News-Record.com

Seems to me that homosexuality should be as private a matter as heterosexuality. I see no reason it should affect anyone's status in civic life.

And as for deciding what's "natural"... how do you define that? By looking at how mammals act in nature? In that case, homosexuality and pedophilia are actually natural.

Nah, that can't be right. We're not part of "nature" are we? I guess we need to define it by looking at a book written 2500 years ago by some itenerant goat herders. Yeah, that's the ticket. They knew what was "natural" because they heard it from an invisible guy, and that guy knew more about nature than we could ever know.

Hm. This might be a little more complex than we thought...

" Hm. This might be a little more complex than we thought... ".............

how right you are !!

Marcus Kindley's comments are dangerous and harmful. Comparing gay people to pedophiles is, in effect, saying that gays are the same, that gays want to molest, abuse and exploit children. Links below for more information.

NC Advocacy Coalition Press Release
NCAC Press Statement

If homosexuality is "natural", why don't the sexual parts fit between two men or two women?

Wow, Eric has now descended to class-ism! Are goat herders any less persons of worth than contemporary intellectuals? In my mind, a smart goat herder, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, is far more reliable than an irreligious modern intellectual. And maybe there’s even a hint of anti-Semitism here as well. Who’s to say that the ancient Jews were merely herders of animals and nothing more? Better be careful.

It seems to me that Mr. Kindley was merely saying that homosexuality is no more normal than pedophilia, not that they were totally equal. It could be reasonably argued that same sex pedophilia is a more insidious form of homosexuality. The connection is obvious. But, on the other hand, it would be erroneous to infer that all homosexuals are afflicted with pedophilic predilections; and that gays do not contribute many positive things to human society; but then, so have schizophrenics, kleptomaniacs and drug addicts. Jim Bakker was justly prosecuted for his abuses, even though a popular “religious” figure. And the list goes on.

The truth is that human beings are very complex creatures and have multiple facets to their personalities and intellects; some good and some evil. A great artist who steals would be persecuted along with anyone else who sins in this manner. Likewise, because a person is a great composer, actor or mathematician does not justify his or her homosexuality. Gays seem intent on convincing us that because we reject their sexual practice we hate and condemn them as human beings. Jesus condemned the sin of the woman caught in adultery, but loved her enough to send her forth with the caveat of not sinning again. Christians, as redeemed sinners themselves, can never accept the sin of homosexuality, but can say with Jesus, “Go and sin no more.”

Homosexuality is totally antithetical to the obvious norm of Scripture, therefore, it must be classified as sin; which, along with all the other sinful practices noted in scripture, brings ultimate discord and ruin to human society. We prosecute white collar thieves at Enron and imprison notorious inside traders because we agree with the Bible that law breakers and thieves are corruptors of society.

While I am not advocating or agreeing with all that Mr. Kindley does or says, the furor over his statement is simply a good example of the ferocity of the gay lobby’s response to anything that even hints of opposition or critique of its position, which has been successfully transmogrified by them from free speech critique to hate speech. Here we come thought Gestapo.

nikos,
there is way too much good logic in your statement for it not to get criticized/critiqued, so buckle up. some just can't get it that we as Christians are doing our best to uphold the truths in scripture and to live a life that is glorify the Father and that some of us have the ability to have compassion
(love)for homosexuals while abhorring the sin (any sin).
you did an great job of expressing your thoughts.

"In my mind, a smart goat herder, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, is far more reliable than an irreligious modern intellectual. And maybe there’s even a hint of anti-Semitism here as well."

I would guess that Nikos believes his mind is enlightened by this "Holy" invisible thingy. What I find amazing is that said "enlightenment" led him so far astray as to list anti-semitism among my qualities. Just... wow.

I'mery sorry if you took my comments literally, Eric. O, if we could just stop being such literalists! Humor seems to be a lost on the serious. Of course, I know you're neither a class monger nor an antisemite. Just a little jab to make my point: that man always ends up looking foolish when he denies God and trashes His Word.

