Leader of "National Religious Liberties Conference" Calls for Execution of LGBT Folks

Antediluvian started a thread in the Mud Pit a few days ago documenting, in general, what was happening at the "National Religious Liberties Conference" organized by Pastor Kevin Swanson and attended (and endorsed by) Presidential Candidates Cruz, Jindal and of course Huckabee.

(All three of those gentlemen appeared on stage with Swanson a few hours prior to the speech linked below.)

I am posting this specific video of the event here because I feel it deserves special attention and because more than focusing on passionate disagreement over religiously-justified intolerance in general, I am making the specific contention here that such a seemingly outlandish comment is, in spirit if not in fact, part of the underlying motivation of the entire movement behind so-called religious freedom activism.

Ironically, Pastor Swanson makes his hateful comments framed over a placard that reads "Freedom" ...



I link the video because I defy you to watch this video and see it as anything else other than trying to rally a certain political contingent ("Christians" obsessing over so-called "Religious Freedom") to incite actual violence against over six million other Americans.

Some will try to make the claim here that this man's words do not represent mainstream Christianity. I would accept that as a truism, and indeed, that is not my argument here. My argument is that there is, particularly in the United States, a very clearly organized, intentional effort among a contingent of our society that would be described as the Christian Religious Right (politically-active "Christians") that exists primarily to institute Old Testament (and New Testament) legalism as the standard of justice and "freedom" in this country.

I would also argue that there is a degree of controlled mental illness that is very often part-and-parcel of this political ideology ... as seen in this clip from the same speech, Pastor Swanson claims that if one of his sons were to marry another man, he would sit at the door of the church in sackcloth and ashes ... and a large pile of cow manure in protest.



And please, before you claim that this is merely one individual's opinion as part of some insignificant "fringe" event, keep in mind that only a few hours before three Candidates for President of the United States shared the same stage with this same man and were "interviewed" by him.

(original article found at Right Wing Watch

Ya gotta love the calls for theocracy by religious fundamentalism.

Here's a question....

If homosexuality is punishable by death, who carries out these executions? The state? The church? Or just anyone who witnesses the offense?

Yeah he is an Old Testament ranter
It's sad these people think Christianity is a political agenda

What can I say, as a Christian I am embarrassed by these people

Hate mongerers

It's a shame that so many of these types of people are so vocally aggressive by nature and feel the need to stand up on their soapboxes so often.

They're not wanting to live in a united peaceful society... they're wanting to live in a 2000 year old totalitarian society where they get to be the boss.

a reply to: Gryphon66

This individual is a serpent in a suit.

No one who uses the Bible to promote hate and intolerance, death and violence, can be considered to speak for God, or for Jesus. Pastor? Hate preacher is closer to the mark. Divisive and deliberate baiting of this sort does not improve anything for anyone, and achieves nothing positive.

Religious folk are always justifying mass murder on some level. After all, theres only one True God (ours) and since other religions worship different (false) Gods that means they worship the Devil. Devil worshippers are evil, its okay to kill them.

We begin bombing in five minutes.

I want to thank everyone who is responding ... and I want to remind everyone that I'm not claiming that this is mainstream Christianity by any means, or that every American Christian who chooses to be politically active agrees with this sort of hateful BS.

What I am contending is that Swanson does represent a strong, well-defined contingent of the Christian Right. The attendees at this conference absolutely knew that this incitement to violence and murder is part of Pastor Swanson's argument (it's not the first time he's said crazy things; Google him if you're interested) and that it is this belief-set that wants to impose this kind of draconian government, rather than any honest desire to simply worship as they please, that motivates the public actions of many.

Here's the front page for this Religious Liberties Conference attended and endorsed by Republican Presidential Candidates:

National Religious Liberties Conference

The 2016 Elections will be a definitive time for Christians, and the question of religious liberties is front and center in the minds of many families, pastors, and leaders.　 America is no longer the Christian Bulwark it once was, and the tide is turning.　 Will you join the historic battle for Liberty?　 Will you get ready for the coming storm?　 Freedom: find out what it is, why it matters, and how we fight for it!

