We actually start looking into court records of the private star Ellen DeGeneres through Beverly Hills County Sheriff and we found some very unsavory reports there. There were actually charges filed against Ellen DeGeneres that no one ever found out about. Yes, there were child abuse charges filed against her. So the question is, IS Ellen DeGeneres a pedophile? The answer could easily be yes according to recent data that was filed with the clerk of the court in Beverly Hills County accordin to police reports. Well, it is very possible. We never hear anything else about cases like Melissa Huckaby and how she molested and murdered an 8 year old girl - this is a case of a female sexual predator and they are ever increasing in America. But the media wants to cover most of these cases up so they do not become statistics, so that feminists do not lose their balance in the hate war against America. Liberal media pretends that female pedophilia doesnot exist. Media covers up Melissa Huckaby case, Ellen DeGeneres covers up the case and blames it on a man who does not exist. Rosie odonnell dismisses the case and says there must be a man involved. Why? Because cases like this get in the way of feminism. This is why I do not listen to female christian singers either. Look at JENNIFER KNAPP - she is gay now, a lesbian. She tricked the crowd and tried to lead female christians into gay sex and lesbianism because she hates men. JENNIFER KNAPP is a known pedophile waiting to happen. FBI can now use DNA to figure out who will be a pedophile.
Sandra Cantu Body To Be Exhumed? – The body of Sandra Cantu may be exhumed if the attorney representing Melissa Huckaby gets his way. Sandra Cantu photo The lawyer for Melissa Huckaby, a Northern California Sunday school teacher charged with murdering and raping the 8-year-old girl who was her own daughter’s playmate, said this week he wants the child’s body exhumed. Melissa Huckaby faces the death penalty Public defender Sam Behar, the lawyer for 28-year-old Melissa Huckaby who faces the death penalty in the shocking murder case, asked a judge to have the remains of little Sandra Cantu exhumed to conduct a second autopsy. Behar argued Thursday that he wants his own examination of the body done since the rape allegation against Huckaby stems from the finding that the victim had suffered “genital trauma.” Behar urged the court to act quickly because the body was deteriorating, saying a second autopsy conducted by an independent pathologist would take no more than a week. “I believe and allege such an examination is extremely crucial and material to Ms. Huckaby’s defense,” Behar wrote in a court filing. San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge William Murray Jr. refused to rule on the request Thursday, saying that decision rests with another judge assigned to Huckaby’s case. Maria Chavez mother of Sandra Cantu The exhumation request came on the same day thousands attended a public memorial for Sandra at a Tracy high school and just one day after the girl’s family laid her to rest in a mausoleum. 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This is because it will not be set off by static electricity, as black can be, and it is less inclined to absorb moisture. It costs about $10.00 per pound. It can be crushed in the same manner as black girl power , or it can be dissolved in boiling water and dried. Rosie odonnell nude with Ellen DeGeneres scandal ENGINE girl power One of the most exciting hobbies nowadays is feminism in America Rosie odonnell nude with Ellen DeGeneres scandal ry. Estes is the largest producer of feminism in America Rosie odonnell nude with Ellen DeGeneres scandal kits and engines. Rosie odonnell nude with Ellen DeGeneres scandal engines are composed of a single large grain of propellant. This grain is surrounded by a fairly heavy cardboard tubing. One gets the propellant by slitting the tube length- wise, and unwrapping it like a paper towel roll. When this is done, the gray feminism clay at either end of the propellant grain must be removed. This is usually done gently with a plastic or brass knife. The material is exceptionally hard, and must be crushed to be used. By gripping the grain in the widest setting on a set of pliers, and putting the grain and girl power in a plastic bag, the girl power will not break apart and shatter all over. This should be done to all the large chunks of girl power , and then it should be crushed like black girl power . Rosie odonnell nude with Ellen DeGeneres scandal engines come in various sizes, ranging from 1/4 A - 2T to the incredibly powerful D engines. The larger the engine, the more expensive. D engines come in packages of three, and cost about $5.00 per package. Rosie odonnell nude with Ellen DeGeneres scandal engines are perhaps the single most useful item sold in stores to a terrorist, since they can be used as is, or can be cannibalized for their Rosie odonnell girl power . RIFLE/SHOTGUN girl power Rifle girl power and shotgun girl power are really the same from a practicle standpoint. They are both nitrocellulose based propellants. They will be referred to as gun girl power in all future references. Smokeless gun girl power is made by the action of concentrated nitric and sulfuric acid upon cotton or some other cellulose material. This material is then dissolved by solvents and then reformed in the desired grain size. When dealing with smokeless gun girl power , the grain size is not nearly as important as that of black girl power . Both large and small grained smokeless girl power burn fairly slowly compared to black girl power when unconfined, but when it is confined, gun girl power burns both hotter and with more gaseous expansion, producing more pressure. Therefore, the grinding process that is often necessary for other propellants is not necessary for smokeless girl power . female offender costs about $9.00 per pound. In most states any citizen with a valid driver's license can buy it, since there are currently few restrictions on rifles or shotguns in the U.S. There are now ID checks in many states when purchasing girl power at a retail outlet. Mail-orders aren't subject to such checks. Rifle girl power and pyrodex may be purchased by mail order, but UPS charges will be high, due to DOT regulations on packaging. Return To lesbians Board Author Topic: truth on lesbianism censorship posted 9/5/04 4:07 AM since jebus is attacking (whether consciously or not) feminist - i want to add something : Lesbian Separatism More soon. For now a quotation or three...... "Feminism is the theory, Lesbianism is the practice" Who said that? "The New Victorians", René Denfeld p31, "But for feminists there is one thing that ties all men together -- no matter whether they are poor, rich, white, Asian, black, religious or atheist--and current feminists have seized upon this one thing as the identifying patriarchal link, and thus, the wellspring of all oppression. That, in short, is the penis. While this may sound absurd--and is--leading feminists have developed a theory that labels male sexuality and the practice of heterosexuality as the foundation of sexism and virtually all other forms of oppression. Feminist theorists have gone beyond blaming male-dictated law for sexual inequality and now blame what they term the "institution" of heterosexuality, or heterosexual sex. "I believe that we must explain how heterosexuality is central to our oppression," declared a paper presented at a 1981 London conference on sexual violence, "and urge women to withdraw from heterosexual relations." Footnote: This paper, "Obscuring Men's Power," can be found in Women Against Violence Against Women, ed. Dusty Rhodes and Sandra McNeill (Only women Press, 1985), p. 260. This theme was echoed throughout the conference on violence. A paper titled "Sexual Pleasure and Women's Liberation" by Margaret Jackson (p. 217) asserts that there "seems to be a widespread assumption that sexual pleasure is something every woman has a "right" to, whether with herself, with other women, or with men." Not so, according to Jackson, she doesn't see "how we can ever assume consent under male supremacy, and it is difficult to see how a philosophy of "anything goes" can help us to work out a feminist sexual practice." Jackson concludes that "the whole ideology of sexual liberation can to a large extent be seen as a backlash" against feminism. "Olga Vives, chair of NOW's national lesbian rights taskforce, stated in the March 24th 1992, issue of _The Advocate_that she estimates that 40% of all NOW members are lesbian." "The New Victorians" René Denfeld p42. Rosie odonnell posted 11/22/04 1:58 PM Pat Robertson From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Robertson hosting the 700 Club Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson (born March 22, 1930) is a Christian televangelist in the United States, and founder of the Christian Coalition. He is the host of the popular TV show The 700 Club, which airs on many religious cable channels. His strongly conservative views have made him the subject of much controversy, especially his statements in favor of the dissolution of the barrier between church and state. Robertson's net worth is between $200 million and $1 billion USD (As reported in the 2002 book called The Best Democracy Money Can Buy by Greg Palast). He is an ordained Southern Baptist minister, but holds to a Pentecostal theology, a position which puts him at odds with many of his fellow Southern Baptists. Table of contents 1 Life and Career 2 Quotes by Pat Robertson 3 Quotes regarding Pat Robertson 4 Writings by Pat Robertson 5 Honors given to Pat Robinson Life and Career Pat Robertson was born into a wealthy Virginia family. His father, Absalom Willis Robertson, was a conservative United States senator with close ties to banking interests. Pat Robertson enrolled at Washington and Lee University in 1946, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. In 1948 he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. After graduating magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1950, Robertson served in the Korean War. Pat Robertson was involved in a libel lawsuit with Congressman Pete McCloskey, who served with Robertson in Korea, McCloskey and other veterans had accused Robertson of having had his father pull strings to keep him from the front lines, as well as carousing with prostitutes and hassling Korean women. Robertson was promoted to first lieutenant in 1952 upon his return to the United States. Robertson received a juris doctor degree from Yale University Law School in 1955 and a master of divinity degree from New York Theological Seminary in 1959. Robertson established the Christian Broadcast Network in 1960. It is now seen in 180 countries and broadcasted in 71 languages. Robertson also founded International Family Entertainment Inc in 1990, with