Exodus: Live Out Loud

Australia to ban same-sex marriages

http://tvnz.co.nz/view/news_world_story_skin/427940?format=html


May 28, 2004

The Australian federal government will ban gay marriages and outlaw overseas adoptions by gay couples under new laws designed to take the matter away from the nation's courts. Prime Minister John Howard announced the move, angering gay groups and prompting accusations that he was homophobic, but winning support from church and family organisations.

But Labor said it was likely to support the legislation, heading off a divisive pre-election debate about marriage in the Senate. Howard said the government strongly believed marriage should be defined as a life-time voluntary union of a man and a woman. He also said the government did not support gay couples adopting children, but said the federal government had no power to overturn state laws.

While the marriage announcement was a blow to gay rights, Howard did announce plans to ensure gay couples could have better access to equal rights under superannuation laws. Howard said the government would ensure superannuation death benefits could be paid to anyone who was financially dependent on the person who died. That clarifies the position for gay couples, as well as disabled children, or siblings who share a long-term home. Howard denied the changes were designed to corner Labor in the lead up to an election.

"We're protecting the most important institution in our society," Howard said.

Mental Health Experts Off the Mark on Sexual Orientation Change, Researcher Says

http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/5/272004d.asp

By Jim Brown and Jody Brown
May 27, 2004

(AgapePress) - A university professor who specializes in researching issues involving sexual orientation says the nation's leading mental health association is discriminating against an organization that helps former homosexuals.

The National Mental Health Association (NMHA) is a professional lobbying group that advocates for funding and programs to better address the country mental health problems. It recently decided to bar the organization Parents and Friends of ExGays and Gays (PFOX) from its annual conference.

Dr. Warren Throckmorton, director of college counseling at Grove City College in Pennsylvania, says NMHA refuses to acknowledge the existence of ex-homosexuals.

"The NMHA was just simply asked [by PFOX] to have some booth space at their convention so that information about sexual orientation change could be presented," Throckmorton explains. NMHA's reaction, he says, "shocked and disappointed" him. He says instead of calling PFOX and talking over the two groups' differences, the marketing manager for NMHA simply sent a letter.

According to Throckmorton, the May 17 letter from Becky Roser stated: "NMHA feels that your organization's principles diverge from our core mission .... Having PFOX exhibit at our conference would indicate to participants that NMHA condones 'reparative' or 'corrective' therapy. As this is not the case, it would be disingenuous to have your organization participate in our Annual Conference."

Christian Complacency

www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/5/27/124305.shtml

Paul Weyrich
Thursday, May 27, 2004
Right-thinking, God-fearing Americans should be outraged…enough to call their U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators.
The word on Capitol Hill is that not enough calls have been coming into congressional offices urging Congress to vote to send the Federal Marriage Amendment to the states for ratification. If Congress says it can't hear us, Congress won't feel pressured to act. The word has to start coming from the grassroots with an intensity that will make it an unmistakable message: "We demand action to defend the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman. We are watching this issue closely. What you do on this issue will be remembered in November!"

Plenty of Christians outside the Beltway know they do not want homosexual marriage to become legal. The problem is that they must let Congress know. Our complacency, our silence - if we do not become more vocal on this issue - runs the danger of becoming the homosexual rights lobby's victory. This is an issue that Christians in the states should be speaking out on in an unmistakable roar loud enough to be heard by Congress.

Nor is it the only issue. Committed Christians need to exercise vigilance over the curriculum and textbooks used in the public schools. The homosexual rights lobby is using the schools to condition children to accept the Gay Way as a lifestyle - rather than God's Way. So many wrongs are becoming right due to the influence of this lobby that soon there will be no real moral wrongs left in the mind of too many young Americans.

The fallacy of same-sex unions

http://english.pravda.ru/mailbox/22/101/399/12940_.html

05/27/2004 20:20
Homosexuality is a troubling moral and social phenomenon.
Due to benign interpretations of the homosexual condition itself it is increasingly being viewed as something neutral or even good. Presently it threatens to destroy the institution of marriage in Canada and the United States.

No ideology, however, can erase from the human spirit the certainty that marriage exists solely between a man and a woman. The natural truth about marriage was confirmed by the Revelation contained in the biblical accounts of creation (Gen 1:27-28. Gen:2:24) . According to consistent biblical testimony concerning homosexuality, there are absolutely no grounds for considering homosexual unions to be in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God"s plan for marriage and family. In fact, all major religions of the world consider homosexuality an objective disorder.

The arguments in favor of same-sex marriage are varied and betray a lack of right reason. They are little more than attempts to rationalize without thinking rationally.

Exodus referral ministry leader's testimony now online

Peter Cardinal, director of Exodus referral ministry Abiding in Him, recently gave his testimony at Riviera UMC in St. Petersburg, FL. His testmony is now online. Scroll down to 04-25-04. While there, be sure to check out Pastor Rick Thompson's excellent two-part series, What Is The Homosexual To Do With The Church?

