18 Anti-Gay Groups and Their PropagandaBy Evelyn Schlatter
Even as some well-known anti-gay groups like Focus on the Family moderate their views, a hard core of smaller groups, most of them religiously motivated, have continued to pump out demonizing propaganda aimed at homosexuals and other sexual minorities. These groups’ influence reaches far beyond what their size would suggest, because the “facts” they disseminate about homosexuality are often amplified by certain politicians, other groups and even news organizations. Of the 18 groups profiled below, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) will be listing 13 next year as hate groups (eight were previously listed), reflecting further research into their views; those are each marked with an asterisk. Generally, the SPLC’s listings of these groups is based on their propagation of known falsehoods — claims about LGBT people that have been thoroughly discredited by scientific authorities — and repeated, groundless name-calling. Viewing homosexuality as unbiblical does not qualify organizations for listing as hate groups.
Abiding Truth MinistriesAbiding Truth Ministries serves as a platform for an international anti-gay campaign. Its founder, Scott Lively, wrote a book, often cited by gay-bashers, which accuses homosexuals of running the Nazi Party.
American Family FoundationThe AFA claims to support “traditional moral values,” but in fact, it specializes in “combating the homosexual agenda.”
Americans for Truth About HomosexualityPresents lies that compare alleged dangers of homosexuality to “smoking, alcohol and drug abuse.” AFTAH’s website carries articles that describe homosexuality as “lethal behavior addiction.” Other essays call homosexuality as a “dangerous” practice, which is “neither normal nor benign.”
American VisionAmerican Vision is the proponent of a doctrine they call “Christian Reconstruction,” which falsely claims that the U.S. was founded as a “Christian nation.” They also believe that our democratic republic should be replaced with a theocracy based on Old Testament law. American Vision describes its goal as “restoring America’s Biblical foundation.” Unbelievably, the organization endorses the death penalty for practicing homosexuals.
more at the Southern Poverty Law Center website:http://splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2010/winter/the-hard-liners