The Religious Wrong: The Wrath of God

What I find apalling is how people like Pat Robertson balk any time that anyone voices opposition to discrimination. What Robertson is referring to is the speech made by Secretary of State Hilary Clinton which stated, in no uncertain terms, the LGBT rights are human rights, LGBT people should not have to fear for their freedom, safety, or lives merely because of who they are. On behalf of the Obama administration and the United States government, she denounced anti-gay violence, so-called corrective rape of lesbians and transgendered people, and incarceration of gay and transgendered people solely on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identification. So when Pat Robertson and his ilk (trust me, he isn't the only person who has made such a statement since this speech was given) denounce the aforementioned speech, they are effectively saying that corrective rape is okay, incarceration up to and including the death penalty for gay and transgendered people is fine, and anti-LGBT discrimination is perfectly just. How Christ-like of them.

As to the wrath of God, I'm not buying that either. The Netherlands were the first nation to enact marriage equality just over a decade ago. Nine nations have since followed their lead. I'm fairly sure that none of them have endured the wrath of God as a result. They have not been swallowed by the sea, fire has not rained down upon them, nor has equality caused societal chaos. None of the doomsday scenarios predicted by the right-wing fringe have yet come to fruition. The same is true where for an even longer time, countries have extended non-discrimination measures of other sorts to the LGBT community. All that has happened in nations that specifically protect people based on sexual orientation and gender identification is that a segment of the populous in those nations are freer and do not have the same worries as their counterparts in various parts of the United States, and are far better off than their counterparts in nations where merely being LGBT can cost you your life.

Pat Robertson and his followers would have people believe that this country living up to its promise of being "the land of the free" where "all men are created equal" would condemn the nation to the wrath of God. Fortunately, most Americans see these people for exactly what they are: ignorant hate-mongers in a desperate (and failing) bid for power and influence.