Conservative pundit wants “Underground Railroad” to kidnap children of gay parents


Today’s example of “Holy fuck I didn’t realize bigots could be this evil”:

On Tuesday, conservative pundit Bryan Fischer released an internet firestorm after advocating for an “Underground Railroad to deliver innocent children from same-sex households.” The comment, released on Twitter, links to a Chicago Tribune article about a Mennonite priest charged in aiding in the abduction of the 10-year-old daughter of a same-sex couple.

Fischer, who hosts the radio show Focal Point on American Family Radio, stated earlier this week:

“The only way now in America’s legal system that you can protect your child from being raised in a same-sex household is to get that kid into the Underground Railroad and get that child out of dodge.”

I’m not even sure where to start, so let’s begin with the obvious: Being a child of same-sex parents is kind of a tiny bit different than being an African American slave. Like, for one, you’re not a slave. I can’t comprehend how someone thinks having two daddies or two mommies is equivalent to literally having no rights. Are children of same-sex parents shackled and beaten? Are they forced to work in terrible conditions? Are they never allowed to leave or own land or vote even when they grow up? No. Children of same-sex couples fare just as well as children of opposite-sex couples, with children of lesbians actually doing better. Way to simultaneously say “fuck you” to both same-sex families and descendents of slaves.

The truly bizarre thing is that Fischer frames this as a way to protect your child. As if all children in same-sex households were originally kidnapped by The Gays from wholesome Christian families, where Peter Pan gathering up Lost Boys is a literal interpretation of the gay agenda. Is this seriously a concern of conservative opposite-sex couples? “How do I protect my child from being raised by The Gays?!” Maybe you could…I dunno, not put your child up for adoption? Not become gay? There seem to be less radical options than kidnapping other children available.

Despite criticism, Fischer stands by his remarks, and stated on Focal Point that the kidnapper has an obligation “to obey God rather than man.”

As for that, all I have to say is read your own Bible:

“Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21)

Comments

  1. says

    Perhaps these parents are so horribly unfit that their children are being taken by social services, put up for adoption, and then subsequently adopted by same-sex parents. Or, more succinctly, YOUR KIDS WILL BE STOLEN BY TEH GAYZ!

  2. says

    I’m curious as to what he would say to an atheist parent kidnapping their child to keep them from living with a Christian parent.

    I’m sure he would be OUTRAGED by that.

  3. says

    I’m sorry, but Atheists have a duty to obey the law of reason before they obey the law of man.

    Which, of course, is why they would never do something so ludicrous.

  4. kagekiri says

    This is par for the course considering that story of the Church stealing babies from non-Catholic single mothers in Spain.

    I remember once being so grateful that I was born into a Christian family. I now feel exactly the opposite: how much have I missed out on because I was a brainwashed fundie from the cradle?

    Even liberal Christian’s kids make me sad, because I know their kids will be handicapped with the brainwashing of religion, even if it’s not as deadly as my former strain of brain-virus.

    Yet somehow, in all my anger and personal regret at the shitty ways Christians raise their kids, for some reason, I think kidnapping them from their parents would be horribly fucked up and wrong. Guess these asshats didn’t get the memo.

  5. says

    Funny how those Christian “patriots” turn into criminals as soon as the law doesn’t agree with them.

    Well, you know, God’s law is above man’s law–and God’s law is whatever his believers say it is.

  6. Kevin Alexander says

    I somehow don’t recall reading about slaves being kidnapped from their owners and being forced to live among the snowdrifts. Maybe we should wait for the victims of the evil gays to escape their bondage then get them on that subway to christian freedom.
    Might have to wait awhile.

  7. says

    When people suggest that I should be “tolerant” towards their “hate the sin, love the sinner” bullshit, I really need to bring shit like this up more often.

    It’s not just that there are people who don’t want queer people to get married, as if that wasn’t enough! There are hateful people out there who want to see us dead. They want to steal our children. There is not enough hyperbole in the world to rival this. I can’t even straw man that. It’s that absurd and hateful and evil.

  8. gregorylynn says

    Bryan Fischer is why the Chick-fil-A thing was at all important.

    Bryan Fisher works for the American Family Association.

    The American Family Association gets money from the guys who own Chick-fil-A.

    Bryan Fischer is among the most insane of the anti-gay bigots. He wants gay people in jail. He wants them forced to undergo conversion therapies.

    As far as anti gay folks goes he’s about as vile as it gets from someone who doesn’t actually resort to violence. He just, you know, resorts to violent rhetoric and if violence happens it’s completely not his fault.

  9. says

    Either I or someone else has posted before in Pharyngula’s lounge (formerly The Endless Thread) about about Sophie M. Herold, who’s gotten the personal info of GLBT people under the pretense of doing a “study,” then outed them.

    She intends to send all such information she has to Fischer’s “underground railroad.”

    Don’t share ANY information with her, and spread the word to your friends.

