Evangelical teens rally in S.F.

Joe Garofoli, Chronicle Staff Writer

Saturday, March 25, 2006

More than 25,000 evangelical Christian youth landed Friday in San Francisco for a two-day rally at AT&T Park against "the virtue terrorism" of popular culture, and they were greeted by an official city condemnation and a clutch of protesters who said their event amounted to a "fascist mega-pep rally."

"Battle Cry for a Generation" is led by a 44-year-old Concord native, Ron Luce, who wants "God's instruction book" to guide young people away from the corrupting influence of popular culture.

Luce, whose Teen Mania organization is based in Texas, kicked off a three-city "reverse rebellion" tour Friday night intended to counter a popular culture that he says glamorizes violence and sex. The $55 advance tickets for two days of musical performances and speeches were sold out, but walk-up admission was available for $199.

After stops in Detroit and Philadelphia in the next few weeks, Luce wants to unleash a "blitz" of youth pastors into the communities to do everything from work with the homeless to find new ways to bring others to Christ. He challenged youth leaders to double the size of their groups in the next year.

And then he plans to return to San Francisco next year to chart their progress.

That's bad news to Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, who told counterprotesters at City Hall on Friday that while such fundamentalists may be small in number, "they're loud, they're obnoxious, they're disgusting, and they should get out of San Francisco."

Luce didn't flinch in the face of the counterprotest. The author, host of the "Acquire the Fire TV" cable television program and a President Bush appointee to a federal anti-drug-abuse commission, wants teens to find Bible-based solutions for the spread of sexually transmitted disease, teen pregnancy, drug abuse and suicide.

The villains, Luce said, range from the promiscuity and "sexualization" of young people on MTV and the popular online meeting hub MySpace.com to a corporate culture that spends millions trying to woo the under-21 crowd.

Battle Cry will try to bring them back to God through two days of religious rockers, speakers and the debut of what Luce called a Christian alternative to My Space.com.

"This is more than a spiritual war," Luce said. "It's a culture war."

Military metaphors abound in Luce's descriptions of the struggle. He tells young people of how "an enemy has launched a brutal attack on them." At a pre-Battle Cry rally Friday afternoon on the steps of City Hall, Luce told his mostly teenage audience that "terrorists of a different kind" -- advertisers -- were targeting them and that they were "caught in the middle of the battle."

"Are you ready to go to battle for your generation?" he asked, and the young people roared "yes!" and some waved triangular red flags flown from long, medieval-looking poles.

Luce's approach has been praised by conservative leaders from the Rev. Jerry Falwell to Fox News commentator Sean Hannity. Much of the statistical backing for the horrors Luce sees on TV is provided by the Parents Television Council, which is funded by conservative foundations such as the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation.

Those alliances weren't lost on the 50 protesters representing a rainbow of San Francisco's left -- from abortion-rights advocates to anti-war activists to atheists -- who staged Friday's counterprotest.

"There is a real intolerancy to homosexuality in a lot of these organizations," said Peter Cobb, an organizer with Not In Our Name.

Earlier this week, the Board of Supervisors passed a resolution condemning the "act of provocation" by what it termed an "anti-gay," "anti-choice" organization that aimed to "negatively influence the politics of America's most tolerant and progressive city."

Luce said it was the first time one of his events has been officially condemned.

A Battle Cry invitation to teenagers made plain the symbolism of gathering in San Francisco for a pre-event rally at "the very City Hall steps where several months ago, gay marriages were celebrated for all the world to see."

Same-sex marriage "is another sign of the end of times," said Sherilyn David, referring to the apocalypse that some fundamentalist Christians believe is foretold in Scripture. The 22-year-old San Jose administrative assistant came to Battle Cry with 15 other young Christians on Friday and will be joined by 60 other friends Saturday.

Christian Gallion, a 15-year-old in town with his Assembly of God youth group from Humboldt County, shrugged off being called "fascists" by counterdemonstrators.

"It doesn't bother me," Gallion said. "It's a beautiful city, and we don't have anything against the protesters."

His youth pastor had no interest in engaging in political debates.

