Obama appoints open homosexual to faith-based office

Jim Brown and Jody Brown - OneNewsNow - 4/7/2009 8:00:00 AM

The head of a conservative activist group says President Obama's appointment of a leading homosexual activist to his faith-based council is an ominous sign that he may enforce a "pro-homosexuality orthodoxy" on religious groups receiving federal funds, which is itself a form of bigotry.

Barack Obama has appointed outspoken homosexual activist Harry Knox to the White House Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Knox, who is the director of the Human Rights Campaign's (HRC) Religion and Faith program, will serve a one-year term on the 25-member Council. Two years ago during an appearance on MSNBC, Knox argued that scientific evidence supports the notion that certain people are born homosexuals. "What's clear from our experience and from science is that being gay or lesbian is an immutable, unchangeable gift from God -- one for which I'm very grateful," he said. According to the HRC website, Knox is a former licensed pastor of a United Methodist Church in Georgia, and was denied ordination because of his sexual orientation.

Last month, Knox was critical of Pope Benedict's statement that condom usage increases HIV infections. That stance, said Knox, "is hurting people in the name of Jesus." He has also referred to "lesbian and gay" ministerial candidates as "gifted ministers." HRC cites Knox as "instrumental in creating a national network for 22 progressive state clergy coalitions" across the U.S. But Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, says the HRC staff member is at the forefront of a movement that seeks to rewrite the Bible to support homosexuality. "Harry Knox is part of an organization which is fundamentally bigoted against Christians and promotes the exclusion of Christians from various fora," he contends. "For example, Human Rights Campaign used its influence to kick me off a diversity panel that I was supposed to be part of on dealing with faith and controversial issues, including homosexuality." While the HRC staffer claims he "will support the president in living up to his promise that government has no place in funding bigotry against any group of people," LaBarbera says Knox will be "using his influence to keep Christians out of government-funded programs."

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