The American Family Association is fighting back after the U.S. Army used taxpayer funds to classify pro-family organizations as “hate groups” and ordered uniformed personnel to avoid any affiliation with them.
The AFA says the government’s hostility is rooted entirely in the groups’ opposition to same-sex marriage and open homosexuality in the military. They also assert that the Obama administration is using the list of “hate groups” compiled by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
“The reason we’ve been tagged as a “hate group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center is that we simply have a disagreement with them over whether homosexual behavior should be normalized. We believe it should not be. We believe there are health risks associated with homosexual behavior for the obvious reasons. We love homosexuals enough to tell them the truth. We don’t hate them. We love them. We want them to live healthy, long lives. We want them to enjoy eternal life. So we love them enough to tell them the truth,” said AFA Issue Analysis Director Bryan Fischer, who also AFA’s Focal Point Radio.
“Disagreement is not hatred. Disagreement is just disagreement. So it’s appalling that they’ve taken this slanderous accusation and are now using it in official military training. We’re in contact with the Pentagon right now through our elected officials to get to the bottom of this and bring this to an end,” said Fischer.
AFA is also furious that the U.S. Army presentation commanding all personnel to avoid affiliation with pro-family groups deliberately linked it with Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church, whose few members routinely picket the funerals of service members and carry placards declaring that God hates gay people. Fischer says the false association is also slanderous and the differences couldn’t be clearer between his organization and Westboro.
“That was particularly offensive that they would link us with Fred Phelps. He protests at the funerals of soldiers. You’re not going to find a stronger supporter of the American military than the American Family Association,” said Fischer, who explained how the two views on homosexuality are worlds apart as well.
“He actually believes that God hates homosexuals…We know that he doesn’t because the Bible says that God loves the whole world. He loved everybody in the world. That’s why he gave his son to die. So we believe that God loves homosexuals, that Christ died for homosexual sinners just like he died for heterosexual sinners, that the offer of forgiveness and eternal life in the person of Jesus Christ. That’s the message that we want to communicate,” said Fischer.
Fischer says he’s also heard from various sources that many Christian members of the military do not plan to re-enlist because of the crackdown on religious freedom by the federal government.
“Those that are strong in their faith, strong believers in Christ and in Christianity and in the values that made America great, they are the heart and soul of the American military. If we start losing them, that really is going to weaken our military and that will ultimately be the biggest threat to our national security,” said Fischer.
