What is same sex anyway

I noticed in the press this week that the Secretary of State announced the ballot question for the People's Veto. Here it is;

"Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?"

Getting this question passed is going to be a tough sell. Yankees will just want to leave well enough alone. Proponents are going to have to give them a powerful reason to reject this law. Here's a few quick thoughts on the question:

1. This "new law" must be rejected because it doesn't qualify as a law! Laws have to be fair and just. This one clearly is not just. It presupposes that something which is fundamentally wrong and immoral (homosexuality) can qualify someone for the high status of marriage. That is obviously crazy.
2. The phrase "same sex" is meaningless. This should read "homosexual," not "same sex." This euphemism simply confuses people.
3. The last clause is cleverly worded. The Secretary of State, Matt Dunlap, has always supported homosexual rights. The clause is subtle. It causes the reader to conclude that religious individuals and groups are intolerant. Nothing could be further from the truth. With the passage of this law the state decided not to tolerate common sense and truth. Everyone knows that marriage is between one man and one woman. You don't have to be religious to know that, but I for one think it is wonderful that Christianity upholds this important institution. It is beyond tragic that the state no longer does. It is horrific and insane.

Help us defeat this law. Send a contribution today to Marriage Matters in Maine, 70 Sewall Street, Augusta, Maine 04330. Obtain information about petitions at http://www.mainemarriageinitiative.com/

Make a comment!

Good morning from Freeport!

Snapped this pic this morning in front of the Kendall Tavern Inn. Paulie and I are leading a couples retreat here this weekend. During my devotions this morning I read this verse in Matthew's gospel:

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me--watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Mat 11:28-30)

The owners of the Inn are committed Christians. If you need a rest in a lovely, historic spot consider the Kendall Tavern Inn.

An unpleasant subject for me

In 2004 I was suspended with pay for a month after apologizing for something I wrote in an email. I promised to reveal the sexual orientation of everyone in the State House. Horrors. The Senate's business was interrupted for a day, many members donning pink triangles. By the end of the day they had prepared and signed a letter condemning me. That is much the same Senate that just created genderless marriage last week. You'll have to forgive me for not getting more exercised over the Legislature's shenanigans over the past few months.

I was reviewing those days in March of 2004 because of a news item on the internet this morning. It is from something called "Box Turtle." I don't know what that is. I received this in an email:

If this were a bill without opposition, it would come into effect 90 days after the end of the legislative session. However Michael Heath, executive director of the Maine Family Policy Council, has already announced that he will seek a “people’s veto” of the legislation.

A people’s veto works like this: After the end of the legislative session (probably some time in June), Heath can begin collecting signatures. He needs 10% of the last gubernatorial vote, or 55,087 valid signatures. If Heath gets enough signatures, the bill will not go into effect until it has been presented on the November ballot for an up or down vote. Yes means keep the bill, No means veto it.

Although Heath will have 90 days to collect signatures, he must present the signatures no later than 60 days before the vote, around September 3rd. Thus, may be a strange window in which signatures can be collected but in which they will not count towards forcing a vote.

Which raises a question. Were Heath to present signatures on, say, September 5 and were that day within 90 days of the end of the legislative session, would that place a stay on the enactment of the bill until the following election in the spring of 2010? While that might be a “dirty trick” that could momentarily work in Heath’s favor, it may in the long run prove to be detrimental. As time goes by, it is increasingly likely that attitudes in Maine will favor equality. This will be especially true as no dire consequences result in Vermont, Connecticut, or Massachusetts. Heath’s window of possible success may close.

As it is, Heath may have a rough go. Attitudes seem fairly even in Maine but Heath has a rather bad reputation in the state dating from his attempts to identify and out gay legislators. His requests for “tips, rumors, speculation and facts” resulted in a temporary ouster from the Christian Civic League (a previous name of the Maine Family Policy Council) and a significant amount of bad press.

Heath may well be an advantage for us. He tends towards extremism and outrageous hyperbole. Additionally, it looks as though Peter LaBarbera may be a part of the effort.

It is interesting to see that 2004 incident still being kicked around like a battered old can. Here is a news article that was published this month where I offered some thoughts on the outing incident.

