Connect with us

WATCH: New Christian Anti-Gay Movie Stars Pro-LGBT Equality Actors

Published

on

Audacity is a new anti-gay, Christian film with pro-equality actors. Is that an oxymoron?

Just when you thought you’ve seen it all when it comes to the anti-gay religious right’s hateful tactics, something new happens to surprise you. For example, how about a new movie with an anti-gay plot, starring people who support LGBT equality in real life? Yes, that’s really happening, and just for clarification, no, this isn’t a comedy.

Audacity, the new 55-min. film by executive producer Ray Comfort is currently available for download for $19.99 on the movie’s website. Its official release will be on August 2, but according to religious right-wing Charisma News, thousands have apparently flooded to audacitymovie.com to purchase the film since they launched their downloadable pre-release online.

Perplexingly, two of the stars, Travis Owens (Friday Night Lights, Sordid Lives: The Series) and Molly Ritter, support LGBT equality in real life. Both of them posted supporting messages on Twitter in response to the Supreme Court’s marriage equality ruling last month.

Screen_Shot_2015-07-23_at_3.18.59_PM.png

Screen_Shot_2015-07-23_at_3.21.34_PM.pngSo why did the actors sign on to a film with an anti-equality agenda? Owens gave an interview with the Friendly Atheist Podcast to clarify why and how he participated in the film.

“I think that I got the complete script about a week before filming,” Owens told the Friendly Atheist, “after some kind of rehearsals of scenes and I knew that, the only thing that I knew was that the goal, the mission of the movie was, from the beginning, to open up the conversation between religious people and gay people, and that to me sounds like a great starting point to something, you know, and that’s as basic as it was. So I was like, I am interested in that kind of topic of discussion and then it started to kind of form and evolve.”

Owens didn’t back out of the project after he knew what was really going on. Instead, he took it as an opportunity to challenge himself by acting in a role that is the complete opposite of how he is in real life.

“My little brother’s gay, my best friend’s gay, and my sister’s gay,” Owens continued, “and the first thing I did is took this project to them and said, ‘hey this is what it seems like I’m doing here,’ and they were excited for me. They were genuinely excited because A, they know that they want to see me do that role because they’re like that is so opposite of you that I’d be interested in even seeing you in that role, and I’m a comic. This is not a role that’s strictly for a comedic actor.”

When Hemant Mehta, aka the Friendly Atheist, asked Comfort if he was aware of the actors’ views on LGBT rights before filming, Comfort gave them the following answer:

“We were looking for good actors. That was the criteria, rather then what they believed. Often Christians like to ‘keep it in the family,’ but years ago I learned that isn’t always a good idea. I went to a dentist because he was a friend rather than because of his ability, and it was a painful mistake. We were aware that even a few seconds of bad acting is very painful, and so we chose the actors solely by merit. Travis and Molly are both excellent actors and wonderful people. They are also extremely professional, and we really enjoyed working with them and getting to know them. What they believe is their business. In America we have the freedom to have differing convictions and still get along. That’s healthy.”

That seems like a very professional way to handle the situation, however that hasn’t stopped Comfort from calling foul to all the negative reviews his movie has gotten on IMDB. The average review score is currently 3.1 out of 10 stars. 

Screen_Shot_2015-07-23_at_3.18.11_PM.png

Just how did the movie get a score higher than zero? Well, it has the support of the typical anti-LGBT crowd flaunting their praise. Take a look at these anti-gay activists in this screenshot from Audacity’s website: 

Screen_Shot_2015-07-23_at_3.23.59_PM.png

Screen_Shot_2015-07-23_at_3.24.34_PM.png

 

Jeremy Hooper at Good As You calls Ray Comfort a “longtime anti-gay propagandist,” and notes Comfort says the point of the movie is how gay people can and should be “free of their sin.”

Hooper adds, “this is not just a simple movie. This is cause that Comfort is pushing into Christian churches. That is what Ray Comfort’s work is all about: evangelization. He creates content for the purpose of pulling people to his view. It’s political (though he’d see it as spiritual).”

