Pastor Steven Branson of Village Parkway Baptist Church in San Antonio emerged as the leading voice and defender of US Air Force Airmen near Lackland AFB (Joint Base San Antonio).  He held a meeting at his church for Airmen to discuss issues of “religious hostility” — and 80 Airmen attended the “standing room only” meeting.

The left-leaning website Media Matters’ berated Branson, calling him “extreme” and repeatedly describing him as “anti-gay.”  Media Matters’ Carlos Maza wrote that Branson 

has a history of overblown anti-gay commentary [and] extreme anti-gay rhetoric.

What does “anti-gay” mean?  This is how Maza explains his “anti-gay” moniker:

[Branson] called the Episcopal Church’s acceptance of openly gay bishop Gene Robinson “just another step on the slippery slope to the destruction of the life that we know in America.”  He cited growing acceptance of same-sex marriage as evidence that America is “spinning out of control” and has lost its “discipline to live a good and decent life.”

It would seem Maza’s definition of “anti-gay” is not too far from what many people call “Christian.”  He cites mainstream Christian opposition to the social acceptance of homosexuality, so his decision to use the term “anti-gay” appears to be inflammatory and sensationalist.  “Anti-gay” in this context means Branson holds to the Christian belief that homosexuality is a sin — and the belief that normalizing sin is not good for society.  But using the term in that way would seem to open Maza to the charge that his own statements could be described as “anti-Christian.”

Just to drive home the point, though, Maza adds this tidbit at the end:

Recently, [Branson] demonstrated a willingness to work with groups like the notorious hate group Family Research Council (FRC).

How did Branson “work with” the FRC?  He appeared on their radio show.

The FRC is as much “notorious” for its designation as a hate group as the private SPLC is for making that designation — and reportedly inspiring a gunman to attack the FRC headquarters.

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