It's only a two minute prayer -- lighten up

[LostinVA]

OBama just chose a Pentecostal minister to head -- and expand -- the faith-based programs office. I think the office should be eliminated, but if he has to have the office, why not pick someone like Jim Wallis? Or see if Bishop John Spong wants to come out of retirement.

*****************************************

Source: Washington Post

By Michelle Boorstein and Michael D. Shear
President Obama has named Josh DuBois, the 26-year-old who ran religious outreach for his presidential campaign, to head the White House's new office of faith-based programs, a White House aide said today.

DuBois, who has worked as an associate pastor for a small Pentecostal church in Massachusetts and received a master's degree in public affairs from Princeton University, was widely expected to get the position and is considered close to the president, for whom he also worked in the Senate.

DuBois's appointment to run the White House Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships -- first reported today in the New York Times -- is the first publicly known detail about the future of the office, which partners with faith groups on social service issues and helps advise them on applying for federal funds.

Obama aides have said the president's effort will expand the faith-based office at the White House. Bush's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives made a priority of placing faith offices within federal agencies, but was criticized by some former high-ranking staff for becoming politicized.

Read more: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/01/29/obama_se...

[Zuiderelle]

1. What? It's just a 4-year appointment.

Jeez.

[dmallind]

2. So....what are this guy's views on GLBT issues?

Anyone know?

[LostinVA]

4. Plenty of GLBT-friendly Evangelicals, but not Pentecostals

"Pentecostal" is honestly all anyone needs to know.

[Chovexani]

20. I totally wrote that without seeing you did.

[LostinVA]

28. Great minds think alike!

[Zuiderelle]

7. Pretty hard to tell, but here was his response to criticisms about McClurkin during the campaign:

Joshua DuBois, the Obama campaign's religious affairs director, said in announcing it: "This is another example of how Barack Obama is defying conventional wisdom about how politics is done and giving new meaning to meeting people at the grassroots level. This concert tour is going to bring new people into the political process and engage people of faith in an unprecedented way.”


In this article, it's clear that he echoes Obama's belief that gay Americans should have equal rights but that it should not be called marriage.

https://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/332909.aspx?option=print


It's really quite hard to find anything else related to Dubois' opinions on GLBT issues. I guess we'll find out. Personally, I just don't like the idea of a Pentecostal minister being in charge of something at this level in our government.

[bluedawg12]

13. Both Obama and DuBois refer to the Golden Rule/Sermon on the Mount

"As a committed Christian, Senator Obama believes that the central teachings of Jesus in the Sermon the Mount encourage us to treat one another with respect and to love our brothers and sisters of all backgrounds. He believes that the Golden Rule in Matthew 7:12 still applies in politics; it's the rule on which he bases his life." -Josh Dubois.

Treat others as you would like to be treated? Really?

Since when would they accept anything less than marriage for themsleves?

[Zuiderelle]

VERY good point.

[bluedawg12]

17. It's the new doublespeak, a lot like the old doublespeak.

[Chovexani]

19. Dude is Pentacostal

That is all anyone needs to know.

[gaspee]

34. your sig pic

Makes me think I probably know you from fandom. Were you on ROG-L - or are you not old enough for those days?

[Chovexani]

36. Wow, that takes me back!

I sure was on it, alright. We won't get into whether or not I was old enough to be though. :evilgrin: Mostly I just lurked.

Those were the days

[gaspee]

37. What's your

Fandom name?

[Bluenorthwest]

3. Reward the haters again

Dubois is the man who put all the homophobes all over the campaign.

[LostinVA]

6. You just answered my question

GDP will be fun today.

[The Brethren]

38. Oh how lovely!

:sarcasm: It just keeps on getting better and better with Obama. NOT!

I'm beginning to wonder if the late Falwell were still alive if Obama would find somewhere to include him in his new administration. This is not what I had envisioned during the election....at all.

[LostinVA]

5. If someone gets a chance, can they do some research for me?

Someone in LBN had a good point: this guy managed Obama's campaign religious outreach. Did this guy set up the Donnie McClurkin gig? I have to work soon, but it would be great of someone could track this down.

[Zuiderelle]

8. Yes, he did.

[LostinVA]

11. Thanks

[bluedawg12]

9. Obama has said that he didn't think the gov't could meet all social needs

without the exisiting help of organized religion and their infrastructure, hence, the continuation of faith based initiatives. That's my take on it, anyway.

