Know why Washington “must” reject Referendum 71? Because God says so! Protect Marriage Washington’s new television stab at prohibiting domestic partnerships isn’t even pretending it’s rooting an argument in civil law, but rather faith. Of course.
From what we can tell, the above ad actually debuted before Equal Rights Washington Education Fund’s own ad (here). And while we particularly enjoy the shot of a mother playing in the leaves with her kids — and the doomsday line “Senate Bill 5688 violates God’s mandate” — the real standout moment is the shot of the planets in the beginning of the spot.
It’s there to remind us that god created the universe, and that we are just small and insignificant inhabitants. Well, the gays are.
terrwill
I hope there is a rattlesnake in that pile of leaves and bites that bitch in the proper location……………..
Sam
Wow. Maybe once they take away the rights of Washington’s geighs, they can get an initiative passed allowing men to have their wives killed if they suspect they are not virgins on their wedding night. I mean, the bible says clear as day:
“If a man takes a wife and, after lying with her, dislikes her saying, ‘I married this woman, but when I approached her, I did not find proof of her virginity,’ …and no proof of the girl’s virginity can be found, she shall be brought to the door of her father’s house and there the men of the town shall stone her to death.” (Deuteronomy 22:13-21)
And the Bible is the infallible authority on how we should run society, right?
YellowRanger
…And then a talking snake successfully convinced them to eat a piece of magic fruit and they got tossed out of paradise by the all-powerful wizard in the sky.
As long as we’re passing laws based on fairy-tales, someone should put Referendum Jack on the ballot. Make magic beans legal currency in the state of Washington.
Josh
Christians, again. When are we going to actually fight them? Politics is not the problem – religion is.
Josh
@ Josh: Hyperbole aside, “Religion” is not the problem. “Religion” is not a blanket boogeyman issue. The sooner we realize this, the better off we’ll be.
The problem is religious zealots. The problem is closed minds. The problem is fear.
Religion changes over time. It’s a fact that can be seen in pretty much any arena. Even Christianity. Think about how Christianity ‘evolved’ from Judaism. Then think about how many different faiths there are WITHIN the blanket of Christianity, from Catholic to Mormon to Baptist to Lutheran to Quaker to Shaker to Episcopalian. Look at the tenents of each of these, and you’ll find differences of opinion on things that seem, on the surface, to be ABSOLUTE LAW, but are, in fact, not. Quakers, for example, have repeatedly joined the fight against religious intolerance of gays here in Oregon. Episcopalians and Lutherans have female and even gay clergy. Unitarians hold gay marriage ceremonies.
Have some Christians committed or been associated with HORRIBLE atrocities in the past? Yes, things like the Witch trials, the Inquisition, the Crusades, the defacing of artwork for the sake of ‘morality’, the Holocaust (Hitler used Christian Rhetoric and had the Pope’s tacit approval), slavery advocacy, the debasing of public debate on issues of science and ‘morality’, etc.
Have some Christians done good things as well? Yes, things like fighting against slavery, arguing against the Holocaust, promoting fact in the science debate (Look up the Clergy Letter Project), food banks, numerous charities, and other things.
Should we blame ALL Christians for the actions of SOME of the people who claim that faith? No, no more so than we can blame all Muslims for the actions of the few who think strapping bombs to themselves will make Allah smile on them.
It is not the RELIGION that is to blame in these instances, it is the people involved in religious zealotry, and to blame ALL people of faith (which, by the way, I am not one of) for the unforgivable actions of the most vocal is as bad as blaming all scientists for the Atom Bomb, Agent Orange and processed sugar.
naghanenu
Josh…now there’s the problem…
I think gays should stop attacking religion as that is a waste of time…it was here when we came and u bet ur ass it will here when we go.As long as the bible/koran/torah is in print…homosexuality is not going to be accepted.
Gays shiuld just appeal to the openminded. You can diss religion all you want …but the thing is when it comes to people’s faith…you are just making enemies you dont need.
Stop trying to one up them…its not working
Josh
@ Naghanenu: Exactly my point. Attacking religion as a whole causes more problems for us and other free thinkers than it solves.
Appeal to peoples better natures and as time passes, those better natures WILL win out…
Josh
@ Josh: Exactly. We all agree religion created the belief that we’re wrong and most continue to teach that belief, but we should try to end that because they might get mad at us and ……
….. tell God?
Oh, okay. You have put the fear of God in me. Shucks, I was hoping we’d change some minds, but instead we need to ignore them. Great plan. I’ll have the Grape Kool-Aid.
Josh
@ Naghanenu: You’re right. 40 Years ago 60% of the US population considered homosexuals “morally wrong” and today it’s only 50%. So, if I have the math correct, in another 200 years people will no longer think we’re wrong. We’d be equal then, right? Is that the Plan? Gee, I was really hoping for something in my lifetime. God Dammit.
Josh
@ Josh: I am right. An even better Plan would be for all of us gays and lesbians to become Christians and just make ourselves wrong. Much more efficient. No arguing, no fighting, no challenging any beliefs, no progress – just a complete submissive surrender. Yes, yes, bite the pillow, too. Very good.
Josh
@ No. 10 Josh: Way to troll. way to miss the point deliberately. Keep up the good work!