As to the observation that I will "be an advantage for us" that, of course, remains to be seen. The "tending toward extremism and outrageous hyperbole" comment is mundane. What I've usually found this means in "gay speak" is quoting the Bible or talking in plain moral terms about homosexuality. That is "extremism and outrageous hyperbole."

I suspect that calling homosexuality an abomination probably fits into their definition of "outrageous hyperbole." That makes all Bible-believing Christians ... Protestants ... outrageously hyperbolic. Without, hopefully, being too extreme, I'd say that's a bit of a stretch.

Regarding 2004, the Kennebec Journal and her sister paper, the Portland Press Herald drove that story. I overreacted to their questioning by apologizing too quickly. My board and I should have taken some time to reflect on the email, and the incident. Live and learn.

An interesting tidbit is that I was publicly suspended for a month. During the week of my scheduled return to duties, maybe on the day (I can't remember now), the Kennebec Journal published a glowing front page story about the influence and power of Maine's most prominent lesbian lobbyist, Betsy Sweet. They didn't, of course, mention how deeply devoted she is to that issue, just as every single politician who voted on marriage this week didn't talk about the real story behind the gay rights push during their campaigns. Interesting how this isn't an issue during the campaigns, yet everyone now admits it will define the Legislature in the history books.

The media is pathetic. Sad to say we don't have a free and objective press in this country anymore. We do have the internet though. And that is certainly changing things.

You know -- now that I think about it -- it was really sweet to observe how "in bed" the media is with homosexual ideology in April of 2004.

Governor signs the bill

No surprise. The Governor signed Senator Damon's genderless marriage proposal yesterday. I said he would. Senate Democrats allowed homosexual activist legislator, Larry Bliss, to serve as President of the Senate so that his signature could be on the bill as it went to the Governor. The Governor signed the bill with almost no fanfare.

I was interviewed by the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, ABC News and many other media outlets. I didn't get time to call the New York Times back, and they produce my favorite source of national and international news online! I like their website, but not their bias. I would have enjoyed talking with their reporter.

The celebration yesterday was muted because homosexual activists know that this is far from over. They know that Maine citizens will deliver the signatures for the Peoples Veto.

I GUARANTEE YOU they already have the television ads produced for the coming campaign. They will attack your faith, your religion. They will, in subtle ways, suggest to the public that YOU are scary. They will continue to distort the convictions of great grandmothers, like Elaine Graham -- the sweetest woman I've ever met.

Unafraid to speak out she breaks all the rules in politics in today's secular culture. Her sin, you ask? She believes homosexuality is immoral and she is willing to shout it from the rooftops. God bless her. For goodness sakes, even Christian ministers are trying to find a place to hide from the homosexual pushers! Look what it has come to folks. Please?

DO NOT allow the tolerance brigade to silence you. It is time to speak out. NOW is the time.

Don't try to be sophisticated, cool, metrosexual or smart. Just be you. BE AN AMERICAN ... A Mainer. You know what marriage is, even if you do lust. DEFEND THE TRUTH. What encourages me most is the young people. Some college age young people are starting to show up in the ranks of this fight.

If you don't speak out now, very soon it is going to be too late.

Please live your convictions. Don't be afraid. Enough said.

Call my office RIGHT NOW. Tell me that you want to help. ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE BELOW 60. I know that my senior friends are making sacrifices and doing everything they can. They will continue because they know better than anyone else what Maine will become if this law is allowed to stand. The torch must pass to younger generations.

1-207-622-7634.

Email is better. Email me at mike@mainefpc.com

Don't expect us to get right back to you. We are overwhelmed by calls and emails. I'm not complaining. I'm thrilled. Spread the word.

It's time to stand tall for the truth!

Truth Tour 2009: Peter LaBarbera Coming to Maine

THE TRUTH TOUR 2009 IS POSTPONED: STAY TUNED

In the early 1990s Bob Knight talked sense to me. His polite confrontation over the phone inspired me to sink my teeth into the culture war. He was working for the Family Research Council. Peter LaBarbera was his assistant. Bob had a small team of guys that were beginning to provide effective coordination and motivation to grassroots pro family activists.

