Quote Of The Day - Albert Mohler

"The imbroglio over Louie Giglio is the clearest evidence of the new Moral McCarthyism of our sexually 'tolerant' age. During the infamous McCarthy hearings, witnesses would be asked, 'Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?'  In the version now to be employed by the Presidential Inaugural Committee, the question will be: 'Are you now or have you ever been one who believes that homosexuality (or bisexuality, or transsexualism, etc.) is anything less than morally acceptable and worthy of celebration?'  An imbroglio is a painful and embarrassing conflict. The imbroglio surrounding Louie Giglio is not only painful, it is revealing. We now see the new Moral McCarthyism in its undisguised and unvarnished reality. If you are a Christian, get ready for the question you will now undoubtedly face: 'Do you now or have you ever believed that homosexuality is a sin?' There is nowhere to hide." - Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptists Theological Seminary, in a column published by the American Family Association.

Perkins: Obama Wants To Shut Us Up

"As we learned yesterday, liberals are no longer satisfied by the church's silence on homosexuality. They will accept nothing less than the active embrace and celebration of what the Bible calls sin--or use totalitarian tactics to get it. What was once outrage over Christian activism has been replaced by outrage over Christian association. The White House has declared that anyone who holds to the belief--spoken or unspoken--that sexual immorality is wrong has no place at democracy's table.

"This should be a wake-up call to every evangelical who thinks they can pacify the Left by making the symptoms of immorality their sole focus and being silent on the cause: sin. As those who seek to emulate Christ, our approach must be holistic. We should help the hurting regardless of the cause, but we must also have the courage to go beyond the symptoms to the source. Engaging the world through social justice or conservationism may help us find common ground--but it will not mollify faith's detractors. Nothing less than one hundred percent capitulation will." - Hate group leader and white supremacist Tony Perkins, via press release.

Wayne Besen Vs Peter Sprigg

Today Truth Wins Out head Wayne Besen appeared on CNN to counter Family Research Council spokesdouche Peter Sprigg, who is ever so pissed about the Louie Giglio flap. Note that Sprigg doesn't attempt to deny his calls for the imprisonment and deportation of gay Americans.

UPDATE: Think Progress reporter Zack Ford reacts.

Jeremy Hooper is right to celebrate this as a victory for GLAAD’s Commentator Accountability Project, which seeks to expose the anti-LGBT records of conservative spokespeople whose positions are typically not given proper context by the news outlets that interview them. Sprigg’s presence on CNN is the quintessential example of this whitewashing, because as Besen pointed out, his positions are seemingly even more anti-LGBT than Pastor Giglio’s. Sprigg has proven time and time again that he does not even have the most basic understanding of sexuality but does have a significant antipathy toward the very existence of gays and lesbians. He has no authority to speak about LGBT issues, and CNN should learn from this interview not to provide a pedestal for his bigoted point of view again.

Lawrence O'Donnell: Why Do We Need ANY Religion At The Inauguration?

I watched this live last night and then played it again this morning. He nails it. Totally.

(Via Towleroad)

Tony Perkins Is Pissed About Giglio

"The President's endorsement of same-sex 'marriage' wasn't the culmination of the homosexual agenda--in many ways, it was just the beginning of a sweeping zero tolerance policy for any American with a biblical view of sexuality. The country is witnessing that for itself in the breaking news that the President's inauguration no longer includes Pastor Louie Giglio, an evangelical minister who, years ago, delivered a sermon on the Christian response to homosexuality. Gay activists brought the comments to the President's attention and demanded his removal from the ceremony. Although it's unclear whether the White House forced him to withdraw or not, Pastor Giglio formally dropped out less than 24 hours later. In a press release, he insists that his participation and prayer 'would be dwarfed by those seeking to make their agenda the focal point of the inauguration.'

"What a difference four years makes! In 2009, when the Left was in an uproar about Pastor Rick Warren's prayer, the President was quick to come to his defense. 'We have to disagree without being disagreeable and then focus on those things we hold in common as Americans.' Now, having revealed his true position on same-sex 'marriage,' the President seems determined to create even more division. If anything, this pulls back the curtain on the Left's real agenda. And it's not about tolerance. It's about forced acceptance. Americans need to wake up and realize that the homosexual movement cannot be appeased--not by marriage, not by special benefits, not by anything but the sanitization of Christianity from the public square." - Hate group leader Tony Perkins, via press release.

Go Big Gay!!!

ABC News: Giglio Is GONE

If this pans out, WOW.

UPDATE: CNN says Giglio voluntarily withdrew.

UPDATE II:  Think Progress has a statement from Giglio.

Due to a message of mine that has surfaced from 15-20 years ago, it is likely that my participation, and the prayer I would offer, will be dwarfed by those seeking to make their agenda the focal point of the inauguration. Clearly, speaking on this issue has not been in the range of my priorities in the past fifteen years. Instead, my aim has been to call people to ultimate significance as we make much of Jesus Christ.

Neither I, nor our team, feel it best serves the core message and goals we are seeking to accomplish to be in a fight on an issue not of our choosing, thus I respectfully withdraw my acceptance of the President’s invitation. I will continue to pray regularly for the President, and urge the nation to do so. I will most certainly pray for him on Inauguration Day. Our nation is deeply divided and hurting, and more than ever need God’s grace and mercy in our time of need.

Congratulations are due Think Progress reporter Josh Israel for breaking the story and raising the alarm.

UPDATE III: Josh Israel has updated his post with a message from inauguration committee.

We were not aware of Pastor Giglio’s past comments at the time of his selection and they don’t reflect our desire to celebrate the strength and diversity of our country at this Inaugural. Pastor Giglio was asked to deliver the benediction in large part for his leadership in combating human trafficking around the world. As we now work to select someone to deliver the benediction, we will ensure their beliefs reflect this administration’s vision of inclusion and acceptance for all Americans.

AFA Tells Pastor Louie Giglio To Reject Obama Inauguration Gig

The gays aren't the only ones upset with Pastor Louie Giglio's selection to perform the benediction at President Obama's second inauguration.  The American Family Association doesn't like it either.

"Louie Giglio has made some of the best DVDs you'll ever see, theologically," Wildmon stated on American Family Radio. "He's done a wonderful job, I think, of galvanizing Christian young people with these Passion conferences, with sound Bible teaching. We've applauded Louie for that."  Upwards of 60,000 students were in attendance at the 2013 Passion Conference in Atlanta last week.
Still, Wildmon says if he were Giglio, he would respectfully decline the invitation. "Louie Giglio did not say 'I endorse or embrace President Obama's political agenda' -- [but] if I were Louie Giglio," continued the AFA president, "I would say 'This could hurt my credibility within the Christian community because it seems to be an implicit endorsement of President Obama by participating.'"