"I'm not here to hate anybody," Scott Thompson said. "This isn't about Bush or gays or anything other than being here to worship together."

That's not how some liberal leaders saw it.

"Even if it is done by a Barnum & Bailey crowd with a tent and some snake oil, I think we need to pay attention to it," said Supervisor Tom Ammiano, who authored the condemnation resolution. "We should not fall asleep at the wheel."

Separated by barricades and six feet of neutral sidewalk in front of City Hall, the two sides traded amplified calls to arms Friday.

On one side of the barricade was girl carrying a sign that said, "Instead of porn, show us Godly relationships." On the other, a woman held one that said, "I moved here to get away from people like you."

As Battle Cry organizers walked through the crowd of young people telling them, "Don't engage with them," one rain-soaked counterdemonstrator yelled, "And next time, come back in summer."

Luce said they will.

"We're going to be back here in a year, to see what kind of progress we've made," he said. "And we're going to be at AT&T Park. Or whatever it is called then."
-------------------

Sounds about right for SF.

So much for free speech huh?............Typical that they condemn activities like this, but their own are quite ok

queers suck

Quoted: So much for free speech huh?............Typical that they condemn activities like this, but their own are quite ok

Ever notice how the "Most liberal, progressive, tolerant" places are filled with the most intolerant people if someone doesn't toe THEIR line?

Sure do............I was there during 911, and just as soon as it had been shown on tv, the hippies were out in force condemning the US........

Quoted: Quoted: So much for free speech huh?............Typical that they condemn activities like this, but their own are quite ok Ever notice how the "Most liberal, progressive, tolerant" places are filled with the most intolerant people if someone doesn't toe THEIR line?

I attended this event when it was in Kansas City a month ago.  It is an incredibly positive ministry focused on teens.  I will go back again with my youth group.  

patsue

I just think it is fascinating. Here was an assemblage of 25,000 teenagers who got together to promote decency and morality in society, and most of the ink went to describing the objections of CIVIC OFFICIALS and the FIFTY protestors to the event.

Not to mention elected officials essentially telling them to shutup and get out....

And people wonder if there really is a culture war.

Simply, if gays, transexuals, peace activists and anarchists can protest and gather, so should evangelists.

Quoted: Simply, if gays, transexuals, peace activists and anarchists can protest and gather, so should evangelists.

All men are equal, Shooter.

Apparently some men are just more equal than others in San Fran....

Quoted: Simply, if gays, transexuals, peace activists and anarchists can protest and gather, so should evangelists.

That's the way it's suppose to work....

It's truely sad to see a gathering of people who are trying to
do good be berated by the scum of the Earth .

This just helps to make more people believe the end may
be nearly upon us .
Isn't the end war suppose to begin when good is drastically
outnumbered and the evil teach that the good are the evil ?

At the same time it is a hopeful sight to see so many young people gather
in these numbers to make a stand for what is right.

Perhaps we do still have a chance.

This is a good organization.    We took our youth group to the event when it was held here in Minnesota last month.    I couldn't really find any fault with what they had to present.

note my total lack of shock or surprise

Quoted: Quoted: So much for free speech huh?............Typical that they condemn activities like this, but their own are quite ok Ever notice how the "Most liberal, progressive, tolerant" places are filled with the most intolerant people if someone doesn't toe THEIR line?

Yep, it's all about inclusion and equality...... as long you think identically to them.  Stray from their 'tolerance' and you are just a bigot or a 'hate' criminal.

So much for "Tolerance"

San Francisco should be happy.  After all, its unlikely that God will dump them into the ocean during the two-day rally.  Think of it as a reprieve.

I'll bet if they were a bunch of faggot pedophiles or some depraved shit like that, it would be okay, huh? San Fran needs to be firebombed off the face of the fucking earth.

who cares what happens in Buttfuckistan

no rally will change a thing

Buttfuckistan

Quoted: Quoted: Simply, if gays, transexuals, peace activists and anarchists can protest and gather, so should evangelists. That's the way it's suppose to work....