Josh (The one who knows what Nuance means)
To my less-than intellectual counterpart:
Let me tear your argument apart here as politely as I can:
“We all agree religion created the belief that we’re wrong and most continue to teach that belief, but we should try to end that because they might get mad at us and…tell God?”
Huh, I’d really like for you to point to where I said anything like that? Religion also used to believe that pork-eaters were wrong, and shrimp-eaters, and women who speak in public, and divorcees and children who question their parents.
“Oh, okay. You have put the fear of God in me. Shucks, I was hoping we’d change some minds, but instead we need to ignore them. Great plan. I’ll have the Grape Kool-Aid.”
Things change. People change. You know how it happens? Education. Experience. Not fear-mongering and hatred. Not snide trolling on internet forums.
“An even better Plan would be for all of us gays and lesbians to become Christians and just make ourselves wrong. Much more efficient. No arguing, no fighting, no challenging any beliefs, no progress – just a complete submissive surrender. Yes, yes, bite the pillow, too. Very good.”
Again..where did I say ANYTHING akin to this? Try to actually read my argument and respond to it rather than – like the very same zealots you so despise – taking a preconcieved notion and working from there. Bade debate skills and bad science, old bean.
Not once did I suggest assimilation. Not once did I suggest closing our mouths. I specifically said “Appeal to peoples better natures and as time passes, those better natures WILL win out…” Appeal..as in…MAKE AN EFFORT. That’s about as opposite to your interpretation as it gets, my friend.
Please, try again.
Josh (The one who knows what Nuance means)
((Correcting spelling here: Bade should be “bad”.))
Josh (The one who know what Honest means)
@ Josh (Nuancer)
Your point is that there are good Christians (the ones that don’t make us wrong) and bad Christians (the one that do make us wrong).
1. The number of “gay-friendly” churches in the US is less than 1% of all the churches – so you don’t believe that it is a significant number.
2. How do you suggest we “identify” the good from the bad? Would you put Mormon and Baptist in the “Bad” category? Maybe add Methodists? What about the different brands of Episcopalian and Lutheran?
3. Now, the hard one – which Christians do you put in the “Good” category? Take your time.
For those of you who believe making religion “accountable” violates some taboo or would upset some Christians, fail to recognize the indisputable fact that religion made homosexuals wrong. They branded us. I understand that you just want to ignore that fact, but I’d like to be able to tell which Christians want to continue to promote “homosexuals are wrong,” and which Christians boldly put equality before religion.
If you have the time to study the issue, you will learn religion is losing membership. Young people have abandoned religion. Unless religion changes and gains young members they will become very insignificant within 40-50 years.
schlukitz
Unless religion changes and gains young members they will become very insignificant within 40-50 years.
Gee…that long, huh?
I was hoping for something a little sooner. ;o)
Josh (The one who knows what Nuance means)
Again, Josh, my dear, you fail to see the point.
First, it’s not about “Good” vs. “Bad”. It’s about which side comes off looking better? Do we devalue ourselves by sinking to their level of histrionics and hatemongering?
Or do we show, by our actions, by our strength, that WE are the better party in this argument?
Because I think we agree on that point. We ARE the better side, here. We are on the side of equality. We are on the side of progress. We are on the side of truth and openness. They are looking at the past, at continued segregation, at ofuscation and deceit. And the worst thing, is, they KNOW it.
But we need to be better. We need to take these people, these terrified-of-change, clinging-to-superstion people and HELP them see the light by how we live. Talk to them. Open yourself up to the realization that they are human beings, deserving of respect – within certain boundaries, of course – as much as any of us are.
Attacking them, assaulting them, with words or with actions, does nothing but justify their worst fears and inflame them.
Kill them with kindness, as they say, and they will thank you for it in the long run.
When I was a freshman in high school, almost 20 years ago, the thought that we would EVER get to a point where we could even talk about gay marriage at ALL – much less in defense of a law already on the books to protect it – was fiction. @0 years before that, even more so. We are getting our rights. We ARE gaining ground rapidly. Yes, it’s not happening instantly. Change, evolution, doesn’t happen overnight.
Stop being so selfish and try to look beyond your own petty wants once in a while and see that your way does nothing but make the inevitable more painful and contentious.
We’ve already won this thing, we’re just waiting for everyone else to catch up. Do we want to be remembered for our petty bitching and cheap shots at the losers, or do we want to be remembered as the people who embraced their forebears with respect and supported the people who needed it the most?
Washingtion Guy
I think its great they are doing that add, they are just throwing money out the window at the constituent group they already have, and in the process alienating an even larger part of the voting populous, WA voters much prefer to have facts and real information instead of scare tactic and god says so as a reason to voter for or against an referendum. as it is the popular opinion of the state is in favor of equal rights, so all yes on R71 has to do is create adds (they could use a little more information/exposure, even pointing out that it effects straight senor citizens who can and do have domestic partnerships, after all who wants to take grandma and grandpas rights away!) that complete the public to vote and mail their ballot in (as most counties are now vote by mail any way so you get your ballot in the mail a couple weeks before the election, and can vote at your leisure. They just have remember to make their big push to get people to vote yes around that time period instead of waiting till election day as lots of people have already voted by then)