They say, "If it quacks it's a duck"...but I'm now convinced that if it quacks, it's an affiliate of Focus on the Family. In the following video, Kim Trobee cites the testimony of David Pickup to counter the fact that the American Psychological Association remains skeptical of those who promote therapy to reverse homosexuality. Trobee and her associate proceed to tell us that the APA's "embrace of the gay agenda" is under siege by learned experts and that gay activists have likely overplayed their hand.

I hate to burst Focus on the Family's Biblically based bubble, but if David Pickup is their idea of a reputable expert, they're in need of a serious reality check. Should there be any doubt, take a look at the following David Pickup video.

When I first saw the video, I wrote the following:

This is priceless. The following video is apparently a legitimate advertisement for men seeking to overcome their homosexuality. The fact that it is filled with homoeroticism only reinforces my belief that many of these men are tortured Christians with a limitless ability to disguise their sexual orientation by engaging in acts of denial that are intended to demonstrate their heterosexuality...as well as their devotion to the religious dogma they seem hopelessly driven to embrace.

Honestly, when I first saw the video clip, I thought the program had to be a joke. However, after tracking down the site where it is advertised, it appears to be a "legitimate" attempt to offer services intended to "repair" homosexuality. Of course I know nothing about the credentials of the gentleman offering the program. For all I know, he could simply be an opportunist attempting to play upon the insecurities of men who feel compelled to reject their homosexuality. Even if he is sincere in offering this program, it doesn't negate the absurdity in suggesting that homosexuality can be washed away.

In fact, I think the video is a comical adventure in homoeroticism (and I had a little fun with it in my prior posting). I suspect the use of this kind of exploitive imagery is an element in the APA's reluctance to endorse this supposed "treatment". The fact that the actual evidence also casts doubt on the therapeutic value of such programs only underscores the absurdity of the FOF assertions.

While men like Pickup would have us believe that they are providing a beneficial service, I'm of the opinion that they are simply capitalizing upon the fact that some homosexuals are unable to reconcile their orientation with the rigidity of their religious beliefs. Hence, these programs are merely the means to reinforce ideology and suppress actual one's sexual orientation.

In different circumstances, I suspect we would equate these programs with the kind of brainwashing we typically associate with cults. The fact that some participants report themselves as having altered their orientation is little more than the scripted assurances we witness from those who would have us believe that their membership in a cult is an act of willful self-awareness.

Frankly, the endless effort to establish the "militant homosexual agenda" meme as a matter of fact is sickening. The utter lack of legitimacy in this assertion is only exceeded by the total disregard for facts that is so often the trademark of those who wrap themselves in the pabulum of piety. This disconnect is disturbing...and it calls into question their claim to Christian values.

I realize that Bill Maher is first and foremost a comedian...but in my opinion, he's also one of the most intelligent and insightful people on the airwaves. I realize that his blunt and outspoken style may offend some...but perhaps that's exactly what we need.

In truth, Maher, and those who embrace his views, face an obstacle that is most likely insurmountable. I say as much because it's my contention that religion's power comes from its ability to assuage the fear of mortality...even though that ability emanates from the inherent denial found in its followers.

What Maher brings to the table is a willingness to confront life as it exists; not as we endeavor to create it in our minds. Unfortunately, the number of people willing to join him in experiencing and embracing the existential angst he accepts is far too small...primarily because he resides in a place that is far too disquieting.

Frankly, the obstacles preventing the widespread adoption of Maher's perspective is the equivalent of the equation that underlies the expression, "Better the devil you know, than the devil you don't." It also brings to light the real possibility that human nature will forever wrap itself in the grandeur of godly gesticulations rather than accept the certainty of our inability to ascertain the meaning of our existence as well the unyielding uncertainty that surrounds our understanding of it's inevitable ending...death.

You see, in the end, our proclamations of a commitment to truth...in close association with our religious beliefs...is more a function of self-deceit than a demonstration of faith. Regardless, the contrived comfort this construct provides is a powerful force...one that isn't apt to be abandoned in favor of facts...especially since the facts, to the extent we know them, support a hypothesis most of us are unwilling to accept.