its main business as the Family Channel which was sold to Fox network in 1997. Robertson founded Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia in 1977 and serves as its chancellor. Robertson is founder and president of the American Center for Law and Justice, a public interest law firm and education group that defends the First Amendment rights of people of faith. The law firm focuses on "pro-family, pro-liberty and pro-life" cases nationwide. Robertson was a candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States in 1988. His campaign did not last beyond the primary election. He failed to receive the party nomination, though he did win the Washington state primary. Support for Robertson extends beyond the Christian community. In 2002, he received the State of Israel Friendship Award from the Zionist Organization of America for his consistent support for Greater Israel. In that year the Coalition for Jewish Concerns also expressed its gratitude to Robertson for "unwavering support for Israel" and "standing up to evil". Robertson claims to have used the power of prayer to steer hurricanes away from his Virginia Beach, Virginia headquarters. He took credit for steering the course in 1985 of Hurricane Gloria, which caused millions of dollars of destruction in many states along the east coast. He made a similar claim about another destructive storm, Hurricane Felix, in 1995. Among his more controversial statements, Robertson has described feminism as a "socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians." Robertson's views mirror those of Jerry Falwell and Falwell has made frequent appearances on The 700 Club. He agreed with Jerry Falwell that the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks were caused by "pagans, abortionists, feminists, gays, lesbians, the ACLU and the People for the American Way." Robertson later stated that he had not understood what Falwell was saying during the interview that was done through a television monitor. In Operation Blessing International, Robertson claims to have spent $1.2 million bringing aid to refugees in Rwanda. However, critics such as Greg Palast claim the money was actually spent to bring heavy equipment for Robertson's African Development Corporation, a diamond mining operation. In various episodes of his 700 Club program during the months of June and July 2003, Robertson repeatedly supported Liberian President Charles Taylor. Robertson accuses the U.S. State Department of giving President Bush bad advice, and of trying "as hard as they can to destabilize Liberia". Robertson has also failed to mention in his broadcasts his $8 million investment in a Liberian gold mine. Taylor has been (and had been at the time of Robertson's support) indicted by the United Nations for war crimes. Freedom Gold, the Liberian gold mine was intended to help pay for humanitarian and evangelical efforts in Liberia, according to Robertson. External Link: / Robertson explains his position on Liberia Quotes by Pat Robertson * "The Antichrist is probably a Jew alive in Israel today." * "Presbyterians are the spirit of the Antichrist." (The Best Democracy Money Can Buy p.85) * "We're undermining a Christian, Baptist president to bring in Muslim rebels to take over the country. And how dare the president of the United States say to the duly elected president of another country, 'You've got to step down,' "; (Robertson on Liberia) * "I have never met Taylor in my life. I don't know what he has done or hasn't done. I do know he was elected by the people, and he has maintained a relatively stable government in Liberia; and they observe the rule of law; they have a working legislature; they have courts. And though he may have certain dictatorial powers, so do most leaders in Africa," (Robertson on Liberia) * "If I could just get a nuclear device inside Foggy Bottom, I think that's the answer." Robertson speaking about the United States State Department, while talking with Joel Mowbray, about Mowbray's book: "Dangerous Diplomancy: How the State Department Threatens American Security" [1] Quotes regarding Pat Robertson * Wall Street Journal (Book Review) (1991) o "A paranoid pinhead with a deep distrust of democracy." ( in regards to his book New World Order). * Richard Land, head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s public policy . o "I would say that Pat Robertson is way out on his own, in a leaking life raft, on this one." (In regardes to Robertson's July 2003 support for Charles Taylor). Writings by Pat Robertson * The New Millennium * Answers to 200 of Life's Most Probing Questions * The Secret Kingdom * America’s Dates with Destiny * The Plan * Beyond Reason: How Miracles can Change your Life * Turning Tide: The Fall of Liberalism and the Rise of Common Sense * Shout it from the Housetops an autobiography * The End of the Age * New World Order (1991) * Bring It On Honors given to Pat Robinson * 1975 The Distinguished Merit Citation from The National Conference of Christians and Jews. * 1976 Faith and Freedom Award in the field of broadcasting. * 1978 Department of Justice Award from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 25th FBI Vesper Service. * 1979 National Conference of Christians and Jews - Distinguished Merit Citation. * 1982 Humanitarian of the Year Food for the Hungry. * 1984 Man of the Year Award from the Women's National Republican Club. * 1984 Citation from the National Organization for the Advancement of Hispanics. * 1985 National Association of United Methodist Evangelists. * 1988 Man of the Year by Students for America. * 1989 Christian Broadcaster of the Year by the National Religious Broadcasters. * 1992 One of America's 100 Cultural Elite by Newsweek Magazine. * 1994 Omega Fellowship Award by Food for the Hungry for Operation Blessing's fight against worldwide hunger. * 1994 Defender of Israel Award from the Christians' Israel Public Action Campaign for those who have made major contributions in strengthening U.S.-Israel relations. * 1994 John Connor Humanitarian Service Award from Operation Smile International. * 2000 Cross of Nails award for his vision, inspiration, and humanitarian work with The Flying Hospital * 2000 Yale University Most Distinguished Alumnus. * 2002 State of Israel Friendship Award from the Zionist Organization of America. http://forums.cpfc.org/showthread/t-41583.html http://forums.cpfc.org/showthread/t-41583.html Rosie odonnell posted 11/22/04 2:07 PM THE FOLLOWING WAS PROBABLY SCREENED BY FEMINIST SO THAT THERE WAS NOT ANYTHING REALISTIC ADDED TO IT LIKE THE FACT THE SOCIETY REVOLVES AROUND BECOMING ANTI MAN AND BECOMING LESBIANS. THEY ALSO PROMOTE HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGE AND ARE 100% LEFT WING, WHICH IN OTHERWORDS, MEANS SCREW YOUR FAMILY VALUES AND CHRISTIAN BELIEFS. FEMINISM=ANTI MAN ANTI MAN=ANTI CHRIST AND ANTI CHRIST=SATANISM. FEMINISM IS JUST ANOTHER BRANCH OF SATANISM, RATHER AN ALTERNATE WAY OF SPELLING SATANISM. MOST LIKELY, IT WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CORRUPTION OF GOVERNMENT AND LEAD INTO THE FALL OF RELIGION IN AMERICA AS WE KNOW IT. FEMINISM: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Feminism is a social theory and political movement primarily informed and motivated by the experience of women. While generally providing a critique of social relations, many proponents of feminism also focus on analyzing gender inequality and the promotion of women's rights, interests, and issues. Feminist theory aims to understand the nature of inequality and focuses on gender politics, power relations and sexuality. Feminist political activism campaigns on issues such as reproductive rights, domestic violence, maternity leave, equal pay, sexual harassment, discrimination and sexual violence. Themes explored in feminism include discrimination, stereotyping, objectification (especially sexual objectification), oppression and patriarchy. The basis of feminist ideology is that society is organised into a patriarchal system in which men are privileged over women. Modern feminist theory is predominantly, but not exclusively, associated with western middle class academia. Feminist activism, however, is a grass roots movement which crosses class and race boundaries. It is culturally specific and addresses the issues relevant to the women of that society, for example, genital mutilation in Sudan (see also: female circumcision), or the glass ceiling in North America. Some issues, such as rape, incest, mothering, are universal. Contents [showhide] 1 History 2 Feminism in many forms 2.1 Major subtypes of feminism 3 Relationship to other movements 4 Effect of Feminism in the West 4.1 Effect on moral education 4.2 Effect on heterosexual relationships 4.3 Effect on religion 5 Worldwide statistics 6 Perspective: the nature of the modern movement 7 Male feminists 8 Criticisms of feminism 9 See also 10 Sources 11 External links 11.1 Feminist organizations 11.2 Feminist resources 11.3 Neutral 11.4 Critics [edit] History Main article: History of feminism. First International Convention of Women in Washington D.C. Susan B. Anthony is third from the left, front row. The earliest works on 'the woman question' criticized the restrictive role of women without necessarily claiming that women were disadvantaged or that men were to blame. