Minnesota has seen the best and worst of its society in the debate of a constitutional amendment to limit marriage to heterosexual couples. The best was Sen. John Kiesel, who was a profile of courage. The worst was the pastor invited to give the opening prayer, Bradlee Dean, a profile of perfidy (as in a deliberate breach of faith when you agree to give a nondenominational prayer and then give a sectarian diatribe). Dean’s record of hateful and bigoted statements was well-known before he was invited to the legislature to start off the day of debate on the rights of homosexual citizens to marry.
Bradlee Dean is a Minnesota radio host who believes that homosexuality should be a crime. He sports a tattoo of Abraham sacrificing Isaac on his forearm and spews extreme interpretations of the Bible. He seems to cultivate the image of a bible-thumping Axel Rose and plays in a Christian rock band. He is the founder of You Can Run But You Cannot Hide International.
This historical sense seems as questionable as his biblical sense given his timeline running from World I to World II to “Korea and Iwo Jima and Vietnam.”
He then gives his view of
“It’s not about the Baptists, it’s not about the Catholics alone or the Lutherans or the Wesleyans or the Presbyterians, evangelicals or any other denomination, but rather the head of the denomination, and his name is Jesus, as every president up until 2008 has acknowledged.”
Of course, the reference to 2008 reference is to Barack Obama. Of course, nondenominational appears to exclude Jews, Muslims, and most of the world. He is able to tie in Obama as atheist or Muslim (he leaves this to the imagination of legislators). It is the type of speech that should have served to expose the intolerance and hatred that has become so prevalent in out society — even before the moving speech of Sen. Kiesel. Instead, members continued their push to deny marriage rights to gay couples.
Here is “Pastor” Dean at work on his radio show:
The person responsible for inviting Dean appears to be Rep. Ernie Leidiger, R-Mayer (left). Various members of both parties have denounced the prayer. Rep. Leidiger succeeded in introducing a uniquely intolerant voice in the legislature and uniting members of both two parties in their disgust for Dean and his message. It is hard, however, to blame Dean has been known as an unhinged extremist for years. The blame must fall on Leidiger who may need more time as a furniture salesman that selling religious bigot to the legislature. He previously ran on the pledge that his “conservative values” would bring “back to honesty and respect for constituents.” Well, it appears that would be respect for some constituents.
Kudos: Swarthmore Mom on passing along the Youtube video
Jonathan Turley
Blouise:
You don’t like science?
To put a finer point on it. I said “Christians are to live under grace–and not The Law of Moses and the Prophets. That is for the Jew in the land of Israel ONLY. ”
What I mean is that theoretically the Law of Moses and the Prophets is for the Jew in the land of Israel. In reality (according to Christians) the Messiah has come and the dispensation of the Law is completed and over.
Another example. Once Messiah came it wasn’t necessary to have strict health practices and such (to keep the Jewish people in peak health). This was a problem during the early church when Christian Jews were offended that gentile Christians at pork or whatever. Paul taught them that didn’t matter any more.
Grace had come along with the Messiah.
” … (Jews are the smartest people on the planet IQ-wise)… ” (Tootie)
Oh, my God!!!
If Dean thinks that the unchristian presidents (the ones who lie and claim they are Christians) began in 2008 he sure doesn’t know history or Christianity.
No Democratic president since 1973 could be a Christian (abortion). And the continued slide into moral corruption by the party makes it even more impossible that a Christian could be a member of it. And George Bush wasn’t one either (i.e Muslims and Christians worship the same God). You cannot believe that and believe in Christ. They are mutually exclusive. Then there is his waging of unjust war. More evidence of godlessness and unchristian thinking.
Most Christians lack moral discernment. This is the fault of their pastors who mislead them. And it isn’t about intelligence either. Politically active Jews (Jews are the smartest people on the planet IQ-wise) made their home in the Democratic Party for over a half century. But that party is arguably the most violent and destructive force in the history of the world with its century of war-mongering and unjust war (WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam), and approximately 50 million human organisms snuffed out in the womb. Add to that its genocide of white protestants through immigration and its instituting slavery (Marxism) and you have the brightest people in the country doing the most evil of things.
Apparently it’s just peachy for the intellectuals on the left to be as evil as they wanna be and condemn others for it. They just don’t think their dung stinks.
Dean is wrong. Christians are not to be guided by Jewish law (which condemns homosexuality AND heterosexual adultery). Christians are to live under grace–and not The Law of Moses and the Prophets. That is for the Jew in the land of Israel ONLY.
Jesus sent the woman away who was caught in adultery even though adultery was a capital crime. He could have said that she be turned over to the authorities, but he did not say that. This is because with Christ there was a new covenant. That covenant is Grace. And he was applying it to sexual error.
And so should Christians.
This just gets better and better:
“Dean was poised to give a press conference on Friday afternoon to respond to the controversy, but instead he sent his sidekick in the ministry, Jake MacAuley, who also goes by the name Jake McMillian. Reporters noted that just before the press conference was called, Dean met with Tom Prichard of the Minnesota Family Council, a group that is pushing the anti-gay marriage amendment, as well as Republican Sens. Dan Hall of Burnsville and Paul Gazelka of Brainerd on the sidewalk outside the Capitol.”
http://minnesotaindependent.com/81807/minnesota-gay-marriage-bradlee-dean-kurt-zellers
Frank:
“60 seconds of flagellation”
With these congresspersons this is how it would probably look and sound like.
I seem to remember earlier there was a dust up because someone wanted to invite an imam to give the invocation. Can’t have that! Much too divisive doncha know.