In the end, we're imprisoned by our own fears, and we make bargains with ourselves, and the higher beings we imagine, in order to survive the knowledge of our pending death. In this dissonance driven dichotomy, we also sacrifice the life that's available to us when we spend precious time negotiating away our self-determination in the hopes that doing so will convince our contrived gods to grant us eternal extensions.

Sometimes contrast creates nothing but conflict; other times it highlights the absurd positions some people hold. The following video is an example of the latter. This encounter, between the folks of Westboro Baptist Church and Red State Update's Jackie and Dunlap, is clearly intended to make us laugh. While it succeeds in doing just that, it also demonstrates the complex distinctions that defy our attempts to generalize and categorize each other.

Clearly, Jackie and Dunlap are caricatures created for comic value. Regardless, they represent one of the many mindsets we find in our American culture. One could say the same about the Westboro clan, although their actions aren't intended to make us laugh and they undoubtedly hold a uniquely controversial viewpoint. In watching this interaction, we realize the dangers that come with labeling.

Perhaps in seeing the exchange between these two groups, we are able to see the things that connect us with those we would otherwise reject. In fact, one could argue that the extremity of the Westboro Baptist ideology helps the rest of us find the common ground we share but so often fail to acknowledge. As we see in this video, Jackie and Dunlap may well have more in common with the gay couple they interview than with a group like Westboro...a group we would be more inclined to associate with the red neck personae they exhibit.

Sadly, the video also highlights the divisive nature of our political process. In the pursuit of power, all too often those who seek office choose to exaggerate our differences while downplaying our similarities. In this way, they simply raise the barriers that separate us from each other. The more this happens, the more antagonistic we become to each other...seemingly accepting the one-dimensional depictions we've become accustomed to as a result of the relentless rhetoric that rolls off the tactical tongues of our politicians.

In the end, we see that a seemingly light hearted video may have a greater capacity to foster understanding than those who spend their time behind their pulpits promoting propaganda or those who traverse the country telling us the intend to unite us; not divide us.

The following will be the format utilized for live blogging. Readers will be able to comment in real time. The system is remarkably easy to use. Feel free to ask any questions you may have. I'm look forward to the conversation. Both of the boxes below have a feature providing some basic information on how live blogging works and they also allow you to create an email reminder for the upcoming live blogging session.

It's my intention to keep one live blogging session open most of the time. It will provide a means to communicate upcoming video content as well as other relevant information. It also allows readers to communicate any questions or concerns in the same convenient location. When I'm away, it provides a feature allowing me to note when I will return. I believe It has many of the benefits of an instant messaging feature.

In a special comment, Keith Olbermann dissects the rhetoric of John McCain...and reminds the forgetful senator of the many instances in which he has contradicted himself. While it appears that John McCain thinks his age grants him a memory waiver, Keith Olbermann is having none of that.

In typically testy form, Olbermann scolds the McCain camp for employing the politics of our sitting president and embracing its scorched earth strategy...the one that attempts to craft facts from thin air and make them stick...by relying on shear repetition of reprehensible rhetoric.

Olbermann takes the Arizona senator to task on his accusation that the Barack Obama candidacy is merely a matter of "ambitions"...pointing out that senator McCain must be at least equally ambitious...unless he's being forced to run for the presidency.

Lastly, Olbermann lambasts the McCain campaign's criticism of NBC...suggesting that the attack on the network is but a lowly attempt to prevent objectivity by spinning a fully suspect story line...one that prefers the stealth nature inherent in the waging a whisper war against his opponent.

In Mo Rocca's explanation of the following video, he tells his readers that he hesitated to post it because he thought he may have been too annoying. After watching the video, I think Mo's assessment is wrong.

If I may offer my own analysis, I think Mo's concerns come from the the reactions of one of his interviewees (I suspect you can figure out which one). In fact, Mo was simply doing what he does best...asking inane questions about seemingly serious matters. It's what makes Mo so funny. The fact that some folks are too tense to appreciate a little comic relief needn't suggest that Mo was too acerbic...in my humble opinion.

In truth, I think the piece is pretty funny. Besides, if we have to listen to commentators ooh and ahh in horror over the misstep of a gymnast, we're entitled to a little sarcasm, aren't we?