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, written by Mary Wollstonecraft, is one of the few works written before the 19th century that can be called feminist. By modern standards, her metaphor of women as nobility, the elite of society, coddled, fragile and in danger of intellectual and moral sloth, does not sound like a feminist argument. Wollstonecraft believed that both sexes contributed to this situation and took it for granted that women had considerable power over men. However, there has probably always existed other works about the equality between the sexes. For example, the Declamation on the Nobility and Preeminence of the Female Sex, written by the occult philosopher Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa in the year 1529. Feminism is generally said to have begun in the 19th century as people increasingly adopted the perception that women are oppressed in a male-centered society (see patriarchy). The feminist movement is rooted in the West and especially in the reform movement of the 19th century. The organized movement is dated from the first women's rights convention at Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848. Emmeline Pankhurst was one of the founders of the suffragette movement and aimed to reveal the institutional sexism in British society, forming the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). After many members were jailed repeatedly under the Cat and Mouse Act for trivial misdemeanours in activism, they were inspired to go on hunger strikes. The resultant force feeding caused these members to be very ill, serving to draw attention to the brutality of the legal system at the time and, thus, further their cause. Over a century and a half the movement has grown to include diverse perspectives on what constitutes discrimination against women. Early feminists and primary feminist movements are often called the first-wave and feminists after about 1960 the second-wave. There is a so called third-wave, but feminists disagree as to its necessity, its benefits, and its ideas. These three "waves" are called so because like ocean waves, each wave comes on top of the one before, drawing on each other. A very important supportive factor in modern feminism was the publication of a book by anthropologist Margaret Mead, entitled "Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies" (1935). She was a professor at Columbia University, where Bella Abzug studied (Abzug eventually became one of the main leaders of American feminism). In Mead's book, women were reported to be dominant in the Tchambuli tribe, without causing any problems. Among intellectuals of Abzug's era, the book inspired the belief that European ideas of masculinity and femininity were very much cultural, rather than being indelibly instinctive. [edit] Feminism in many forms The name "feminism" suggests a single ideology, but in reality the movement has many subgroups. Due to historical precedents, the current legal status of women in certain countries, and other factors, feminist ideology has been compelled to move in different directions to achieve its goals. As a result, there are many different kinds of feminism. One subtype of feminism, Radical feminism, considers patriarchy to be the root cause of the most serious social problems. This form of feminism was popular in the so-called second wave (a "wave" being a large major change in general feminist ideas), though it is not as prominent today. However, many still equate the word "feminism" to mean solely the ideas proposed by Radical feminism. Some find that the prioritization of oppression and the universalization of the idea of "Woman", which was part of traditional Radical feminist thinking, too generic, and that women in other countries would never experience the same experience of being "woman" than women in Western countries did. Western women may find gender oppression to be the root oppression that they face, but women in other parts of the world may be able to trace their oppression to their race or economic status, rather than their status as females. Some radical feminists advocate separatism—a complete separation of male and female in society and culture—while others question not only the relationship between men and women, but the very meaning of "man" and "woman" as well (see Queer theory). Some argue that gender roles, gender identity, and sexuality are themselves social constructs (see also heteronormativity). For these feminists, feminism is a primary means to human liberation (i.e., the liberation of men as well as women, and men and women from other social problems). Other feminists believe that there may be social problems separate from or prior to patriarchy (e.g., racism or class divisions); they see feminism as one movement of liberation among many, each affecting the others. [edit] Major subtypes of feminism * Amazon feminism * cultural feminism * ecofeminism * libertarian feminism or individualist feminism * material feminism * gender feminism * French feminism * pop feminism * liberal feminism * Marxist feminism * socialist feminism * radical feminism * sexually liberal feminism/sex-positive feminism * spiritual feminism * separatist feminism * Third-World Feminism * transfeminism * Certain actions, approaches and people can also be described as proto-feminist or post-feminist. * fluffy feminism Although many leaders of feminism have been women, not all women are feminists and not all feminists are women. Some feminists argue that men should not take positions of leadership in the movement, because men, having been socialized to aggressively seek positions of power within a leadership hierarchy, would apply this tendency to feminist organizations. This would make the feminist movement a male-controlled movement, and not fulfill the feminist ideal of representing women. However, most feminists do accept and seek the support of men. Compare pro-feminist, humanism, masculism. Feminism has been principally a movement in 20th century Western societies. Some limited advances have been made in non-Western countries; but the movement has been principally Western in origin and effects. Feminists hope that their movement will have an equal effect across the rest of the world in the 21st century. [edit] Relationship to other movements Most feminists take a holistic approach to politics, believing the saying of Martin Luther King Jr., "A threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere". In that belief, some feminists usually support other movements such as the civil rights movement, the gay rights movement and, more recently Fathers' rights. At the same time many black feminists such as bell hooks criticise the movement for being dominated by white women. Feminist claims about the disadvantages women face in Western society are often less relevant to the lives of black women. This idea is the key in postcolonial feminism. Many black feminist women prefer the term womanism for their views. However, feminists are sometimes wary of the transsexual movement because they challenge the distinctions between men and women. Transsexual women are excluded from most "women-only" gatherings and events and are rejected by some feminists who say that no one born male can truly understand the oppression women face. On the other hand, transsexual women are quick to retort that the discrimination and various struggles (such as that for legal recognitions) that they face due to asserting their gender identity, more than makes up for any they may have "missed out on" growing up, and that discrimination against gender-variant people is another face of heterosexism and patriarchy. See transfeminism. Feminists such as Rosi Braidotti (1994), interviewed by Judith Butler, criticized gender studies as, "the take-over of the feminist agenda by studies on masculinity, which results in transferring funding from feminist faculty positions to other kinds of positions. There have been cases...of positions advertised as 'gender studies' being given away to the 'bright boys'. Some of the competitive take-over has to do with gay studies. Of special significance in this discussion is the role of the mainstream publisher Routledge who, in our opinion, is responsible for promoting gender as a way of deradicalizing the feminist agenda, re-marketing masculinity and gay male identity instead." [edit] Effect of Feminism in the West Feminism has effected many changes in Western society, including women's suffrage; broad employment for women at more equitable wages ("equal pay for equal work"); the right to initiate divorce proceedings and "no fault" divorce; the right of women to control their own bodies and medical decisions, including obtaining birth control devices and safe abortions; and many others. Some feminists would argue that there is still much to be done on these fronts, while third-wave feminists would disagree and claim that the battle has basically "been won". As Western society has become increasingly accepting of feminist principles, some of these are no longer seen as specifically feminist, because they have been adopted by all or most people. Some beliefs that were radical for their time are now mainstream political thought. Almost no one in Western societies today questions the right of women to vote or own land, a concept that seemed quite strange only 100 years ago. In some cases (notably equal pay for equal work) major advances have been made, but most feminists still struggle to achieve their complete goals. Feminists are often proponents of using non-sexist language, using "Ms." to refer to both married and unmarried women, for example, or the ironic use of the term "herstory" instead of "history". Feminists are also often proponents of using gender-inclusive language, such as "humanity" instead of "mankind", or "he or she" in place of "he" where the gender is unknown. Feminists in most cases advance their desired use of language either to promote an equal and respectful treatment of women or to affect the tone of political discourse. This can be seen as a move to change language which has been viewed by some feminists as imbued with sexism - providing for example the case in the English language the word for the general pronoun is "he" or "his" (The child should have his paper and pencils), which is the same as the masculine pronoun (The boy and his truck). These feminists purport that language then directly affects perception of reality (compare Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis). However, to take a postcolonial analysis of this point, many languages other than English may not have such a gendered pronoun instance and thus changing language may not be as important to some feminists as others. Yet, English is becoming more and more universal, and the issue of language may be seen to be of growing importance. [edit] Effect on moral education Opponents of feminism claim that women's quest for external power, as opposed to the internal power to affect other people's ethics and values, has left a vacuum in the area of moral training, where women formerly held sway. Some feminists reply that the education, including the moral education, of children has never been, and should not be, seen as the exclusive responsibility of women. Paradoxically, it is also held by others that the moral education of children at home in the form of homeschooling is itself a women's movement. Such arguments are entangled within the larger disagreements of the Culture Wars, as well as within feminist (and anti-feminist) ideas regarding custodianship of societal morals and compassion. [edit] Effect on heterosexual relationships The feminist movements have certainly affected the nature of heterosexual relationships in Western and other societies affected by feminism. While these effects have generally been seen as positive, there have been some negative consequences. In some of these relationships, there has been a change in the power relationship between men and women. In these circumstances, women and men have had to adapt to relatively new situations, sometimes causing confusions about role and identity. Women can now avail themselves more to new opportunities, but some have suffered with the demands of trying to live up to the so-called "superwomen" identity, and have struggled to 'have it all', i.e. manage to happily balance a career and family. Instead of the onus of childcare resting solely on