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Dan Savage in new controversy for calling parts of Bible BS

BY Josh Kerns  on April 30, 2012 @ 10:47 am (Updated: 2:11 pm - 4/30/12 )

Seattle sex columnist and gay rights advocate Dan Savage is embroiled in a new controversy after calling parts of the Bible bull---t during a profanity-laced speech at a high school journalism conference in Seattle.

"We can learn to ignore the bull---t in the Bible about gay people the same way we have learned to ignore the bull---t in the Bible about shellfish, about slavery, about dinner, about farming, about menstruation, about virginity, about masturbation. We ignore bull---t in the Bible about all sorts of things," Savage said.

Dozens of students walked out of the speech in opposition, prompting Savage to respond "It's funny, as someone who's on the receiving end of beatings that are justified by the Bible, how pansy-assed some people react when you push back."

His speech and subsequent criticism has drawn sharp criticism. The father of two students in attendance calls Savage a coward and a hypocrite for attacking them for standing up for their own beliefs, especially since the speech was supposed to focus on anti-bullying and tolerance.

"He waited until after they left the room because not only is he a bully he's a coward. He's the one who uses any position of power to beat down and the fact that he's on a presidential panel on anti-bullying he should be removed," Philip Naman, the father of two high school students from Arrowhead Christian Academy in Redlands, CA. told Dori Monson.

"Imagine a keynote speaker at a high school conference telling gay kids that everything they believe is evil and wrong that would never be tolerated so why would a conference invite Dan Savage to stand up there and tell Christian kids that everything they believe is evil and wrong," replied Dori.

Savage has apologized on his blog for describing the walkout as "pansy-assed." But he's not apologizing for what he said.

"I didn't call anyone's religion bull---t. I did say that there is bulls--t "untrue words or ideas" in the Bible. That is being spun as an attack on Christianity. Which is bullshhh, which is untrue. I was not attacking the faith in which I was raised. I was attacking the argument that gay people must be discriminated against-and anti-bullying programs that address anti-gay bullying should be blocked (or exceptions should be made for bullying "motivated by faith") because it says right there in the Bible that being gay is wrong. Yet the same people who make that claim choose to ignore what the Bible has to say about a great deal else. I did not attack Christianity. I attacked hypocrisy. My remarks can only be read as an attack on all Christians if you believe that all Christians are hypocrites. Which I don't believe.

"I cannot believe that he was actually invited to speak to a high school anything," said Naman about the National Scholastic Press Association, which sponsored the convention.

In a statement, the organization called Savage "inappropriate and offensive". And it said the content was unexpected.

"This is not what our organizations expected. In his attempt to denounce bullying, Mr. Savage belittled the faith of others - an action that we do not support. Ridicule of others' faith has no place in our programs, any more than ridicule of the LGBT community would."

Ross and Burbank co-host Luke Burbank says if you listen to the content of the speech, it was actually very thoughtful and well reasoned. But he says Savage made a tactical error.

"In his attempt to be really clear and not dance around the issue and not in any way seem like he's being overly delicate, he uses the word BS. The problem is if you're talking with someone who believes the Bible, the second that you start referring to it as BS, you've lost the ability to really have them hear what you are saying."

Luke, who was raised a devout Christian as well, agrees and says Savage raises a good point.

"There are so many things in the Bible that we as a modern 2012 group of people have realized, particularly stuff in the Old Testament that we aren't going to get particularly hung up on anymore and he's just trying to say 'why is the gay question...why is that the one thing we hold on to?'"

Dave Ross says the offended students who walked out of the speech have a much bigger problem.

"If this kind of speech shocks them, they're going to have trouble making it in journalism...You have to put the most exciting, click producing stuff on the web that you can. If they're going to walk out on a story like this they're not going to go very far in their journalism career."

But Naman says Savage began the speech with overtly sexual comments about birth control and gay sex that were completely inappropriate for a student audience regardless of the controversial nature of his speech, and given his history and reputation should never have been allowed to speak to students in the first place.

"My daughter was there and this guy talks like this? What is wrong with him!?"

By Josh Kerns, My Northwest.com Editor

Josh Kerns, MyNorthwest.com Reporter
Josh Kerns is co-host of KIRO Radio's Seattle Sounds (Saturday nights 7-8) and a digital content producer for MyNorthwest.com.
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Comments (107)


