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News & ArtsFriday, November 27, 2009
Homo Your Daily Douchebag: Joseph Backholm
Posted by Dominic Holden on Fri, Nov 27, 2009 at 11:02 AM
Joseph Backholm runs the Family Policy Institute of Washington, which is the state affiliate of James Dobson's Focus on the Family. Backholm's group poured over $200,000 into the reject R-71 campaign; Dobson's national organization spent over $90,000. They lost. But Backholm is obsessed with gay people more than ever. Here's his latest video—posted on November 19—about how religious extremists can pass anti-gay laws based solely on what they read in their little book, while still maintaining a separation of church and state.
Basically, banning gay marriage to appease religious extremists isn't a merger of church and state because lots of laws banning stuff were first decreed sins in religious texts. Killing? Theft? Incest? All illegal. And all condemned by the bible. Gay marriage? Mr. God also fives it a frowny face. "No one wants to repeal the criminal code," Backholm says. So, of course, gay marriage should be criminal. We could ban the consumption of pork because there's an old book that says it's totally bad. Red Lobster must be prohibited to save our families! In other words, church and state will always be separate—no matter what insane religious passage is codified into law—because they've always been the same. Uh huh.
Thanks for the video, Lurleen.
1
Whatever...He can discuss "ideas" for legislation based on religious beliefs all he wants. He just can't make laws from them.
2
Somehow it's okay to overlook the rules that say women should remain silent in the church, (They should wait until they get home, and ask their husbands any questions) and women must never hold authority over men or boys.
3
"laws against stealing, killing, lying, perjury, incest ,rape, battery, and destruction of property were all religious tenets long before they were laws."
bullshit.
"the criminal code ... it's major themes were first recorded in the bible."
Also bullshit.
Where do these guys get their information? They refuse to believe that morality preceded religion when it's obviously impossible for it to have been the other way around, given that all religious codes of conduct were just paraphrasing the social mores of the times in which they were written.
Religion is a dying morality's last attempt to preserve itself.
bullshit.
"the criminal code ... it's major themes were first recorded in the bible."
Also bullshit.
Where do these guys get their information? They refuse to believe that morality preceded religion when it's obviously impossible for it to have been the other way around, given that all religious codes of conduct were just paraphrasing the social mores of the times in which they were written.
Religion is a dying morality's last attempt to preserve itself.
4
Is it just my uncanny ability to spot frauds, or is it his snarling upper right lip that indicates he's probably smoked a pole or two? Plus the nervous intertwined hands signal 'discomfort insincerity' - he's vaguely unhappy and wants to make certain some of the rest of us are too. Go away Joseph and stay there.
5
I love what some other commenter wrote a couple days ago:
"Religion: It's whatever you want it to be"
"Religion: It's whatever you want it to be"
6
What's funny is "gay marriage" is never mentioned in the bible either.
There's one verse in Leviticus that clearly condemns gay lovin. The very next verse condemns wearing cotton with wool. There are several verses in Genesis that vaguely describe the behavior of the men of Sodom, but never mentions two men living in a loving committed union. Paul mentions it with disdain two or three times, but we have no trouble revising Paul's opinions about women's role in society. Even the Roman Catholic Church has revised its doctrine concerning women.
In the Parable of the Good Samaratin, Christ himself says that a libertine polygamist bisexual who helps the helpless is a good person. In Matthew 8:5-13 and again in Luke Christ heals a catamite and commends his Master for his faith.
Their so-called 'biblical arguments' are built upon a house of cards. A strong wind can knock it over.
There's one verse in Leviticus that clearly condemns gay lovin. The very next verse condemns wearing cotton with wool. There are several verses in Genesis that vaguely describe the behavior of the men of Sodom, but never mentions two men living in a loving committed union. Paul mentions it with disdain two or three times, but we have no trouble revising Paul's opinions about women's role in society. Even the Roman Catholic Church has revised its doctrine concerning women.
In the Parable of the Good Samaratin, Christ himself says that a libertine polygamist bisexual who helps the helpless is a good person. In Matthew 8:5-13 and again in Luke Christ heals a catamite and commends his Master for his faith.
Their so-called 'biblical arguments' are built upon a house of cards. A strong wind can knock it over.
8
"Their so-called 'biblical arguments' are built upon a house of cards. A strong wind can knock it over"
That's only true if you're a theologian. If you're just some doofus who shows up at a Megachurch for the lame Christian rock and to be told who to blame for your pathetic life, arguments like this guy's make perfect sense.
Face it, a percentage of believers just believe because they were raised that way, or they've had some big screw-up in their life, and they need the structure of a church and a vengeful God to quit whatever it was they were doing. Even if they weren't doing anything particularly bad - like looking at porn on the internet, for example - there's an entire industry to make you feel bad about that, and convince you that you have an addiction.