Biblical literalists rarely discuss the history behind its compilation. Instead, they remind the faithful of the provisions they find to be the most beneficial in maintaining their authority...and therefore the power it grants.

In truth, the Bible's compilation is a case study in the influences of culture, politics, sociology, psychology and any combination of the many other intrigues that can be associated with human nature.

In the following BBC documentary, Pete Owen Jones, an Anglican priest, provides an in-depth discussion of the many documents that were not included in the Bible...and the impact they may have had upon Christianity and the beliefs Christians hold.

What this documentary proves is that the history of man has always been a relatively subjective endeavor. In that reality, we are often left with uncertainties as to what is, in fact, reality. To presume that the Bible was constructed absent any such bias is to ignore the instruction of history...as well as the human nature of those who record it.

Yes, our need for an explanation of the meaning of our existence and an understanding of our inevitable mortality is a compelling motivation to believe in something with certainty. Notwithstanding, such need does not create fact out of fiction...no matter how desperate we may be for it to exist. Such is the existential conundrum we face.

The GOP has, for years, claimed to be the party of family values. Unfortunately, that title is more like a badge worn on one's lapel than an innate commitment to morality. Even worse, this carefully chosen description is primarily tailored to encompass those issues the GOP feels will garner votes. This seeming manipulation is no accident. In fact, I think it's safe to say that the GOP practices selective morality...the kind that makes a revelation of hypocrisy all the more significant.

Consider the facts. John McCain wants us to believe he shares the values of the evangelical voters he seeks to court. Unfortunately, his own history suggests something else...yet that hasn't stopped McCain from moving to claim he's always been aligned with Christian values. Well, if one believes that Ralph Reed represents family values, perhaps John McCain is entitled to wear his new badge.

In the first of the two following videos, Dems Rapid Response sheds some much needed light on the kind of values the GOP has actually come to represent under the leadership of men like George Bush. Yes, they consistently rail against abortion and same-sex marriage...while condoning deceit, deception, and dishonesty...the kind that robs hard-working Americans of opportunities and insures that the political elite will maintain their hold upon wealth and power.

The truth of the matter is that Ralph Reed, once a burgeoning star in the GOP (who diligently mouthed the party's moral mumbo jumbo), was exposed as the corrupt cash chasing charlatan he's always been. In fact, his rapid ascendency was formulaic...and his speedy demise deservedly mimicked that of many of his crooked Christian cohorts.

The fact that John McCain is happy to attach his fundraising efforts to Reed is a testament to the priorities he and his party share. The hypocrisy is revealed in their simultaneous attempts to connect Barack Obama's secular sensibilities with all things un-American...and therefore paint them as lacking moral justification.

In the second video, Matthew 25, a Christian political action committee, offers some much needed contrast...and begins the difficult work of dislodging the faithful from many of the fraudulent fabrications about Barack Obama that are being fostered by legions of GOP loyalists.

Sadly, we've become a nation that finds much of its worth in the denigration of others...and the blinding bravado of dogmatic intransigence. If it isn't the gays or those who favor a woman's right to choose or the hotel chain that offers adult movies to patrons or the network that allows Janet Jackson to expose her breast, it's the French and those other nations that have chosen secularism and the full separation of church and state.

In our haste to equate morality with the institutionalization of theology, we've often impinged upon the promise of equality and forsaken the foundational fundamentals of our freedom...and the opportunities it should foster. In fact, many of us have succumbed to the notion that simply being American is akin to being moral...and we've increasingly acted without introspection...assuming we can do no wrong.

Truth be told, values aren't limited to those issues that can be easily sexualized or sensationalized. The family that suffers in silence under the burden of a usurious mortgage or as a result of a failed economy or due to unexpected medical expenses they can't afford warrants consideration. Unfortunately, we're talking about the kind of morality that calls us to act; not simply to feign outrage.

It's easy to vilify the unknown gay man who wants to marry his partner or the stereotyped women who may have chosen to have an abortion. They are nameless, faceless individuals we can categorize while never having to recognize their humanity. The neighbor family struggling to pay its bills and feed its family is too close...too real...too apt to require our morality to be more than lip service.