Teachers Urged to Ignore GLSEN's Marriage Curriculum

http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewCulture.asp?Page=\Culture\archive\200405\CUL20040526a.html

By Robert B. Bluey
CNSNews.com Staff Writer
May 26, 2004

(CNSNews.com) - The group that created a pro-homosexual marriage curriculum for school teachers has come under attack for allegedly presenting "biased" information that seeks to "coerce" students into supporting the idea of same-sex marriage.

Psychology professor Warren Throckmorton from Pennsylvania's Grove City College wants teachers to ignore the suggestions offered by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). In a 24-page report, Throckmorton outlines what he sees as inaccuracies, bias and the impracticality of the curriculum.

"Teachers are not employed by the community to indoctrinate children to an ideology or set of political beliefs," Throckmorton writes in the report. "Every lesson in this curriculum attempts to employ group or teacher pressure on students to support same-sex marriage."

Experts Comment on Main Issues of SF Same-Sex Marriage Case

http://www.christianpost.com/dbase.php?cat=society&id=726

Wednesday, May. 26, 2004 Posted: 12:48:28PM PST

The validity of the some 4,000 same-sex marriage licenses issued in San Francisco under the authority of Mayor Gavin Newsom is the most recent topic in the same-sex marriage debate. On May 25, seven justices of the California Supreme Court heard arguments from opponents.

Several representatives from Christian pro-family groups have summarized the key issues of the debate following the court hearing.

Robert Tyler of ADF said a key issue justices must consider is whether a mayor has authority to interpret the law and decide who can get a marriage license.

Jordan Lorence, senior counsel of the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), and Deputy Attorney Timothy Muscat told the Court that Newsom defied California State Law by allowing the issuance of the same-sex marriage licenses.

"We're hoping," Tyler said, "that the California Supreme Court will recognize that municipal anarchy cannot be accepted in our democratic form of government."

House puts off taking action on same-sex unions

www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1675&dept_id=18171&newsid=11808145&PAG=461&rfi=9

By TIMOTHY LOGUE , [email protected] 05/27/2004

By a two-vote margin Wednesday, the state House of Representatives put off a vote on a pair of amendments designed to more narrowly define marriage as a heterosexual institution.

"I think those of us who oppose the legislation and don't want these conservative prohibitions were happy to vote 'no' and maintain the status quo," said Rep. Greg Vitali, D-166, of Haverford. "There is a feeling among a lot people that this did not need to be dealt with right away."

The measures, if passed, would prevent recognition of "spousal-equivalent relationships" entered into in other jurisdictions and prohibit the commonwealth from providing life insurance, health insurance, medical leave and pension survivorship benefits to partners of state employees.

"A lot of Democrats who favor same-sex marriage and extending benefits to same-sex couples saw this as a tough vote they didn't want to take," said Rep. Stephen Barrar, R-160, of Upper Chichester, who favors the amendments. "Pennsylvania is still a very conservative state and Democrats running in conservative areas knew they would have a tough time defending their vote."

Chinese AIDS Activist Under House Arrest

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040527/ap_on_he_me/china_aids_activist_2

By AUDRA ANG, Associated Press Writer

BEIJING - A Chinese AIDS (news - web sites) activist said authorities have placed him under house arrest to prevent him from traveling Friday to an AIDS-infected village at the same time that an American delegation will be visiting.

Hu Jia says police began an around-the-clock watch on his Beijing home last weekend. At least six or seven officers are present all the time, he said.

"When I tried to get out of my home on Monday, they physically stopped me," Hu said. "They grabbed my neck and used their elbows to prevent me from leaving."

The activist said he had been hoping to meet with a U.S. delegation on Friday in Shangcai, a village in Henan province.

Expert: China Must Work on Stopping AIDS

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040527/ap_on_he_me/china_aids_1

By ELAINE KURTENBACH, Associated Press Writer

SHANGHAI, China - China must do much more to prevent AIDS (news - web sites) from spreading in its huge cities and booming provinces, despite Beijing's newfound determination to fight the disease, the head of the United Nations (news - web sites) AIDS program said Thursday.

After years of denying AIDS was a problem and harassing activists pushing for better treatment, Beijing has stepped up efforts to control the spread of the virus and improve treatment.

But that message has yet to spread to all levels of government, and many Chinese don't even know what the disease is or how it is transmitted, said Dr. Peter Piot, the Belgian physician who heads UNAIDS (news - web sites), the AIDS program run by the United Nations and the World Bank (news - web sites).

"Not yet. Not everywhere," he said. "That's a challenge."

China should make a "big noise" about AIDS, Piot said. "The (Communist) Party should take this on in a big way. The choice is clear: act now or pay later."