Robertson's true colors show during Pride Month
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, June 12, 2009
CONTACT
Erikka Knuti (202) 756-4135
eknuti@mediamatters.org
Jessica Levin (202) 772-8162
jlevin@mediamatters.org
Robertson's true colors show during Pride Month
Televangelist claims many "have been made homosexuals" because of abuse
Washington, DC - Today, Media Matters for America condemned national religious media figure Pat Robertson's recent comments that he was not "persuaded that so-called homosexuals are homosexuals because of biological problems," and that while "there may be a very few, there are so many that have been made homosexuals because of a coach or a guidance counselor or some other male figure who has abused them." Robertson has made similar comments in recent weeks baselessly linking homosexuality with pedophilia.
President Obama proclaimed June as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Month.
"As a national religious media figure, people look to Pat Robertson for spiritual guidance. But he continues to use his platform on The 700 Club to mislead his audience and spread fear and intolerance," said Eric Burns, president of Media Matters. "As our nation celebrates the LGBT community and the strides we have all made to overcome our history of intolerance and ignorance, Robertson's rhetoric reminds us that there is still more work to be done."
Other heads of national and state-based LGBT organizations have spoken out against Robertson's comments:
Jon Blair, CEO of Equality Virginia: "Equality Virginia is disappointed, but unfortunately not surprised, by Pat Robertson's recent comments. For years, Robertson has been toting the same tired message that being GLBT is a dysfunction, likely caused by something traumatic in a GLBT person's life. The overwhelming truth, supported time and again, is that most GLBT people have normal childhoods and are living healthy lives. Abuse is no more or less prevalent in the GLBT community than it is in the straight community. At the end of the day, the most prevalent trauma that GLBT people endure in life is the social discrimination they receive at the hands of misinformed people like Robertson."
Jeff Lutes, Executive Director of Soulforce, said of Robertson's comments: "As a therapist, it is hard for me to believe that there are still so many who refuse to even consider the growing body of social science research on this subject. Robertson ought to be deeply ashamed of himself for giving the mother who wrote him, and his television viewers, such misguided, erroneous, and dangerous advice. I hope this young man's parents will ignore Robertson and seek more reputable information -- his very life just might depend on it."
BACKGROUND
As Media Matters documented, on the June 9 edition of the Christian Broadcasting Network's The 700 Club, Robertson responded to a mother who asked: "How should we, as parents of a homosexual son, handle the ongoing challenges facing us, such as staying true to our faith and following the commandment to 'love your neighbor as yourself'? This is very difficult for us." Robertson replied:
Well, first of all, he's not your neighbor. He's your son; that's a different thing. You owe him, you know, advice and counsel and guidance. You're his parent. First of all, you didn't say how old he is. Secondly, I am not at all persuaded that so-called homosexuals are homosexuals because of biological problems. There may be a very few, but there are so many that have been made homosexuals because of a coach or a guidance counselor or some other male figure who has abused them and they think there's something wrong with their sexuality. So you need to get deep into why he is what he is, instead of just saying, "Well, he's a homosexual so how do I handle him, and how do I be Christian?" Well, I think you ought to tell him, "Listen, son, you know, here's what the Bible says about this, and it's called an abomination before God, so I've got to tell you the truth because I love you." That's what I think.
[...]
You love him. Of course you love him. And you accept him. You love him, but at the same time, you can't let him just go, you know, he'll wind up...Well, I mean, if somebody's on their way to hell, they'll -- I mean, you've got to love them to rescue them.
As Media Matters has repeatedly documented over the past few months, Robertson has a history of homophobic comments:
Pat Robertson on gay marriage: "[W]hen two men get together and make a baby, I'll change my point of view"
http://mediamatters.org/clips/200905130023
Pat Robertson suggests "ultimate conclusion" of legal same-sex marriage is legal polygamy, bestiality, child molestation, pedophilia
http://mediamatters.org/clips/200905070024
Pat Robertson asks whether the hate crimes bill protects someone who "likes to have sex with ducks" or "little boys"
In a joint Media Matters/Campaign for America's Future report, Media Matters found that the country is growing more progressive on gay rights issues with each generation.
To view video of Robertson's June 9 comments, please visit: http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200906090014
###
Media Matters for America is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media. For more information, visit www.mediamatters.org
RSS Feeds
