Ron Baity, North Carolina Pastor, Suggests Gays Should Be Prosecuted Like They Were 300 Years Ago

A prominent North Carolina pastor has joined the chorus of voices speaking out in favor of Amendment One, which would define marriage as being between a man and a woman in the state’s constitution.

Ron Baity, founding pastor of Winston-Salem’s Berean Baptist Church and head of the anti-marriage equality organization Return America, referred to homosexuality as “a perverted lifestyle” in a Sunday sermon before telling his congregation that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people should be prosecuted, Good as You is reporting.

“For 300 years, we had laws that would prosecute that lifestyle,” he is quoted as saying. “We’ve gone down the wrong path. We’ve become so dumb that we have accepted a lie for the truth, and we’ve…discarded the truth on the shoals of shipwreck!”

Baity’s commentary come on the heels of anti-gay marriage remarks made by two other North Carolina religious leaders, Beacon Baptist Church Pastor Tim Rabon and Pastor Sean Harris, also of Barean Baptist Church.

State residents will go to the polls on May 8 to vote on both the same-sex marriage measure and to pick a Republican presidential candidate.

As The New York Times reports, recent polls of the state and an analysis of past ballot initiatives in other states suggest that the measure is likely to pass.

[Huffington Post]

Lawrence O’Donnell laid into Evangelical preacher Sean Harris, whose horrific sermon suggesting parents “punch” their gay-acting children caused public outrage.

Harris urged his congregation to physically respond to when their sons “act girly” or their daughters “act butch.” After his sermon raised many eyebrows, Harris told his local paper that he was joking during the sermon. He issued what he called an “official statement of retraction,” which O’Donnell read on air during his Wednesday night show.

Harris wrote that he’d like to retract “any and all words that suggest that child abuse is appropriate for any and all types of behaviors including (but not limited to) effeminacy and sexual immorality of all types. I should not have said what I said about “cracking,” “punching,” and particular bias toward outward attraction of girls. Nor should I have used the words “special dispensation.” I did not say that children should be squashed.”

O’Donnell replayed lines from Harris’ sermon and contrasted his incendiary statements against his retraction. During his sermon, Harris said, “Your little son starts acting a little girlish and instead of squashing that like a cockroach, you take pictures.” O’Donnell asked, “Wait – isn’t the four-year-old boy you’re talking about there the cockroach that should be squashed?”

Sean Harris’ statement also included, “I have never suggested children or those in the LGBT lifestyle should be beaten, punched, abused (physically or psychologically) in any form or fashion.”

O’Donnell then played a clip from Harris’ sermon in which he said, “Dads—the second you see your son dropping the limp wrist, you walk over there and crack that limp wrist. Man up. Give them a good punch, okay?”

Harris also said he did not mean to intentionally offend anyone. “What does this man look like when he is trying to offend someone?” O’Donnell asked.

O’Donnell then wondered, “What kind of holy man, what kind of man of God lies about what he has said in a video taped sermon when he is apologizing for what he said in that sermon. He did say that if your son has a limp wrist, you should punch him.” O’Donnell later added, “He lies about having said that.”

Source: Huffington Post

The North Carolina pastor whose violent anti-gay rant blew up across the blogosphere, said in an interview that his message to parents in a sermon — to “punch” a boy who is effeminate and “crack that wrist” if he is limp-wristed — were taken out of the “context of a ministry,” and that he meant them “figuratively,” claiming that Jesus, too, in the Bible, “conjures up violent images.”

Pastor Sean Harris of the Barean Baptist Church in Fayetteville, N.C. retracted the statements of violence but continued to defend his comments about the “importance of gender distinctions that God created,” as well his condemnation of homosexuality, citing the Bible. But he was not able to explain other passages in the Bible, such as those condoning slavery, saying he didn’t realize the interview would “slant and redirect the conversation.”

“I had no idea that the video would be chopped and posted in the blogosphere in a such a manner in which the entirety isn’t understood,” Harris said in an interview on my radio program on SiriusXM OutQ yesterday. “Those were not the best choice of words. If I had to do it over again again I would not choose those words. I was using hyperbole in an effort to communicate the importance of the gender distinctions that God created. I would offer an apology to anyone I have offended. I don’t make an apology for those gender distinctions that are the word of God.”

In trying to explain why he used violence to convey his message even though he is now retracting the statements, Harris said: “In the context of the scripture, Mark, chapter 9, Jesus conjures up violent images as well, when he says, ‘If your hand is causing you to sin, cut it off.’ He’s not speaking literally. He’s speaking figuratively, using hyperbole to convey the importance of the offense.”

Harris said the comments were taken out of context because in the rest of the video of his sermon, “I get ready to tell the church, ‘We are not to be homophobic. We are to love the gay person.’”

