UPDATED MISSION STATEMENT
It's pretty obvious this site is being facetious. I have no idea what God thinks. I don't even believe in God. It's the idea that anyone out there knows the mind of God that bothers me. And what's worse is when they use it for the purposes of hate.
My goal with this site has been simple. To tell heterosexuals that you don't have to approve of homosexuality but you also don't have to fear it. I define homophobia not as disagreement or theological differences but simply when you cross that line where you say that a certain group based on sexual orientation should be treated unfairly in our society including: limiting civil rights, limiting opportunities, comparing homosexuality with pedophilia and out and out hatred. You do this because you think the personal morals and the consensual sexual activities of others will affect you personally and those around you and possibly your country. This is irrational and this is a phobia.
You can be downright disgusted with two gay men kissing but as long as they're not breaking into your house to do it then you need to chill out. If you see two men holding hands on the street and you feel ill then look away. It's time we realize that not everything within our view is going to please us because in a tolerant society we get along with others as long as they are not directly hurting or harassing us. There are definitely some heterosexual couples I've seen kissing in public that I thought needed to have a blanket thrown over them because they were downright ugly but it's something I understand I need to tolerate. As long as the general laws of public display and decency are followed--laws which I'm not always in agreement with but let's not go off on a tangent--there shouldn't be a problem.
I agree that some gay pride marches and some protests of Gay Activists can be over the top. I agree that some gay entertainers are extremely flamboyant. Maybe the problem there is not that they are gay but that they push some boundaries that make you feel uncomfortable. I can understand that. Culture shock is always unsettling. However, have you ever thought that maybe you just haven't met the right gay couple or gay person with the personality that you could get along with. If you're a Republican Conservative maybe you would feel right at home with inviting over a Log Cabin Republican (for those not in the political know, Log Cabin Republicans are gay).
I'm personally not that enthused about hanging out at with an all male gay choir, but if you introduced me to a gay intellectual nerd who likes to discuss books then I'm very comfortable. It's really all relative to who you are because there are plenty of heterosexuals who, while I don't hate, make me feel uncomfortable. If I had the choice between a loud heterosexual football coach and an introspective gay evolutionary biologist as a dinner partner, I'd take the gay evolutionary biologist. I know next to nothing about sports but I'm always happy to pump (no pun intended) a gay evolutionary biologist for information on science. I'm geek that way. You may love sports and would choose the reverse and so you could also consider that there may be gay sports enthusiasts that you would love to watch a game with and drink beer and get fat on bad junk food. You see my point.
So this is what I'm trying to get across: Regardless of religion, tradition and your own personal beliefs it is okay to feel uncomfortable with certain people, gay or straight--but not to hate them. It's okay to even disagree with homosexuals on deep theological arguments about whether the Bible says this or that but at the end of the say they are your fellow human beings. Treat people with respect. What they do may seem obscene, however, unless you want to be associated with the kind of fundamentalism that invokes violence in certain parts of the world (regions that shall remain nameless) I would suggest dropping your legal crusades against the homosexual community. I would also suggest reexamining your own self for sin. If you are without sin than let the damnation begin. But if you are sinful and imperfect than work on improving yourself and stop dwelling on the "sins" of others.
In full disclosure I am an atheist. In full political disclosure I am not a liberal as what is often assumed by Christian conservatives. I lean libertarian which is an anathema to both Republicans and Democrats. In general I am a moderate who is still not sure of everything. People who think they know everything and have complete certainty in their decisions and condemnations quite honestly cause me concern. Even as an atheist I usually call myself an agnostic-atheist so people understand I'm not what is referred to as a "strong" atheist. A strong atheist says there is no god. I say I just don't know, therefore I can't force myself to believe. If there is a God and he decides to play a vindicative game of torturing his own creation because they stuck their dick in the wrong hole than that's his business I guess. I would have to say such a God is immoral and even if he did exist I think I would have to protest.
Lastly, as a male heterosexual speaking to men, let's not kid ourselves. We are reacting more to male on male sex than to lesbians. Lesbians make us horny and if this were just about women getting it on with each other I don't think the protest would be as loud among men. Yes, the porn fantasy is simply just that--a fantasy. And the reality is that most lesbians are regular women who aren't sexual performers. But the fantasy still thrills me and if Pat Robertson and others of his ilk were honest it gives them a boner too. Let's not be hypocrites. Let the lesbian fantasy live on and let's stop pretending with our false condemnations of female on female sex.
Jeff Swenson 2006 |
PREVIOUS MISSION STATEMENT 1
Because hatred of gays based on religion is worthy of satire. And as a cartoonist that's what I do. This site, which was started about 4 years ago, has no real mission beyond the satire because Godhatesfags.com and other sites like it are simply, for a lack of a better phrase, socially retarded. I don't care if you believe in God or don't believe in God and I don't care what religion you are because I can guarantee you that you do not know the mind of God. If God wants to hate "fags" let him speak for himself, clearly and directly. The existence of God himself or herself has not even been established by the evidence available so to jump to the point where you say you know the mind of God is pretty damn arrogant.