Notice the language here ... "religious liberties" = "historic battle for Liberty" = "coming storm" = "murdering LGBT folks"

If you have quibbles with the last factor of my equation ... remember - the hateful speech linked above is basically the keynote address of the whole gathering.

Some folks wonder why I show up in many political threads arguing as what I am certain seems like a religious bigot.

Fair enough; I do get passionate when someone advocates the genocide of me and mine in the name of a god. This is my attempt not only to highlight what I feel is a critical destructive element in American politics, but also to let some of you know that (for the most part) this kind of hatred and irrationality is what I am personally fighting against.

I look forward to continuing civil discussion here. Thanks to everyone who is participating!

a reply to: Gryphon66

He says this with a short haircut and a shaved face.

"'Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard." ~Leviticus 19:27

Are they even aware that they don't follow their dogma, and that they are just looking for verses to justify whatever preconceived hateful thing they are feeling?

originally posted by: Lucid Lunacy
a reply to: Gryphon66

He says this with a short haircut and a shaved face.

"'Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard." ~Leviticus 19:27

Are they even aware that they don't follow their dogma, and that they are just looking for verses to justify whatever preconceived hateful thing they are feeling?

Neither scriptural context or logical consistency is what this man represents: he represents a seminal vein of pure violence masquerading as reasonable requests for religious freedom -- he is very clear; he is recruiting soldiers for the coming war.

originally posted by: CranialSponge
It's a shame that so many of these types of people are so vocally aggressive by nature and feel the need to stand up on their soapboxes so often.

They're not wanting to live in a united peaceful society... they're wanting to live in a 2000 year old totalitarian society where they get to be the boss.

We should maybe ask ourselves what drives a person to need to feel that way....parenting 101 must be fun to have so much money you just get to play with other peoples lives

Don't underestimate the demographic of Christians in the U.S. who feel the same way this man does. They are a much larger percentage than one might imagine. They might not talk this way publicly, but secretly, they would vote for people like this man without hesitation.

LOL, someone do a gif of that guy doing his mind meld magician act between :08 and :18 where he waves his hands above his head and sweeps side to side, claiming…

"…the highest authority, no debate about it…"

Another laugh would be the audience, moon pie, gaze fixed, still as headstones, captive to his words.

Yes, yes, tell us your truth, we believe it.

Lol. You people rant incessantly about how you'd like to wipe religion off the planet (which, if you've thought that through, would mean eliminating the followers one way or another).

And here you are feigning righteous (sorry, egalitarian) indignation at this man's comments. Please.

a reply to: Raggedyman

All these extreme religious movements, such as pretending the southern whites will vote for Ben Carson, are the last cries of a dying culture. I am a 13th generation Mississippian, my family were long known for being racists. I left when I was a teenager. These are predators, like carpet baggers, preying on a sad angry people. But as long as the money and votes are in it, they will be relentless.

How about we just execute the Fundies instead? Seems like it would be more beneficial to society at least.

originally posted by: NthOther
Lol. You people rant incessantly about how you'd like to wipe religion off the planet (which, if you've thought that through, would mean eliminating the followers one way or another).

And here you are feigning righteous (sorry, egalitarian) indignation at this man's comments. Please.

Let me introduce you to the clue-by-four. There's a difference between sarcasm, and actually meaning it. That walking pile of dung means it.

a reply to: Klassified

They might not talk this way publicly, but secretly, they would vote for people like this man without hesitation.

Oh, hell yeah. You've nailed it.
I was just saying in another thread the other day that as a "down home, [supposed] good ole white boy" (at least that's how many of them see me) I hear things spoken by these types all the time. If people only knew...if they could only be a fly on the wall during some of these conversations.

It's downright scary...tbh.

I misread the comment. Still working on first cupa.

originally posted by: NthOther

I am not talking about public figures saying such things in front of a camera.

I'm talking about hypocritical ATS members who criticize others for doing what they themselves do on a regular basis.

Then you're off-topic and misrepresenting the facts.

You don't want to talk about the issues, you want to talk about other ATS posters ... also against T&C.

Unfortunately, listening to religious nutjobs preaching hate and violence doesn't seem to hurt one's chances for the Presidency. If it did, Reverend Wright would have tanked Obama's campaign.