Howard Dean's Erroneous 700 Club Comments Outrage Gays
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"One of the biggest things that Democrats worry about is the materialism of our country, what's on television that our kids are seeing, and the lack of spirituality. And that's something we have in common," Dean told the show's David Brody. When asked about his party's positions on abortion and same-sex marriage, his comments put him at odds with some party activists. "Let's discuss abortion first," he said. "I think what we have in common with the evangelical community is that we ought to have a lot fewer abortions than we do. The difference is that we don't think making criminals out of doctors and women is a good idea."
But it's Dean's comments on same-sex marriage that have him in trouble. "The Democratic Party platform from 2004 says that marriage is between a man and a woman. That's what it says. I think where we may take exception with some religious leaders is that we believe in inclusion, that everybody deserves to live with dignity and respect, and that equal rights under the law are important."
Gay media outlets, such as 365Gay.com and the Washington Blade were quick to point out that the platform doesn't actually say that marriage is between a man and a woman. Instead, it says
We support full inclusion of gay ...
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Launched in 1999, Christianity Today’s Weblog was not just one of the first religion-oriented weblogs, but one of the first published by a media organization. (Hence its rather bland title.) Mostly compiled by then-online editor Ted Olsen, Weblog rounded up religion news and opinion pieces from publications around the world. As Christianity Today’s website grew, it launched other blogs. Olsen took on management responsibilities, and the Weblog feature as such was mothballed. But CT’s efforts to round up important news and opinion from around the web continues, especially on our Gleanings feature.
Ted Olsen is Christianity Today's editorial director. He wrote the magazine's Weblog—a collection of news and opinion articles from mainstream news sources around the world—from 1999 to 2006. In 2004, the magazine launched Weblog in Print, which looks for unexpected connections and trends in articles appearing in the mainstream press. The column was later renamed "Tidings" and ran until 2007.