After Gary Bauer left to run for President Bob's department was disbanded. That was a sad day for me. I still regret that decision by the Family Research Council. Bob and Pete have stayed in the fight. They are America's two most valuable national pro-family assets. If the pro family movement brought those two guys together again and funded them things would change fairly rapidly in the good ole USA.

I'm going to bring my good friend Peter LaBarbera to Maine later this month, on May 28 and 29. He now heads up the most effective online advocacy website for common sense in the "gay" fight, www.americansfortruth.com. Make sure you check it out, and tell all your friends. I chair his board of directors.

The title of Pete's talk is The Zero-Sum Game: How Gay Rights and 'Same-Sex Marriage' Undermine Religious Freedom. I'm hosting a working lunch in Portland, supper in Houlton on Thursday, May 27th and breakfast in Bangor on Friday, the 28th of May.

Throughout the summer we hope to be providing opportunities for people to hear the truth about the "freedom to marry" through our Truth Tour 2009. We aren't going to pull any punches. None of what we will be doing is about political correctness. All I care about is getting the truth out there. I'm talking with front line Christian pro family heroes who have been in this fight for years, some of them decades. One man who I WILL definitely bring to Maine this summer is Bob Knight. He authored the Defense of Marriage Act that Senator Dennis Damon's bill just eliminated.

The people of Maine are going to do the right thing when they hear the facts. I know it. Thank God for the Peoples Veto.

These are invitation only events. You must either email or call me right away to secure your place at these VIP meetings. Everyone is invited to contact me and request an invitation. Email me and tell me why you want to come. The press is NOT welcome. Email me at mike@mainefpc.com or call my cell at 207-592-4137.

Is gayness dignified?

I can't listen to a speech against so-called gay marriage these days without hearing the speaker talk about the rights and dignity of "homosexual persons." A retired ministered who agrees with my position on this issue called me this week and talked about how important it is to respect the rights of homosexuals. In the same breath he was objecting to same sex marriage.

What is going on here?

It is simple really.

The definitions of words and concepts are being changed. We need look no further than the concept of marriage, but we will.

How about the idea of "rights?"

Great word, rights. The opposite of right is .... wrong. Now, doesn't that help? Gay rights don't exist because they cannot. Any society that pretends they do exist is working against nature, and we all know what happens when you resist nature. Nature always wins because it is influenced by the fall differently than mankind. That is a subject for another post sometime.

We can't give rights to do wrong. Since sex outside of marriage is wrong, same sex whatever is wrong because marriage is always and for all time between one man and one woman.

Governor and Same Sex Marriage

Governor John Baldacci will either sign Senator Damon's same sex marriage proposal or let it go into law without his signature.

Read this post.

The Senate was where the fight was, if there ever was one. They crushed pro family forces with Maine Republicans offering only their usual tepid resistance. I always doubted that there would be a real fight in the State House on either abortion or homosexuality this year.

The party of sexual sin, the Democrats, continue to gain power in Maine. Until the Republicans figure out how to appeal to their traditional statewide base, or there is a revolution, we are likely to see the slide into sexual deviance continue.

There is hope, however, in using the Peoples Veto. The people haven't fallen quite as far as their political, cultural and academic institutions just yet. Although we may be surprised during this campaign to learn how far even the people have slipped from common sense and decency. We can hope.

The real answer to all of this, of course, is the Bible's teachings on morality. Every Mainer needs to dust that old book off and turn to 1 Timothy. That's a good place to start reading to get some practical advice for living. A quick ponder of Romans 1 will heal any waywardness on sexual sin. And if that leaves any questions, how about the Ten Commandments. It might be a little difficult to honor your father if you don't have one because your lesbian mommies, and some irresponsible male somewhere, decided to raise you without a dad.

The Homosexual Rights Battle in Maine: Looking Back so we can Move Forward

The Roman Catholic Church's political action committee put out a short statement last week, the day after I announced I would lead the People's Veto of Senator Damon's genderless marriage bill. Here is what they wrote:

The People's Veto is currently under serious consideration. Be assured that we will keep you updated on a regular basis. Just as the hundreds of thousands of Mainers who support traditional marriage range across all faiths and political philosophies, so, too, will the coalition to defeat this law at the polls. Your efforts will most likely be needed again in the near future, and we'll be in touch shortly to tell you more. --Most Sincerely, Maine Marriage Initiative

This is good news.