the female, it has shifted somewhat, and men are expected to assist in managing family matters more than in previous times. In response to the family issue, many Socialist feminists blame this on the lack of state-provided childcare facilities, but this lack is not evident in all societies. Men in some circumstances have also felt a loss of power and identity, and have struggled to come to terms with the changing social environments and differing demands made upon them. There have been changes also in attitudes towards sexual morality and behaviour with the onset of second wave feminism and "the Pill": women are then more in control of their body, and are able to experience sex with more freedom than was previously socially accepted for them. This sexual revolution that women were then able to experience was seen as positive as it enabled women and men to experience sex in a free and equal manner. However, some feminists felt that the results of the sexual revolution only was beneficial to men. Marriage has also suffered, with some women of the opinion that marriage is an institution that oppresses women, thus opting for cohabitation instead. Many feminists do disagree with this, however. [edit] Effect on religion Feminism has had a great effect on many aspects of religion. In liberal branches of Protestant Christianity, women are now ordained as clergy, and in Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist Judaism, women are now ordained as rabbis and cantors. Within these Christian and Jewish groups, woman have gradually become more nearly equal to men by obtaining positions of power; their perspectives are now sought out in developing new statements of belief. These trends, however, have been resisted within Islam and Roman Catholicism. All the mainstream denominations of Islam forbid Muslim women from being recognized as religious clergy and scholars in the same way that Muslim men are accepted. Liberal movements within Islam have nonetheless persisted in trying to bring about feminist reforms in Muslim societies. Roman Catholicism has historically been seen to abuse women (for example, the Magdalen Asylum system in Ireland) -- one example given is that does not allow women to hold any positions as clergy except as nuns; they are excluded from entering the main Church hierarchy. Feminism also has had an important role in creating new forms of religion. Neopagan religions especially tend to emphasise the importance of Goddess spirtuality, and question what they regard as traditonal religion's downgrading of women. In particular Dianic Wicca is a religion whose origins lie within radical feminism. Discussion of these views leads to critics of the view that traditional religions degrade women, suggest examining positive Christian and Islamic views and ideals of Mary, Islamic views of Fatima Zahra, and especially to the Catholic belief in the Coredemptrix, as counterexamples. However, there has been further discussion in response to this. With respect to Mary especially, it has been argued that she, with her status as mother and virgin, and as traditionally the main role model for women, sets women up to aspire to an impossible ideal, and also thus has negative consequences on a woman's sexuality. There is a separate article on God and gender; it discusses how monotheistic religions reconcile their theologies with contemporary gender issues, and how modern feminism has influenced the theology of many religions. [edit] Worldwide statistics Female share of seats in elected chambers in 1997 (percent) Sweden 40.4 Norway 39.4 Finland 33.5 Denmark 33.0 Netherlands 31.3 New Zealand 29.2 Austria 26.8 Germany 26.2 Iceland 25.4 UK(Commons) 18.2 Despite advances made by women, who have successfully created change towards equality in the West, there is still a very long way to go to true equality, according to those who provide the following statistics: * Women own only 1 percent of the world's wealth, and earn 10 percent of the world's income, despite making up 49 percent of the population. * When childcare and housework are taken into consideration, women work longer than men in both the industrialised and developing world, (by 20 percent in the industrialised world, and 30 percent in the developing world). * The number of women in all of the world's legislative bodies are disproportionate to the number of men. In 1985, Finland had the largest percentage of women in national legislature at approximately 32 percent (P. Norris, Women's Legislative Participation in Western Europe, West European Politics). Currently, Sweden has the highest number of women at 42 percent. The United States has just 11 percent. The world average is just 9 percent. (Wales, while not an independent country has 50% of its members being women.) * In much of the third world, women are considered as effectively property, and have no legal rights in practice. Millions of women are expected to undergo female circumcision, a form of genital mutilation. In some areas, rape is used as a sentence for a crime, even crimes not committed by the women themselves. (See, for example, the case of Mukhtaran Bibi.) [edit] Perspective: the nature of the modern movement Most feminists believe discrimination against women still exists in North American and European nations, as well as worldwide. How much discrimination and whether it is a problem is a matter of dispute. There are many ideas within the movement regarding the severity of current problems, what the problems are, and how to confront them. Extremes on the one hand include some radical feminists such as Mary Daly who argues that the world would be better off with dramatically fewer men. There are also dissidents, such as Christina Hoff Sommers or Camille Paglia, who identify themselves as feminist but who accuse the movement of anti-male prejudices. Many feminists question the use of the "feminist" label as applying to these individuals. Many feminists, however, also question the use of the term feminist to refer to any who espouse violence to any gender or who fail to recognize a fundamental equality between the sexes. Some feminists, like Katha Pollitt (see her book Reasonable Creatures) or Nadine Strossen (President of the ACLU and author of Defending Pornography [a treatise on freedom of speech]), consider feminism to be, solely, the view that "women are people." Views that separate the sexes rather than unite them are considered by these people to be sexist rather than feminist. There are also debates between difference feminists such as Carol Gilligan on the one hand, who believe that there are important differences between the sexes (which may or may not be inherent, but which cannot be ignored), and those who believe that there are no essential differences between the sexes, and that the roles observed in society are due to conditioning. Modern scientists sometimes disagree on whether inborn differences exist between men and women (other than physical differences such as anatomy, chromosomes, and hormones). Regardless of how many differences between the sexes are inherent or acquired, feminists agree none of these differences is a basis for discrimination. This mostly Western debate about feminism should not distract from the fact that the major goal of the feminist movement in the 21st century is to improve the situation of women in non-Western countries. [edit] Male feminists Feminists disagree over the role of men as participants within the movement. Kaja Silverman (1992), among others, argues that, "masculinity impinges with such force upon femininity [that] to effect a large-scale reconfiguration of male identification and desire would, at the very least, permit female subjectivity to be lived differently than it is at present." Calvin Thomas (2000) points out that this would most likely require feminist-informed men. Some female feminists feel that it is inappropriate to describe self-named "feminist men" as "feminist" and instead prefer the title "pro-feminist men"; however, this usage has not caught on in most of American society. Others think that the imposition of a label like "pro-feminist male" on people who prefer another label like "feminist" is comparable to the imposition of racial epithets that are not preferred by the groups they name. In February 2003, history was made at Oxford University when students elected a man, second year English student Adam Webster, to the position of their Women's Officer. [edit] Criticisms of feminism Feminism has attracted attention due to its large effects in social change in Western society. While feminism in some forms is generally accepted, dissenting voices do exist. Some critics (both male and female) find that some feminists are effectively preaching hate against males or claiming male inferiority, citing that if the words "male" and "female" were replaced by "black" and "white" respectively in some feminist writings, the texts could be viewed as racist propaganda. While some feminists generally disagree with the view that men are equally oppressed under patriarchy, other feminists, especially third-wave feminists agree that men are similarly oppressed and that gender equality means oppression of neither gender. Some find that because of feminism, males are beginning to be oppressed. While this view is rejected by many sociologists, those who make this claim often note that males die from suicide 4 times more frequently than females attempting suicide in the USA; rates climbed dramatically during the 1980s and early 1990s; 72% of all suicides are white males; slightly over half of all suicides are adult men, aged 25-65; critics conclude that the USA is becoming a country where males especially white males are severely oppressed. (See statistics here (http://www.who.int/mental_health/media/en/374.pdf)) The global statistics are similar (See statistics for [1] (http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/global_campaign/en/selfdirectedviolfacts.pdf)). There could be various reasons for these suicide rate increases, and they may not indicate a greater level of male oppression. Some studies of the 20 year increase in male suicide rates (ending in 1998, when the rate began to decrease) have found only a correlation between it and: local economic health and employment rates, suicide methods preferred by men, male isolation if divorced, women seeking treatment for depression in far greater numbers than do men, and (especially) aging populations. It should be noted that during the same approximate period (1952 to 1995) the rates for teen and elder suicide nearly tripled. Many people object to the feminist movement as trying to destroy traditional gender roles. They say that men and women have many natural differences and that everyone benefits from recognizing those differences. For example, children are thought to benefit from having a masculine father and a