Lively: God Is Punishing America Because Non-Christians Have Religious Freedom

ILLINOIS: Porno Pete LaBarbera To Host Fundraiser For Scott Lively (And Himself)

From the event page:

Scott Lively, founder of Defend the Family International, is the most persecuted pro-family leader in the world on the issue of homosexuality. He will give his thoughts on the new reality of post-Obergefell America (the SCOTUS decision declaring "gay marriage" a supposed Constitutional right). Lively, the author of "The Pink Swastika" and several other books on the homosexual agenda, is the target of a leftist lawsuit accusing him of "Crimes Against Humanity" because he took part in a pro-family seminar opposed to the LGBT agenda in Uganda. Lively will discuss this frivolous lawsuit whose real intent is to silence conservative Christians. You will also hear from AFTAH Founder and President Peter LaBarbera and Grace Gospel pastor John Kirkwood. Refreshments and light snacks will be served. Donations to AFTAH and Lively's organization will be accepted at the event.

The hate soiree will be live-streamed.

Lively: It's Time For A Christian Revolution

"How is it that a relatively tiny handful of homosexual activists, themselves representing less than 2% of our population, has managed in the same period of time to establish a reign of homo-fascism in the United States that has turned centuries-old American values upside down and has turned its large Christian plurality (if not majority) into criminals (if they dare to cling to the teachings of the Bible)? Isn’t it true that one man with the flimsiest of plans could utterly defeat the abortion industry and the LGBT agenda in short order — if God backed Him? So why have virtually all our efforts failed? It’s really pretty simple. The American church just doesn’t have God’s favor anymore. The brutal truth is the church has lost the so-called culture war and is now under occupation, like the French under the Nazis, with nothing left to do but organize resistance and plot to overthrow the occupiers through a political revolt." - Crimes against humanity defendant Scott Lively, writing for his blog.

Scott Lively's Crimes Against Humanity Trial Begins, Liberty Counsel Demands More Information From Ugandan Plaintiffs

The crimes against humanity lawsuit against Scott Lively began today with his Liberty Counsel lawyers demanding more information from the plaintiffs, Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG). Via MassLive:

Lively is being represented by the Liberty Counsel, based in Orlando, Florida, which bills itself on its website as "an international nonprofit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family." It has provided pro bono legal assistance on these and related topics since 1989. Attorney Roger Gannam on Tuesday argued that lawyers for the plaintiffs were being so surreptitious in turning over documents - already subject to an "attorney's eyes only" restriction - that it was hindering Lively's ability to wage an effective defense.

"Scott Lively has no desire for the information except for this lawsuit," Gannam argued to U.S. Magistrate Judge Katherine Robertson. "SMUG has not proved that it's reliable in deciding what Scott Lively should see and shouldn't see." In particular, the lawyer cited an email relating to a SMUG fund-raiser geared toward paying fees in the Lively case, which he said was so heavily redacted even the subject line was blacked out. Gannam also referred to images the plaintiffs have withheld of participants at the 2009 workshop in Uganda, which he argued Lively couldn't confirm were there if he can't see their faces. Gannam also suggested the plaintiffs' representation of the significance of the 2009 workshop in Uganda was overstated.

Lively did not attend today's hearing. According to the above-linked report, he is planning to move his ministry from Springfield to Riverside, California in order to "expand the brand."

RELATED:  On May 11th SMUG issued a subpoena which demands that notoriously anti-gay Ugandan Pastor Martin "Eat Da Poo Poo" Ssempa appear to testify at the trial. The subpoena included a $1900 check to cover Ssempa's travel costs from Uganda. Normally a prolific many-times-per-day Twitter user, Ssempa has not tweeted since the subpoena was issued.

NOM Chairman John Eastman: I Hope That Uganda Reinstates The Life Sentence For Homosexuality "In Short Order"

"Contrary to the way it was reported here in the United States, it provided life imprisonment for aggravated homosexuality, that is homosexual acts committed by somebody infected with HIV/AIDS, who knew that by conducting that act they knew they were very likely to give that deadly disease - death sentence - to their sex partners. And homosexual acts with minors. And then prison for groups who counsel people into homosexuality. The Ugandan Supreme Court invalidated the law, but only on technical grounds that there had not been a quorum. I suspect that it's going to come back and I hope that it does come back in short order." - NOM Chairman John Eastman, speaking in an FRC video which denounces the Obama administration's "pro-homosexuality agenda" in foreign relations. Eastman fails to note that under the stricken-for-now Ugandan bill, "aggravated homosexuality" is also defined as having been arrested on those charges more than once.