What galls me about the current situation is that everything has developed pretty much as we predicted it would twenty years ago. We have sacrificed much, standing virtually alone up to now, to tell everyone who will listen why we object to laws that affirm sex outside of marriage. And, when we've been up front and honest with the people of Maine we've won. When we've tried to be too clever we've lost. More on that in a bit.

We will win this People's Veto because we don't play the games associated with politics in Maine. We don't care about political parties, or the careers of politicians. The people will reject Senator Damon's genderless marriage proposal because they will hear the unvarnished loving truth about this law, finally.

The Legislative fight on marriage is lost. The Governor signed the bill. The Maine Family Policy Council will be gathering signatures for the People's Veto. We will be working with all citizens who wish to repeal this horrible law. While we are not interested in hurling epithets we understand that this issue produces strong emotions in people on both sides. Those emotions must be given political expression. In Maine we call that the freedom of speech. The Maine Family Policy Council enthusiastically endorses free speech on both sides in the coming debate. Our tolerance goes both ways, unlike the folks who use that word to silence Christianity, common sense, freedom of conscience and decency.

A word about my good friend, Paul Madore, the leader of the Maine Grassroots Coalition. Paul is a Roman Catholic father of nine who isn't perfect, nor is he drop-dead gorgeous like Miss California. He is, however, drop-dead gutsy like his namesake, Paul the Apostle.

And, he is more loyal to his Roman Catholic faith than anybody I've ever met in my entire life. He loves his church, and doesn't shrink from speaking his mind. Make no mistake about it, this is a fight. This is not a discussion, debate or fellowship meeting. This is a win or lose contest.

As one of the greatest men of my father's generation, James Dobson, once said, "To the victor goes the next generation."

I am fighting for my grandchildren yet to be born, and hoping and praying that this corrupt, feminized culture that is poisoning the thinking and values of us all doesn't win over any of my three sons. I will never stop. The folks who want to make sodomy into a virtue and chastity into a vice will have to jail or kill me to stop me from objecting to their ideology.

Make no mistake, it is going to take that kind of dedication to reverse this slide.

Some have walked away from the fight for virtue in the area where it matters most in my generation -- the sanctity of the family. I'm sorry, but I will NEVER walk away from that contest. NEVER. I will stay faithful, loving and strong even if some leaders in the church decide not to be in order to emphasize the more politically correct task of helping poor folks in Africa (something I am doing later this year, by the way).

To compromise or soften my stand would be to abandon everything I hold dear in the Bible, and in my personal experience. Conscience will not permit it.

This has always been about what it is about! IT IS VERY SIMPLE. Sex outside of marriage is always wrong. Equal rights are guaranteed by the VIRTUE of each individual citizen, not by the government. It is unAmerican to believe anything else. Handshakes are what bind people. Marriage belongs to God and all of us, not to the government. The people will either save it or lose it.

We have believed that since 1990, and we have acted on that belief in front of a watching world. We will never stop.

As to the matter of being too clever, allow me to speak briefly to the campaigns of the past ten years. In 1998 we campaigned for Equal Rights and Against Special Rights. We did the same thing in 2001. We won both contests because we proclaimed a truth that the other side wants everyone to ignore. In 2005 I made a bone-headed political mistake. I decided we should talk about what they want us to be talking about -- marriage. I should not have recommended that. In politics you NEVER talk about what your opponent wants you to talk about.

The law under debate was the same one we had defeated twice previously, made slightly worse by the addition of transgendering (whatever that is). We should have stayed with our positive pro-equal rights, no special rights line of argument. I thought that if we brought marriage to the fore we would gain a few more votes. Alas, this gave the other side the opportunity to say we were misleading the public. There was a grain of truth to their argument. Apparently God didn't honor our cleverness.

The government's cause will lose this fight because now it IS about marriage. We will get over sixty percent of the vote, maybe as much as 70 percent after all the votes are counted.

