said that with a straight face?

The Savannah News article ended with “The company [Lamar Outdoor Advertising] is publicly traded. Representatives at Lamar’s headquarters in Baton Rouge, La., did not immediately respond Friday [July 29, 2005] to interview requests that were left by telephone and e-mail.”

And then there’s the “ex-gay” movement discredited and condemned by every mainstream medical, psychiatric and psychological association in America, but rabidly advocated by the master “of biblical proportions” Rev. Jerry Falwell. The movement’s “reeducation camps” were recently in the news because of Zach Stark, a gay 16 year-old whose parents sent him to Refuge, an “ex-gay” camp in Tennessee run by Love In Action.

One of the founders of Love In Action recently sent a letter to the commandant of the Refuge camp, the complete text of which is available in Wayne Besen’s article “Co-Founder of Ministry that Runs Teen ‘Ex-Gay’ Boot Camps Says Group Shatters Lives and Can Lead to Suicide.”

Shattered lives and suicide were confirmed in a study from New Zealand:

(Christchurch, New Zealand) Research by Otago University’s Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences suggests that young gay men have a significantly greater risk of developing mental health problems than their heterosexual counterparts.

 

The latest research paper from a long running Christchurch Health and Development Study, now in its tenth year, examines a sample of nearly 1000 Christchurch born young people. It shows that gays are associated with increasing rates of depression, anxiety, illicit drug dependence, suicidal thoughts and attempts. (italics mine)

How could it be otherwise when gays are continually subjected to “Christians’” self-righteous wrath and lethal propaganda? The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs recently documented that the number of hate incidents against gays and lesbians reported to NCAVP member groups rose by 8 percent in 2003 and another 4 percent in 2004. The increase continues into 2005. Just last week a gay couple’s home in Lakeland, Florida was torched. “Die Fag” was spray painted on the front steps.

As 365Gay.com reported, “Days earlier a gay club in Brownsville, Texas was gutted by fire. The week before, arson destroyed the only gay club in Fayetteville, Arkansas. On July 9, fire damaged a gay-positive church in Middlebrook, Virginia. Police said the arsonist had scrawled a message on the exterior of St. John's Reformed United Church of Christ saying that UCC members were sinners.”

Hate, wrath and malice aforethought “of biblical proportions” are what the leaders of the Christian Right (and those who act out their rhetoric) have to offer. Paul Cameron, founder of the Family Research Institute, made that clear when he referred to gays and lesbians as “death marketers.” In an interview with the Boston Globe, Cameron had this to say: “I am not sure how long they [gays and lesbians] will take to destroy the US from within, but sufficiently weakened, the US will probably fall to another state before that occurs.”

I rest my case…