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Quote UnQuote

Compiled by Rex Wockner

Published Thursday, 19-Feb-2009 in issue 1104

“I watched the whole thing (Ted Haggard on Oprah). I feel for Haggard – because he is trapped between who he is and his internalized belief that God cannot love him for who he is. But God can love him for being gay. And does love him for being gay. This is hard, I know. Accepting God’s unconditional love for me was the hardest part of keeping hold of my Christian faith. My childhood and adolescence were difficult to the point of agony, an agony my own church told me was my just dessert. But I saw in my own life and those of countless others that the suppression of these core emotions and the denial of their resolution in love always, always leads to personal distortion and compulsion and loss of perspective. Forcing gay people into molds they do not fit helps no one. It robs them of dignity and self-worth and the capacity for healthy relationships. It wrecks family, twists Christianity, violates humanity.”

Gay writer Andrew Sullivan on his blog, Jan. 30.

“Newbies are often lumped together and collectively, even mockingly, referred to as ‘The Freshmen.’ Some of the upperclassmen are a bit snooty and don’t talk to us lowly fish, but others are friendly and eager to help.”

Openly gay U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., writing on cnn.com, Jan. 30.

“I think the reason why we secular ungodly New Yorkers are soaking it (the Ted Haggard saga) in is we are tired of being judged by the holier-than-thou, finger-wagging preachers, (and) are feeling vindicated.”

Alexandra Pelosi (daughter of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi), who made a documentary about disgraced mega-church preacher Ted Haggard that is currently airing on HBO, to New York magazine, Jan. 29.

“Imagine if I told you that I only hated ‘the Christian lifestyle,’ and not, you know, actual Christians. Hey, nothing personal! I know and like tons of individual Christians, and I’ve broken bread with Christians, and I’ve had Christians over to my house. But I nevertheless think that Christianity – just the practice, not the people – is immoral and that no one needs to be Christian – it’s a lifestyle choice, and Christians can change! Indeed, I was a Christian once. And while I have great affection for Christians I also believe that no one who is Christian is fit to parent, that Christians should not be allowed to marry or adopt, and that Christians aren’t going to heaven because my God condemns their immoral lifestyle. Oh, and I also believe that Christians being allowed to marry infringes upon my right to, um, live in a world where Christians do not enjoy that right. Would you consider me an anti-Christian bigot then? I expect you would ... and you’d be right.”

Gay writer Dan Savage on his blog, Jan. 19.

“There are (gay) expressions to this day, I don’t really know what they mean. I was having a conversation with a friend of mine two days ago, and this was the two of us, literally sitting in the living room of my house saying, ‘Well, exactly what is a sloppy pig bottom?’ ... There are many of my gay friends that use expressions that are so shocking that I think they’re trying to fool me into thinking that they know what they mean. And I still don’t really know what a daisy chain is.”

Comedienne Kathy Griffin to New York magazine HX, Feb. 5.