Instead, we prefer the safety of pious platitudes. We want our elections be about salacious snippets and snarky sound bites...as it keeps us from having to look at our candidates, our country, ourselves, and our collective actions beyond the cardboard caricatures we construct.

America is at a crossroads...whether we choose to admit it or not. We run the risk of becoming irrelevant under the weight of our own rationalizations. Morality cannot be a slogan or a slur. It can't be predicated upon a golden rule that grants gold a godly status. Our ability to buy and sell the world...while staking a claim to all things Christian...is a contradiction that cannot be sustained. Family values cannot exclude those families we choose to ignore.

Morality cannot be measured without a commitment to compare and contrast. The following videos can be an important first step in that direction.

In 1960, television likely played a part in JFK's defeat of Richard Nixon. In the 2008 election, while YouTube may be poised to play a similar role, I suspect that the debates will actually provide a level of discrimination that is reminiscent of 1960...technicolor will yield to contrast.

In this YouTube era, we're bound to see countless videos on the 2008 election. Some are informational, some are inspiring, many are intended to simply make us laugh, and a few actually achieve all of the above. The following video fits into the latter category.

Not only does it play upon the Rocky theme, it highlights the McCain campaign's decision to take the low road...despite his numerous calls for a clean campaign based upon the issues important to Americans...and it succeeds in capturing the essence of the Obama message.

Many have criticized Obama for not responding in kind to McCain's scorched earth campaign. While there may be some merit to that criticism, this video actually reminds us that Barack Obama is attempting to change the political terrain...a message that likely propelled him to the nomination...and one that will serve him well in the closing days of this campaign.

John McCain has chided Barack Obama for refusing to participate jointly in weekly town hall appearances...creating an expectation that McCain is prepared for direct debate on the issues...and Obama isn't. However, I suspect that once the debates are underway, John McCain will find himself struggling to impart his positions and wishing he could reduce the number of opportunities for voters to witness these two candidates in action...face to face...a contrast I doubt will benefit McCain.

I'm of the opinion that the debates, and this video, will draw attention to John McCain's true temperament; not just the persona he's succeeded in crafting...with the help of many in the media. The debates will refocus us upon the important policy and character differences we need to consider, but, above all else, they will serve to reintroduce us to the essence of the Obama appeal...a commitment to change...in the way we conduct our political campaigns...and in the way we pursue solutions to our problems.

Ironically, it won't be John McCain's age that harms his electability; it will be the fact that he allows his age to be so closely connected with the politics of yesterday. America wants change...and it will soon be evident whose fighting against it...and whose prepared to fight for it...and deliver it.

Those opposed to same-sex unions frequently suggest that it is a threat to their own marriages. In the first of the two following videos, 9in10.org helps highlight some of the hypocrisy behind these sanctimonious assertions.

Needless to say, their depiction of the heterosexual male's fascination with girl on girl action also highlights the acceptance of female objectification and the degree to which the male mind set dictates societal norms.

In the second video, they introduce us to BigoTV...a network committed to propagating all forms of bigotry. Pay special attention to the portion of the video (1:35 - 1:45) where our two bigoted friends engage in a little celebratory cackling. Suffice it to say that their latent tendencies are on display.

I should be ashamed of myself for stereotyping Mo Rocca. When I imagine Mo and the Olympics, I can't help but think of him as a voyuer...the kind that loves to watch swimming and gymnastics...if you get my drift. I just didn't visualize him as the coordinated, athletic type...despite his stint as a sassy salsa singer.

In the following video, Mo is attempting to overcome his childhood fear...and find the courage to finally execute a back handspring. Too my surprise, Mo actually displays a degree of flexibility and athleticism...and as always...his sense of humor.

Mo has promised a follow up video in which he hopes to complete an unassisted back handspring...without falling and breaking his head off. Stay tuned...there's bound to be some drama.

Woops, there I go again with the stereotyping.

The following video is possibly the most egregious display of unbridled ignorance I've seen in years...and stating as much may well be an inexcusable insult to ignorant people everywhere. Rather than focus on the fact that this video maker must have never attended a science class in her life, I think it may be more fun to come up with a list of reasons to believe that sprinkler rainbows are part and parcel of a currently undisclosed militant homosexual strategy.

