As reported elsewhere, blogger Glenn Sacks wrote a post about his concerns that an organization such as Christian News Wire would issue bigoted, anti-gay press releases by Peter LaBarbera. Sacks describes his own organization, Fathers & Families, this way:
Fathers & Families improves the lives of children and strengthens society by protecting the child’s right to the love and care of both parents after separation or divorce. We seek better lives for children through family court reform that establishes equal rights and responsibilities for fathers and mothers.
We don’t know much more about Sacks than this at the moment, but many of our readers will be familiar with the extreme vilification of their lives by LaBarbera in his effort to shock others into believing that all gays are licentious, diseased, Godless perverts. In the process, LaBarbera often sends out press releases laced with some pretty crude stuff, all — he would say — in the pursuit of doing God’s work.
A few days ago, livid after the Iowa marriage decision, LaBarbera apparently sent out another of his typical releases. Sacks saw it and wrote a post which basically asked what a otherwise respectable service such as Christian News Wire was thinking when it accepted such rubbish for publication. He noted that others manage to disagree with things like same-sex marriage without resorting to anti-gay bigotry, and invited others to ask CNW this question as well.
LaBarbera cc’d his response to Sacks to a list of those who sympathize with him. This brought about a backlash from some on the list, all briskly responding to the call for his defense. For his part, LaBarbera stayed true to his habits, asking Sacks in McCarthy fashion if he was a homosexual. LaBarbera can’t fathom those who aren’t themselves gay defending such “evil.”
Others sent their own statements to Sacks directly. These are a small sampling.
Janet M. LaRue, Chief Counsel for Concerned Women for America, wrote:
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!”…I know Pete LaBarbera. Pete LaBarbera is a friend of mine.
Christian radio host/author Janet Folger Porter wrote:
Peter LaBarbera is the best example of what Christians should be doing…Peter’s comments have been nothing but honest, loving, and courageous.
Scott Lively, author of the Pink Swastika, a book which attempts to link the gay rights movement with the Nazis, wrote the following directed at Sacks:
Who is this uncircumcised Philistine who challenges the army of the Living God?
Lively adds:
You obviously don’t have a clue about the role of the homosexual movement in the disintegration of the natural family model in America. Without the “gays'” largely hidden but relentless anti-family social-engineering campaign since the 1940s, there wouldn’t be a fathers’ rights crisis in our land.
In the midst of all this madness, there is the following defense from Alan Chambers, President of Exodus International.
Peter may not always say the right thing, but who one of us does? As Christians I think we ought to go to our brother or sister when we think they have missed the mark before we do a blog post on it…
[I am] unalterably convinced that Peter indeed loves sinners and cares about their eternities more than the policies he fights for.
Considering the events of the past month, it is hard to imagine being surprised by anything Chambers could say. Still, this was quite a surprise. After all the silence in response to the violent and potentially deadly mess in Uganda, the prelude to which was attended by Exodus’ own board member, Chambers finally decided to speak up and do so promptly. The occasion is a cc from Peter LaBarbera and his desire to be defended against an “attack” of the obvious.
For those who were not sure about Exodus or their priorities, we would suggest that they are clarifying those every day. They will not speak out against imprisonment or forced therapy of gays in Uganda. They will not boldly disassociate with a man whose mission is to use monstrous distortions to scare tenuous populations into believing that GLBTs were the source of the Third Reich and will rise again to tyranny if not stopped. They won’t speak clearly about their positions on anything of consequence.
But their president will leap promptly to the defense of Peter LaBabera, a man who has earned the nickname “Porno Pete” for his embarrassing obsession with gay pornography and attendance of fringe sexual events – gay and straight.
Hat Tip: Pam’s House Blend
While he may attend fringe sexual events, he doesn’t appear to have any interest in heterosexuals. Nor does he seem to have any interest in lesbians really. He only has eyes for gay men.
I receive e-newsletters from Glen Sacks all the time. I’ve exchanged emails a few times.
Glen Sacks, does spend his time and effort in the defense of ALL parents, disenfranchised from their children.
Gay or not.
He has written articles in particular on cases of child custody issues between lesbians that made the news. Especially the one where one of them denounced her relationship with her former partner, considers herself no longer gay and refuses to have her partner spend time with their child.
Glen Sacks has defended the lesbian parent who is denied access to her child and renounced her former partner’s behavior.
He believes TWO parents are important to a child’s well being, but most of all rejects any forms of hostility being instilled in a good parent for any reason.
He doesn’t especially go out of his way to discuss gay marriage per se, but he doesn’t spend an inordinate amount of time, indeed, NO time bashing gay people.
Especially two gay father parental situations.
Glen Sacks puts his energy squarely where it really belongs. Perhaps the other marriage and family advocates might learn something from his example.
You’re not solving the problems of marriage, family and children among heterosexuals when you’re constantly bad mouthing gay people virtually at the expense of all else.
Seriously? That was his reaction?
Scott Lively has some serious issues.
RE:
We all know LaBarbera has issues.
And David, you nailed Exodus on their priorities here.
What I wanna know is how Scott Lively knows Sacks is circumcized. He seems quite sure of himself with that Lively statement, metaphors aside.
Sure silliness that one.
I kind of wondered about that myself. I would hope Sacks has higher standards than that, unless Lively has been peeking somewhere where he shouldn’t be.
“Peter’s comments have been nothing but honest, loving, and courageous.”