Camille Beredjick, also at Friendly Atheist, posted a lengthy review, concluding the “target audience is not ‘homosexuals’ seeking to repent, but supportive Christians who aren’t doing enough to marginalize and harass their LGBT friends and family.”

Here’s the trailer:

 

 

Screen_Shot_2015-07-23_at_3.47.27_PM.png

 

Image, top, via Facebook

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment
 
 

Enjoy this piece?

… then let us make a small request. The New Civil Rights Movement depends on readers like you to meet our ongoing expenses and continue producing quality progressive journalism. Three Silicon Valley giants consume 70 percent of all online advertising dollars, so we need your help to continue doing what we do.

NCRM is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. From unflinching coverage of religious extremism, to spotlighting efforts to roll back our rights, NCRM continues to speak truth to power. America needs independent voices like NCRM to be sure no one is forgotten.

Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure NCRM remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to NCRM, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.

News

JD Vance Dismisses Taylor Swift’s Harris Endorsement: Voters Won’t Be Influenced by ‘Disconnected Billionaire’

Published

9 hours ago

on

September 11, 2024

By

Senator JD Vance (R-OH) dismissed Taylor Swift’s endorsement of the Kamala Harris/Tim Walz campaign, saying that it wouldn’t sway voters because they wouldn’t be “influenced by a billionaire celebrity.”

Vance appeared Wednesday afternoon on Fox News’ The Story With Martha MacCallum. MacCallum brought up Swift’s endorsement in her interview with the vice presidential candidate.

“But it was interesting last night, that Taylor Swift gave her endorsement of Harris and and Walz right after [the debate]. She has 283 million followers on Instagram, and I’m sure that someone brought your attention that she signed it ‘Childless Cat Lady.’ This is a phrase that you are going to hear in your in your dreams and your nightmares, probably for many years to come. How do you speak to women voters, who, obviously, care about what she thinks?,” MacCallum said.

READ MORE: Trump Refuses Debate ‘Rematch’, Says Harris ‘Was Beaten Badly’

“Well, look, we admire Taylor Swift’s music. But I don’t think most Americans—whether they like her music, are fans of hers or not—are going to be influenced by a billionaire celebrity, who, I think, is fundamentally disconnected from the interests and the problems of most Americans. Look, when grocery prices go up by 20%, it hurts most Americans. It doesn’t hurt Taylor Swift. When housing prices become unaffordable, it doesn’t affect Taylor Swift or any other billionaire. It does affect middle class Americans all over our country,” Vance replied.

Swift announced her endorsement of the Harris campaign last night shortly after the debate on Instagram. Alongside a photo by Inez & Vinoodh of her cuddling a fluffy cat, she urged fans to research the candidates. She also called out former President Donald Trump and his fans sharing AI-generated pictures appearing to show Swift endorsing him.

“Recently I was made aware that AI of ‘me’ falsely endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential run was posted to his site. It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation. It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth,” Swift wrote.

“I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them. I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos. I was so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate @timwalz, who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades,” she continued.

She did indeed sign the caption “Taylor Swift, Childless Cat Lady,” in reference to a comment Vance made in 2021 that the country was run by “childless cat ladies” like Harris who “want to make the rest of the country miserable too.” The quote was resurfaced shortly after Vance was named Trump’s running mate. Vance says the remark was “sarcastic” and “willfully misinterpreted” by Democrats, according to The Hill. Harris has two stepchildren.

As for Swift’s net worth, she is indeed a billionaire with $1.1 billion, according to Forbes. The same outlet places Trump’s net worth at $7.5 billion. The majority of that is due to Trump Media, the parent company of Truth Social. However, Trump Media has been losing money recently, causing Trump to fall off Bloomberg’s list of the top 500 wealthiest people.

Continue Reading

News

Asif Merchant Faces Additional Terrorism Charge In Hitman Plot to Kill Politicians

Published

10 hours ago

on

September 11, 2024

By

asif merchant

Asif Merchant faces additional terrorism charges over a plan to hire hitmen to kill government officials or politicians, according to a new indictment filed Tuesday.