And whatever enlightenment any us has is indeed by the grace of God via the enlightening power of the Spirit. If we humble ourselves before His awesome creative, revelatory and saving mercies we at least have a very good chance of receiving the truth revealed in His Word. I am very much aware of my fallibility and of His perfections. My tack has always been, albeit imperfectly, to give God the glory and handle His life-giving Word with awe and care. The Word says it best:

Isaiah 55: 6 - 8 "Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

"'For my thoughts are NOT your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,' says the Lord. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways, higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.'"

Hate speech, or speech filled with hate, doesn't belong in Greensboro or Guilford County. For that alone (though I believe there's much more), an apology is in order and would have quieted the situation.

The unapologetic Mr. Kindley has taken to the radio waves to offend even the program's conservative host. I don't see that any of this is good for our city or county and urge Mr. Kindley to consider carefully his future responses.

Since the two-sided dispute between homosexual and anti-homosexual both attack an unvoiced third party, that of individuals who are sexually and emotionally attracted to minors, I am going to attempt to post this comment on a number of forums including WFMY, Matt Hill Comer’s blog, and on Marcus Kindley’s blog.

On July 10, Marcus Kindley, chairman of the Guilford County (South Carolina) Republican Party wrote on his blog that “[homosexuality] is as natural as pedophilia. If it were natural then we wouldn’t be having a conversation about it, because there would be no procreation.” (http://guilfordchairman.blogspot.com/2006/07/morals-church-and-american-society.html)

As Kindley’s blog was linked on the Guilford County Website, this remark prompted a press release response on July 11 from Matt Hill Comer, executive director of North Carolina Advocacy Coalition (NCAC), a civil rights group for LGBT issues. The press release (http://www.ncadvocacycoalition.org/node/31) requested an “immediate and formal apology” from Kindley and the Guilford County Republican Party.

On July 13, responding via an article in 365gay.com, Comer said:

“American society sees pedophilia as an extremely immoral, repulsive and illegal perversion. Pedophilia is the cause of the mental, physical and sexual abuse and exploitation of children. […]Homosexuality, on the other hand, consists of relationships of two consenting adults, just as in heterosexuality. In normal adult relationships, neither party is harmed, abused, exploited or forced to engage in sexual acts against their will, as what occurs with pedophilia." (http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/07/071306ncre.htm).

Comer then demanded an apology from chairman Kindley. Kindley’s response was to amend his blog by stating that it has no ties to the Republican Party and that it was only a place for his “thoughts and musings”.

July 14, Comer appeared on FM 101.1 “Brad and Britt Morning Show” and said:

“I just don't see how any person, in good conscience, can compare your normal, everyday gay person to an immoral, repulsive and perverted criminal who is the predator of children," […] "You just cannot make comparisons between people who live normal homosexual lives and have normal relationships with consenting adults with people who are responsible for the sexual, mental and physical abuse and exloitation of a child.” (http://www.ncadvocacycoalition.org/node/60)

I find chairman Kindley’s homophobia and attack on gays reprehensible. The question over the rights of homosexuals in America, though not settled, is secure in the country’s mindset that gays have fundamental rights to exist without the harassment of government. Kindley, to me, appears to be a small-minded man stuck in an ideological rut that passed out of style almost a generation ago. It is my educated opinion that homosexual rights will win in the not too distant future, while the hate and bigotry coming from certain right-wing forces are nothing but the death-throws of a philosophy that cannot stay contemporary by fault of its anti-compassionate, anti-logical, and anti-scientific rhetoric.

However, there is another, even sadder angle to this story, that of a vilified and un-voiced third party, the pedophiles. As unpopular as it might be, I would be remiss to let Matt Hill Comer’s hate speech go unchallenged. To him pedo-sexuals, Minor-attracted Individuals (MAIs), pedophiles, boylovers, girl-lovers, and child-lovers, whatever name you wish to use, are a group so marginal that even someone like Mr. Comer, who should know what it is like to be misrepresented and maligned, attacks us with the same bigotry and hatred exhibited by Mr. Kindley towards homosexuals. And therefore, just as Mr. Comer demanded an apology from chairman Kindley and his Party, so to am I, a pedophile, demanding an apology from Matt Hill Comer and his organization, the NCAC.

