Rick Scarborough

[[File:Rick Scarborough.jpg|thumb|165px|Scarborough.]]{{christianity|1}}
{{cquote|I believe the goal of [[Obamacare]] has always been to drive everyone into a single-payer, government system. Once that goal is achieved – and it is about to be achieved – [[Big Brother]] Government will control every citizen who wills to live and find medical care. Only the lion-hearted will escape the tyranny to come, at the peril of their own lives … IF WE DON’T [[WAKE UP]] NOW!|||Rick Scarborough<ref name="aca" />}}

'''Rick Scarborough''' is a [[right wing]] [[Christian]] [[fundamentalist]], political advocate and former [[Southern Baptist]] pastor from Pearland, [[Texas]], who heads an extremist political organization called Vision America. He received a B.A. from Houston Baptist University, a M.Div. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a D.Min. from Louisiana Baptist Theological Seminary.<ref>[http://visionamerica.us/about-us-2/dr-rick-scorborough/ Dr. Rick Scarborough] at visionamerica.us.</ref>

Scarborough promotes extreme far right viewpoints designed to "inform, encourage and mobilize pastors and their congregations to be proactive in restoring Judeo-Christian values to the moral and civic framework in their communities, states, and our nation."<ref>[http://visionamerica.us/about-us-2/ About Us] at visionamerica.us.</ref>

Scarborough's Vision America has a long history of whining about [[persecution complex|religious persecution]] as a springboard for general gay-bashing and [[homophobia]]. A 2006 conference designed to discuss "the war on Christians" quickly devolved into attacking and vilifying gay people.<ref>[https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2006/vision-america-bring-anti-gay-groups-washington-dc Vision America Bring Anti-gay Groups To Washington, D.C.] splcenter.org, 11 August 2006.</ref> Scarborough has ranted that Christians will be persecuted and imprisoned because of gay marriage.<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/scarborough-christians-will-be-persecuted-and-imprisoned-if-scotus-legalizes-gay-marriage/ Scarborough: Christians Will Be Persecuted and Imprisoned if SCOTUS Legalizes Gay Marriage]. Right Wing Watch, 17 April 2013.</ref> Furthermore, he stated that gay marriage is a [[Satan]]ic plot whose "end game is the complete destruction of the church" and "We are not going to bow, we are not going to bend, and if necessary, we will burn."<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/rick-scarborough-is-ready-to-burn-to-death-to-fight-gay-marriage/ Rick Scarborough Is Ready To Burn To Death To Fight Gay Marriage]. Right Wing Watch, 18 June 2015.</ref> Shortly after uttering this incendiary comment, he said he didn't mean it literally. In fact, he loves homosexuals but is compelled to tell them that if they keep being gay, then they're going to hell.<ref>[http://www.advocate.com/politics/religion/2015/07/01/texas-pastor-who-threatened-set-himself-aflame-now-loves-gays Texas Pastor Who Threatened to Set Himself Aflame Now 'Loves' Gays]. advocate.com, 1 July 2015.</ref>

Some of his other beliefs border on the truly bizarre.

*He has advocated for a class action lawsuit against homosexuality.<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/scarborough-we-need-a-class-action-lawsuit-against-homosexuality/ Scarborough: We Need A Class Action Lawsuit Against Homosexuality]. Right Wing Watch, 17 October 2013.</ref>

*He opposed Texas Governor [[Rick Perry]]'s decision to vaccinate sixth-grade children against the most dangerous kinds of HPV because sexually-transmitted diseases are [[God]]'s punishment for breaking His moral code about [[sex]].<ref>[http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/829631/mandatory_hpv_vaccination_for_texas_6th_graders_bypasses_democracy_violates/index.html PR Newswire interview with Rick Scarborough].</ref>

*He believes that the Aurora, Colorado, school shootings were a result of God lowering His hand or protection and that only 12 were killed "because of God’s intervention."<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/scarborough-colorado-shooting-occurred-because-gods-hedge-of-protection-is-lowered/ Scarborough: Colorado Shooting occurred because God’s ‘Hedge of Protection is Lowered’] Right Wing Watch, 24 July 2014.</ref>

*He participated in [[Glenn Beck]]'s [[oxymoron|Restore Love]] rally in 2012.<ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/dispatches/2012/07/16/beck-to-restore-love-with-help-of-hateful-liars/ Beck to ‘Restore Love’ With Help of Hateful Liars]. patheos.com, 16 July 2012.</ref>

*He vomited all over [[American Family Radio]] that America will not survive if President Obama was reelected.<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/scarborough-america-will-not-survive-if-obama-is-re-elected/ Scarborough: ‘America Will Not Survive’ if Obama is Re-Elected]. Right Wing Watch, 25 July 2012.</ref>

*He joined with Texas Rep. [[Louie Gohmert]], one of the dumbest members of the United States Congress, in a political movement called “40 Days to Save America,” using fearmongering tactics in an effort to fire up fundamentalists.<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/rep-gohmert-says-america-is-worse-off-now-than-during-slavery/ Rep. Gohmert Says America is Worse off Now than During Slavery]. Right Wing Watch, 16 October 2012.</ref><ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/rick-scarborough-organizing-40-days-of-prayer-fasting-to-save-america/ Rick Scarborough Organizing 40 Days of Prayer & Fasting to Save America]. Right Wing Watch, 19 March 2012.</ref>

*He believes that the attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi, [[Libya]], was successful not because Islamic fundamentalists successfully targeted it during the uproar over [[Innocence of Muslims]] but because "the Church" is being persecuted in the US, among other things.<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/scarborough-god-allowed-benghazi-attack-because-america-is-mired-in-sin/ Scarborough: God Allowed Benghazi Attack Because ‘America is Mired in Sin’] Right Wing Watch, 18 October 2012.</ref>

*He claims that the [[Affordable Care Act]] is deliberately intended to create chaos and tyranny.<ref name="aca">[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/dispatches/2013/04/15/scarborough-aca-intentionally-creating-tyranny/ Scarborough: ACA Intentionally Creating Tyranny]. patheos.com, 15 April 2013.</ref>

==External Links==
*[http://visionamerica.us/ Vision America]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Scarborough, Rick}}
[[Category:Anti-vaccination movement]]
[[Category:Homophobes]]
[[Category:Islamophobes]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Right-wing activists]]
[[Category:Tea Party]]
[[Category:Texas]]

Categories: Anti-vaccination movement, Homophobes, Islamophobes, Living people, Right-wing activists, Tea Party, Texas