Is anyone else not surprised at the blatant, dismal and life-destroying hypocrisy displayed by one of the religious right's leading lights, Graham Capill? The man who for so long epitomised the moralistic holier than God types who almost daily thunder about the immorality of homosexuals and the threat we face to others and society in general, was himself repeatedly sexually molesting an eight year old girl. But he's not the only one to be caught out caught out engaged in the very acts he and his ilk claim homosexuality is synonymous with, or will lead to. The sanctity of heterosexual marriage as the only basis for family? Next time you hear that one remember that Destiny Church's self-proclaimed Bishop Brian Tamaki produced a child without benefit of marriage and his daughter did the same. Honesty and respect for the law? Remember that Destiny NZ political party leader Richard Lewis was expelled from the police force because of “dishonesty offences.” The evils of drug abuse? Remember that the powerfully built Lewis (him again!) was residing in a house which was found to be harbouring illegal steroid drugs. Adultery? Remember that Auckland City Elim Church's pastor Ian Bilby committed at least one act of adultery and subsequently took up a senior position in Destiny Church. The safety of vulnerable teenagers? The head pastor of the Takapuna Assembly of God is currently the subject of allegations of sexually abusing a teenager, and now the church is accused by a former national general secretary of the AOG in Australia of misleading its own congregation by claiming lack of basis for the allegations. Protect the children from the predatory homosexual community? The next time the Catholic Church or the Salvation Army trot that one out remember the numerous cases which have come to light, here and overseas, of adult priests and trusted church-paid socialworkers molesting kids. Homosexuality is a destructive lifestyle? Tally up in your mind the number of homosexuals you can recall who have been attacked and even killed by heterosexuals in recent years. Now try to count how many heterosexuals have been bludgeoned senseless by us poofs! Homosexuals recruit? Think about that one the next time any church missionary outreach campaigns for funds, or a little posse of God-botherers arrives on your doorstep. Vote for people of high integrity? The Society for the Protection of Community Standards endorsed Graham Capill for parliament! No thanks, I'll vote for the likes of Chris Carter (poofter) or Chris Fletcher (comfortable around poofters) instead. I could go on. But every damnable thing the pompous, pious, hate-filled or insecure self-appointed guardians of this country's morality have ever accused us of, they are a million percent more guilty of themselves. Yes, this is a rant. It's a blowing off of steam by just one gay person who has had to live with and respond all my adult life to the miserable crap dealt out by those who arrogantly want to limit, demean and degrade others. - Jay Bennie GayNZ.com content editor PS. To those campaigners and political opportunists who are currently smearing gay libertarian Jim Peron for views he aired twenty years ago when he was dealing with all sorts of mental and emotional shit created by a fundamentalist Christian upbringing, and which he no longer espouses (and who has never to anyone's knowledge laid a finger on a kid, let alone repeatedly sexually molested an eight year old), I point you to your Bible and its teachings. I ask you to look to your consciences. Jay Bennie - 1st April 2005