Here is the clip description:

The Obama administration has engaged in an aggressive effort to force recipients of American foreign aid to accept the President’s pro-homosexuality agenda. This has gone even to the point of demanding that African nations change their laws against same-sex intimacy and those barring same-sex marriage or risk losing U.S. assistance and even American military support in fighting terrorist organizations. As with so many other areas of Mr. Obama’s priorities, this initiative pushes the statutory authority of the President past the breaking point. Join FRC and Dr. John Eastman as he examines the ways in which our foreign policy has promoted a radical agenda on marriage and sexuality and what can be done to change it.

Eastman's comments on Uganda begin at 38:00.

Subpoena Issued For Martin Ssempa In Civil Lawsuit Against Scott Lively

Last month the Center For Constitutional Rights surprised us with the revelation that Ugandan Pastor Martin "Eat Da Poo Poo" Ssempa is a US citizen and is therefore subject to a subpoena in their civil lawsuit against Scott Lively, who stands accused of crimes against humanity. The Ssempa subpoena has now been issued along with a $1900 check to cover his travel expenses to Massachusetts. Ssempa is very prolific on Twitter and has not yet publicly commented there about this development. (Via Equality Case Files)

NYC Pride Names 2015 Grand Marshals

Via press release:

Heritage of Pride, organizers of NYC Pride and the annual New York City Pride March, today announced the event’s Grand Marshals for 2015. This year’s marshals are: Sir Derek Jacobi and Sir Ian McKellen, both openly gay English actors currently co-starring in the PBS series “Vicious.” Sir Jacobi is primarily known for his stage work and in films like “The King’s Speech” and “Gladiator” while Sir McKellen is often recognized for his recurring roles as Magneto in the “X-Men” films and Gandalf in the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” films; J. Christopher Neal, New York-based artist and leader of FluidBiDesign, an advocacy group and a community for fluid men of African descent; and Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera, considered the mother of the Ugandan LGBT rights movement and co-founder of the first Uganda Pride celebration.

All of the grand marshals appear in the clip below in which McKellen and Jacobi dish quite amusingly.

Scott Lively: Christians Will Stop Gay Marriage With Pitchforks And Torches

"The natural family is the ecosystem of humanity! It must be preserved at all costs. How? By a populist uprising! The elites need to see the angry mob – liberals and conservatives together – surging through the streets, pitchforks and torches held aloft, ready to tear down Frankenstein’s castle with their bare hands if need be. For Christians it’s Jesus and the moneychangers time! Making a whip of cords like He did with His own hands, and letting these arrogant puppet-masters know we mean to use it (metaphorically speaking). The bottom line is this: The elitists always believe they’re smarter, wiser and better than you. They play the game of democracy to keep the peace, but they always follow their own agenda to the fullest extent the people will allow by their complacency. The only way to deter the elites is with the threat of the mob. They need to see the pitchforks and torches to know they’ve gone too far and need to back down." - Scott Lively, writing for World Net Daily.

Scott Lively: I'll Be Outside SCOTUS To Deliver "Two Million Restraining Orders"

Via press release:

Constitutional Attorney and former Massachusetts Gubernatorial Candidate Dr. Scott Lively, in his capacity as President of Abiding Truth Ministries and it’s global subsidiary Defend the Family International, will reiterate his call for the immediate recusal of Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Elena Kagan at a press conference on the steps of the Supreme Court in Washington DC on Monday, April 27th at 10:00am. Lively is one of fifteen national pro-family leaders who have organized the “Restrain the Judges” Project, calling on the Congress of the United States to exercise its power under Article 3, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution to remove jurisdiction over marriage from the Supreme Court. The members of this coalition will present as many as 2 million “Restraining Orders” to the Supreme Court at the press conference. These are letters from pro-family advocates across the nation personalized to all 535 Members of the Congress and the 9 Justices of the Supreme Court.

"As many as two million." Heh. The petitions are being coordinated by ReaganBook nutjob Janet Porter and Lively swears that nobody is profiting from the $50 per petition cost.