The gay rights objection would come from the fact that many of these groups are openly anti-gay.

When we give millions of tax dollars to the Salvation Army or PEPFAR, they turn around and work against gay rights. Won't even hire gays. Nice. :eyes: Use my money against me.

Anything in the name of pragmatism.

[LostinVA]

10. Government-based programs work quite well in many other countries

Maybe we need to tweak our system instead of giving money to religious organizations.

[bluedawg12]

18. Problem is were broke and the economy is in shambles

this is a way to do things on the cheap, like I said, it's about goals for him.

He is not into ideology so much, sort of a nice middle of the roader. No one is wrong, no one is right, can we just all get along, now, what's next on the agenda. :eyes:

[TheWraith]

30. One of the rules Obama is putting into place is nondiscrimination for groups receiving aid.

The "faith based" groups that recieve government money will have to meet the same hiring standards as all the other charities that the US government helps fund.

Edit for a typo.

[TechBear_Seattle]

12. Why can't he just say "I won" to the Talibangelicals?

I start to feel excited and hopeful for an Obama administration, and then he further entrenches the far right wing religious nutters into federal government.

[bluedawg12]

14. Come on, that's old ideology.

The new ideology is no ideology and all goal oriented pragmatism.

[TechBear_Seattle]

15. He was able to tell the Republicans "I won." Why not the Talibangelicals? n/t

[bluedawg12]

16. Yeah, at the same time he woo'ed them. It's all about goals for him.

And it seems about being liked. That's just a guess. He seems to want to make everyone happy.

Which means that there will be plenty of fence straddling to come.

[SacredCow]

21. Pentecostal.....

Strangely enough, I personally know 3 gay men who were from seriously devout pentecostal backgrounds (including one whose father was a preacher/pastor/or whatever they're called). And they swear that there seemed to be an larger percentage of gay men amongst their congregations than in the general population.

Perhaps they've kept their gene pool semi-closed, and the gay gene has proliferated within their ranks?

[TechBear_Seattle]

29. I have a different theory

Many people, especially those who are dealing with a lot of personal problems, find comfort in being handed a set of clear-cut, black-and-white answers to everything; that is why cults tend to be so successful. And many of us gay people have internalized to some degree the meme perpetrated by our schoolmates, authority figures and society at large that we are inherently defective. Losing that baggage can take a while, and a lot of us go through a period of following fundamentalist religion.

Unfortunately, I'm speaking from experience. I grew up in Tucson, Arizona, in the 70s and 80s. The first time I remember hearing about AIDS was a media blitz from the religious right about how it was "God's judgement" against a sinful "lifestyle." It is very hard not to accrete that kind of shit. Fortunately, in my case, my fundamentalist phase was spent with a Metropolitan Community Church rather than a Pentecostal or AoG. A lot of people are not that lucky.

[SacredCow]

31. Well, that would work if they JOINED the Pentacostal religion...

but I do see that a lot of what you said rings true with my personal experience, too.

These friends of mine, and the gay Pentacostals they were speaking of were "born into" the church, as the saying goes. Some followed the religion and denied their sexuality, and others (like my friends) broke out of it.

[bluedawg12]

22. I want to know how mixing Federal Tax dollars with religious groups

who claim to answer to a higher power than Federal Laws, and therefore, claim exemption from Federal anti-discrimination laws is going to work out?

It didn't under Bush, he gave them an exemption allowing them to discriminate against gays in hiring, for starters, then, moving on to birth control, abstinence, choice and on down the line.

Why continue this?

[xchrom]

23. off to the greatest. nt

[nichomachus]

24. "Faith based" is bullshit

It's just a clever marketing phrase to disguise the fact that our tax dollars are being used to fund religious groups and religious proselytizing. It's the Taliban-ization of America.

[bluedawg12]

25. It's the new Dem standard trying to out faith the repub-li-bans.

[MNBrewer]

42. So true

"Faith" is belief that something is real, or that it works, in the absence of any evidence to support it.

[bvar22]

26. Pentecostals are also violently Anti-Choice.

I don't know for a fact that Josh DuBois (Obama's latest selection) is Anti-Choice, but all the other Pentecostals I have met were:

* Anti-Choice

*anti-birth control

*believed the women were created to be absolutely submissive to men

*Cast out devils

*Talked in gibberish and said they were "speaking in tongues".