Merchant was initially arrested in July for the assassination plot. Originally, Merchant was only charged with murder for hire. The new indictment keeps the murder for hire charge, and adds one count of attempt to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries. Merchant is from Pakistan, but has ties to Iran, the Department of Justice says.

“The Justice Department will not tolerate Iran’s efforts to target our country’s public officials and endanger our national security,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.  “As these terrorism and murder for hire charges against Asif Merchant demonstrate, we will continue to hold accountable those who would seek to carry out Iran’s lethal plotting against Americans.”

The Department of Justice says that he flew from Iran to America in April, and reached out to someone he thought could help him find someone to kill either politicians or government officials. That person reported him to law enforcement.

In June, he allegedly met up with the person again to discuss the plot, and confirmed he intended to orchestrate a chain of assassinations in the United States. Merchant asked the person to put him in contact with potential hitmen who would also be tasked with stealing information from targets, planning protests at political events and, ultimately committing the assassination at the end of summer, the DOJ says.

READ MORE: Leaders of White Supremacist Group Terrorgram Charged, Face Up to 220 Years in Prison

Merchant was put into contact with undercover FBI agents posing as criminals. He paid them $5,000 in cash on June 21, and when one of the undercover agents said “Now we know we’re going forward. We’re doing this,” Merchant replied in the affirmative.

Merchant stayed in the U.S. for another three weeks, booking a July 12 flight out of the country. The day he was scheduled to leave, he was arrested.

The complaint doesn’t mention any names of potential targets, but a senior law enforcement official told NBC News in August that former President Donald Trump was a potential target. Iran was said to be plotting to kill Trump in revenge for the assassination of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, NBC reported.

Merchant faces a life sentence if he’s convicted of the charges. The case is being heard in the Eastern District of New York.

Continue Reading

STILL A COWARD

Trump Refuses Debate ‘Rematch’, Says Harris ‘Was Beaten Badly’

Published

12 hours ago

on

September 11, 2024

By

Former President Donald Trump has declined Vice President Kamala Harris’ offer of a second debate. He compared himself to a top boxer, declaring himself the winner and wondering why he should bother with a rematch.

Trump and Harris had their first debate Tuesday night on ABC. Shortly afterward—less than an hour, according to ABC News—the Harris campaign asked for a followup debate in October. Fox News offered to be the host, which should have appealed to Trump, considering he wanted Tuesday’s debate to be hosted on the conservative-leaning cable news outlet. But apparently, he’s changed his mind.

“In the World of Boxing or UFC, when a Fighter gets beaten or knocked out, they get up and scream, ‘I DEMAND A REMATCH, I DEMAND A REMATCH!’ Well, it’s no different with a Debate. She was beaten badly last night. Every Poll has us WINNING, in one case, 92-8, so why would I do a Rematch?” Trump wrote on Truth Social Wednesday.

READ MORE: MAGA World Threatens to Boycott ABC After Trump’s Disastrous Debate Performance

Though Trump declared himself the winner, that is not a common belief. Many networks declared Harris the winner, including Fox News. Trump is correct that one poll did have him winning 92% to 8%, but that was an online poll from Newsmax. Newsmax is a far-right media outlet. It came to prominence during the 2020 election when Trump turned against Fox News for becoming the first outlet to declare President Joe Biden the winner in Arizona, a battleground state. Newsmax promoted Trump’s unfounded claims of voter fraud.

Trump shared a number of other polls on his Truth Social account shortly after the debate, but most were from explicitly pro-Trump outlets like the Daily Caller, or were taken on X, formerly Twitter, which has skewed right following Elon Musk’s takeover of the social media platform.

Polls from more mainstream outlets, however, told a different story. Newsweek’s reader poll showed Harris ahead nearly 2 to 1. CNN’s poll had a similar spread, with Harris declared the winner by 63% of viewers. In the Washington Post’s poll of 25 uncommitted swing-state voters, 23 said Harris did better. YouGov’s polling was closer, but Harris still pulled ahead 43% to 32%.

Pundits and experts also awarded the win to Harris. NPR said the debate “wasn’t close.” The New York Times said Harris “rattled” Trump.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2020 AlterNet Media.