What Mr. Kindley and Mr. Comer both ignore with glib accounts, is the fact that individuals who have sexual and emotional attractions to children share a wealth of connections and history to both heterosexuals and homosexuals. Starting with Plato who advocated an erotic pedagogy between teachers and students, moving to Shakespeare who wrote half of his sonnet cycle to a young boy aged about 14 or 15, I cannot see how these two seemingly educated men can attack each other using such narrow-minded material. Mr. Comer should be especially ashamed of himself, for his language is so vile, so un-intellectual that it looses all impact as civil rights speech.

Just to address a couple of the lies perpetrated by Matt Hill Comer, who should know better, I will start with some of his July 13 statements reported by 365gay.com.

“Pedophilia is the cause of the mental, physical and sexual abuse and exploitation of children.” – Matt Hill Comer

Response: Most pedophiles, myself included, are the most stringent advocates for children. By a supreme majority—perhaps even larger than the gay and straight communities—we are outraged by reports of abuse, and when I say “abuse” I mean real abuse. Mr. Comer likes to talk about civil rights, well, what then about the civil rights of children?

“Homosexuality, on the other hand, consists of relationships of two consenting adults, just as in heterosexuality. In normal adult relationships, neither party is harmed, abused, exploited or forced to engage in sexual acts against their will, as what occurs with pedophilia.” – Matt Hill Comer

Response: In today’s culture, thanks to the work of people like Mr. Comer and other gay advocates along with religious extremists, a child cannot consent to be sexually active. All romance between a child and his or her adult lover is termed as “abuse”, and the rights of the child to be a sexual person open to consent has been taken away by the anti-scientific and anti-compassionate rhetoric of people like Mr. Comer. This leaves a huge loophole especially amongst gay youth whose sexual persuasion is being attacked by the propagation of pedophile, witch-hunt hysteria sweeping the United States. In the gay movement’s efforts for equality they have decided that only gay/straight adult relationships deserve protection, while children are subjugated and controlled. It is a myth and out-right lie that children cannot consent to be sexually active, and that intergenerational sex, if consensual like any form of sexuality, is harmful.

What IS harmful to the child is not the relationship between him or her and the pedophile, but the response from the community when their love is discovered. Indeed, the response by law enforcement, parents, clergy, and social services is so devastating that the child’s view of sexuality becomes immediately punitive. Enforced by gay rights activists and right-wing activists alike, what the child viewed as love becomes “abuse” and the child becomes “damaged goods”, a line of thought taken straight from those who once subjugated women, for to control one’s sexuality is to totally control that person. We are not a free society, yet, and now the most imprisoned among us are our own children. That is a shameful legacy!

“I just don't see how any person, in good conscience, can compare your normal, everyday gay person to an immoral, repulsive and perverted criminal who is the predator of children,” – Matt Hill Comer

Mr. Comer, I am a pedophile, a “boylover” to be percise. I am sexually and emotionally attracted to boys between the age of nine and fourteen. But sir, I am not a criminal, nor am I a predator of children. I have never had a relationship with a child that breaks any law. I wish to dispell the myth that all pedophiles are criminal; indeed, we are not. We permiate all strata of society from right to left, from the economic top to the economic bottom. Many of us are educated, many of us are not. But one thing we share that the gay community should understand is that we are very much in the closet. Like pre-Stonewall gays, minor-attracted individuals live with the constant threat of violence not only from the straight community but also, as can be seen in your words, Mr. Comer, from the gay community.

Oscar Wilde, a gay icon, once spoke of the “love that dare not speak its name.” This catch-phrase is personally true to homosexuals, for growing up young and gay, many boys and girls know they possesse a trait in their being that is abhorent to the homophibic world of their family and friends. But what the gay world usually chooses to forget is the rest of Wilde’s statement:

“The Love that dare not speak its name… in this century is such a great affection of an elder for a younger man as there was between David and Jonathan, such as Plato made the very basis of his philosophy, and such as you find in the sonnets of Michelangelo and Shakespeare.” -- Oscar Wilde, on his defense

I could go on historically linking pedophiles with both gays and straights. Baden-Powell, the founder of the Boy Scouts was a pedophile; British national poet Wilfred Owen beautifully wrote of man-boy love; Lewis Carroll, author of “Alice In Wonderland” also sketched and photographed nude young girls. John Ruskin, Allen Ginsberg, and many others must be included to confirm that intergenerational sexuality is not “sick”, “abnormal”, or “predatory”, but a part, a dire part of our culture and civilization. What will the next move of historical revisionism be, to remove Nabokov’s “Lolita” from the literary canon?