Maybe I only met extremists (in the South) and there are more moderate sects, but I don't think so.

I oppose the the existence of a Department of Faith Based Initiatives, and Obama should close it down on the principle of Separation.

If there must be a Department of Faith Based Initiatives, it should be headed by an ATHEIST to ensure equal and effective application of Taxpayer Money.

[Jamastiene]

33. You forgot to mention they also dance with venomous snakes and drink

strychnine.

We are in trouble if that bunch is in charge. :scared:

[1776Forever]

27. Welton Gaddy Response - From Daily Kos site link.........

http://streetprophets.com/tag/Josh%20DuBois

Josh DuBois To Head Obama's Faith-Based Initiatives
by pastordan
Fri Jan 30, 2009

Yes, yes, I know: the new acronym is COFANP, but it's the same program.

I've got a couple of thoughts about this. The first is that if we must have such a program - and apparently we must - there couldn't be a better leader for it than Josh. He's bright, he's energetic, and he knows this turf from the street level and the corridors of power.

That being said, I'll reiterate what I've said before on the subject: we're probably better off without such a program, but if we must - and apparently we must - the Obama administration seems to be doing the right thing with it.

Welton Gaddy says pretty much the same thing in a statement released via e-mail this yesterday morning:

In every conversation with senior officials on the transition team I have conveyed my preference for the faith based office to be eliminated and a community based office established to help the weakest, poorest, and neediest people in our nation. However, now that a decision has been made to establish and staff another faith based office, the question remains whether or not a change in the name of the office as organized by the Bush Administration will reflect substantive change in the policies of the Obama Administration that advocates for religious liberty find acceptable.

I am cautiously optimistic regarding the new council. The transition team has been more than willing to listen to the problems of the prior office and consider a different approach for the new office. In recent conversations, senior transition officials assured me of President Obama's interest in establishing a council that protects religious freedom and assures constitutional separation between the institutions of religion and government. Toward that end, assurances were offered that members of the new council would include people from different professions and not be limited to religious leaders. I await a final announcement that reflects these assurances.

Right. We seem to be on a good path, but I'd like to see some substance behind the rhetoric before I endorse it. Josh is a step in the right direction, but hopefully, he's not the last one.

[TEmperorHasNoClothes]

32. why the fuck do we need a faith based initiative office---

Religious organizations that are tax exempt shouldn't get government money/tax dollars.

[gaspee]

35. This faith based crap

Has no place in our government. It's kind of sickening, actually.

Name one major faith (and not sects of a faith) that doesn't discriminate based on their so-called faith?

I just saw the movie - "For The Bible Tells Me So" and it was an incredible film. Very moving. Religion is toxic and murderous to the GLBT community. I've always known it, but that movie made it crystal clear. And isn't it funny how badly the parents feel *after* they drove their gay/lesbian/transgendered child to suicide. Couldn't get their heads out of their asses until they drove their kids to off themselves. It happens way too often.

There should be no program that gives out tax money to religions.

[tbyg52]

39. He has a blind spot a mile wide on this, apparently.

The only other explanation I can think of is that he's stupid, and I don't think *that's* it.....

[JackBeck]

40. Do you mind sharing the letters you wrote advocating your position?

What about the organizing efforts you implemented to get your suggestions heard?

Let's share our resources to get LGBT into positions of power. I'd love to hear what you did to bring awareness to the Obama camp as to why they should consider Jim Wallis and Bishop John Spong for strategic positions.

Will you please share with us what you did, besides post about this issue on DU, to lobby for one of these two men to get the position you think they deserved over the one appointed?

[davidinalameda]

41. fix your link

[LostinVA]

43. The link works

:shrug:

[dsc]

44. apparently it doesn't now

it didn't work for me either.

[JackBeck]

45. After all these years of reading your posts, could you please share with us

A story where your online activism has actually advanced LGBT rights?

I'd love for you to share something that you've actually accomplished.

You've shared that your wife cannot be out at work because her boss is a freeper. Yet NJ has laws that protect our community. Are you afraid of accessing those rights?

You've shared kind of melodramatically that you needed to leave VA, but when you got to Jersey you were fearful of losing your job if you disclosed.

You are not an activist, Melanie. Nor are you, Jackie. Not yet, if you think posting on DU is activism.

My hope is that both of you find an activist voice and start paying attention to those of us with burning feet.

Ultimately, though, many people are over your divisive personal drama.