Maine will be the high water mark of the homosexual rights movement in America. I will spill every remaining drop of political blood that I have to assure it. If this Peoples Veto doesn't stop their immature ranting about all things sexual then we will proceed to amend Maine's constitution, something I am loathe to do.

And rest assured, if the civil rights team and anti-free speech movement of so-called "hate crimes" advocates continues in its aggressive posture against the plain teachings of the Bible on sexuality we will shut them down as well. As public sentiment turns against the "sexual orientation" laws in coming years we will repeal them and return common sense to Maine's laws and culture.

Weak families mean a declining Maine. We won't allow that.

Now, send your VERY GENEROUS checks -- and we need lots of them -- to 70 Sewall Street, Augusta, Maine 04330. Make them out to "Marriage Matters in Maine."

A politician spoke on character last night

Chandler Woodcock ran for Governor last time. He was the Republican nominee. He lost. I wasn't surprised. He told me one time that demonstrations, like our Marriage Rally in 2004, were not effective or appropriate. He indicated they are unamerican and that civility and order would win the day. I felt at the time that this sort of timidity would lead to an electoral loss.

I agree with him partially. I would prefer to live in a society that honors reasoned discourse about important matters while stomping out evil and confusion.

He also discouraged me from trying to defund the pro homosexual civil rights team project suggesting that the funding is used appropriately at the local level.

I'm not, of course, supposed to print these thoughts because they were shared with me while I was lobbying. Nothing that is communicated between lobbyists and politicians is supposed to be reduced to print ... I've learned. This is especially true if you are talking with a politician who is mostly in agreement with your positions.

Silly me. I thought that politics was about openly debating competing ideas. I've learned it is really about the deals that take place in the halls between powerful players. I've never been willing to play that game. So, I guess I'm now not welcome in the State House.

When Chandler Woodcock was a Senator he signed a letter that basically said, "You're not welcome here any longer." I made the mistake of offending the homosexual lobby. They control the State House along with the gamblers and drinkers.

Don't believe me?

Senator Woodcock now draws a paycheck from the gamblers. He works for the Maine Harness Horseman's Association. The Harness Racing industry, once benignly associated with County Fairs, created Hollywood Slots earlier in this decade and benefits directly from the highly addictive gambling that goes on there. Hollywood Slots is Maine's first casino.

During one of my dark times a number of years ago, when I was being pummeled from all sides, the gambling lobby slipped me a contact in the telecommunications industry and urged me to call to seek a job. I had confessed to a prominent lobbyist for that "industry" that I was discouraged. I was really tempted to make the call, very seriously. I ultimately decided against it because of the source of the contact. God wouldn't let me go, alas. If I named the individual here I think I'd have to expedite getting my concealed weapons permit! A former executive director of our ministry was told by the State Police to carry a weapon. He had become a real thorn in the side of the gambling industry.

According to Augusta Republicans Senator Woodcock is qualified to teach the rest of us about character. The former English teacher and basketball coach, is by all local accounts, a respected man. My honesty about my interactions with him over the years have won me pretty universal disdain in the area where he has lived and worked, Farmington. Most churches won't have me speak over there anymore. The new leader of the Republican Party, Charlie Webster, is from Farmington. I'm sure he'd rather I didn't tell you that he met with me right after being elected chairman.

I never set out to make Senator Woodcock into an enemy. My unwillingness, however, to play the Republican and State House game has definitely hurt me.

I'm sorry, but as long as society and culture continue to coarsen I feel duty bound to speak out in every possible way. I honor the men and women who emotionally take up signs and posters with politically incorrect slogans emblazoned across them, especially conservatives these days. I see them as front line warriors for the first amendment.

I've always said in my conversations in the State House things that I wouldn't mind seeing on anyone's blog, or in a newspaper. Things would be so much better if we all always said what we meant, and meant what we said. There is far too much decided in private.

During my political career I have seen NO PROGRESS in the abortion and homosexual debate. And the future is even more grim. Maine Republicans talk openly about abandoning "social issues." God only knows what the Democrats are going to do to "inspire" their faithful now that they have given their homosexual activist base the capstone of their depraved agenda, marriage.

