Goldstein: ‘Joe the Plumber’ backlash would help pass marriage equality

Garden State Equality Chair Steven Goldstein said today that he welcomes “Joe the Plumber’s” visit to New Jersey to campaign for Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Lonegan tomorrow, especially in light of controversial comments about gay people he made in an interview that was published today.

“Joe the Plumber,” a.k.a. Samuel Wurzelbacher, told Christianity Today that he favors letting states decide the gay marriage question – which is more or less the same position that Garden State Equality takes. But in elaborating his point, Wurzelbacher made some comments some gay rights activists and progressive groups found offensive:

“People don’t understand the dictionary-it’s called queer. Queer means strange and unusual. It’s not like a slur, like you would call a white person a honky or something like that. You know, God is pretty explicit in what we’re supposed to do-what man and woman are for. Now, at the same time, we’re supposed to love everybody and accept people, and preach against the sins. I’ve had some friends that are actually homosexual. And, I mean, they know where I stand, and they know that I wouldn’t have them anywhere near my children. But at the same time, they’re people, and they’re going to do their thing.”

Goldstein said that such comments actually help his group’s cause because they help create a backlash against anti-gay attitudes among regular New Jerseyans.

See Goldstein: ‘Joe the Plumber’ backlash would help pass marriage … PolitickerNJ

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Joe The Plumber: I Would Never Let “Queers” Near My Children

Joe the Plumber, aka Samuel Wurzelbacher, sat down for an lengthy interview with Christianity Today to discuss his views on the future of the Republican party. Wurzelbacher took the opportunity to speak out against gay marriage, which he says is wrong. The unlikely conservative spokesman went so far as to say he doesn’t allow openly gay people “anywhere near” his children.

The word “queer,” Wurzelbacher noted, “means strange and unusual.”

Christianity Today: In the last month, same-sex marriage has become legal in Iowa and Vermont. What do you think about same-sex marriage at a state level?
Wurzelbacher: At a state level, it’s up to them. I don’t want it to be a federal thing. I personally still think it’s wrong. People don’t understand the dictionary–it’s called queer. Queer means strange and unusual. It’s not like a slur, like you would call a white person a honky or something like that. You know, God is pretty explicit in what we’re supposed to do–what man and woman are for. Now, at the same time, we’re supposed to love everybody and accept people, and preach against the sins. I’ve had some friends that are actually homosexual. And, I mean, they know where I stand, and they know that I wouldn’t have them anywhere near my children. But at the same time, they’re people, and they’re going to do their thing.

In the vein of George W. Bush and Michael Steele, Joe the Plumber also indicated that he wouldn’t run for public office until the Lord had given him a cue. “God hasn’t said, ‘Joe, I want you to run.’ I feel more important to just encourage people to get involved, one way or another. If I can inspire some leaders, that would be great.” Joe added: “I don’t know if I want to be a leader.”

Read more excerpts from the interview at the Colorado Independent.

See Joe The Plumber: I Would Never Let “Queers” Near My Children

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Obama’s Pastor Pick Makes Anti-Gay Gesture – Again …..

Rick Warren, who has been out of the news for, oh, about 10 minutes, since the controversial California pastor was picked to give the invocation at Barack Obama’s inauguration, is back.

Recapping here: After sticking a fork in the eye of gay rights advocates by actively supporting Proposition 8 — which overturned the legalization of gay marriage in California — Warren compounded their outrage by equating gay marriage with incest in an interview with Beliefnet.

The hubbub lulled down a little over the holidays but today, he’s back, with an open invitation to any group displaced by their denomination. This is code for Episcopal congregations that oppose that church’s acceptance of a gay bishop in 2003. Earlier this week, a California judge ruled that a breakaway congregation, St. James in Newport Beach, cannot keep its property now that they have left the Episcopal Church.

The Southern Baptist Warren shared his letter with Christianity Today which says, in part:

We stand in solidarity with them, and with all orthodox, evangelical Anglicans. I offer the campus of Saddleback Church to any Anglican congregation who need a place to meet, or if you want to plant a new congregation in south Orange County.

See Rev. Rick Warren takes another jab
USA Today -