  10. says

    Hey, wait a minute…

    …didn’t christians used to demonize jews by claiming that THEY stole babies?

  11. billhaines says

    “The only way now in America’s legal system that you can protect your child from being kidnapped by so-called-Christian extremists is to kill so-called-Christian demagogues like Bryan Fischer.”

    And, you know, this is just violent rhetoric; if violence happens it’s completely not my fault.

  12. Alukonis, metal ninja says

    Ironically, an underground railroad type system for helping gay children who have run away from abusive homes would actually be useful. Because there are a lot of gay or trans* teenage runaways out there.

  13. jonathanray says

    The truly bizarre thing is that Fischer frames this as a way to protect your child. As if all children in same-sex households were originally kidnapped by The Gays from wholesome Christian families, where Peter Pan gathering up Lost Boys is a literal interpretation of the gay agenda. Is this seriously a concern of conservative opposite-sex couples? “How do I protect my child from being raised by The Gays?!” Maybe you could…I dunno, not put your child up for adoption? Not become gay? There seem to be less radical options than kidnapping other children available.

    If you had read past the headlines before commencing to write a generic McOutrage blog post, you would see that the premise of the case is that the godbot helped an “ex-lesbian” flee the country with *her* *own* child, so that her allegedly abusive ex-partner wouldn’t have custody. So that paragraph (and title of the post) is way off base. The homophobes are bad enough without distorting them by the blogospheric principle of anti-charity and manufactured outrage.

  14. adamgordon says

    Where the hell are you getting “allegedly abusive” from? That’s not the reason given in the article for the kidnapping.

    Miller, who increasingly embraced conservative Christian ideals and renounced homosexuality, soon began contesting Jenkins’ visitation rights in Virginia, which does not issue same-sex marriage licenses or civil unions.

    The outrage here is not manufactured. A religious community conspired to abduct a child from her court-determined guardian simply because that guardian is gay.

    Did you take a look at the defendant’s legal fund web page?

    Go ahead and read this tweet and then tell me that the title of the post is “way off base.”

  15. Kevin K says

    Thankfully, I think the FBI and the US Department of Justice will disagree with him.

    I hope nobody takes this asshat seriously, because if they do, they’ll be spending the rest of their lives in a federal prison.

    And maybe that’s what it will take. Too bad for them, to be made an example of.

    Federal prison sucks, or so I hear. Especially for kidnappers of children.

  16. Gregory in Seattle says

    I hope someone tries to steal my neighbors’ young children. One daddy is an ex-marine sharpshooter, and he has taught the other daddy everything he knows.

  17. says

    Nope, Sarcasm detection ignored in favour of highlighting the wrongness of the original thought. Just in case there are still those who think that god belief is a solution to any problem.

  18. Adam Travis says

    Here is a better verse for your article, a favorite of mine.

    1 Peter 2:13-15(KJV)

    13. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
    14. Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
    15. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

  19. B-Lar says

    Is “not become gay” really an option? That doesnt seem to make sense…

    Maybe I am reading that in the wrong context, and if so, I am happy to be corrected.

  20. says

    “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21)

    The funny thing about this quote is that given the premise that God created everything, everything must belong God. And as such everything which is Caesar’s, is God’s.

    A Christian taught me that, and based on that he concluded that God hates taxes…

  21. says

    “The comment, released on Twitter, links to a Chicago Tribune article about a Mennonite priest charged in aiding in the abduction of the 10-year-old daughter of a same-sex couple.”
    …ah, Mennonites don’t have priests.
    Because they have a stripped down, simplistic version of Christianity…they have ministers. Like all Protestants their irregular worship service revolves around hymn singing and the minister’s sermon, not the Eucharist.

    Anywho…accuracy…hasn’t, well…been a high priority on Blag Hag.
    And…well, you can tell Jenny is fresh, back in the saddle, ready to take on the world. It didn’t take long for the ‘out-of-context’ bus to roll up and start throwing Scripture around with total disconnect. Somehow, I can make it support my GLBT reasoning—even when it doesn’t. Such are the limitless powers of the Darwinian crowd.

    “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21)

    Jesus isn’t talking so much about rendering unto Caesar…as he wants people to give to God, what is God’s. Men and women are made in the image of God, they bear his image…so therefore they owe a something to God. That’s the hidden message of Jesus that the audience is called to reflect upon—

    Oh, and since Caesar is a human being, he too owes allegiance to God. The state and the people are both to render unto God the very same obedience, and the very same love.

  22. Adam G says

    Somehow, I can make it support my GLBT reasoning—even when it doesn’t. Such are the limitless powers of the Darwinian crowd.

    Ah, this argument. Whenever I hear religious fools use this argument, I recall the following comment I once read:

    When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:

    When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord – Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

    I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

    I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness – Lev.15:19- 24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

    Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can’t I own Canadians?