Lively continues:

If this court declares homosexual sodomy to be a basis for marriage by judicial fiat and the majority ruling relies on the blatantly pre-judiced (pre-judged) votes of Gingberg and/or Kagan, this nation will be thrown into a state of civil and moral chaos not seen since the civil war.  A sizable portion of our citizenry, and numerous state governments will rightly refuse to comply with the ruling of the court and civil disobedience will be the only recourse for people of strong Biblical faith.

Pastor Eat Da Poo Poo Subpoenaed In Scott Lively Crimes Against Humanity Suit

The Center For Constitutional Rights writes today with the surprising news that notorious anti-gay Ugandan Pastor Martin "Eat Da Poo Poo" Ssempa is actually a US citizen and is therefore subject to their subpoena which demands he appear at Scott Lively's trial for crimes against humanity. From the motion filed in Massachusetts by CCR's client, Sexual Minorities Uganda:

Mr. Ssempa is an anti-gay activist and longtime associate of Defendant. Mr. Ssempa is known for employing forced outings, and “homosexual exorcisms,” and showing graphic pornography to his church congregations, as well as for making threatening statements and taking other actions, in order to deny the humanity of LGBTI individuals. Mr. Ssempa has long conspired with Defendant and three others to deprive lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (“LGBTI”) people of their fundamental rights. Indeed, from at least 2002, Mr. Ssempa has known and worked closely with Defendant and others to develop anti-gay strategies and tactics. For example, as early as 2003, Mr. Ssempa was involved in an attempt to exclude LGBTI persons from governmental HIV/AIDS prevention programs and policies. In 2007, Ssempa began to publicize the names, photos, and address information of LGBTI advocates in an attempt to intimidate those persons. Mr. Ssempa also facilitated Defendant’s communications with the Ugandan Parliament about the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which, among other things, criminalized advocacy of LGBTI rights and provision of various services to LGBTI persons, and provided that the death penalty be imposed for a second conviction for consensual sex between adults of the same gender.

Ssempa is very prolific on Twitter but so far it doesn't appear that he's yet mentioned the subpoena.

Scott Lively: The Evil Gay Borg Is Forcing Everybody To Assimilate Into Marxism

"Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. Like Captain Picard, the Governor of Indiana, Mike Pence, has attempted to reason with Borg and learned that there is no compromise with the Collective. 'Resistance is futile' said Borg drone Tim Cook, the formerly human representative of the now-Collectivist entity Apple Computers. The refrain was echoed by a chorus of other drones, including some from the newly Borg-acquired National Collegiate Athletic Association. No existing member of the American Marxist collective is allowed to dissent from the view that homosexuality and related perversions are deserving of legal protection and cultural celebration.

"Moreover, any dissent from outside the Collective attracts the entire body of Borg-like drones — like a swarm of hornets — in the single-minded quest to seek and either assimilate or destroy whatever person or entity has been foolish enough to challenge it. Many Americans are surprised that major companies like Apple, Ebay, PayPal, and Angie’s List are leading the charge against Indiana on behalf of the homosexual movement. They are shocked that government entities like the State of Connecticut have banned all state-funded travel there. Wake up, America! That’s just how the LGBT Borg operates and it‘s getting stronger with every conquest." - Scott Lively, in a blog post republished today by Matt Barber.

Jeb Bush Hires Anti-Gay Activist Who Supports Criminalization Of Homosexuality

MSNBC reports:

Prominent evangelical attorney Jordan Sekulow announced that he had signed on as senior adviser to Bush’s Right to Rise political action committee. Sekulow, the 32-year-old executive director of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), is notorious within LGBT advocacy circles for his support of anti-gay legislation abroad, particularly in Africa, where he has worked to keep homosexuality a criminal offense.

The timing of Sekulow’s hire is unusual, given that Buzzfeed’s Mckay Coppins recently dubbed Bush “2016’s Gay-Friendly Republican” for his seemingly softened stance on same-sex marriage and his growing team of gay-friendly operatives. But it serves as yet another reminder of the difficult position in which Republican presidential hopefuls now find themselves — not only do they have win over the GOP’s evangelical base to secure the nomination, they have to do so in a way that doesn’t completely alienate the general electorate, which is growing ever-more diverse and supportive of gay rights.