With that said, grab your tin foil caps, sit back, and imagine a room full of scheming homos...dressed in mauve military uniforms...designed with impeccable style, slimming lines, immaculate accents, flawless fabrication...and tell-tale rainbow badges embroidered and affixed atop their heterosexual hating hearts. Let the games begin!

Number Ten:

Sprinkler rainbows are the precursor to the introduction of disco ball slip 'n slides...complete with smart lighting to produce rainbows, water soluble lubrication for extra slippage, and piped-in party music featuring dance remixes of Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, and Patti LuPone standards.

Number Nine:

Gays have created a secret society of children's clowns to hammer home the rainbow color scheme (ever see a clown dressed in brown and black?) and imprint children with a flair for the flamboyant.

Number Eight:

The acronym R.O.Y.G.B.V., thought to represent the colors of the rainbow, was actually constructed as a clandestine code for communicating one's same-sex orientation to others. The letters stand for "Ride On Your Great Big Viper".

Number Seven:

The Wizard of Oz, thought to be a children's book authored by Frank Baum at the turn of the century, was actually the first in a series of literary works designed to tease out the theatrical curiosities of pint-sized little people...prime targets for voluntary servitude as fairy fellators.

Number Six:

The myth that each rainbow has a pot of gold at its end was perpetrated by militant homosexuals to lure unsuspecting individuals away from their homes and into remote areas where they could be convinced to join a tribe of traveling drag queens who knew the way to the pot of gold.

Number Five:

Unicorns are frequently pictured with rainbows in an effort to subliminally signal those who may be predisposed to a fascination with all things phallic.

Number Four:

An effort to rearrange the names of the planets is underway. Militant gays are convinced that school children discussing the rings around Uranus in science class would be far more vulnerable to indoctrination than those who discuss the brightly colored rainbowesque rings around Saturn.

Number Three:

The metallic oxide salts mentioned in the video (that produce these ground-hugging water rainbows) are the work of a group called The Lesbian Legionnaires. Exposing little tomgirls to low lying rainbows is thought to hasten their rejection of all things feminine and frilly.

Number Two:

Stuart Shepard, creator of Focus on the Family's recent video requesting evangelicals pray for rain during Barack Obama's acceptance speech in Denver, is actually a closeted homosexual enlisted to infiltrate the organization and promote these prayers in the hope that Obama's closing remarks would be delivered under a double rainbow.

Number One:

The Rainbow vacuum cleaner, sold door-to-door and through in-house demonstrations, was invented as the means for gay men to enter heterosexual households and gauge the willingness of married men to engage in provocative innuendo while discussing the systems novel attachment...the crevice tool.

Thought Theater previously posted an ABC News expose on televangelist Todd Bentley and his Lakeland, Florida ministry. That posting can be found here. Bentley claims to have healing powers and he's parlayed this assertion into a large following...which has translated into even larger cash donations.

As the ABC piece notes, there isn't any actual evidence supporting any of Bentley's proclamations...yet there is little reason to believe Bentley will cease and desist. Unfortunately, so long as people voluntarily flock to see and support him, his increasingly grandiose pronouncements will persist.

The line between a sincere demonstration of faith and an outright disconnection from reality is on full display in the following video. In the video, Bentley reads a letter to his flock in which it is suggested that his ministry has played an integral role in raising a man from the dead. As if a third party account weren't sufficient evidence of Bentley's deception, he proceeds to unequivocally state, "the dead are being raised".

I've long realized the power that lies beneath our fear of death, but this video takes it to another level...one that ought to be sufficient to question the sanity of the participants. The fact that this can happen in this day and age should lead us to explore the societal factors that enable this type of delusional thought.

I find it ironic that many of the religious leaders who suggest faith is the salve to heal society are actually the ones who are providing the virtual narcotic which is facilitating our neurosis. In this circle of self-sustaining symbiosis, faith becomes the means to deny death (the drug) and the giving of cash to those who produce it (the dealers) is the means by which the recipients (the addicts) insure that it will continue to be available.

I've long been opposed to the war on drugs...but if it could be redirected towards extinguishing this carefully crafted canard, I'd happily enlist. In the end, morality must have self-awareness as its core. Todd Bentley and his ilk are selling anything but.