Nonetheless, Harris defended his condemnation of homosexuality by quoting the New Testament and the Old Testament. When asked about passages in the both the Old Testament and the New Testament condoning slavery, however, he said those passages are taken “out of context.”

“I didn’t realize this was going to be an interview on slavery,” he added, when asked why he selectively used the Bible. “It’s unfortunate that [I was not told] you were going to slant and redirect the conversation. It’s unfortunate that I accepted this phone call.”

Source: Huffington Post

A North Carolina pastor’s horrific anti-gay tirade is making the blogosphere rounds.

Sean Harris, senior pastor of Berean Baptist Church in Fayettesville, spoke at length in support of North Carolina’s proposed Amendment 1, which would outlaw same-sex marriage, during an hour-long sermon on Sunday. In this clip, provided by Jeremy Hooper of the blog Good as You, a man identified as Harris is heard urging his congregation to attack their children if they appear to be exhibiting behavior outside of gender norms.

“So your little son starts to act a little girlish when he is four years old and instead of squashing that like a cockroach and saying, ‘Man up, son, get that dress off you and get outside and dig a ditch, because that is what boys do,’ you get out the camera and you start taking pictures of Johnny acting like a female and then you upload it to YouTube and everybody laughs about it and the next thing you know, this dude, this kid is acting out childhood fantasies that should have been squashed.

Dads, the second you see your son dropping the limp wrist, you walk over there and crack that wrist. Man up. Give him a good punch. Ok? You are not going to act like that. You were made by God to be a male and you are going to be a male. And when your daughter starts acting too butch, you reign her in. And you say, ‘Oh, no, sweetheart. You can play sports. Play them to the glory of God. But sometimes you are going to act like a girl and walk like a girl and talk like a girl and smell like a girl and that means you are going to be beautiful. You are going to be attractive. You are going to dress yourself up.’”

I recently saw this post at: Huffington Post
Look what happens when people are left unchecked to believe and listen blindlessly for a long time!

What do you think? Join Cybrios and see what we can do together to combat this type of bullying.

Here’s how to check which Sites Have Been Visited in private or incognito browsing mode:

NOTE: If you have Windows XP, download Powershell 2.0 Here (Microsoft) first before doing any of this.

Incognito Mode in Google Chrome, Private Browsing in Firefox, and InPrivate Browsing in Internet Explorer are, in essence, the same. This feature restricts the information that browser stores while using the internet. What information are we talking about?

• History: If you enter a web page, information about the site, title and URL, as well as when that page was entered is saved.
• Cookies: Many sites need to track information about the user, for example a set of books on a library site. One way to achieve this is using this famous files, named cookies that store the information in user’s computer.
• Cache: If you enter more than once on a website, the browser don’t need to download all components of that site every time. It’s clear that these programs need storage  and a way to organize the files.

If I am using my computer at home I don’t mind if this information is stored on my computer. But what happens if you are using a shared computer? Making you a spy is not the motivation behind this post; however, the idea is showing the limits of the implementations of this feature.

Today I am going to use a more simple technique than the one explained on the previous article, to know what pages have been visited. This technique works for Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer.

As I am exploring PowerShell, I will show you two ways to do exactly the same.

Using the command line

When you enter on a website, you first tell the browser the name of the site you want to visit. To contact that website, the computer needs to find the IP associated with the website name; to do this, it uses a DNS server.

As you can read the process is very straightforward. As it’s not necessary to get this IP address every time, Windows uses a program (a DNS client) to store this information.

To test everything first we are going to clear entries in the DNS client:

Press WinKey + R, type cmd and press Enter to open a command line.

In the command line type ipconfig /flushdns and press Enter:

You can see the DNS resolver cache using ipconfig /displaydns:

Now we are going to open a Chrome window and go to mintywhite.com using Incognito mode. This is the private mode of Google Chrome. To open a window in this mode press Ctrl + Shift + N.

Can you imagine what happens if we close this window and check the DNS cache using ipconfig /displaydns?:

As we can see Chrome doesn’t remove this information from the DNS cache.

Using a Script

PowerShell is my latest discovery so, why not use it to display this information in a more cool way?

The code

You have to copy this to a notepad file:

@echo off
Powershell -noexit "ipconfig /displaydns | select-string 'Record Name' | foreach-object { $_.ToString().Split(' ')[-1]   } | Sort | Out-Gridview"

You will see something like this:

As always go to File menu, click Save As…, and give the file a name i.e.“ShowDNSCache.bat”. (Include the quotes to save the file as a BAT file and not a TXT file.)

If you have Windows XP, download Powershell Here from Microsoft. It’s one of Microsoft’s few hidden gems.

• Be involved with your child’s cyber interests.
• Keep current with technology and media trends.
• Agree how to supervise your child on the computer with other adults in his or her life.
• Limit use of computers, cell phones and other devices.
• Keep checking what your child uses on the computer, who she or he is texting, etc.
• Update your filter software frequently.
• Keep communicating with your child about the dangers of sharing information on the Internet.
• Keep computers in a public space.
• Know your local law enforcement’s contact information.