I've held back a lot of what has gone on in my career out of respect for forces that I once felt I might not fully understand. I no longer feel that way. It is clear to me that continuing in that mode will only guarantee more of the same.

You can count on me becoming more candid and forceful.

As much as I would like to think that I can learn something about character by attending the Augusta Republican gathering I regrettably feel it would be a waste of my time. I think character is about speaking truth to power. Unfortunately I just didn't see that character trait in Senator Woodcock.

To everyone reading this blog post ... nothing personal. I am writing about the people who decide our laws and public policy. These disciplines help shape our cultural values and the morals of future generations. I cannot sit by and watch our culture continue to slip away to God knows where.

I honor all the individuals who take up this difficult task.

Governor reveals he will probably sign Damon's bill

In a blog posting Governor John Baldacci has offered his real views on homosexual marriage. I have never believed that he was truly undecided. I have always believed that he was being merely political as he pretended to "evolve."

He called a gay rights supporter yesterday. "I was extremely impressed by the arguments for both sides, but especially by the proponents," the governor reportedly said. "I was opposed to this for a long time, but people evolve, people change as time goes by."

I have always believed that homosexual marriage would happen on Governor Baldacci's watch. The only thing that surprises me a bit is the lack of character in our politicians. Pragmatism has truly taken the front seat in lawmaking and statecraft. Everything, even morality or understanding God, is a compromise now. Everything is up for grabs, and subject to a "negotiation."

This is an ancient problem. Pilate questioned Jesus. He said, "What is truth?" Jesus stood mute before him. In another place in the New Testament Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the father but by me." Pilate, as a Roman ruler was used to having to deal with a variety of truth claims. The truth stood before him but he didn't have eyes to see it.

The truth is that we can find rest for our souls in Him, and in Him alone. Maine will not continue as anything recognizeable without Christian theology, truth and reasoning. The Governor's embrace of the homosexual agenda is ominous.

We are headed into some very confusing decades indeed.

Patience

I have to admit that twenty years ago when I waded into the sexual morality fight I didn't think it would require this much patience. The title for this blog is "Love is Patient." It is patient. The Bible tells us that. It is the truth.

Love has always animated my efforts. It will always motivate me. I have a more difficult time with patience.

I love my country, and people who are trapped by an inhuman ideology, too much not to fight. The idea that "all sex is good sex as long as it is consensual" is truly an evil idea. We will either defeat it with the truth, or this idea will destroy us.

That may sound overly apocalyptic, but think about it. Read history. Do nations always survive? Do nations really swing from left to right? Or is there a direction to history? Is history going somewhere?

History and time are going somewhere. Things are both progressing and regressing at the same time, depending on what you consider. Technology has progressed. Morals in the United States have regressed at the same time. Power is progressing and concentrating while authority is regressing.

What I saw in the Senate debate about marriage yesterday was the concentration of power, absent a substantial interest in authority. The powerful men and women of Maine lectured us on civility, condemning the "extremes," while they deferred to the evil idea of sexual disorientation and enacted the truly extreme ... even insane ... notion of sodomy-based marriage.

I wrote more about that here.

Living as a Christian in America is going to take more patience than ever. It is also going to take more courage than has been required of previous generations. As the culture continues to coarsen the idea of loving ones enemies may disappear as a reality in the interest of survival. It is interesting to ponder the future for our culture if we learn to appreciate multiculturalism more than beauty, order, decency, righteousness and truth.

The advocates of multiculturalism may realize the essence of their idea, disorder. A lack of unity can produce only one outcome ... violence.

I am for unifying our culture around the ideals of Jesus Christ. What do you think a modern culture devoted to the values of Jesus Christ would look like? Would it pride itself on helping the poor while it slaughtered innocent babies in the womb? Would it crusade against global warming while it ignored demographic cooling?

Paul the Apostle has an interesting take on sexual confusion. I have written about it relentlessly over the years. Paul observes that homosexuality is a consequence of God giving us up. We get confused about sex because God is no longer present in our society. We have exchanged the glory of an immortal God for the worship of created things.

We must pray.

God, I hope you are listening and that Paul's observation that you "turn your back" doesn't mean that you have turned your back on Maine. I appeal to you to intervene. Thank you. In Jesus name. Amen.