人兽性交

According to 人兽性交+ religious advocates, the co-opting of 人兽性交+ Christians鈥� victimization by far-right violence is part of a political agenda to further the false notion that 人兽性交+ people cannot also be religious. That idea ultimately sustains far-right activism to weaken the separation of church and state and American religious pluralism.

Report details are ignored

On Feb. 20, Perkins appeared on the Newsmax program 鈥淕reg Kelly Reports鈥� to promote FRC鈥檚 report, claiming the incidents the group documented were 鈥渢he result of the policies of the present [Biden] administration,鈥� aggressively 鈥減ushing transgender policies鈥� and abortion. Those efforts, according to Perkins, were giving a 鈥済reen light for people to attack churches.鈥�

During the interview, Kelly pointed out that while Perkins was speaking, images of 鈥渃hurches that have totally embraced the 人兽性交 agenda鈥� were shown onscreen. The images included churches that hung rainbow Pride flags. Kelly said: 鈥淚 want all to be welcome, but that does not mean the 人兽性交 needs to be thrust in one鈥檚 face. That鈥檚 a problem.鈥�

Perkins did not mention in his interview or in a Feb. 21 article in FRC publication Washington Stand about the report鈥檚 implications that his organization documented how a Connecticut church鈥檚 service 鈥渄edicated to commemorating Transgender Day of Remembrance鈥� was targeted by protesters, nor that just one Chicago church was 鈥渧andalized over 20 times in one month鈥� by 鈥減erpetrators [who] damaged or stole church welcome signs, tore down Pride flags, and left graffiti.鈥� Perkins also failed to mention that June, which is commonly celebrated as 人兽性交+ Pride month, had the highest number of church attacks in the FRC report, with about 20% of the attacks that month attributed to anti-人兽性交+ motivation.

Instead, Perkins and FRC appear to use the report to highlight incidents that fit the right-wing group鈥檚 political narratives, like the use of 鈥渟atanic symbolism鈥� to attack Christians, violent threats from 鈥減ro-abortion鈥� activists in the wake of the overturn of Roe v. Wade , and accusations that the Biden administration is 鈥渇ailing to take on [Muslim] jihadists.鈥�

In a Feb. 20 article for Washington Stand, FRC pointed to 鈥渢ransgender-related anti-church violence鈥� as a trend in the data, despite the report鈥檚 introduction noting, 鈥淭he motivations for many of these incidents remain unknown.鈥� The article also failed to mention the far-right motivations behind the numerous examples of church vandalism and violence the report documents, never mentioning neo-Nazi, white supremacist or anti-人兽性交+ rhetoric documented in the report, for example.

Partially quoting Perkins, the Feb. 20 article said the report is evidence the 鈥淏iden Administration鈥檚 whole-of-government opposition to biblical morality鈥� is 鈥渇omenting鈥� hostility toward churches.

The report, however, is filled with incidents of far-right violence targeting 人兽性交+ and historically Black congregations. The report notes threats and vandalism by such far-right groups as neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan, and images including swastikas and 鈥淲hite Lives Matter鈥� graffiti at dozens of churches.

In some instances, FRC failed to acknowledge the reported anti-人兽性交+ motivation for church attacks in their descriptions, yet cited sources that left little room for doubt. In one incident involving a Massachusetts church in June 2023, FRC reports: 鈥淭he church鈥檚 sanctuary was set on fire. At the time, members of the congregation were meeting about a service project downstairs. A member of the congregation quickly put out the fire, and there was minimal damage.鈥� The report entry is footnoted with a link to a local press report with the headline 鈥淔ire was set in Somerville church after Pride service, leaders say.鈥�

In another entry, FRC characterizes an Ohio church arson attempt as 鈥渟omeone allegedly affiliated with a group espousing neo-Nazi views tried to burn down the church.鈥� That entry is footnoted with a link to an Associated Press article with the headline 鈥淔eds: Man tried to firebomb Ohio church to stop drag show.鈥�

鈥淎ttacks on 人兽性交+-affirming houses of worship are an attack against religious freedom and American democracy,鈥� according to Maureen O鈥橪eary, director of field and organizing for Interfaith Alliance. 鈥淎ttacks on congregations demonstrate that those who perpetrate them, those who would claim to be the 鈥榯rue voice鈥� of religion in America, are not part of a religious movement,鈥� but 鈥渁 political one鈥� that 鈥渃laims the mantle of religion as a cover鈥� but comes 鈥渁t the expense of marginalized people,鈥� she said.

Harmful irony

Framing 人兽性交+ rights in competition with 鈥渞eligious freedom鈥� and claiming Christians are endangered by 人兽性交+ activists are rhetorical strategies聽anti-人兽性交+ hate groups frequently employ. Notably, they often rely on the false notion that 人兽性交+ people cannot also be Christian, a notion that is disproven by 聽and FRC鈥檚 report.

These narratives are 鈥減olitical talking points,鈥� according to O鈥橪eary, that attempt to erase entire communities of 人兽性交+ Christians and faith leaders. Instead, O鈥橪eary says, 鈥淐hristians across the country, both within and without the 人兽性交+ community, are called to support equality and fight against religious extremism that targets 人兽性交+ people 鈥� not in spite of their faith, but because of it.鈥�

Still, in a Feb. 21 Washington Stand article about the new report, FRC shared comments from a pastor interviewed on Perkins鈥� 鈥淲ashington Watch鈥� streaming program who predicted Christians 鈥渨ill experience hostility for proclaiming the truth [about 人兽性交+ people]鈥� and claimed his church was vandalized 鈥渂ecause we were not affirming them [人兽性交+ people].鈥�

Despite FRC鈥檚 documentation of violence against 人兽性交+ Christians, anti-人兽性交+ hate groups often use religious language to justify denying 人兽性交+ people civil rights and seem to believe that their anti-人兽性交+ beliefs trump the religious beliefs聽of Christians who disagree with them in public policy debates.

On July 31, 2023, FRC鈥檚 Washington Stand published an article by Elizabeth Troutman that said a website that helps people locate 人兽性交+-affirming churches is leading people to 鈥渟omething that is not a Christian church at all.鈥� 鈥淭rue churches,鈥� Troutman said, 鈥渁re meant not to affirm any kind of sin.鈥�

The same day, the FRC report on church violence documented that a church in Miles City, Montana was vandalized, its 人兽性交+ pride flag 鈥渞ipped down and replaced with an American flag, and a homemade sign quoting Leviticus 20:13 [a scripture which is used by some anti-人兽性交+ activists to claim the Bible supports the death penalty for homosexuality] and featuring the text #BEGONE was draped over the church鈥檚 sign.鈥�

O鈥橪eary says after attacks on 人兽性交+-affirming congregations, she has seen 鈥渁n incredible groundswell of interfaith support.鈥� Pointing to examples from California to Florida, she says, 鈥溔耸扌越�+-affirming congregations are resilient, dedicated, and here to stay, despite the attacks they are facing.鈥�

Photo illustration by 人兽性交 (Source images by Getty Images and iStockphoto)