Jordan Sekulow is the son of infamous anti-gay activist Jay Sekulow, who yesterday joined Tony Perkins in testifying before the Senate on religious liberty. The elder Sekulow has argued before the US Supreme Court many times, most often on the issue of religious speech. Both Sekulows work for the Pat Robertson-founded American Center For Law & Justice, which in 2010 published a document in Zimbabwe which calls for "sexual relations between partners of the same-sex, bestiality, and other perversions to remain a criminal activity."

Four years ago I reported that the Sekulow family is raking in tens of million from their "charity" work. From the USA Today piece I excerpted:

Since 1998, the two charities have paid out more than $33 million to members of Sekulow's family and businesses they own or co-own, according to the charities' federal tax returns. One of the charities is controlled by the Sekulow family — tax documents show that all four of CASE's board members are Sekulows and another is an officer — an arrangement criticized by a nonprofit watchdog group. The founder of a different Christian legal organization takes aim at the idea of Sekulow profiting in the name of religion, saying it isn't what Jesus would do. The American Center for Law and Justice's tax attorney says the payments to the Sekulows and businesses they own or co-own are all made for the charities' benefit and have passed an IRS audit. Sekulow's supporters say he is a humble man dedicated to the Christian cause. Members of the Sekulow family declined requests for interviews.

Here's more about the ACLJ, which in 2013 was named by Human Rights Watch as one of the "four worst anti-gay villains" in the world:

The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), for attempting to export homophobia to Africa. Founded in 1990 by the Baptist Minister and televangelist Pat Robertson, and headed by Jay Sekulow, its chief counsel, the ACLJ strongly opposes LGBT equality and reproductive rights in the United States and across the globe. It works through offshoot organizations such as the East African Centre for Law and Justice (EACLJ) in Kenya, the African Centre for Law and Justice (ACLJ) in Zimbabwe, and the Brazilian Center for Law and Justice (BCLJ) in Brazil. The EACLJ unsuccessfully lobbied against Kenya’s progressive new constitution in 2010 solely on the basis that the constitution’s anti-discrimination clause could eventually be used to advance LGBT equality and that it allows for abortion when the mother’s health is at stake.

Last year the Human Rights Campaign lumped Jordan Sekulow in with Scott Lively, Porno Pete, and Robert Oscar Lopez in their "Exporters Of Hate" report. Jeb Bush's in-house homocon must be SO proud.

Scott Lively: Homosexuality Is Worse Than Murder And Worse Than Genocide

Tweet Of The Day - Pastor Eat Da Poo Poo

Scott Lively Calls For SCOTUS Vigil Until Court Rules On Same-Sex Marriage

"This is a call-to-action to all Christian believers, pastors, leaders, talk show hosts, media figures, activists, street evangelists and prayer warriors. Let us band together in the spirit of 2 Chronicles 7:14 to promote and conduct a continual prayer vigil and stand-out for marriage at SCOTUS (or any Federal Courthouse for those who can't get there) from now until the ruling comes out, probably in June. I am asking every Christian and pro-family radio talk host to promote this vigil, and perhaps do a broadcast from the site. Large organizations could provide logistical support to help people coordinate with groups scheduled to be there at a certain time but until then I will do my best to help at sdllaw@gmail.com.

"I am on my way to DC to kick this off spiritually (just me and my wife) with a stand-out from 11am-1pm on Monday the 9th and invite you'all to come or to send others to join us in prayer. I will do the same in front of my own local federal courthouse in Springfield MA over the next few weeks and months at times to be announced. In the meantime, don't wait for somebody else to organize your vigil, just go! This is our last stand for marriage as a free society. If SCOTUS declares 'gay marriage' a constitutional right by judicial fiat there will be nothing left for us to do but resist. Only God can save us from the calamity and disgrace of defiling His institution of marriage in our official national policy." - Scott Lively, in a press release published today by Christian Newswire.

Scott Lively has The Pre-SCOTUS Sadz

"Absent a miracle from God or unprecedented massive wave of popular protest by America’s Christians (which would be a miracle in itself), the United States Supreme Court will declare a constitutional right to 'gay marriage'; by judicial fiat sometime this year. I expect some sort of severe judgment to fall on America in conjunction with this process. [snip] After weeks or months of global chaos, when the nations are sufficiently broken and the peoples of the world desperate for a return to order, a hero will step upon the world stage to end the crisis. In the human context he will secretly represent the globalist elites who have planned and prepared for this opportunity to impose a new world order: a new global government with a new economic system. In the spiritual context he will be enacting a Satanic plot to usurp the role and identity of the Messiah and gain the adulation of the world." - Scott Lively, who doesn't want to be called anti-gay.