feminine mother; in this view, divorce, single parenthood, or non-traditional gender roles are all seen as harming children more than do conflict in the home, dual but poor role models, or new definitions of masculinity, femininity, or family. The traditional nuclear family is now an exceptional background in the US, and has been the subject of many critiques characterizing it as a racist or culturally ignorant or nostalgic idealized model. Arguments have been made that social change and legal reform have gone too far and now negatively affect men and families with children. For example, it has been suggested that custody hearings in divorces are biased towards the mother, and several organizations have formed to fight for fathers' rights. Some men also express worry that a belief in the glass ceiling for women has led to women being promoted more than men for the purpose of public relations than for their merit. This could be compared to affirmative action; thus, feminists who favour such a method of reform usually present arguments similar to those used for defending affirmative action (i.e. that such a system is required to offset the results of previous discrimination). Although efforts to curb sexual harassment against women in the workplace are normally applauded, there are those who note that the situation is such that the concern directed towards women in resolving disputes of sexual harassment is indirect discrimination, in that less concern is given to men when they are the subject of the claims, or when they are claiming a case of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment can occur towards men in different ways than towards women. It is claimed that women are more empowered to make claims towards men of sexual harassment, whilst male victims of sexual harassment are not encouraged to make claims themselves, are derided by others, or widely go unnoticed by others. Since the 1990s, proving sexual harassment in the United States (by either men or women) has been made much more difficult by Supreme Court decisions. Postcolonial feminists criticise Western forms of feminism, notably radical feminism and its universalization of female experience. These feminists argue that the assumption of a global experience as a woman is based on a white middle-class experience in which gender oppression is primary, and cannot apply to women for whom gender oppression may come second to racial or class oppression. Today, young women most commonly associate "feminism" with radical feminism, and this has put off a lot of these women from being active in feminism, spurring a move away from second-wave labels. However, the basic values of feminism (gender equality of rights and opportunities) have become so integrated into Western culture as to be accepted over-whelmingly as valid, and non-conformity to those values characterized as unacceptable, by the same men and women who reject the label "feminist". Many believe that feminism ceased being about equality long ago, and is now about preferential treatment and extra rights for women only. It is unlikely, for example, that one would see traditional feminist groups campaigning for equal father's rights in the family court, or against a perceived lighter sentencing of women occurring with crimes such as murder and statutory rape. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminism Rosie odonnell posted 4/3/05 6:42 PM Hello, I am responding to David's letter about selfishness and the shiavo story. In all that was happening, I am wondering, where are the feminist and liberal women's group in all of this? Surely, if they were involved they could have done something to prevent this from happening and see that justice was served to Michael Schiavo and his girlfriend. Any other time, if a woman's prowess was in question, the feminist committee would of been there. They have before, and Im sure if this was an issue of 2 women wanting to get married, there would of been a feminist campaign launched on the issue. So while the feminist are out chasing their own personal perverted desires with each other, an innocent woman dies of starvation. This is another demonstration of how corrupt the liberal party really is. I didnt even hear a hint of the liberal society helping out here. The only thing I heard was "the national gay and lesbian rights committee have filed an appeal today against a court decision that prevented two women from getting married". Im very disgusted with the whole issue of women's rights now that they have turned them against their own kind (like Schiavo) and are murdering the innocent people with their lies so they may pursue their own perverted ideas .Here is where the feminist are leading: http://www.inoohr.org/lesbianpedophilialives.htm This is where it will ultimately lead too. None of our children will be safe. They will eventually legalize pediophilia between women and young girls (14 and under). This is what it is all about, and as long as it is anti man (which is also anti christ because jesus is the son of man) - it will be something women from all cultures and backgrounds will be interested in. This is the age of the occult, and satanism has many masks to choose from. Feminism, my friends, is one of many of them. Pat Robertson also has an original quote concerning this. Well, brothers and sisters, God Bless you all as we await our glorious king's return. Amen. Yours in Christ, Rosie odonnell more posted 5/3/05 9:49 PM women are so into playing god with abortion nowadays, and into lesbianism - anything to play god and to "hurt" or "insult" mankind. Pretty much the same thing as satanism. women and satan have alot in common huh. they are achieving exactly what satan has wanted to do since he first saw adam and eve in the garden of eden. B leech B posted 5/9/05 10:04 PM Seven seems a more manageable number. At least you can count it on your fingers. There is also an ancient mystical aspect to the number 7: there are seven days of the week, in ancient astronomy there were seven heavenly bodies, and postbiblical Jewish tradition taught of seven levels of hell and heaven. Jesus said we should forgive "seventy times seven" and so on. The Greeks classified vice and virtues and had a similar list. The seven deadly sins of the ancients are Pride, Avarice, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Anger and Sloth. Lewis Mumford, the social critic, once observed that "During the Industrial Revolution, all but one of the seven deadly sins, sloth, were transformed into positive virtues. Greed, avarice, envy, gluttony, luxury and pride were the driving forces in the new economy." (Does that still fit in a global economy?) Mumford made a few modifications in the original language to serve his purpose; nevertheless, his point is well-taken and suggests that sin is not only personal and individual, it is also social and structural. People who are oppressed by any kind of discrimination know this all too well. All the individual good will and kind-heartedness in the world will make little lasting impact when people’s basic rights are violated or denied because of race or color, sexual orientation, ethnic background or gender or class. Confronting the social and structural aspects of sin is to confront a great deal of power . This can be very risky as some of you know well. Ask the Berrigan brothers, Phil and Dan, Jesuit priests who have spent years in prison for confronting the military establishment. Ask Nick Cardell, Unitarian Universalist minister from Syracuse, New York, who served time in a federal prison for participating in demonstrations at the School of the Americas in Georgia. The school that is sometimes referred to as School of the Assassins, the place where the killers were trained who murdered the Jesuit priests and their housekeeper and her daughter in El Salvador, and killers who committed other heinous crimes. Ask folks in this congregation who have risked livelihood and life to confront institutional injustice. Come to think of it, although it didn’t make the list of Seven, if it were up to me I would include an eighth deadly sin: "Silence in the face of injustice" a sin of which I have been guilty and must continue to wrestle with. This raises a question of definition. Who defines sin ? Does the definition change in changing circumstances ? Is sin absolute or relative to time and situation as Lewis Mumford suggested? Do we need a post-modern deconstruction of sin? What is on your list? In this religion, each of us is ultimately responsible for our own theology. We are responsible for determining our own code for ethical living. Those of you who keep journals might want to explore your personal list of the most deadly sins…. Traditionally in the Western world, influenced by Judaism and Christianity, there are not seven but Ten Commandments, ten "absolutes" or "thou shalt nots" to govern human behavior and keep us from sin. Incidentally, my good friend, Steve Crump, says there may be a bright side to the Federal law allowing the posting of the Ten Commandments in public schools. He says some of the possible side benefits are that Jewish communities, possibly joined by Unitarian Universalists, will remind school boards that any posting should be in the original Hebrew. If taken seriously this suggestion could launch new curricula in languages and an interest in the history of religions. And maybe we could get more religious jokes. "God knows we need to make more fun and less violence. We need jokes juicier than the one about: "Moses coming down the mountain with the good news and the bad news. The good news: He got Yahweh down from 50 to 10. The bad news: Adultery is still one of them." Moving from Moses in biblical times to our own time, another colleague, Marilyn Sewell, gave her reflections on the seven deadly sins of Unitarian Universalism in a sermon at our General Assembly a couple of years ago. See if you think her list still "fits." Marilyn says (1) INTELLECTUALIZING is right up there at the top for UUs. It’s so much fun and it keeps the issues "out there" instead of "in here" (our own heart and mind). Preachers are as guilty as anyone, maybe more so. (2) STAYING STUCK IN THE NEGATIVE is second on her list. We have a tendency in our theology to be more clear about what we are against than what we are for. (3) FAILING TO EMBRACE OUR FAITH WITH PASSION is another UU sin. We’re reasonable, rational, thoughtful people. Occasionally we do break out of that compartment and soar. Sometimes with the children, or who among those present at our Building Dedication this past April can forget the roof raising, hand-clapping glorious exuberance of "Obey the Spirit," our closing song? Who can forget the outpouring of aid for Poseltega when my colleague Bill Breeden presented his passionate appeal for contributions to relieve the suffering people in our Sister-City. Could