“How to have sex” videos on YouTube, chat rooms on LimeWire and violent games such as World of Warcraft are just three reasons parents should be concerned about the Internet, according to an Internet safety forum Wednesday.

About 75 concerned parents and their children attended the Internet safety forum hosted by the Meadowbrook Middle School PTSA.

The lessons in “cyber-parenting” were taught by San Diego Detective Susan Righthouse, and most parents said they walked away learning more than they’d expected.

“This is a completely different world than the world we grew up in,” Righthouse said. “It really is a big problem.”

In conjunction with the San Diego Police Foundation, Righthouse offered information and advice on behalf of the regional law enforcement San Diego Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force to parents on how to protect their children from predators on the Internet and create an open dialogue with them about the information they share across the World Wide Web.

Righthouse—a 22-year veteran of the San Diego Police Department who has worked for the city of San Diego’s Internet Crimes Task Force—said children between the ages of 8 and 18 spend about eight hours a day, seven days a week using some form of technology. Due to the amount of time vested into media, issues such as Internet safety should be addressed.

In fact, Righthouse said, each task force member has about 30 cases involving children at any given time and the majority involve children from middle- to upper-middle class families.

“It’s scary to think their lifeline is this wireless link,” she said. “But it’s the reality for kids today and they feel invincible, but that’s not the case.”

But Righthouse noted that predators aren’t always adults; they can be other children, too. She tied in the story of an Escondido girl who was raped by a South Dakota prison guard who she met on the Internet in 2007, and the death of 13-year-old Ryan Halligan, who committed suicide as a result of cyber-bullying.

Information from the Internet safety forum is important to disperse because the threats are real, she said.

Meadowbrook PTSA President Betty Li, who has a daughter at the school, said she was surprised at what she learned from the forum.

“The information out there is so powerful and so uncontrollable,” Li said. “They can go on the Internet and take in information without us knowing.”

Li, who said she hopes other schools will also host the free forum provided by the task force, said she walks away knowing she should now take away her daughter’s cell phone at night so that she can be certain her daughter isn’t using it when it isn’t necessary.

Kim Wetzker plans to do the same.

The mother of two children at Meadowbrook, Wetzker said though she knew a lot of the information that was offered at the forum, she picked up a few tips.

Wetzker also emphasized the importance of monitoring what children do on the Internet—a lesson taught during the forum—as she recently discovered a child on her son’s Facebook account who spoke about suicide. Due to her monitoring of the account, Wetzker was able to get that information to the child’s parents immediately to address the problem.

Despite the availability of the information on the Internet or the connections that can be made,Poway Unified School District technologist Stacey Campo said it’s just like teaching your child how to drive.

“At some point, we have to let them drive even when we don’t want to and at the tipping point with technology, it’s the same sort of concept,” she said. “So, walk away from this asking yourself, ‘What are two things you can do to make sure these stories aren’t a part of your family history?’ ”

Quick Facts:

• 39 percent of middle school students have posted photos of themselves on the Internet.
• 36 percent of middle school students have posted their real names.
• 28 percent of teens have shared personal information that they wouldn’t share in public.
• 20 percent of middle school students said they don’t feel comfortable going to their parents when they are being bullied.
• 24 percent of 14- to 17-year-olds have been involved in “sexting.”

Data from the San Diego Police Foundation

Once again, here’s What to Do!

• Be involved with your child’s cyber interests.
• Keep current with technology and media trends.
• Agree how to supervise your child on the computer with other adults in his or her life.
• Limit use of computers, cell phones and other devices.
• Keep checking what your child uses on the computer, who she or he is texting, etc.
• Update your filter software frequently.
• Keep communicating with your child about the dangers of sharing information on the Internet.
• Keep computers in a public space.
• Know your local law enforcement’s contact information.

Information from SafetyNet

via Lesson in Cyber-Parenting Encourages Monitoring, Taking Child’s Phone Away at Night – Rancho Bernardo, CA Patch.

Although the Internet has undoubtedly made your life better by providing you with a fast and efficient means of sharing information and communicating with one another, it has also come with certain risks. There is the danger of online identity theft and anonymous personal attacks, among other threats. Then there is the woefully outdated system of laws that you rely on to govern Internet interactions.

For parents raising children in this generation of Facebook, Twitter, and Google, the thought of keeping their children safe from the dangers of the Web can be overwhelming. What if they get into trouble online? Could their social media missteps be permanent black marks on their reputations?

Those are natural concerns, and parents are right to consider them, but there is no need to be afraid if you are prepared. Being a good “cyber parent” means understanding how to use the Internet to monitor your children online and help them proactively build a strong online reputation. This article offers tips on how to become a good “cyber parent.”

