Fraud

Richard Cohen represents himself as a healer. He calls himself a psychotherapist, even though his license to offer psychotherapy was revoked in 2002 by the American Counseling Association. He calls himself an educator, even though the education he offers is actually unfounded in biological science or prevailing social science. Mr. Cohen's mild-mannered vitriol has been used by Ugandan legislators who want to kill homosexuals legally in that country.

International Healing Foundation, Mr. Cohen's business, is perhaps one of the vilest examples of a non-profit which exploits law to provide a living for someone who is trying to undermine human progress for his own benighted reasons. Mr. Cohen exploits the self-torture of self-loathing homosexual men and women. He has made a religion out of it, the religion of self-hatred in the name of conformity. And, like most religions, his actively seeks to damn those who will not convert. Of course, he denies this when confronted with reality.

Rachel Maddow has interviewed Mr. Cohen quite effectively. The interview exposes Mr. Cohen's ability to repackage any reality into his own self-absolving version. However, Mr. Cohen is the most insidious kind of hate-monger. He uses fake statistics to support his self-justification for promoting fear of homosexuals. When exposed for using fake statistics, he smiles and says he is no longer going to use those fake statistics. No remorse. No apology. We can be sure he will do it again until he gets caught.

The Richard Cohens of the world have held a lot of power over the centuries. Priests and politicians have used his methods to sway public opinion in ages of limited education and information. However, in this age, these frauds are beginning to face an onslaught of challenge from an informed public. This is a battle, as can be seen in Egypt before, during and after its recent revolution. It can be seen in Syria today.

Humanism, based in scientific skepticism, is an antidote to the actions of Richard Cohen, President al-Assad, Pope Benedict and their ilk. Their legitimacy is easily tested as long as information is freely available and accessible. However, there will be attempts by those who wish to maintain the big lies for power to limit public access to information and affordable education. As a humanist, I take it as part of my practice to challenge any attempts to limit free speech and public education through the free flow of information.