Fundies plan stadium bash, locals to protest or yawn
Worried that years of modern, upbeat worship services with rock bands and hand-waving haven’t done enough to imbue their children with a sense of religion, some conservative Christian groups, with support from Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, plan a weekend at Pac Bell Park of upbeat worship services with rock bands and hand waving.
Also flag waving.
Lucky for the organizers of the “Battle Cry” concert-cum-pep rally, there is no Queer Nation to organize convulsive protests outside the stadium, though organizers will have to endure some protesting today when:
… hundreds of Christian teenagers are expected to congregate on the steps of City Hall to pray and “raise their voices on behalf of their generation,” organizers said. A group opposing BattleCry plans to protest alongside.
Historical, and more modern, references after the jump.
Over 15 years ago there was a somewhat similar event, though it was more provocative: a Texas evangelist organized a big pray-in at Civic Auditorium to attempt to “exorcise” the demons that were inflicting San Francisco. And he scheduled this for Halloween.
Fun ensued. I archived these news stories in which, yes, I am occasionally quoted as one of the organizers of the protests.
- 30 Oct 1990, Wall Street Journal: The Devil, You Say? San Francisco Faces Halloween Exorcism
- 30 Oct 1990 San Francisco Chronicle: ‘Spiritual Warfare’ at Civic Auditorium
- 30 Oct 1990 San Francisco Examainer: Local gays plan rally against televangelist’s ‘Prayer Army’
- 31 Oct 1990, Associated Press: Prayer Warriors
- 1 Nov 1990 San Francisco Chronicle: 6,500 Christians attend S.F. ‘Exorcism’
- 1 Nov 1990 San Francisco Examiner: Prayer Army and ‘pagans’ tangle
But that was then. What have the organizers of huge anti-gay, anti-modern pep rallies done for us lately? This article on TruthDig recounts Battle Cry’s first visit to San Francisco in March 2006 and the protests that greeted it, with links to responses by the Battle Cry organizers.
The High Road is tolerance.
If the City is going to pride itself with its diversity, then people will have to quash any urges to launch into a spiteful tirade against these folks who happen to be exercising of one of our most cherished yet threatened rights.
Please please please, let there be a nudist picnic across the street.
And WTF is up with the “BattleCry” war rhetoric? Are the fundies planning an uprising anytime soon?
> these folks who happen to be exercising of one of our most cherished yet threatened rights.
And interestingly enough, doing so to quash those very rights. It’s so confusing trying to understand these people.
And if they succeed, then they will be quiet. Odd how the world works, eh?
I think what the battlecry teens are doing is great. People need to know that the Lord is here for them and that he loves them…even if they refuse to believe it. The truth is…He loves you. He died for you and he’ll never stop caring for you. He even loves you when you rebuke him and hate him.
This is coming from a fellow teen…I would have been there but i couldn’t make it. Shame, i know. Ill be prayin for you guys…praying that the Lord will touch your hearts just as much as he’s touched mine. God Bless.
~Mandy