Actually no, that is not the way that it is supposed to work. Not in the mind of the liberal.

The liberal's purpose is to push an agenda forward. Anything counter to that agenda angers them and motivates them to push even harder to forward their agenda. There is nothing new here. The communists called people like these evangelicals "counter revolutionaries", and subjected them to horrible abuse and execution.

This is par for the course with these people.

Quoted: Quoted: Simply, if gays, transexuals, peace activists and anarchists can protest and gather, so should evangelists. All men are equal, Shooter. Apparently some men are just more equal than others in San Fran....

bullshit,
 I opened this up expecting to see they  had been denied a permit for a rally or some such nonsense.  

They were given permission to hold a rally (within their rights)
Other people decided to hold a counter demonstration (within their rights)
Some government officials made personal statements about their feelings on the organization holding the rally (most here seem to support free speech, so shouldn't have a problem with this)

You might have a point if they were not allowed to gather, but they were.

The only part I find odd is the "offical condemnation" by the city council.  I'm not able to find any more on it and I'm not sure if that isn't a reporter embellishment of a city council MEMBER stating his opposition to the group holding the rally.

Earlier this week, the Board of Supervisors passed a resolution condemning the "act of provocation" by what it termed an "anti-gay," "anti-choice" organization that aimed to "negatively influence the politics of America's most tolerant and progressive city."

Progressive and tolerant so long as you don't love freedom or have any opinion to the contrary of the beliefs of leftists.

What a joke.

Quoted: ...The only part I find odd is the "offical condemnation" by the city council.  I'm not able to find any more on it and I'm not sure if that isn't a reporter embellishment of a city council MEMBER stating his opposition to the group holding the rally.

I'd say THAT is the very part people have a problem with.

This group gives me weird vibe - all the talk about end times and such assures me they are the sam types who continuously accused me of being some sort of davil worshopper for studying evolution in college.

Still, when a major city shows such obvious bigotry in an official statement - all the while while calling for tolerance in the SAME SENTENCE - you gotta laugh.  The comparison to Communist crackdown on "counter-revolutionaries" is spot-on.

These far left nutjobs - should they ever wield REAL political power - would crack down on evangelical / fundamantalist Christian groups in ways that would make the China / Falun Gong problem crackdown look mild.  Of that I have no doubt.

Why do I believe this?  Che Guevarra, the Sandanistas, etc. are virtually worshipped by these folks.  We are dealing with a very scary fringe of society that has pretty much taken over a city.

Quoted: It's truely sad to see a gathering of people who are trying to do good be berated by the scum of the Earth .

It's truely(sic) sad to see that people have been so brainwashed to think that a bunch of narrow-minded, judgemental, superstitious bigots are actually "trying to do good."

Quoted: Actually no, that is not the way that it is supposed to work. Not in the mind of the liberal evangelical. The liberal's evangelical's purpose is to push an agenda forward. Anything counter to that agenda angers them and motivates them to push even harder to forward their agenda. There is nothing new here. The communists called people like these evangelicals "counter revolutionaries", and subjected them to horrible well deserved abuse and execution.

Fixed it.

Quoted: Quoted: It's truely sad to see a gathering of people who are trying to do good be berated by the scum of the Earth . It's truely(sic) sad to see that people have been so brainwashed to think that a bunch of narrow-minded, judgemental, superstitious bigots are actually "trying to do good." Quoted: Actually no, that is not the way that it is supposed to work. Not in the mind of the liberal evangelical. The liberal's evangelical's purpose is to push an agenda forward. Anything counter to that agenda angers them and motivates them to push even harder to forward their agenda. There is nothing new here. The communists called people like these evangelicals "counter revolutionaries", and subjected them to horrible well deserved abuse and execution. Fixed it.

