Newt Gingrich: Gay Marriage is 'Pagan Behavior'

[icymist]

Despite having been married thrice and boasting of a history of marital infidelity, Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich seems to be a firm believer in the "sacrosanct institution" of male-female marriage. On a conference call for Religious Right supporters, on Wednesday, Gingrich drew parallels between gay marriage and the "rise of paganism."

"It's pretty simple: marriage is between a man and a woman," Gingrich was quoted as saying by Right Wing Watch.

"This is a historic doctrine driven deep into the Bible, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, and it's a perfect example of what I mean by the rise of paganism. The effort to create alternatives to marriage between a man and a woman are perfectly natural pagan behaviors, but they are a fundamental violation of our civilization," Gingrich said.
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/289003/20120128/gop-presidential-election-2012-republican-newt-gingrich.htm

[Angry Dragon]

1. I guess Newt did not bother reading this Bible he speaks so highly about

I remember reading about the all the concubines, the many wives,
Abraham sleeping with his wife's maid to have a child
just all kinds of sex, sex, sex
someone collecting foreskins,
sex, sex, sex

[randr]

2. Is it illegal to be a Pagan in Newt's America?-nc

[libodem]

8. He'd like it to be

He thinks Judeo/Christian values are the only values? Moral judgement not compassion?

[HopeHoops]

3. Does he even have a clue what "pagan" means?

Never mind. Dumb question.

[libodem]

5. I'm not sure what it means here

How do you define it? I'm not sure I understand correctly?

[HopeHoops]

14. Well Newt obviously meant it in the pejorative sense, but even on DU it means different things.

Perhaps the best known form is Wicca, but not all pagans are Wiccan. My youngest daughter has a nature-based almost-Wiccan view of life and prefers the term "eclectic pagan". It would probably be viewed simply as neopaganism to most, but her focus is very much on nature and sanctity of all living things, and celebration of the lesser Sabbats (solstices and equinoxes).

We've always had a no-kill rule for spiders and perhaps that shaped her belief system, but she takes it to the extent of even the nastiest of creatures like aggressive hornets, very much in the sense of a far-eastern monk (think the cockroach on the table scene from "The Next Karate Kid" with Hillary Swank).

Paganism covers a wide variety of beliefs, which is why the DU group is called "Ancient Wisdom and Pagan Spirituality" - that's an excellent name for it. I knew a girl in high school who was the first pagan I had ever met. She just called called herself a "witch", but what she followed was essentially the Wiccan Rede, same as my daughter. But unlike my daughter, I don't recall her being vegetarian. I just don't remember either way. My youngest daughter has never touched meat of any kind - not even a taste.

A lot of people don't understand the pentacle and many mistake it for the sign of Satan (in which the star is point down). She's worn a pentacle around her neck for a couple of years now but for a long time she hid it in public. Now it is always prominently displayed, even in school. She's matured. It's no different from wearing a cross or a star of David, although it was only like 5 years ago or something that the Pentagon approved it as a symbol for grave stones at Arlington.

Still, Newt meant it in the context of "heathen". I really doubt he knows any other use for the word. He's just disgusting.

[Tyrs WolfDaemon]

4. Well, you have to understand Newt

Newt does not comprehend normal good human behavior. How could he? He lives in a crazy GOP-verse, where he iis the second or third coming...



If only he could go visit Christine '"I'm not a witch" O'Donnell and have her turn him from a newt into a more human like being.

[libodem]

6. Does Newt

Mean anti-christian in code?

[Tyrs WolfDaemon]

16. I was just trying to inject a little humor into the topic

But I do get the sense that Newt does not understand most of humanity. I think he superimposses his world view onto everyone else as though his view is the right (and only way). That then leads him to look down upon and oppose all those that don't see it the same way or fit in his view. Since he has gone through the process of becoming a Catholic (and probably even long before this point as he thought of himself as a Christian) it is easy to just call anyone that does not fit his world a Pagan or Heathen. I seriously doubt he has given much thought to his use of the words and how others think of the words.

Just becasue I'm a Heathen does not make me a heathen in his view. To him, I would be a heathen for not being a conservative, a Christian, and so forth. Does that help? (I ask becasue I think I may have confused myself - I'm having a bad migraine and it isn't letting me think too well )

[libodem]

7. hmmm

Is pagan secular humanism. Which they all hate?

[libodem]

9. Do you think he

Means the dudes that worshiped the golden calf while Rabbi Mose was getting the golden tablets?

[icymist]

10. Who know what goes on in the mind of a newt!

[Tyrs WolfDaemon]

11. They normally see a fly and think food

This Newt seems broken. Perhaps the GOP ought to send him back to the factory.

[libodem]

12. He

Thinks Pagans are gay? Why?

[HopeHoops]

15. See my earlier reply, but I think he was saying "gays are heathens (pagans in his mind)".

The two words can be traced to a common origin in the pejorative sense, but really have nothing to do with each other in reality.

[libodem]

13. Mostly I wanted to talk

About what paganism means to you to see if I fit in with what the group is about.

[Ruby Reason]

17. My daughter just recently was told that her friend may not be friends with her anymore because

she is Pagan. Luckily her friend is able to see beyond her parents' views and they still talk and hang out together. I'm sure that those parents must listen to the type of crap that Gingrinch is espousing. It is so sad that people can't look beyond themselves to see the good that lies in everyone and everything.

[Tyrs WolfDaemon]

18. That royally sucks that she was told that

But at least it sounds that her friend knows better. You may need to watch for her friend's parents trying to influence the parents of other classmates. When I was in grade school a kid I knew a grade below me was Jewish (We were at an Episcopal School) and the father of one of his classmates was very anti-Jew. He set out that the two couldn't even be in a car together. Luckily the school was very good and didn't let any of that man's crap influence the other parents or kids even though he tried.

[Ruby Reason]

19. Thanks for the warning.

Luckily my daughter is in high school and self-confident. But she was still understandably upset. Most of her friends she has had for a long time and her respectful behavior makes her a favorite friend with many of the parents. The friend she is forbidden to see is a very nice and bright girl, obviously more open minded than her parents. I just warned my daughter to be careful for her friend's sake.

[AnnieBW]

20. This Straight Pagan has had one spouse

How many has Newt had?

[Tyrs WolfDaemon]

21. Three that we know of, but you never know

He might have a few others hiding in the closet just waiting for polygamy to be legal. Maybe that's why he wants to President! The other wives must be forcing him to in hopes of him changing the law.