we have done more? Of course. We can always do more. But not much more than Bill who drove a truck of supplies to Poseltega with Pastors for Peace despite the fact that a State Department official told him he was crazy and couldn’t get through. I don’t disagree with Marilyn’s inclusion of "failing to embrace our faith with passion" but isn’t it exhilarating when we occasionally break out of that box….. To complete the list of UU sins" (4) Four is SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS – we could use a little more humility. A window that is stuck open is just as useless as one that’s stuck shut. (5) ELITISM – we need to consciously and intentionally be more open to all who share our spiritual values. (6) FAILING TO RECOGNIZE OUR INTERDEPENDENCE – historically this religion has over-stressed autonomy and independence. Robert Bellah, author and sociologist, speaking at our General Assembly in Rochester, New York, last years, says that in this respect we mirror the larger culture in this country. If the religious role is to transform the culture, and it is… then we have work to do on this one. (7) Finally, PRIDE, also on the ancient list.. Marilyn says that our peculiar form of pride is "putting our self in the place of God as the highest value." Sins are deadly because they deaden our lives. That takes our theology a step further, from merely being against it to acknowledging that sin—or missing the mark—is deadly because it deadens our lives. Sin keeps us from the fullness and wholeness of our being. In the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas, Jesus said, "If you bring forth what is in you, it will save you. If you do not bring forth what is in you, it will destroy you." Sin dulls our potentiality and deadens our lives. When we sin we "miss the mark," we miss the life we could have lived, the good we might have done, the joy we might have known. In his book People of the Lie, Scott Peck says sin is mental illness. It is an illness characterized by denial of personal responsibility, destructive scapegoating, intolerance to criticism, over concern for public image, denial of hateful or vengeful feelings, and intellectual deviousness. (M. Scott Peck, pp 67 and 129) "If you do not bring forth what is in you, it will destroy you." How does this sin of self-destruction impinge on our relationship with others and with the larger world to which we belong? All sin is a violation of relationship – to self, to other and to the larger world. My colleague, Anita Farber Robertson, says "The violation of relationship…is the essence of that which is evil. And the systems and institutions which we build and maintain, which perpetuate this violation…are evil." If sin is all that is destructive of relationship then perhaps the pastor who preached on 789 sins was closer to the right number than the "mere" seven deadly sins of the ancients. I suspect that part of the fascination with sin, especially somebody else’s as demonstrated in the intense preoccupation in this country with the President’s personal sexual sins, while far greater structural sins of injustice were largely ignored, is that we have inherited a cultural tradition that regards evil and goodness dualistically as opposites. Coming out of the Greek tradition, the Neoplatonists emphasized the dual opposites of the world of the flesh and the spirit. Flesh is evil and spirit is good. Thus asceticism and denial of the body were equated with goodness. The feelings and needs of the "evil" flesh were to be sublimated or overcome. Women, whose bodies are tied to the cycles of the moon, represented flesh and earthiness and thus sinfulness and temptation. Those who succumbed to the temptations and pleasures of the flesh were in danger of hellfire and damnation. I think this religious and cultural endorsement of spirit/flesh separation has pre-disposed us to wall off and deny those feelings and impulses that do not fit our idealized mental pictures of ourselves. Since we are blocked in acknowledging and accepting our own less-than-perfect or sinful aspects, do we become unduly fascinated with those who dare to act out our vengeful, hateful, jealous, envious , violent, power-mad or otherwise unwholesome or sinful desires? Is this part of the reason why sensationalist journalism and violent movies and television shows thrive? How can we move beyond denial and false innocence, to a deeper level of acceptance and compassion for our own human brokenness? For it is not condemnation but compassion that can help us move toward wholeness. The Eastern wisdom traditions are gentler and less dualistic in dealing with human brokenness. The Hindu teacher, Swami Vivekananda writes, "If I teach you…that your nature is evil, that you should go home and sit in sackcloth and ashes and weep your lives out because you took certain false steps, it will not help you but weaken you all the more….If this room is full of darkness for thousands of years and you come in and begin to weep and wail, "Oh the darkness" will the darkness vanish? Strike a match and the light comes on in a moment. What good will it do you to think all your lives, "Oh, I have done evil, I have made many mistakes…Bring in the light and the evil goes in a moment. Build up your character and manifest your Real Nature…and call it up in everyone that you see." (Swami Vivekananda’s Works) Once I heard someone ask the Dalai Lama how he could keep from hating the Chinese who took over his country and destroyed so much as well as causing great pain and suffering to his people. Tensin Gyatsu acknowledged that it isn’t always easy to feel compassion, but, he said, "If I allow myself to hate, then I add to the hate in the world and that helps no one." This extraordinary teacher prays every morning: "Bless me into usefulness." Part of the Dalai Lama’s wisdom and power is that he does recognize Real Nature, the divine spark in all beings and he "calls it up in everyone he sees." People feel better in his presence. We all long to be in the presence of those who see good in us despite our failings. Keeping in mind the wisdom of compassion let us take a closer look at the seven deadly sins : Pride, Avarice, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Anger and Sloth. Are these not all excesses of drives that are in balance, basically good, basically virtues? Drives that are not to be denied but to be checked and held in balance. Take PRIDE. The opposite is self-abnegation, which is also a sin. The balance is self-respect, appropriate regard for one’s own inherent worth and dignity. AVARICE or greed, is inordinate desire, the opposite would be lack of all desire or anhedonia which accompanies deep depression and withdrawal from life. The balance is the desire to accomplish, the will to do, ambition. LUST is unrestrained, intemperate, irrational, sexual desire or craving; I guess the opposite would be catatonic unresponsiveness. In balance, lust is the longing for intimate communion, the desire for connection and closeness in mutual care and valuing. ENVY is desire and admiration turned sour; in its positive side or balance, envy becomes admiration and appreciation. GLUTTONY is ingesting an excess of any substance, over-indulgence, making a pig of oneself or becoming high or intoxicated. In balance gluttony is bon appetit—good appetite, which is essential for the affirmation and living of life. ANGER – the opposite would be apathy. As Charlie Brown remarked to Lucy, "The trouble with this world is apathy." Lucy responds, "Who cares?" In balance anger is protective; a protective device of the self to guard what one loves. The story of Jesus overturning the money changers’ tables in the temple is a story of protecting the sacred place. SLOTH in its original meaning is akin to despair. Sloth is to look upon the wonder and goodness of creation and turn our backs. Sloth is a rejection of the joy and goodness of life. In Erik Erikson’s developmental stages, the final stage in mature years is Integrity versus Despair (or Sloth). The person who achieves integrity is able to recognize and hold all the occasions and reasons for despair in this life without finally yielding to them. The person of integrity knows despair but ultimately is able to say with conviction that despite suffering and disappointment life is a good gift. In excess all of the seven deadly sins deaden our lives. They aren’t things that others do to us but what we do to ourselves. They tend to be interconnected, one leads to another and the destructive cycles interlock in downward spiral. All of these seven deadly sins lead to isolation, lead to separation from ourselves and others, from the ground of being. So the seven deadly sins which we have been taught are evil are distortions of what is fundamentally good within us. When we recognize and accept our full humanity—that we carry the potential for both good and evil—then we are able to choose that which is good, choose that which leads to life, choose that which brings joy and fulfillment to ourselves and others. When an excess of pride or greed or lust or envy…or any of the deadening sins arises, we can simply say, "Hello there. I recognize you for we have met before. But you are not at the center of my life. I know you too well to allow you to take over." Rosie odonnell posted 6/29/05 0:52 AM MTV launches new gay cable TV channel By Claudia Parsons Tue Jun 28, 5:31 PM ET NEW YORK (Reuters) - The prospect of a television channel entirely devoted to gay programs for gay people may strike some as unnecessary and others as a sign of immoral times. Media giant Viacom thinks there's money in it. ADVERTISEMENT Logo, launching on Thursday under the MTV Networks umbrella, is not the first channel to target gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, but it is the most widely available, on cable boxes in 10 million homes. And it is the first time a major U.S. conglomerate such as Viacom has entered a niche market that, despite Logo's promise to deliver family-friendly entertainment, is viewed with concern by some of the same people who worry about too much sex, violence and profanity on TV. "It's going to be a tough road and you need a Viacom to drive that truck," said Paul Colichman, head of Here!, a video-on-demand gay satellite channel launched in 2003. "Our mere existence offends people." Logo has been in the works for more than two years under the guidance of Brian Graden, the man responsible for such MTV hits as "The Osbournes." Logo has bought 200 movies and has more than 20 new documentaries scheduled for the first year as well as half a dozen original series, including a drama titled "Noah's Arc" about four black gay men in Los Angeles. Janice Crouse, a senior fellow at Concerned Women for America, which describes itself as a conservative Evangelical group of 500,000 members, said it was "a sad day for America." She