Ah, but we have the word of God, says the bigot, and the word of God tells us that God hates fags. We therefore must use an ancient text to justify our hatred in a modern time. I think it is evident from some passages that the Bible does condemn sexual acts between men, however, who can prove that the word of God is the word of God? Has it been changed or corrupted due to politics? The men who wrote it, did they place their biases within the passages? And are we correctly interpreting it because frankly when I've read Biblical commentaries or NIV notes I find much speculation and disagreement. Hell, we don't even have the original manuscripts by the original authors. Is this something you want to base your hatred on?
And then we have the argument by Creationists that God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. More bumper sticker logic. My question is how many Creationists use birth control? Probably most of them. If God made Adam and Eve and told them to be fruitful and multiply then why don't these creationists let the sperm run wild and stop being hypocrites? Could it be that they don't like the idea of having 12 children to feed? Or maybe that their Christian wife isn't going to be too happy about her body being used as a baby factory. Or that on occasion they like to have sex without the end results--avoiding the responsibility that God has ordained for men and women. The argument is silly. Humans have taken sex away from the realm of procreation to use it for pleasure and bonding with another lover. That's what we humans do. We control biology and the forces of nature as much as possible so that we can have the best quality of life through science. So if some man wants to kiss another man for pleasure which will not result in kids, why the hell not? I also might add, in reference to those who find Gay sexual acts gross, that the creationist version of Genesis gets a little sick at the suggestion that the earth was populated by incest (Cain married his sister and so on). If God can approve of incest to populate the earth, how do you know he didn't create homosexuals to avoid overpopulation of the earth? Or maybe due to the many married heterosexual couples who abuse their children God will be handing those children over to adoptive homosexual couples?
It's not that you have to agree with how gay men or lesbian women live their lives, you don't even have to give them the time of day if you don't want to. But why hate them? Why claim that God hates them? Why harass their commitment ceremonies or their grieving at funeral processions? Why try to enact laws to make it harder for them to find a place to live or get a job or join the armed forces? Are we really that petty and immature?
You know there are a lot of people that I find annoying, whiny rap stars, spoiled hotel heiresses, rightwing talk show hosts who ought to be in jail, liberal nuts who want to censor possibly offensive words, child actors who grow up and bitch about hard their lives are because no one understands them and the list goes on. But let's face it, I don't really hate these people because they're not worth the time to hate. Hate should be reserved for the truly repulsive in our world. Those that bring misery and sorrow and exploit the vulnerable. Hate Osama Bin Laden, hate Saddam Hussein, hate the DC snipers, hate the unnamed rapist, hate the communist fascist, hate the corrupt CEOs--they're worthy of your hatred. In the end though, if you spend too much time hating it's doubtful that you're really living.
So enjoy the site for what it is. Social commentary often using political incorrect humor and bad taste. My point with this site is not to suggest that you go out immediately and find yourself a gay friend to be trendy. My point is that Pastor Fred Phelps is a freak and frankly that you shouldn't cast stones in God's name. If God exists he can take care of his own business. Hate is just a waste of time. Society is changing rapidly. You may find yourself working next to a gay person. They may be flamboyant or they may be subdued in their personality. They may seem like a stereotype or they may defy the stereotype. But if you give them a chance, they may be a good friend to have on your side. On the other hand they could be an asshole. But then so are a lot of heterosexuals.
Sincerely,
Jeff Swenson
(former homophobe in the days of my ignorant youth)
Respond to this open letter or anything else on the site and I may post it: jeff@the-cynic.com |
PREVIOUS MISSION STATEMENT 2
OUR MISSION is to make homophobes laugh at their own stupidity. We don't expect hugs and kisses, conversions to a gay lifestyle, wives making lesbian porno scenes or even general apologies. Just an understanding that we all need to grow up and realize that life is more complex than we often realize and that the gay community isn't just about wild orgies of anal sex with the goal of wiping out the heterosexual community with AIDS.
Also included in our mission statement is the realization that like heterosexuals, homosexuals may not live pristine lives and therefore should not have to evoke a Disney-like illusion of wholesomeness and clean living. Pastor Fred Phelps bitches that some homosexuals have committed murder. Well, duh! So what? So have many more heterosexuals. Does one murder by a heterosexual mean that all heteros are murderers? And yes, maybe the "liberal press" doesn't cover some of these stories because they're afraid of special interest pressure groups. But again, so what? The mainstream media doesn't cover a lot of news that it should and often gives us mindless fluff. "Heteros and homos are capable of heinous crimes." Hopefully that last statement makes everyone happy with the fact that, regardless of our sexual orientation, we all can be assholes if we so choose.
Lastly, our mission is to get you read the webmaster's comics in the name of a higher cause. This may make the webmaster a self-serving schmuck but please refer to the previous paragraph about the potential of heteros and homos to be assholes.
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