Not since the repression of the slaves, women, and Jews, has another group been so persecuted by society and scpagegoated as pedophiles are today. Homosexuals have won their civil rights and are in the process of confirming them for all time. I have marched side-by-side with gays, fighting for these rights, while at the same time knowing that the effort would not be extended if my gay friends knew of my true sexuality. If you want to talk of liberation, love, and civil rights, the next big hurtle for humanity is to look deeply into itself and combat the fear of child-adult love and sexuality; this is the frontier of the Queer movement, to give voice to those who are denied it: children and pedophiles. If we fail, the cycle of hate continues with homosexuals taking the place of people like Mr. Kindley, appropriating bigotry once used for them and forcing it on those of us who now occupy the margins of society.

Thank you for reading, Mr. Comer. I think your apology to the pedophile community would be adequate were it posted on your blog as a personal statement, or on the NCAC website as a press release. Perhaps now we can begin to dispel myths and stereotypes and move forward into a more equitable society.

Sincerely,

Mackenzie,
No one special, just someone who desires justice.

"Mackenzie" wrote:
" Mr. Comer likes to talk about civil rights, well, what then about the civil rights of children?
... All romance between a child and his or her adult lover is termed as “abuse”, and the rights of the child to be a sexual person open to consent has been taken away by the anti-scientific and anti-compassionate rhetoric of people like Mr. Comer... In the gay movement’s efforts for equality they have decided that only gay/straight adult relationships deserve protection, while children are subjugated and controlled. It is a myth and out-right lie that children cannot consent to be sexually active, and that intergenerational sex, if consensual like any form of sexuality, is harmful."

This presents an interesting challenge to gay rights activists. By what criteria do they insist that their preference be honored and the pedophile's not, if it is indeed "a myth and out-right lie that children cannot consent to be sexually active"? What about NAMBLA, all you GLAAD types? People laughed at Sen. Santorum when he said that ending sodomy laws (which, by the way, is beyond the Supreme Court's jurisdiction according to the constitution, Art. III, sec. 1) would result in even more marginal and dubious groups demanding equal respect. A week after the News and Record led the mockery, it printed an article from the head of a group advocating "polyandry" (two or more living "husbands" for the same woman) crowing that the Supremes had opened the door for their acceptance too. Can dog lovers be far behind? I was quite amused to find Santorum vindicated in the same paper that heaped scorn upon him. Did any of the staff notice? One wonders. Anyway, it does not surprise me to see the progressive degeneration of moral principles; after the relentless barrage of media propaganda promoting perversion, we prove Pope correct when he wrote that after prolonged exposure to immorality without censure, "we first reject, then pity, then embrace."
Nor am I one who speaks from ignorance; I am a "recovering homosexual" myself, and spent 15 years actively promoting gay "rights." By God's grace, however, He washed my sins away and restored me to normality, which is defined as "what God intended." For He, being the Creator, gets to decide what's normal; and He declared it in Genesis 2:24: "a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall hold fast to his wife, and they two shall become one flesh." Not once does God's Word speak favorably of any other type of sexual union.

By referring to God as an "invisible guy" and the Holy Spirit as an "invisible thingy," Eric seems to imply that invisible things have less, if any, reality than visible things. So, Eric, do you believe that atoms exist? If so, ever seen one? How about "justice"? Ever seen that? You might say that justice is made visible when people commit just acts, and you would be right; but it is the quality of justice itself that remains invisible, yet apparent to all. For example, if I push someone into the path of an oncoming vehicle, that is a bad act; if I push the same person out of that vehicle's path, that is a good act; but the action itself remains the same. And if justice is manifest in just actions, in the same way, God's almighty power and divine nature are manifest in what He has made, as Romans 1:20 says. Just because something can't be seen doesn't make its existence questionable.