I give it out of

Quoted: I'd say THAT is the very part people have a problem with. This group gives me weird vibe - all the talk about end times and such assures me they are the sam types who continuously accused me of being some sort of davil worshopper for studying evolution in college. Still, when a major city shows such obvious bigotry in an official statement - all the while while calling for tolerance in the SAME SENTENCE - you gotta laugh.  The comparison to Communist crackdown on "counter-revolutionaries" is spot-on. These far left nutjobs - should they ever wield REAL political power - would crack down on evangelical / fundamantalist Christian groups in ways that would make the China / Falun Gong problem crackdown look mild.  Of that I have no doubt. Why do I believe this?  Che Guevarra, the Sandanistas, etc. are virtually worshipped by these folks.  We are dealing with a very scary fringe of society that has pretty much taken over a city.

Exactly.

Imagine the national outcry if a city put out an official statement about a million man march, or if public officials stood up and said that all the black folks ""they're loud, they're obnoxious, they're disgusting, and they should get out of San Francisco."

THAT is the disturbing part of this.

Again, all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.

Quoted: Earlier this week, the Board of Supervisors passed a resolution condemning the "act of provocation" by what it termed an "anti-gay," "anti-choice" organization that aimed to "negatively influence the politics of America's most tolerant and progressive city." Progressive and tolerant so long as you don't love freedom or have any opinion to the contrary of the beliefs of leftists. What a joke.

Quoted: The liberal's evangelical's purpose is to push an agenda forward. Anything counter to that agenda angers them and motivates them to push even harder to forward their agenda. There is nothing new here. The communists called people like these evangelicals "counter revolutionaries", and subjected them to horrible well deserved abuse and execution.

Fixed it.

Tell me he didn't just say that Christians deserver to be persecuted?

Quoted: I give it out of

I must be losing my touch...  

Quoted: Fixed it. Tell me he didn't just say that Christians deserver to be persecuted?

Don't pay attention to JavaMan.

He doesn't understand what the 1st ammendment means any more than he understands what the 2nd ammendment means. You are best off simply ignoring him.

On the other, a woman held one that said, "I moved here to get away from people like you."

And that is why Kalifornia is so fucked up. We've been overrun by all the libtards that were driven out of all the normal states.

Hmmm, apeshit evangelical fairy tale thumpers ...or... apeshit hippies.  what a cruel world hy.gif

Quoted: On the other, a woman held one that said, "I moved here to get away from people like you." And that is why Kalifornia is so fucked up. We've been overrun by all the libtards that were driven out of all the normal states.

Human migration - as it effects San Franciso in particular - is fascinating to me.  As the nuts keep moving in, others get fed up and leave.  The whole place is morphing into some sort of weird bizarro world.  In a few more years, I honestly don't see how they will even be able to police themselves - the city is so anti-police that I can't see how the department has held out this long.  Soon, San Francisco will be a city of nothing but fruits, nuts, and the herbivores and predators that consume them.  I am truly curious as to whether the city can sustain itself on its current path.

Quoted: And that is why Kalifornia is so fucked up. We've been overrun by all the libtards that were driven out of all the normal states.

Well speaking personally, I have never "driven" anyone out of anyplace, and neither has anyone else I know.

But it does say something about the liberal mindset that they feel so put upon that they must flee people who advocate moral positions.

Oh teh noes!11!

Quoted: Hmmm, apeshit evangelical fairy tale thumpers ...or... apeshit hippies.  what a cruel world

Fairy tale thumpers?

Whatever, sonny.

I bet if there was a big gay parade, complete with guys fudge packing right in the open, it would be all good....

If it were peace protestors screaming about how evil America is, and Bush=Hitler, and how our military sucks, it would be all good....

Typical libshit...

Quoted: Quoted: I'd say THAT is the very part people have a problem with. This group gives me weird vibe - all the talk about end times and such assures me they are the sam types who continuously accused me of being some sort of davil worshopper for studying evolution in college. Still, when a major city shows such obvious bigotry in an official statement - all the while while calling for tolerance in the SAME SENTENCE - you gotta laugh.  The comparison to Communist crackdown on "counter-revolutionaries" is spot-on. These far left nutjobs - should they ever wield REAL political power - would crack down on evangelical / fundamantalist Christian groups in ways that would make the China / Falun Gong problem crackdown look mild.  Of that I have no doubt. Why do I believe this?  Che Guevarra, the Sandanistas, etc. are virtually worshipped by these folks.  We are dealing with a very scary fringe of society that has pretty much taken over a city. Exactly. Imagine the national outcry if a city put out an official statement about a million man march, or if public officials stood up and said that all the black folks ""they're loud, they're obnoxious, they're disgusting, and they should get out of San Francisco." THAT is the disturbing part of this. Again, all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.