UPDATE: Lively's column has been republished by Matt Barber with the below illustration.

Invisible Thread From Witness Uganda

Clip description:

Matt Gould and Griffin Matthews, the award winning team behind the Broadway bound musical WITNESS UGANDA, blur the boundaries of real life and theater with the release of the single, "Invisible Thread." The song was written for their show, which tells the true story of their experiences as aid workers in Africa. But here, the song takes on a more personal twist as the couple struggles to balance their careers and their life together. At the core, Griffin and Gould’s work grapples with questions central to a generation straddling their responsibilities as citizens of the world and citizens of our own communities. Griffin and Gould dedicate this song to people across the world who are fighting for their right to love who they choose. Despite our distances and political and cultural differences, we are all bound together by our struggle to love and be loved.  All proceeds from the sale of "Invisible Thread" on iTunes will benefit the education of Ugandan students in the hopes that an educated population is the best remedy for intolerance and hatred.

Now available on iTunes.

Scott Lively: Stop Calling Me Anti-Gay

Scott Lively would appreciate it greatly if the media would just stop calling him anti-gay.

Journalistic professionalism in America has declined apace with the print media industry itself, but Springfield’s sole daily newspaper has fallen further than most. News and editorials are supposed to be separate departments, but The Republican routinely editorializes in its news stories about me, and usually doesn’t even disguise its contempt. Most irritating and misleading is that all or most of the stories identify me (often in the title) as “anti-gay pastor,” as if that were some sort of professional title rather than an editorial comment. I strongly object to that characterization, which deliberately misrepresents my opposition to the mainstreaming of homosexual conduct as hatred of homosexual persons. The term “anti-gay” effectively mistranslates the pro-family motto “Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin,” into “Hate the Sinner because of the Sin.” As such it is not an honest descriptor but a slur, and its use by the media is an act of complicity in a dishonest and manipulative LGBT political tactic.

Lively prefers "anti-homosexuality."

Scott Lively: Christians Must Protest In The Streets For Kagan And Ginsberg To Recuse Themselves From Marriage Case

"The first line of attack is to demand the recusal of both Ginsberg and Kagan, who have performed 'gay wedding' ceremonies, thus invalidating their claim to impartiality, which is a prerequisite to sitting as jurists on any matter. We need a continual presence in front of the U.S. Supreme Court and federal courts in every state demanding that Ginsberg and Kagan recuse themselves. A demand for recusal must be on the lips of every pro-family activist in America and a constant refrain on talk shows, social media and letters to the editor. And if they fail to recuse themselves and by their votes establish a majority opinion 'legalizing' homosexual marriage we must declare the ruling invalid and refuse to recognize it. This article has a political tone, but the threat we face is primarily spiritual. Homosexual 'marriage' represents the defeat of Biblical truth in America and the church must not sit silently by and acquiesce to it. In 2015 silence equals death to marriage, and by extension to Christian civilization. Let’s not let that happen. If you share the Biblical worldview it is time to get out of the pews and into the streets." - Crimes against humanity defendant Scott Lively, writing for his website.

UGANDA: LGBT Magazine Launched

Via the Independent:

Gay rights activists in Uganda have risked detention by police, threats of violence and death threats to publish a new magazine sharing the stories of the country’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community. Campaigners in Kampala have launched Bombastic to “share the realities of being gay” in Uganda, where homosexuality activity is illegal, the mainstream media is openly hostile towards gay people and the government has repeatedly tried to introduce new laws to ban the “promotion of homosexuality”. Homophobia is rife in the socially conservative country, but the team of 130 campaigners and volunteers behind Bombastic intend to hand out tens of thousands of copies by the end of this month and have plans to publish the ground-breaking title four times a year. The first issue of the free magazine contains 20 personal stories, as well as articles on the clergy and homosexuality and health advice; 15,000 copies were printed before Christmas and a further 15,000 are expected to be delivered this week.

Read it online here in PDF form.