“I said, ‘We agree to disagree,’ and he said ‘No, I’m right and you’re wrong.’”
— Green Bay Packers safety LeRoy Butler, rehashing a conversation he had with the pastor of a Wisconsin church that canceled his upcoming appearance because Butler tweeted in support of NBA player Jason Collins, who came out as gay. He was quoted by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
“I feel honored to belong to the long list of people who have been murdered and burned alive for thinking and searching for knowledge.”
— Roberto Francisco Daniel, a Catholic priest who was ex-communicated for advocating homosexuality, open marriage and other “grave statements counter to the dogma of the Catholic faith and morality.” He was quoted by the Reuters news agency.
“If you’re openly living in unrepentant sin, whatever it may be — not just homosexuality, adultery, fornication, premarital sex between heterosexuals, whatever it may be — I believe that’s walking in open rebellion to God and to Jesus Christ. So I would not characterize that person as a Christian because I don’t think the Bible would characterize him as a Christian.”
– ESPN sportscaster Chris Broussard, commenting after Jason Collins, a Christian, became the first professional sports player to come out as gay.
“The History Channel is not here. I guess they were embarrassed about the whole Obama-is-a-devil thing. Of course, that never kept Fox News from showing up. They actually thought the comparison was not fair — to Satan.”
- President Obama, joking at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on Saturday in Washington.
“As our culture drifts ever further from the truth that each person is created in God’s image, and is therefore of unspeakable value, life will continue to be viewed as a cheap commodity.”
– Focus on the Family president Jim Daly, writing in The Washington Post about the need for a “moral and spiritual awakening” needed following a series of national tragedies.
“I guess at some point, I had to grow up. … Thirteen years later, I am proud to say that not only do I not fart in public, but I also don’t blurt out, “Who farted?!” when someone else does. If that ain’t progress, I’m not sure what is.”
– Writer Chaya Kurtz, writing on xojane.com about how she had to give up farting in public when she became a Hasidic Jew.
“Tamerlan Tsarnaev represents Islam like Fred Phelps represents Christianity.”
- The Rev. Susan Russell of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, Calif., in a Facebook post about the Boston Marathon bombing suspect and the outspoken anti-gay Kansas pastor.
“It’s time to acknowledge the dishonor of terrorism within our communities, not to deny it because of shame.”
– Muslim author and activist Asra Nomani, writing in The Washington Post about the Muslim community’s response to the Boston Marathon bombing.
“I would not be willing to do a funeral for him. This is a person who deliberately killed people. There is no room for him as a Muslim. He already left the fold of Islam by doing that.”
– Imam Talal Eid of the Islamic Institute of Boston, speaking to the Huffington Post about why he wouldn’t conduct a Muslim funeral for Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev
“Not only did Jesus tolerate weapons, he instructed His disciples to buy them!”
- Family Research Council president Tony Perkins, in welcoming the Senate’s defeat of a move to expand background checks for gun purchases.