Make clear rules about using the Internet

If your children don’t have clear rules for what they can and can’t do online, they are bound to make a few mistakes. That’s why it’s important to establish a clear list of rules for using the Web, and social networking websites in particular. Check out the list of Five Common Sense Social Networking Rules to get started.

In addition to setting out specific rules, you should also make sure to have an earnest discussion with your children about their online reputation. Check out this article for advice on talking to your child about online reputation management and Internet privacy.

Monitor your child’s name online

You should know what your child is doing on the Web. It’s the most effective way to keep them safe from sharing inappropriate content online or becoming a victim of cyberbullying. Regularly monitor your child’s online behavior, including their social networking profiles, to make sure they aren’t giving out personally identifiable information and that they are not doing or saying anything that could hurt their reputation down the road.

With college admissions officers and job recruiters increasingly looking at online search results to make determinations about candidates, it is important that you don’t allow a mistake your son or daughter makes as a teenager to affect the rest of their life.

Be a part of their social network

If you don’t know how Facebook works, it’s hard to help your child keep their Facebook profile private. When your child joins a social networking website, you should sign up for it as well to get a feel for how the website works and how its various privacy controls are situated. Additionally, you should make sure your child “friends” you online and that you have complete access to see what is on his or her profile.

If possible, monitor their friend’s social networking profiles as well. If your son or daughter is misbehaving online, they may not be doing it only on their profile. Anything you share on the Web, no matter if it’s on your page or someone else’s should be treated as if it will be there forever. Keeping your eyes and ears open to the content in your child’s social network is an important way of making sure that they don’t hurt their reputations.

Set a good example

As a parent, you should be a role model to your kids both online and in the real world. If you’re posting party photos or blogging about how much you hate your job, you’re not setting a very good example for your son or daughter.

If your child does a Google search your name, what will they find? Hopefully, they will see a clean, professional, and content-rich list of results about their wonderful mom or dad. If you don’t have a good-looking “Google resume,” work on gaining control of your search results while you’re helping your child with their online reputation.

For help in becoming a super cyber parent, check out MyChild from Reputation.com. MyChild is an innovative service that gives parents the ability to monitor and manage their child’s online reputation with practical and powerful tools. To learn more about MyChild please call Reputation.com today at 888-720-9980 or contact Reputation.com by e-mail.

Many parental units are not “techies” and openly admit they are not. They seem to use that as an excuse to not be informed and proceed to trust their children to do what is right in an environment that is clearly risky. When it comes to underage children being online, there should be a set of household rules that are in place and followed — or no online connections.

Parenting:
n: The rearing of a child or children, especially the care, love, and guidance given by a parent. One who begets, gives birth to, or nurtures and raises a child.

Nothing there about “except when they are online”. Here are my suggestions for technochallenged parental units:

1. Keep your computer in an open place such as the family room or rec room. No negotiation here! Online activities are only allowed in this public area – when you are home. Allow a computer connected to the Internet behind a teenager’s closed bedroom door and you are asking for trouble!
2. Keep your computer and online connection password protected. Use passwords that cannot be guessed by ingenious teenagers. This way, if you are preoccupied or not home, online access is not
   possible. Change your password on a regular basis when they are not around. Better safe than sorry.
3. Advise your children that they are not to give out their full name, address, city, state, phone to ANYONE. Those who they know in their off-line world get this info through traditional means. No reason whatsoever to give out this type of personally identifiable information online to anyone without your knowledge and supervision.
4. Learn as much as you can about the Internet, how it really works including how to use your computer and browser so that you are aware of the potential problems your kids can run into. (After they
   are online, use the drop down bar in your browser’s location bar to get a hint of what they have been up to.)
5. Be sure to install any one of the many filtering software packages that help prevent your children from being exposed to topics that would make you cringe.
6. Such as:
   • CyberPatrol
   • CyberSitter
   • SentryPC

   Software is only a tool – not a replacement for your involvement.

You hear stories in the news all the time about police stings, pedophiles making contact with children or wacky teenagers running away to hook up with their newly discovered online love. We all
know that as teenagers we didn’t know squat in regard to communicating with strangers or what “love” is. Heck, I thought I was in love with Bobby Sherman!

Their life experience simply is not in place yet to make mature decisions. That’s part of life and your children need you to be their guide as they use technology. Watching over your children’s online
sessions is not an invasion of privacy — off-spring do not have privacy until they are 18 and move out! (Or is that around 30 now-a-days?)

Online monitoring is a sign of a caring parent who is involved in the activities and information their children will be exposed to online. Yes, it may be frustrating and require parents to learn some new
things along the way. A computer with an online connection is not a babysitter or because we didn’t have computers as children an excuse to not be involved.

Learn, get involved and be part of your children’s online experiences. Look at it as another activity you can share together!