Excelent comparison,

as for what they said, color me not suprised.

Quoted: Quoted: Hmmm, apeshit evangelical fairy tale thumpers ...or... apeshit hippies.  what a cruel world hy.gif Fairy tale thumpers? Whatever, sonny.

Oh right! Plagiarized and altered mythology, metaphors, and stories taken from other stories traced back from other tales taken from other tales = the word of GOD. How could I forget?  http://bbs.fuckedcompany.com/icons/lol.gif

Oh noes! I'm going to hell! Even though the hell was just incoporated from mythology into my goyim fairy tale ~2006 years ago! http://bbs.fuckedcompany.com/icons/tard.gif

Quoted: Oh right! Plagiarized and altered mythology, metaphors, and stories taken from other stories traced back from other tales taken from other tales = the word of GOD. How could I forget?  bbs.fuckedcompany.com/icons/lol.gif

No, your lumping of young people who are gathered for the purpose of trying to stop the diseased culture which is leading to the abolishment of our fundamental rights and institutions along with the very people who are RESPONSIBLE for the collapse of those rights and institutions is disturbing.

You don't have to believe in God or the Bible.

But automatically putting down those who do is a sign of either hubris, ignorance, or stupidity.

Quoted: Quoted: Simply, if gays, transexuals, peace activists and anarchists can protest and gather, so should evangelists. All men are equal, Shooter. Apparently some men are just more equal than others in San Fran....

Yes, gays, transgenders, S&M, D&S, and every other kind of non-traditional person is respected, if not celebrated.

But Christians are seen as the devil.

Assemblyman Mark Leno is gay, and like many gays, he views fundamentist Christians as the enemy.

Would have made for a great earthquake, losing a bunch of religous zealots in training and the hippies that hate them...

Quoted: Would have made for a great earthquake, losing a bunch of religous zealots in training and the hippies that hate them...

"Religious zealots in training"????

Good grief, you people scare me.

I suppose if the 25,000 teenagers had shown up to see Phish while smoking lots of reefer everyone would have been much happier.

But some kids show up to a concert series with a message to not participate in the diseased thinking of the culture and people are claiming they are "zealots in training".

Quoted: Quoted: ...The only part I find odd is the "offical condemnation" by the city council.  I'm not able to find any more on it and I'm not sure if that isn't a reporter embellishment of a city council MEMBER stating his opposition to the group holding the rally. I'd say THAT is the very part people have a problem with. This group gives me weird vibe - all the talk about end times and such assures me they are the sam types who continuously accused me of being some sort of davil worshopper for studying evolution in college. Still, when a major city shows such obvious bigotry in an official statement - all the while while calling for tolerance in the SAME SENTENCE - you gotta laugh.  The comparison to Communist crackdown on "counter-revolutionaries" is spot-on. These far left nutjobs - should they ever wield REAL political power - would crack down on evangelical / fundamantalist Christian groups in ways that would make the China / Falun Gong problem crackdown look mild.  Of that I have no doubt. Why do I believe this?  Che Guevarra, the Sandanistas, etc. are virtually worshipped by these folks.  We are dealing with a very scary fringe of society that has pretty much taken over a city.

That's just it.  I can't find an official statement by the city government.  Even if there was one, it would depend on how it was worded.

Saying that the views of the rally participants are not the views of the city of SF doesn't seem to be out of line to me.  If anyone has a link  to the offical condemnation, I would love to see it.