The real question should be why do they go through this opening prayer BS in the first place? The morons demanding it would be the first to suggest that everything the State does is anti-Christian so why would a prayer make that better?
It would be better to hand each member a flail and start each session with 60 seconds of self-flagellation. The end result would be more entertaining, of higher value and probably produce legislation of at least the same quality, maybe better.
Just going by situations that have happened in the past along this or pretty close to this subject,I’ll say again to what I have said before.”Those who protest the loudest are the ones you have to watch the most”.
http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2010/fall/pols-nativists-make-common-cause-with-g
Intelligence Report, Fall 2010, Issue Number: 139
Pols, Nativists Make Common Cause With Gay-Bashers
Religious Right
excerpt:
Pulido’s coziness with the gay-bashing IFI was no more notable than that of some Minnesota elected officials’ with You Can Run But You Cannot Hide Intl. Inc., a music ministry that brings punk rock evangelism into public schools in the Midwest. On a May 15 radio show, the ministry’s front man, Bradlee Dean, applauded the call of some Muslims for violence against gay people. “Muslims are calling for the executions of homosexuals in America,” Dean said. “This just shows you … they seem to be more moral than even the American Christians… . They know homosexuality is an abomination.”
After Minnesota Independent writer Andy Birkey reported his comments, Dean backpedaled, saying he does not favor the execution of homosexuals. Despite those remarks, Republican State Rep. Tom Emmer defended the ministry as a “pro-traditional marriage group” composed of “nice people.” And last November, Minnesota congresswoman and Tea Party darling Michele Bachmann was the keynote speaker at a fundraiser for the ministry. end excerpt
“Hatreds are the cinders of affection.”
~Sir Walter Raleigh (letter to Sir Robert Cecil)
BIL:
” My first choice when asked to speak before the Minnesota House would be a track suit.”
****************
Preparedness planning for a fast exit should any person committed to reason and the rule of law have been in the audience. Lucky for him not a one to be found!
“Land of Ten Thousand Lakes?” How about “Land of 134 Dopes?”
http://ww3.house.leg.state.mn.us/members/housemembers.asp
OT, but… in the vein of “insanity”…
http://www.salon.com/news/islam/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2011/05/24/dhs_pays_walid_shoebat
Dubious Muslim-bashing “expert” hired to train cops
By Justin Elliott
The Department of Homeland Security this month paid $5,000 to anti-Muslim terrorism “expert” Walid Shoebat to speak at a conference for South Dakota law enforcement, despite Shoebat’s history of dubious claims about the threat of Islam as well as his own background.
That $5,000 figure was unearthed by a public records request filed by Rapid City Journal reporter David Montgomery. Shoebat is an evangelical Christian whose website describes him as a “former PLO terrorist [who] now speaks out for USA and Israel.”
However, as Hussein Ibish and others have documented, Shoebat’s claims about his past are largely unsubstantiated, down to whether his real name is really Walid Shoebat. He, for example, claims that, in his Islamic extremist days in the 1970s, he threw at a bomb at a Bethlehem bank. But the bank says it never happened, and there are no news reports of any such terrorist attack. Surveying Shoebat’s history of questionable claims, Ibish concludes that he is a “shameless fraud.”
It is beyond dispute that Shoebat holds views of Islam well outside the mainstream. He told a Missouri crowd in 2007 (via Nexis) that “Islam is not the religion of God — Islam is the devil.” He has also said President Obama is “definitely” Muslim. …and the article continues
WOW! I said WOW! Come on down to Mad, Mad Ernie’s Big, BIg, BIG furniture sale! Half off to anyone sporting a crucifix. Three quarters off for anyone wearing a Sarah Palin t-shirt. Free to Rush Limbaugh!
(DISCLAIMER: Anyone who ever attended a Kathy Griffin performance or made an “It Gets Better” Youtube video pays double)
http://www.mnprogressiveproject.com/diary/9249/thank-you-minnesota-gop What they have really done by “codifying” bigotry is mobilize their opposition.
Blouise, The DFLers have filed a protest. The democrats in Minnesota still go by the Democratic Farm labor Party.
Those bimbo-brained teabaggers invited the guy … they can all live with his actions.
This is one of those times when a discerning listener would get up and walk to the back of the room refusing to bow his or her head in worship to sure profane and unhallowed language.
Anyone, democrat or republican, who did not do so is as guilty as Leidiger and any words of protest muttered after the fact mean absolutely nothing.
In this particular case, words without actions are meaningless.
I am going to look through some articles to see if I can find one or more persons who objected while the profanity was in progress.
No one knows how deep the snow blows or the depth of the mud…
This guy is not only an embarrassment to his home state, he is a blight on the species Homo Sapiens.
There is “low class” and “no class.” It is safe to say that the “Rev.” Dean falls into the latter category.
What a charmer. Snappy dresser too. My first choice when asked to speak before the Minnesota House would be a track suit. Or maybe not. Although in Dean’s defense, it’ll make it a lot easier to let the Representatives get in his pants without all the fumbling for a belt. He’s also a perfect example of why the Founders were insistent upon a Separation of Church and State.
And Ernie Leidiger. Ernie, Ernie, Ernie. Your idea of service is probably caveat emptor. I sure hope you realize that homosexuals need furniture too. Because I suspect you’re about to find out they’ll buy it from anyone but you in the future.
Is there something in the water in Minnesota that makes your people go crazy or are all these clowns somehow related to Michele Bachmann?
Thank you, professor. I worked in that legislature in the late seventies and eighties. We were on the cutting edge with regards to progressive legislation. I am shocked at the changes, but I think the republicans have overcooked it with both Bradlee Dean and the anti-gay marriage amendment.