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  • djag wrote...
    Dan Savage doesn't know what he's talking about
    April 30, 2012 8:01 pm
    Until Mr. Savage understands what the Bible is all about, he probably should not speak about it, against it, or anything else.....He sure does show himself to be a real man, standing up for what he believes, by talking about those who walked out, after they had left. If that ain't cowardly, I don't know what is. The real reason he speaks against the Bible is because he knows he is wrong, the Bible convicts his life, and he has no dignity to allow the Bible to change him; so he fights against the Truth, instead of accepting the Truth. Since he knows not the Truth, he also knows not anything the Bible speaks of and misinterprets the whole thing. I pray, for his sake, he changes, cuz he will regret it on his death bed, if he doesn't.
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  • John wrote...
    Dave just exposed himself.....
    April 30, 2012 8:21 pm
    Dave knows its all a matter of "clicks". The more controversial, the more "clicks." Dave Ross is a sellout. Why do you think Dave calls his "blog" --- Too crazy to ignore.
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  • longwayhome wrote...
    soo full of crap
    April 30, 2012 8:47 pm
    You don't like the content, switch channels.
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  • o2012 wrote...
    Not a single post by one of u thumpers addresses his point...
    April 30, 2012 9:42 pm
    what about all those other laws in the Bible you Christians chose to ignore? Why are you so fixated on homosexuality? How does it really affect your life if two men or two women want to be together. What is wrong with you people ~“I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ.” Gandhi~
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  • GloScot wrote...
    The onus is on him, 02012
    May 1, 2012 8:32 am
    Savage chose to call the Bible BS. He can tells us why. So far, he is fixated on homosexuality and wants everyone to accept it. He doesn't like what the Bible says about it. Therefore, he takes it out on people who believe the Bible. Simple as that. As I said before, Jesus said God loves us but wants us all to repent. And that goes for everyone.
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  • MattyC wrote...
    parts are BS??
    April 30, 2012 9:44 pm
    How about the whole Bible. It's all BS. The earth is millions of years old, Dinosaurs were real, and Gay people are not going to Hell; YOU need to realize it doesn't exist.
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  • kata wrote...
    so what?
    April 30, 2012 10:17 pm
    Does the sake of the reason change the fact of the action? People bully to gain power - the reason is irrelevant. It's still pains me to see this broken human being try to champion the cause of a greater ideal such as compassion and tolerance when it's clear has neither.
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  • dori monson fan wrote...
    who signed off on having a groomer
    April 30, 2012 10:04 pm
    speak at a public school to get his groom on? nice work bullying Mr. Antibully. You really showed those children how to hate.
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  • midwestransplant wrote...
    Big picture
    April 30, 2012 10:07 pm
    A kid gets bullied on the playground. He then calls out the bullies in public. Now he's the bully? I qaurantee that none of the Savage haters were ever bullied for being gay. His points were all valid and they hate that he can articulate it. Christians can discriminate against gays but when it's the other way around its all a sudden a horrific travesty. The things said in the bible about how to live your life have been around in other teachings in other religions long before Christianity was invented. You don't need to believe in a virgin birth or zombie Jesus to live a positive, loving existence. Christianity is in its end stages becaus people all over the world are realizing that they won't be scared into salvation. "be good or a fallen angel with horns is coming to get ya!" Please. I grew up in a devout Christian family and I knew it was BS from the start. Your hatred for gay people is because of your own insecurities about your sexuality. Jesus never said anything about the gays and I'm willing to bet the bible never did. Ask any bible scholar and they will tell you the passages pertaining to gays had nothing to do with gays. We sure like to interpret things in a way that makes us feel better. So. Christians can walk around blind, deaf and dumb all they want. Ignorance is bliss. You're not wrong but your not right either. I was bullied in school for being gay to the point of attempting suicide many times. You have no idea what youre talking about. You're going to have one rude awaking when one or all of your kids comes out to you and then you will really have reevaluate your definition of unconditional love. I'm willing to bet you have none.
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  • pwrpedaler wrote...
    Mr. Burbank knows.....
    April 30, 2012 10:38 pm
    a well reasoned argument can be wrong. He also knows the truth of the Bible and had a chance to speak up. In the case of Mr. Savage, he was very wrong about the Bible and those who follow its teachings during his discussion with the students. My understanding is that God gives us over to our desire, both good and bad. As free will humans we can enjoy or suffer the consequences of the choices we make. The Apostle Paul talks to this in Romans 1:18-31 where he describes the Wrath of God as the living Hell man brings upon himself/herself when God separates himself from us and allows us to wreak havoc with our lives (as I have foolishly done) as a result of our unrighteousness and ungodliness. How is that hangover, jail time, or guilt associated with some dirty deed working for you? I would argue with Mr. Savage and say that the Bible is not BS; rather, the unrestrained behavior of man as revealed by depravity, hatred, disrespect, greed, and wickedness is BS in the purist form.
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  • sun0732001 wrote...
    Dave and Luke should just
    April 30, 2012 11:13 pm
    put their liberal PC desires into action and have sex with each other on air. Stand behind your liberal opinions and make a point. Otherwise, you"re just words and talk, just like a dork like Savage is. "Look at me! I'm so progressive and advanced in my understandings!! I'm so much better than normal people!" OK then Luke, put your thing in another guy's thing and tell us how it really is.
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  • Mike Hunt wrote...
    Poor choice for a speaker
    May 1, 2012 12:34 am
    A speaker going before high school students should be able to articulate his message by using the vast (non-vulgar) verbage of the English language. Someone who cannot do this, and has to resort to name calling/vulgarities, generally shows they have a weak argument or none at all.

    The adults who allowed this poor choice to speak need to be held accountable.

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  • Squirrellygirl wrote...
    Understatement of the Year Award
    May 1, 2012 10:14 am
    Um, yeah.
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