I guess in Janet’s world “honest, loving and courageous” mean “deceitful, hateful, and cowardly.” Well, maybe courageous means courageous. It would take quite a bit of courage to write just half the illogical filth, Porno Pete writes.
Also, I think Lively needs some serious psychiatric help.
I shy away from the label “Porno Pete,” although it seems to fit.
However, he seems to be only too happy to indulge in hate speech – repeatedly and with great relish.
I agree with KZ, the words “honest, loving and courageous” are perverted in this context, with LaBarberas’s interpretations.
I do agree, however, he needs psychiatric help. I hope he can get it – soon.
This guy has some serious hate issues and he needs to get them resolved ASAP.
I came face to face with Pete once. And, just looking into his face, I never saw an uglier and more nasty countenance. This is a man who is mentally ill.
Those were David’s words when he saw Goliath.
….telling..
Alan has cemented his alliances. Exodus is now firmly entrenched in the camp of the haters, the liars, and the crazies.
Hutcherson, Lively, and now LaBarbera. Other than Phelps, there are no more extreme anti-gay agitators. And it simply isn’t possible that Alan is unaware of their rhetoric or their goals and purposes.
Alan is playing a dangerous game. Lively and LaBarbera (and their respective organizations) are designated as hate groups by the SPLC and Hutcherson has now become known to Washington as an agitator and trouble maker.
When Christ established his following He knew that his followers would create a reputation. And He directed what that reputation should be. His followers would be known for their love.
LaRue, Folger-Porter, Lively, Hutcherson, and LaBarbera are known – both in the gay world and among those Christians who are thoughtful and honest – for their hate. It spews from them in unmistakable terms, slander after slander, lie after lie, smear after smear, slurs, accusations, stereotypes, characterizations, and on and on in an endless stream.
It is to these people that Alan is becoming increasingly drawn. It is to them that he turns for alliances.
Alan is marrying the ex-gay ministries to a policy of hate. He is not following Christ.
Oooops.
Duh.
Hutherson is part of a hate group too.
Timothy,
By Alan Chambers’ alliances, as well as his actions and inactions in Uganda, he has turned Exodus into a hate group that is not much different from Lively and company. So, I guess it is only appropriate for Exodus to “flock together” with other “birds of a feather.”
What is interesting for me is to watch and see what happens to the Exodus affiliates. Will they revolt, withdraw, or go along?
Alan Chambers Finally Speaks Up — In Defense of Peter LaBarbera?
Don’t you mean:
“Alan Chambers does what he is told, as always, and loves it.”
Alan had a chance, over the past 2 months, to do something he could later proudly talk about with his children. A brief moment of history.
Instead he did something they will be deeply ashamed of.
His organisation sent 1) a Board Member 2) a Richard Cohen lunatic and 3) a vile, untruthful gay-hater to a country that is persecuting gay men and women and transsexuals.
He had his opportunity to take off his sheet, but instead they stayed up over-night on the Husqvarna making sure there were enough white sheets for everyone to ensure deliberate, public, intimidating prejudice.
Terrifying gay people, and inciting straight people, is what Exodus considers a good conference.
Uganda is an example of what Exodus International would LIKE to do elsewhere. The Exodus International policy statements are worthless, because they ALWAYS act in complete contradiction to them… if they know can get away with it.
Shameless, putrid, violence-causing, violence-apologising … Exodus International.
Exodus International has NEVER come out in support of any gay group, anywhere. They have, however, come out in support of anti-equality, and in favour of prejudice based on lies on any occassion they have had the opportunity.
Alan Chambers’ children are going to be deeply ashamed of their fathers’ attitudes and his activities in years to come. Deeply ashamed. His behaviour has already tainted his children’s private lives. And that is revolting. They have quite a well to climb out of.
Their father is an uneducated, deceitful and manipulative man. Lies are his fortune.
Does that hypocrite ever punish his children doing the same?
Timothy,
I see this alignment you mention as instrumental in the demise of Exodus, as the more they align with hate mongering, the more they are brought into the light of truth. It would seem there wouldn’t be many that would want to dole out cash to the next door neighbour of Fred Phelps, especially if Alan and Fred are doing barbecues in the back yard.
I have no stats on Exodus’ U.S. income from their seminars, but the fact they are reaching out internationally may be due to decline in the U.S., i.e. churches in Europe fanning out to 3rd world countries due to low attendance, low cash flow and people dropping certain types of religion as they personally evolve.
I think the gig may be eventually up for Exodus in the U.S. (at least in it’s present form) with the more states redeeming themselves to gay marriage along with your news presented here.
Wendy,
I hope you are still here watching along.
I don’t equate New Directions with Exodus’ repairatives or being connected to people of Fred Phelps type antics, but I would be interested to know your thoughts on how legalizing gay marriage throughout Canada (5 years now I think?) effected attendance and some of the overall effects it had on ND. It may be apples and oranges compared to Exodus / U.S. but if you wouldn’t mind sharing, it could be enlightening for us here.
Don’t forget Matt Barber, a very Concerned Woman for America.
Anyway, their fixated behavior reminds me of people in militias who are paranoid, give themselves important titles and expansive sounding tasks as if they are essential strategists for WW3.
And all they really do is do paper attacks on who they know are the most vulnerable among us.
And isn’t that really what the most civilized culture is? A culture that DOESN’T exploit fear and ignorance and is compassionate towards those who have little or not as much a measure of justice, if not happiness to their lives?
For such lofty aspirations, they are the lowest of cowards. Tilting at white clouds and slaying imaginary dragons.
Apparently, they are too afraid of real dragons.