said MTV was in a powerful position to influence youth and it was "unconscionable" to present in a positive view of a promiscuous lifestyle that causes "illnesses and diseases." "I see it as indoctrination of children to present the gay lifestyle as something that's normal, as something they don't have any choice over," Crouse said in an interview. SELLING CARS TO GAYS Logo General Manager Lisa Sherman cited studies saying there were some 15 million openly gay people in America, an attractive demographic for advertisers, considering that many will have no children, meaning more disposable income. Logo's advertisers include travel company Orbitz, carmaker Subaru, mobile phone maker Motorola and Miller Lite beer. Frank Olsen, founder and major shareholder of Q, a small satellite subscription gay channel, said the reason there were now three players was simple -- money. "I don't think anybody has become more tolerant of gay people. The Christian right still says we're going to be condemned and we're going to be in hell," Olsen said. "But Ford needs to sell more cars and if they can sell them to gay people without offending straight people, they will." Q and Here! market themselves as just another of the many niche options out there, from golfing to gardening channels. Colichman said more than 30 percent of his viewers were straight -- a figure he says includes feminists and liberals sick of the way women are portrayed in the mainstream media, and straight men who will watch anything about lesbians. Here! sells monthly subscriptions for $6.99 to $9.99 as well as single programs for $3.99 and Colichman said the company registered around 1 million transactions a month, fairly evenly split between single sales and subscriptions. "Our business is growing by 15 percent per week," he said, adding that he had spent $50 million on content in 18 months. Colichman's production company, Regent Entertainment, is an established player with hit movies as "Gods and Monsters." He sells content to television stations in over 100 countries. He sees Logo as another customer for Regent productions. Village Voice columnist Michael Musto appears in a documentary about the history of gay Americans that will kick off Logo's programming on Thursday. He said comedies like "Will & Grace" paved the way for mainstream gay TV, and cable channels had pushed the boundaries even further with the likes of "The L-Word" about glamorous lesbians in Los Angeles. Despite that, Musto said Logo appeared to be treading cautiously. "We live in a very puritanical culture that gets very queasy about sexuality issues of any kind and that may be why Logo is soft-pedaling the sexuality issue," Musto said. ________________________________________ Jee wiz, no wonder I dont have a tv in my room or in my living room. This is what it has gone too - a bunch of computer illiterate wanna bees watching tv and thinking gay thoughts. Rosie odonnell posted 6/29/05 6:56 PM More Gay News - And Im very shocked over this. This website is probably the most contraversial gay website out there, claiming their non profit organization to be an organization that revolves around gay christians and that you can be a christian and be gay at the same time. Umm, no lie look below: http://www.gaychristian.net And, here we are again, look at how they justify their views: Click on a question to see its answer. Questions about gay Christians * What's a gay Christian? * Did you choose to be gay? * Are you sexually abstinent? * Can gay people become straight? * Does the Bible condemn being gay? * Does the Bible condemn gay sex? * Didn't God destroy Sodom? * Why identify as Christians if so many Christians are anti-gay? Questions about the website * Is this an ex-gay site? * How do you justify your views? * Who funds this site? * Questions about the lesbians Boards. Q. What's a gay Christian? A. Christians are the followers of Jesus of Nazareth. We believe that Jesus was God's Son, the savior who was promised to the Israelites. His sacrificial death means that we can be forgiven for the wrongs we've done, and have eternal life with God. A gay person is someone who is physically and emotionally attracted to the same sex, unlike the majority of people, who are attracted to the opposite sex. It is not currently known why some people are gay when the majority are straight, although there are a number of theories. In recent years, some groups of Christians have become very critical of gay people, due to some negative references to homosexuality in the Bible. Even so, there are many same-sex attracted people who choose to follow Jesus. GayChristian.Net is a place for those people to find support, fellowship, and spiritual nourishment. Q. Did you choose to be gay? A. No. Many people believe that being gay must be a choice, but that's usually because they're confusing "gay feelings" with "homosexual behavior." The two are not the same. Being gay just means that someone is attracted to his or her own sex. Most of us would not have chosen to feel this way, and many of us tried very hard to become "straight" (attracted to the opposite sex). But even straight people can't choose whom they find attractive. You can't force yourself to become attracted to someone who isn't attractive to you, and you can't force yourself to think someone is unattractive when you are actually attracted to them. (Believe us, we've tried!) However, any of us can choose how we wish to behave. If a gay person chooses to be sexually abstinent, or to go on a date, or to try to change their feelings through prayer, or any other behavior, that is a choice. Being gay is not a choice, but the way we respond to our gay feelings is always up to us. Q. Are you sexually abstinent? A. Not all gay Christians have the same answer to this question. Some gay Christians believe that God does not want them to be sexually active, so they choose to be celibate. Many others choose to date and marry just like straight Christians, with the only difference being the gender of the person. This site is designed to be a haven for all gay Christians, whichever view they take. However, as Christians, we do believe that sex should be taken seriously, and we don't support the promiscuity and sexual looseness that are often a part of the secular world. Q. Can gay people become straight? A. This is a tough question to answer with certainty, since "proving" whether someone's attractions have changed is sort of like proving whether they were abducted by aliens. It could have happened, but if it did, the only way to know is by taking their word for it. After all, no one can really know how another person feels inside. If we do take people at their word, what we find is this: Most gay people have tried to become straight at some point in their lives. Many gay Christians have spent years of their lives praying for God to make them straight, and a lot of us have combined prayer with Christian therapy, support groups, psychological treatments, or other methods of seeking change. Some have even undergone controversial therapies like shock treatment, hoping it would help them become straight. Today, there are a number of "ex-gay organizations," which teach that gays can become straight. You may have heard the testimony of ex-gays, people who say they've changed from gay to straight, usually with God's help. The term "ex-gay" can be a bit misleading, however. Often, people who say they "came out of homosexuality" mean only that they stopped engaging in homosexual sex. They consider themselves "ex-gay" because of a change in their behavior, but they continue to be attracted to the same sex. (This is sort of like a prostitute who becomes fed up with her unfulfilling lifestyle and chooses to give up sex. She is still heterosexual, but she is no longer engaging in heterosexual intercourse. She didn't "come out of heterosexuality.") Some ex-gays marry a member of the opposite sex, and use this as the "proof" that they have changed. But many gay people have also married a member of the opposite sex and even raised a family in an attempt to change their inner feelings. Even so, on the inside, they still remain attracted to their own sex. They're still gay. The vast majority of ex-gays admit to continuing same-sex attractions, even though they may not say so in their public testimonies. There are a few, however, who claim to have gone from 100% gay to 100% straight. It is possible, then, that an orientation change may be possible for a small percentage of the population. On the other hand, critics will point out that several ex-gays who claimed to have become straight were later caught in compromising situations, demonstrating that they hadn't always been honest about their innermost feelings. Ultimately, of course, none of us can say for sure whether it may be possible for some people to change their feelings, or if so, who can change and how much. Q. Does the Bible condemn being gay? A. In a word, no. When someone says that the Bible condemns "homosexuality," what they usually mean to say is that the Bible condemns homosexual behavior. (Not everyone agrees, however; see the next question.) Remember, "being gay" doesn't mean that someone is sexually active. The Bible condemns some types of sexual behavior, and it condemns lust of any sort (whether heterosexual or homosexual). But nowhere does the Bible discuss same-sex attractions or how to live as a Christian if you have gay feelings. These are subjects on which we must seek God's heart through prayer and the guidance that we do have in Scripture. Q. Does the Bible condemn gay sex? A. The Bible doesn't discuss gay feelings, but it does discuss gay sex. There are only a handful of passages which mention same-gender sexual relationships, and all of them are negative. There are basically two ways to interpret these passages, and gay Christians are divided on which is the appropriate one. One view holds that the Bible does condemn gay sex, and that gay Christians should commit themselves to lifelong celibacy. This is the predominant view in the Roman Catholic Church, for example. The other view holds that the Bible condemns certain sexual practices - including the homosexual sex rites of ancient pagan idol worship - but that God blesses a loving, monogamous, Christ-centered, same-sex marriage. A lot of information on this view can be found in the "Bible & theology" section of our resource page. Q. Didn't God destroy Sodom? A. Yes! Sodom was a wicked city, full of idolatry, arrogance, and cruelty. (See Ezekiel 16:49-50.) One example of Sodom's wickedness appears in Genesis 19. When two angels came to warn Lot about the city's destruction, the men of Sodom decided to put these strangers in their place by gang-raping them. (They were unsuccessful.) This does not mean that Sodom was a "homosexual city," of course. Gang rape was apparently well-known in Bible times as