That's not to say there aren't sincere religious people - and they are the one who struggle with their faith, and can see through this sort of stuff. But that's not who guys like this are preaching to. Like every other huckster in society, they are aiming for the lowest common denominator crowd.
That's only true if you're a theologian. If you're just some doofus who shows up at a Megachurch for the lame Christian rock and to be told who to blame for your pathetic life, arguments like this guy's make perfect sense.
Face it, a percentage of believers just believe because they were raised that way, or they've had some big screw-up in their life, and they need the structure of a church and a vengeful God to quit whatever it was they were doing. Even if they weren't doing anything particularly bad - like looking at porn on the internet, for example - there's an entire industry to make you feel bad about that, and convince you that you have an addiction.
That's not to say there aren't sincere religious people - and they are the one who struggle with their faith, and can see through this sort of stuff. But that's not who guys like this are preaching to. Like every other huckster in society, they are aiming for the lowest common denominator crowd.
10
Gah, I wish he was as physically unattractive as he is theologically, philosophically and socially. I like the lip thing he has going on.
11
Glad to know what he is thinking so I know what he is wanting and I can organize to stop it.
Pickin and choosin passeges from books written in different places, for different times, to impose your idea of the world on everybody else is kind of sad. There is a lesson there, one he is unable to learn because his group rewards this effort to rise above by suppressing others...
Had to stop typing just now because two girls came to my door to offer the Watchtower. I am NOT kidding.
I politely said "no thanks". Let that be a lesson to them.
Pickin and choosin passeges from books written in different places, for different times, to impose your idea of the world on everybody else is kind of sad. There is a lesson there, one he is unable to learn because his group rewards this effort to rise above by suppressing others...
Had to stop typing just now because two girls came to my door to offer the Watchtower. I am NOT kidding.
I politely said "no thanks". Let that be a lesson to them.
12
So, so self loathing gay. He wants to ban his own gayness because he's so, so gay. Gay boy, hey gay boy, no Jebus can save you. We know you're a homo! Now go gay yourself gayboy mcgay.
14
I love his implication that murder and and theft were socially acceptable before there was a bible.
And, of course, that no one who has ever read the bible has ever gone on to murder or steal. I guess those Crusades are a hoax, just like global warming and the Holocaust.
And, of course, that no one who has ever read the bible has ever gone on to murder or steal. I guess those Crusades are a hoax, just like global warming and the Holocaust.
16
Is the word Taliban too harsh? It does start sweet and simple ya know. Then it builds and builds.
17
@15 Well, elenchos, don't you just feel like mister smartypants now? Geesh, there should be a circle of hell for commenters who point out minor grammatical issues that have nothing to do with the author getting their point across. And I'm a full-time editor.
18
Oh, and as a follow-up for elenchos, I actually do like a lot of his/her comments on other posts. It's just the red-pen-nanner-nanner-i-just-caught-a-minor-grammar-error-!-how-special-am-i stuff that annoys me. Not just from him/her, but from every commenter who points that kind of shit out. It's a blog. It's written quickly and on the fly. Typically with no editors. How many fucking times do you make a grammar error in an IM chat session?
20
BTW, I also find Joseph Backholm to be a detestable, albeit somewhat cute, closet-case. Can someone give him a better haircut?
21
Someone needs to point out to this buffoon that two consenting same-sex adults in love does not compare/equate to "murder, theft, incest" or any of the other "things" these dipshits try to compare same-sex love to.
22
I think I fucked him in a bathroom stall at the Cuff a few months ago. He's got a very nice tight hole but wasn't happy I wouldn't fuck him bareback....guy has NO self respect!!
23
I'm not sure what this guy is saying that makes him worthy of the douchebag monniker. Sure, I don't agree with him, but as to his point that religious people have every right to vote according to their beliefs, I have no quarrel with that in principle. It's only when they insist that their stances must not be challenged that they cross the line for me. Anything short of that is protected political speech.
25
9, 12, & 13 are on the right track. This guy is gayer than a truckload of Marys in rainbow-colored assless chaps showered in glitter drinking Cape Cods under a disco ball at a Cher concert.
26
Ah, this reminds me of that UW Daily opinion piece that pissed off half the city a year ago. One of the arguments (?) being that since Christian marriage existed before the First Amendment was written, then gay marriage would actually violate the First Amendment. Googling...
Here it is. You're welcome.
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
Here it is. You're welcome.
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
27
we cover douchebags all day, we call them mr exclusive - http://reallychill.org/lexicon/the-cea-c…
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