    I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

    A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination – Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don’t agree. Can you settle this?

    Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

    Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

    I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

    It seems Christians are the ones with the limitless powers to redefine biblical verses as they see fit.

  23. whatnot says

    I’m rather amazed by the link to the guy that was raised by two gay women, “had no male figure at all to follow” and thus was irreversibly socially damaged.

    Was he raised in a separatist feminist commune or something? I’m quite confused, as a male child of a single mother, who was still able to interact with male teachers, coaches, etc.

  24. genshed says

    The solution is simple. If Fischer’s supporters went out and became foster/adoptive parents to children in need of such, the main supply of gaybies would be cut off. Not that many of us can fly off to Guatemala, much less China. But that would require them to actually, you know, DO something, instead of bloviating endlessly.

  25. N. Nescio says

    Funny how “God’s Law” is so easily superseded by some handcuffs and a prison cell.

  26. says

    Is it wrong of me to have daydreamed about being in a financial position to take my young niece away from her father who has been calling her a “cunt” and other things, constantly verbally abusing her for imaginary transgressions and throwing things at her, all since she was in grade school?

  27. Kristin says

    Is this a “bitches be hysterical” argument? Cause that’s what it sounds like to me. In which case, fuck off, asshole “former fetus.”

  28. Christian S. says

    I think that the reason why this pundit would think that these kids have no rights is because he believes that every child has the right to both a mother and a father. Obviously, they don’t but I think that explains it.

  29. recreant888 says

    Considering that Fischer’s tweet specifically mentions same sex couples (as opposed to abusive parents, what’s been said here is hardly a distortion of Mr Fischer’s position. At best, it could be said that, once again, Fischer was deliberately distorting facts to support his agenda.

  30. says

    ANCIENT ISRAEL was a theocracy, not a democracy, and the Levitical laws have NEVER applied to Christians.

    The Levitical priesthood ended along with the Roman destruction of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, in 70AD (as Jesus foretold). With the Temple destroyed, and with the Temple records of the Levitical priesthood burned up in this destruction—no Jew could prove his ‘pure’ priestly lineage (father AND mother’s side) and therefore his valid priesthood ended. No further valid sacrifices can be offered. A rabbinical priesthood was created in the aftermath of the Temple destruction, and remains to this day. The Old Covenant came to an end, and the Church replaced the synagogue with the dawning of the New Covenant.

    Israel was thus normalized, at the Temple destruction (the Jerusalem Temple being the centre of the Jewish faith), and was returned to the nations without divine favour, as just one of the nations. The Book of Revelation notes:

    “In his hand he had a small scroll, unrolled; he set his right foot in the sea…and his left foot on the land.” (Rev 10:2)

    Right represents favour, blessing, divine approval. The sea (in constant flux) was always an allusion to the Gentiles, the land (a solid mass) always imagery of Israel. The angel (Son of Man) “sets”, takes control of the unruly Gentiles by giving grace and bestowing favour to them now, through the Jesus Christ, and the accomplishment of the cross.

    The Jews and Gentiles that were/are baptized in the Trinity, within the Church are the continuation of Israel up to the present day.

    The nation Israel (est. 1949), today, is a secular nation without favoured (covenantal) status.

  31. Tony •King of the Hellmouth• says

    Former Fetus:

    Jesus isn’t talking so much about rendering unto Caesar…as he wants people to give to God, what is God’s. Men and women are made in the image of God, they bear his image…so therefore they owe a something to God. That’s the hidden message of Jesus that the audience is called to reflect upon—

    Oh, and since Caesar is a human being, he too owes allegiance to God. The state and the people are both to render unto God the very same obedience, and the very same love.

    Which god are you talking about? The Christian god or the Jewish god? The Muslim god or one of the Hindu gods? One of the gods of Mt. Olympus or a Native American god? You’ll need to narrow this down a bit, as there are thousands of gods you could be referring to.
    Once you do that, I’d like to know how you know this particular god is real. What irrefutable evidence that’s been thoroughly verified from countless reputable sources supports the existence of this being? How is this evidence any different than what is offered by other religions across the world?
    From there, I’m curious why anyone *needs* to worship a higher power.
    We can’t discuss these ‘finer details’ until we’re on the same page.

  32. Tony •King of the Hellmouth• says

    If Fischer’s supporters went out and became foster/adoptive parents to children in need of such, the main supply of gaybies would be cut off.

    ??
    I’m not following you.
    Gay men and women have children.
    Heterosexual men and women have gay children.
    Your “solution” doesn’t stem the tide of children of gay parents.

  33. cipher says

    Had you not made it out of the fetal stage, humanity would have been immeasurably better off.

  34. cipher says

    It goes without saying that Fischer is a repressed, self-hating gay man.

    Eventually, he’ll be discovered in a hotel room with a male prostitute. On that day, I’ll celebrate.

Leave a Reply