Quoted: Quoted: I'd say THAT is the very part people have a problem with. This group gives me weird vibe - all the talk about end times and such assures me they are the sam types who continuously accused me of being some sort of davil worshopper for studying evolution in college. Still, when a major city shows such obvious bigotry in an official statement - all the while while calling for tolerance in the SAME SENTENCE - you gotta laugh.  The comparison to Communist crackdown on "counter-revolutionaries" is spot-on. These far left nutjobs - should they ever wield REAL political power - would crack down on evangelical / fundamantalist Christian groups in ways that would make the China / Falun Gong problem crackdown look mild.  Of that I have no doubt. Why do I believe this?  Che Guevarra, the Sandanistas, etc. are virtually worshipped by these folks.  We are dealing with a very scary fringe of society that has pretty much taken over a city. Exactly. Imagine the national outcry if a city put out an official statement about a million man march, or if public officials stood up and said that all the black folks ""they're loud, they're obnoxious, they're disgusting, and they should get out of San Francisco." THAT is the disturbing part of this. Again, all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.

Hold on there, I was chided for not respecting first amendment rights when I said I voted against Bush Sr for saying atheists weren't citizens.   I made the argument that while he had every right to make that statement, I had every right to vote him out of office for the statement.   I also stated it might be better if he had remembered he was my president as well as Joe Christian's president.

What he said is a personal  opinion just like Bush's, yet the same people who thought it was no big deal that he said I wasn't a citizen (while I was serving in the Navy no less) are up in arms because they were called "loud, obnoxious, and disgusting"

seems like liberals aren't the only people with different rules for those they don't agree with

I love the smell of hypocrisy in the morning....

Quoted: Quoted: Oh right! Plagiarized and altered mythology, metaphors, and stories taken from other stories traced back from other tales taken from other tales = the word of GOD. How could I forget?  bbs.fuckedcompany.com/icons/lol.gif No, your lumping of young people who are gathered for the purpose of trying to stop the diseased culture which is leading to the abolishment of our fundamental rights and institutions along with the very people who are RESPONSIBLE for the collapse of those rights and institutions is disturbing. You don't have to believe in God or the Bible. But automatically putting down those who do is a sign of either hubris, ignorance, or stupidity.

Reminder: They marched. Nobody fucking stopped them. "OFFICIALLY CONDEMNED" != abolishment of rights. You lot are whinging about this guy and 'them thar diseased librool SF commie pinko faggot pedophiles' taking up THEIR first amendment rights.   Why do you hate THEIR freedom? Why do you want to abolish THEIR rights to counter protest?

Quoted: Hold on there, I was chided for not respecting first amendment rights when I said I voted against Bush Sr for saying atheists weren't citizens.   I made the argument that while he had every right to make that statement, I had every right to vote him out of office for the statement.   I also stated it might be better if he had remembered he was my president as Joe Christian's president.

I don't recall chiding you for that.

What he said is a personal  opinion just like Bush's, yet the same people who thought it was no big deal that he said I wasn't a citizen (while I was serving in the Navy no less) are up in arms because they were called "loud, obnoxious, and disgusting" seems like liberals aren't the only people with different rules for those they don't agree with I love the smell of hypocrisy in the morning....

Did I "chide" you for saying you voted against Bush I?
Did I say you weren't a citizen?

No?

Then why are you trying to whip out the "hypocrisy" card?

Quoted: Reminder: They marched.

No, genius, they didn't march anywhere. They went to an event that they paid for. It was a CONCERT mixed in with some religious speakers for crying out loud...

Nobody fucking stopped them. You lot are whinging about this guy and 'them thar diseased librool SF commie pinko faggot pedophiles' taking up THEIR first amendment rights.

I have never complained about ANYONE using their first ammendment rights.

Why do you hate THEIR freedom? Why do you want to abolish THEIR rights to counter protest?

I don't recall saying that the 50 protestors who showed up to protest this event should have been drug off to the gulag. So perhaps you can show me where I stated anything like that.

All I recall stating is that it is disturbing to see government officials call a group of people "disgusting" and to "leave San Fransisco" because of their religious beliefs.

If someone had said that about a Muslim group, the libbies would have gone berzerk.

Now you can continue to accuse me of things I have never said if you want to, but I am sure most will understand if I choose to ignore you when you do.

Celebrate DUversity