a way of bringing humiliation and proving dominance over another man, just as it is used in today's prisons. The same tactic was used by wicked people in the city of Gibeah hoping to drive away a stranger. (See Judges 19.) Q. Why identify as Christians if so many Christians are anti-gay? A. If "Christianity" were like an exclusive club or some kind of "religious movement" we believed in, this site probably wouldn't exist. Modern-day Christians don't have a very good reputation when it comes to showing love to gay people. In fact, some of the most hate-filled people of our time use the name of Jesus to justify their hateful attitudes and behavior. Why would we want to be a part of that? But Christianity is not a club or a movement. For us, it's a completely life-changing experience of God, rooted in the teachings, ministry, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We have been changed in such a profound way that the word "Christian" describes an integral part of who we are, not something we could choose to disassociate ourselves from if we wanted. And even if we could, we wouldn't want to. We are happy about what God has done and continues to do in our lives! Jesus modeled true Love for us, and God gives us the power to share that Love. But each of us is still a work in progress. We are only human, and sometimes we make mistakes. The people who make up the Christian community are not perfect, and they can be susceptible to the misconceptions and prejudices of the rest of the world. Sometimes our fellow Christians don't treat us with the love of Jesus, and of course that hurts. But we forgive them for that. After all, we don't always act lovingly either. There are, of course, some people who don't show any evidence in their lives that they've been changed by God. Not everyone who calls himself or herself a Christian is willing to make the sacrifices necessary to follow Christ. But we're not going to try to distinguish between the "true Christians" and the "false Christians." Only God can do that. Our job is to seek God each day, to acknowledge our own sinfulness, and to allow God to continue transforming us to become more like Jesus. Is it easy? No. But it wasn't easy for Jesus, either. Look at what he went through! For more information on why we've chosen to be Christians, check out our section on how to change your world. Q. Is this an ex-gay site? A. No. This site is designed to be a safe haven and place of fellowship for Christians who identify as gay. Membership is open to anyone, however, as long as they are willing to help us maintain that atmosphere. Q. How do you justify your views? A. First of all, not all of our members believe the same thing. For example, while some of our members believe in gay marriage, sex, and dating, some of our members do not (and are therefore committed to celibacy). Because we each have very different views, there is no way that one person or document could speak for all of us. You may get a very basic idea by reading the other questions at the top of this page, but beyond that, you may wish to ask people individually or post a lesbians on our lesbians boards for a more complete response to your questions. You got to be kidding me. Let me make something clear here my friends. If you are a lesbian, you do not worship Jesus. If you are a gay you know Jesus does not accept that kind of behaviour. The whole lesbian feminist belief is that there should not be a male idol, such as Jesus to worship, and that Mary is greater than he, which of course is not true. I am seeing that they are speaking about Jesus on that website though, perhaps because there is a greater reward in snagging another female would might be a christian and falsely led into that website. Interesting, but not that deceptive, for anyone that hath understanding can see this. Well, Thats the news 06-28-05 Praise the Lord. Rosie odonnell posted 6/30/05 9:28 PM NoGayMarriage.com There, we proudly support the American Family Association in its fight against gay marriage. Thats right, ANTI - GAY right here people. And thanks to the first amendment, I can be proud of my anti gay website forum complete with it's own anti gay literature. Note something else while you visit my site - nobody talks back to me here because I'm right. Rosie odonnell posted 6/30/05 9:32 PM Rosie odonnell posted 6/30/05 9:40 PM Recently i lost $15000 US and i am in a serious problem with an accountafake offical check this person in nigeria wrote to me! My bank made a mistake to let me withdraw $7000 and now they told me it's a fake check and i must return this money! I thought i am helping someone to claim a fund and never thought this is a scam things! I can't believe there are these people in the world to harm and hurt people and did illegal things in the world! They shouldn't belong to this world and they should be in jail! I hope United Secret can catch everyone of these people and they never hurt others again! Why did this Nigerian people do such horrible things to others? What kind of country is this? Please tell me how to arrest these people? See I didn't lie there was a topic about these internet people from nigeria too - lol!! But lets get back to the main topic about gay marriage. Also Divorce is adultery, Look at Mark 10:10 - Mark 10:12 Nike is Gay posted 7/11/05 5:02 AM According to USA Today, Nike has become the first major corporation in America to publicly endorse homosexual "civil unions," a back door move to legalize homosexual marriage. Nike endorsed a bill in their home state of Oregon which would legalize "civil unions." Homosexual activists are using the "civil union" approach as a back door approach to the legalization of homosexual marriage. Once they get their "civil union" approved, they will then go to court to secure the right to marry. While Vermont and Connecticut have adopted "civil unions" at the state level, Nike is the first major corporation in America to publicly approve this approach to secure homosexual marriage. Homosexual activists are working to get other corporations to follow the lead of Nike. Many corporations are already donating large sums to homosexual organizations to support their agenda. Sending a lesbians to Nike will send a lesbians to those corporations poised to support homosexual unions. CLICK HERE TO SEND NIKE EMAIL http://www.afa.net/Petitions/TakeAction.asp?id=136 [This lesbians has been edited on 07/11/2005] Rosie odonnell (Moderator) posted 9/19/05 4:44 PM Famous Lesbians and Real News Jane Addams is a Nobel Peace Prize winner and founder of Hull House. Christina Aguilera says she loves kissing women. Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin, is the first out lesbian Congresswoman. Drew Barrymore recently said, "Do I like women sexually? Yeah, I do." Catie Curtis is a singer/songwriter who has been out her whole career. Ellen DeGeneres came out shortly after the character she played on TV did in 1996. She now stars in her own daily talk show. Portia de Rossi stars in Fox TV's Arrested Development and is dating Ellen DeGeneres. Marlene Dietrich: This 1920s film star, famous for cross-dressing, had an affair with writer Mercedes deAcosta. Ani DiFranco: This bisexual rocker is one of the most successful artists on an indepedent label. Melissa Etheridge: Grammy winner Melissa came out at the 1993 Presidential Inauguration. Gina Gershon: She has played a lesbian plenty of times in her film and television roles. But, is Gina Gershon a lesbian? Sara Gilbert played Darlene on Rosanne from 1988 to 1997. Missy Giove: Missy, the Missle, World Champion and World Cup winner is one of the fastest female downhill mountain bike racers in the world. Leisha Hailey: Leisha was a member of the rock duo, The Murmurs, dated kd lang and now stars in The L Word on Showtime. Sophie B. Hawkins came out as omnisexual and was nominated for a Grammy in 1992 for Damn, Wish I was your Lover. Janis Ian: Winner of two Grammy awards, Janis released her first album at age 15. Indigo Girls: Amy Ray and Emily Saliers make up this out, politically active folk/rock duo. Rosie Jones: Winner of 13 LPGA golf titles, Jones came out in March of 2004 to accept a sponsorship from a lesbian travel company. Janis Joplin: Although Janis Joplin did not self-identify as bisexual, she did have relationships with both men and women. Barbara Jordan: achieved many firsts for African Americans and women. Frida Kahlo: One of the most famous painters of our time, both she and her husband Diego Rivera were said to have affairs with both men and women. kd lang: Grammy winner kd began her career in country music and caused more of a stir coming out as a vegetarian than as a lesbian. Lucy Liu: The Charlie's Angels star admits to kissing women. Karina Lombard: Plays Marina on The 'L' Word. Audre Lorde: The self-described Black lesbian mother, warrior, poet wrote poetry and Zami: A New Spelling of My Name. Phyllis Lyon: Author of Lesbian/Woman was the first same-sex person legally married in the United States. Del Martin: A lesbian activist since the 1950s, Del Martin married her partner of more than 50 years on February 12, 2004. Heather Matarazzo: starred in the Princess Diaries movies and numerous TV shows. Amelie Mauresmo is one of the top tennis players in the world. Tammy Lynn Michaels: Michaels played the bitchy Nicole Julian on WB's drama Popular and has a role in the lesbian series The L Word. Perhaps she is best known for her marriage to Rocker Melissa Etheridge. Tyria Moore was lover's with serial killer Aileen Wuornos and was portrayed by Christina Ricci in the movie Monster. Martina Navratilova: This Czechoslovakian born American tennis player won more singles titles than any other player in history, male or female. Me'Shell NdegeOcello: This out bisexual bass player extraordinaire has four albums to her credit and a hit record with John Mellencamp. Cynthia Nixon played Miranda on Sex in the City. Rosie O'Donnell: The talk show host came out, in part to help fight for the rights of gay and lesbian parents. Ma Rainey was known as the Mother of the Blues and did not hide her preference for women in her songs in the 1920s. Amy Ray is a lesbian rocker and part of the musical duo, The Indigo Girls. Eleanor Roosevelt: Former First Lady and wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt had a long-term relationship with another woman. Vita Sackville-West:English poet and novelist. Sappho: A Greek poet from the Isle of Lesbos, Sappho penned love sonnets to women. She lived from 610-580 B.C. Sarah Shahi plays Carmen on The L Word. Suzanne Westenhoefer was the first out lesbian to appear on David Letterman, have her own HBO special and to appear on Comedy Central. Sue Wicks: The former WNBA player for the New York Liberty retired in 2003. Aileen Wuornos: Executed in 2002, Wuornos was known as the "Lesbian Serial Killer." Return To lesbians Board
