The other day, a viewer asked Pat Robertson if it was okay to “like” Facebook photos of same-sex couples.
The “700 Club” host/failed presidential candidate/former Southern Baptist minister crawled out of his cave long enough to reply that Facebook needs a “vomit” button for such pictures.
“You’ve got a couple of same-sex guys kissing, do you like that?” he rumbled.
“Well, that makes me want to throw up. To me I would punch ‘vomit,’ not ‘like,’ but they don’t give you that option on Facebook.”
Then he chuckled, at the absurdity of this wacky 21st-century world. (Click here or below to see Rev. Robertson’s full answer.)
That did not sit well with another religious figure. Rev. Debra Haffner — co-founder and president of the Religious Institute, the Westport-based multifaith organization advocating for sexual health, education and justice in faith communities and society — set up a Tumblr page filled with love, not hate.
“Such comments make it sound as if Rev. Robertson has never seen the love and the joy on the faces of same-sex couples,” the page — called “Show Pat Love!” — says.
The Tumblr invites users to share same-sex couple photos — and promises to forward a link to all submissions to Rev. Robertson’s attention.
Dozens of photos have already been posted. There are male couples, and female couples; white, black, Hispanic, Asian and biracial couples; couples with kids, and couples with dogs; couples posing in churches and temples, atop mountains and on beaches.
In other words: same-sex couples doing just what opposite-sex couples do on their wedding days.
One of the 1st couples to be featured is Suzanne Sheridan and Rozanne Gates. The longtime Westporters posted a joyful shot from their wedding ceremony at the Unitarian Church.
The minister is Rev. Frank Hall. Also officiating: Rev. Barbara Fast, of the Danbury Unitarian Church.
Interestingly, Debra Haffner is associated with the Unitarians too. When she’s not running the Religious Institute, she serves as a community minister at the Westport church.
Where, clearly, there is plenty of love to go around.
And enough to spare, even for a grumpy old man living out a different century in a Virginia cave.
(Click here for the “Show Pat Love!” Tumblr.)