To Tell The Truth: Activist Corrects 5 Lies Spread By Christian Values Network & CGBG

San Francisco, California: On August 16th 2011 the Charity Give Back Group (CGBG) issued a press release entitled “Charity Support Group to Retailers: Don’t Be Bullied By Activists.” The sub-heading stated “CGBG corrects the record with ‘The 5 Mistruths by the Activists;’ Asks Retailers to Remain Neutral.” The Press release began:

CGBG, an online service that helps users support their favorite charities by shopping on the web, today is correcting the record on a growing misinformation campaign to bully retailers into punishing customers and charities based on charities’ and customers’ beliefs.

Anyone with a brain will recognise propaganda when they see it, because that’s exactly what this press release was. This press release also said:

In recent weeks, a small group of activists has targeted major companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Macy’s, the Gap, Expedia, and others with online petitions that portray CGBG and a handful of its network charities in a false light. As a result of the misinformation campaign spread through blogs and other online media including Change.org, Allout.org and Tie-dyed Jive in the (415), several retailers have severed ties with shoppers who use CGBG to support their chosen charities with online purchasing.

The Christian Broadcasting Network, Religious Wire Services, Family Research Council (FRC), Focus on the Family (FOF), American Family Association (AFA), and other Christian News Outlets reported this press release as fact. In the section that allegedly corrected the “5 Mistruths by Activists,” their propaganda did not correct any “mistruths.” As someone who is always interested in semantics, I think it’s fascinating that the facts I cited to support my boycott campaign, was characterized as shedding a false light on CGBG and a “handful of its network charities.”

As you can see in the quote above, the press release also said that because of my “misinformation campaign,” that “several retailers have severed ties with shoppers who use CGBG to support their chosen charities with online purchasing.”

I think it’s imperative for Christian Wire Services, and Christian news outlets, to report the truth. By running this press release as a story, they were not reporting the truth. I am going to write about the absolute truth as it relates to this company’s statements, and prove that their propaganda is nothing but lies.

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• CGBG network charities Focus on the Family and Summit Ministries are listed as “hate groups” by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).

I made an error, and I did misidentify FOF as a SPLC hate group. I corrected my mistake. and added that due to the lies and misinformation that FOF spreads about the LGBT community, that they are a hate group in my opinion. I still hold that view, and would argue that Summit Ministries, another peddler of anti-gay propaganda, falls into the same category. The CVN/CGBG folks insinuated that because these organizations are 501 (c) (3) charities, they are legitimate Christian groups. The KKK is a 501 (c) (3) Christian charity, with the same status as these other groups, does that make the KKK’s message legitimate? NO!

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• The Family Research Council is a “hate group.”

The Southern Poverty Law Center does designate the Family Research Council as a hate group, as they articulated in their excellent blog post last week. CVN/CGBG also insinuates that because FRC is a registered charity, they can’t be a hate group. They also add that FRC is fighting this designation vigorously. How’s that going CVN/CGBG? Are they still fighting the designation by defaming the LGBT community? The Family Research Council and the KKK are 501 (c) (3) Christian charities, and both are hate groups, does that make the FRC or the KKK’s message legitimate? NO!

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• CGBG is associated with Abiding Truth Ministries, a Springfield, MA.,-based organization classified by the SPLC as a “hate group.”

I never said that CGBG had any kind of affiliation with Scott Lively, or his heinous group, and the Scott Lively led “Kill the Gays” initiative in Uganda.

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• The name of the business retailers are working with is “Christian Values Network.”

The name that retailers use to identify your affiliate marketing group is CVN, and TJGN, which is consistent with their marketing materials. As we all know CVN stands for Christian Values Network, and TJGN is the acronym for the Jewish Giving Network. This information was true as of Friday September 2 2011. What I find fascinating is what does the Jewish Giving Network have to do with the Christian Values Network? What will our Jewish friends think of this? The owners of the Jewish Giving Network, LLC, a for-profit company is trading on “Jewish” to give their business legitimacy.

It’s very difficult to know what the Christian Values Network or CVN.org is calling itself these days. According to the Nevada Secretary of State’s Office, the Faith and Family Values, Inc. owns CGBG, LLC and the Jewish Giving Network, LLC. The press release claimed CVN became CGBG in March 2011, when the incorporation papers for the LLC were filed on 10/16/2008. The Jewish Giving Network, LLC incorporation papers were filed on the same date.

I must say that this shiksa knows of quite a few legitimate Jewish charities and advocacy groups, who are not going to be pleased.

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• CGBG donates money to hate groups and anti-women organizations.

As FFVN, CVN, CGBG, TJGN, and Ubuy2give, Inc. are all companies owned by the same individuals, and they are for-profit companies, half of each commission goes to “charities,” while the other half goes to their corporate bank account. The commissions are not tax deductible, and the commission comes from online shopping purchases. CVN/CGBG/TJGN makes no donations directly to hate groups, anti-gay groups, or anti-women groups. They financially support and promote the activities of hate groups, anti-gay groups, and anti-women organizations by forwarding them cash.
In June 2011, Stephen Baldwin was promoting the network as UBuy2give.com on his Facebook page. Shell game anyone?

I was born at night, but not last night. The average individual can see that this press release that CVN/CGBG issued on August 16th, 2011 was full of mistruths, misleading statements, and lies.

This for-profit company issued the press release after they saw the traction my call for a boycott was having on their business model. They claimed that “a few activists” were spreading mistruths, when in reality, at that point I was the only individual working on this campaign for tolerance.

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Faith and Family Values Network, Inc., CVN, CGBG, TJGN, and UBuy2give, Inc continue to misinform the public about their business. If someone wants to give to a charity, I would imagine you would do as most smart Americans do. You write a check, send it off, and get a tax deduction for your donation. Why you would want to make an online purchase to support a charity, where the small commission is not even tax deductible, is beyond me. Is someone trying to take advantage of online shoppers, or trying to subvert having to properly report sources of revenue? You can be the judge of that.

As I dig into the truth behind this for-profit company, there are more questions than answers. Regardless, I’m going to continue my campaign to promote tolerance, no matter what acronym of the day this company might be calling itself.

WYSIWYG, and that’s nothing but hate right now.

© 2011  Jive in the [415] All Rights Reserved