Americans for Truth about Homosexuality
|
Americans for Truth about Homosexuality | |
| Founded | 1996 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Peter LaBarbera |
| 54-1829289 (EIN) | |
| Location | |
Revenue | $110,000 (2009)[1] |
| Mission | "To expose the homosexual activist agenda" |
| Website |
americansfortruth |
Americans for Truth about Homosexuality (AFTAH) is an organization which describes its mission as "exposing the homosexual activist agenda".[2] AFTAH rejects the idea that sexual orientation is inborn and believes that people can "leave the homosexual lifestyle". It was formed as a part-time enterprise in 1996 and was reorganized in 2006 by Peter LaBarbera.
History
AFTAH was formed as a part-time enterprise in 1996 to oppose the "radical homosexual agenda." It was reorganized in 2006 by Peter LaBarbera.[3] It was a 501(c)3 United States tax-exempt organization until stripped of that designation in 2010 following years of failing to file the appropriate paperwork.[4] AFTAH's tax exempt status was reinstated in 2012.[5] AFTAH rejects the idea of inborn sexual orientation and believes that "homosexual practice" is always wrong but that people can "leave the homosexual lifestyle".[6] AFTAH contends that there is a fundamental conflict between gay rights and religious freedom.[7]
Second Tax-Exempt Revocation
On October 5, 2015 the Internal Revenue Service revoked the tax-exempt status of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality retroactive to May 15, 2015[8]
Activism
In 1997, LaBarbera, then an editor for the Family Research Council, criticized US President Bill Clinton for supporting the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) stating: "He's out there using his presidential power to boost the gay lobby. I think there is an increasing acceptance [of homosexuality], but the majority of Americans are put off by the kind of homosexual advocacy they are seeing."[9]
In 2002, LaBarbera compared the alleged dangers of homosexuality to those of "smoking, alcohol and drug abuse".[3]
In 2007, LaBarbera said there was "a disproportionate incidence of pedophilia" among gay men—a claim refuted by the American Psychological Association.[10] The same year, he posted literature that made a series of false claims about gays running the German Nazi Party.[3]
In 2009, AFTAH filed a lawsuit in US Federal Court against a Naperville, Illinois, Holiday Inn Select, because of the cancellation of a banquet the AFTAH planned to hold October 6, 2007, at the hotel. The hotel cancelled the AFTAH event after learning that it would likely draw protests from the Chicago-based Gay Liberation Network.[11] That same year, LaBarbera, while speaking at the Reclaiming Oklahoma for Christ Conference, called for a government study of the dangers of homosexual sex.[12]
Core principles and beliefs
AFTAH states that it has the following core principles and beliefs:
- 1: "Homosexual behavior and trans-gender rebellion are morally wrong as they defy Nature and Nature’s God."
- 2: "Homosexuality is not the basis for a healthy self-identity; embracing homosexual or transgender lifestyles/behaviors is a very bad and destructive choice."
- 3: "Homosexuality is about What You Do, not Who You Are. Everyone is responsible before God for his or her sexual conduct."
- 4: "Homosexualism and gender confusion are not the basis for civil rights."
- 5: "All people as human beings created in the image of God deserve respect; all behaviors and ideologies do not."
- 6: "Unlike race and ethnicity, homosexuality is not immutable: people can pursue virtuous change and leave aberrant sex- and transgender lifestyles behind."
- 7: "All sex outside of a faithful marriage between one man and one woman is morally wrong. Singling out homosexuality while ignoring other sexual sins is unacceptable."
- 8: "Homosexual practice is extremely unhealthy, because Nature itself discriminates against homosexuality."
- 9: "People embracing homosexualism and trans-gender confusion, like all people caught up in self and sin, need the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the gracious, truthful outreach of compassionate Christians."
- 10: "It is wrong to hate people, but defending biblical teachings and Natural Law morality on sex and marriage is not “hate.” Nor is it “bigotry.”"
- 11: "Out-and-proud homosexualism and transsexualism are incompatible with historic, faithful Christianity."
- 12: "Today’s “gay” movement is rooted in the lies of the media-hyped Sexual Revolution, most notably the discredited work of pseudo-scientist Dr. Alfred Kinsey, America’s first “sex researcher.”"
- 13: "AFTAH condemns all violence perpetrated against people practicing or advocating homosexuality or other sexual/gender perversions, including Muslim Sharia Law barbarities committed against alleged homosexuals."[13]
Criticism
In 2010, AFTAH was designated as an anti-gay hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) for spreading "hateful propaganda", and claiming that homosexuality can be "cured".[14][15]
See also
- Parents Action League
- Heterosexuals Organized for a Moral Environment
- List of organizations designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center as anti-gay hate groups
References
- ↑ "IRS Form 990 federal tax return" (PDF). GuideStar. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
- ↑ "About Americans for Truth and Founder Peter LaBarbera". Americans for Truth. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
- 1 2 3 Schlatter, Evelyn. "18 Anti-Gay Groups and Their Propaganda". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
- ↑ Harmon, Andrew. "IRS Revokes Antigay Group's Tax Exempt Status". The Advocate. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
- ↑ LaBarbera, Peter. "IRS Reinstates Americans For Truth About Homosexuality as 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Organization". Americans For Truth About Homosexuality. Retrieved 2013-12-23.
- ↑ "About Americans for Truth and Founder Peter LaBarbera". AFTAH. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
- ↑ "First civil unions". Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL). June 3, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2012. – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)
- ↑ url=https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/revokeSearch.do?ein1=541829289&names=&city=&state=All...&zipCode=&country=US&exemptTypeCode=al&postDateFrom=&postDateTo=&dispatchMethod=searchRevocation&submitName=Search
- ↑ Thurman, Skip (November 7, 1997). "Clinton to Openly Advocate Gay Rights". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
- ↑ Schlatter, Evelyn (2010). "10 Anti-Gay Myths Debunked". Intelligence Report. Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
- ↑ Cichon, Kathy (August 31, 2009). "Christian group sues Naperville hotel". The Herald News (Joliet, IL). Retrieved September 9, 2012. – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)
- ↑ Witkowski, D'Anne (July 30, 2009). "Creep of the Week: Peter LaBarbera". Between the Lines. Retrieved September 9, 2012. – via HighBeam Research (subscription required)
- ↑ http://americansfortruth.com/2015/06/25/aftahs-core-principles-and-beliefs/#more-22256
- ↑ Dininny, Shannon (January 16, 2012). "Civil-rights history gets boost; Whitman College students to teach subject this week". The Seattle Times (Seattle, WA).
- ↑ Cruz, Hector (August 26, 2010). "Naperville anti-gay group slams Elisabeth Hasselbeck for recent pro-gay marriage remarks". Chicago Examiner (Chicago, IL).
Earlier this year, AFTAH was labeled as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) for spreading hateful proganda, and claiming that homosexuality can be cured.