Richard Cohen, the oddball therapist who was expelled from the American Counseling Association for life, now fancies himself a movie critic. Today, the avaricious snake-oil salesman sent out a press release titled, “Prayers for Bobby on Lifetime Presents half-Truth.”
Like a cheap infomercial, Cohen goes on to promote his silly products and continues to use his family – including his Moonie wife – in photos, as if they are mere props. Talk about moral turpitude and disrespect for the family!
The message of “Prayers for Bobby” was clear: Acceptance of GLBT youth by families saves lives.
This view was backed by a new study by Caitlin Ryan in this month’s edition of, “Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.” Among other findings, the study showed that teens who experienced negative feedback were more than eight times as likely to have attempted suicide, nearly six times as vulnerable to severe depression and more than three times at risk of drug use.
But, somehow the health of GLBT youths and modern science is irrelevant if it conflicts with Cohen’s religious dogma and bizarre, fringe psychological theories. Indeed, Cohen’s answer is having Bobby, if he were alive, pay him good money to bang a tennis racket against a pillow. Um, yeah, that would have saved him.
In my view, Cohen is a greedy, opportunistic shyster who will capitalize on any tragedy to make a quick buck. Has this man no shame?
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Naturally someone like Cohen would deplore the showing of a film like “Prayers for Bobby”.
“Everybody who does wrong hates the light and avoids it, for fear his actions should be exposed.” – John 3:20
Comment by William — January 26, 2009 @ 12:55 pm
WTF does that mean, William? This movie was important and well done!
Comment by ohpuhleez — January 26, 2009 @ 3:35 pm
I think that you’ve misunderstood my comment, ohpuhleez.
My point is that a film like “Prayers for Bobby” exposes the evil done by those who officiously try to tamper with other people’s natural sexuality. That’s why Cohen and anti-family organizations like Focus on the Family don’t want people to watch it. To use the language of St John’s Gospel once again, “they prefer darkness to the light.”
Comment by William — January 26, 2009 @ 3:49 pm
The good news is that Cohen’s “foundation” lost about $33,000 in 2007 and ended up with a negative net asset value of $19k. Good because it means that this scam isn’t attracting many suckers.
I found Prayers for Bobby moving but soapy and superficial. What did I expect from Lifetime? The frequent commercials didn’t exactly help.
“Save Me” just came out on DVD and it is a winner.
http://www.tips-q.com/content/saveme_review
>>In my view, Cohen is a greedy, opportunistic shyster who will capitalize on any tragedy to make a quick buck. Has this man no shame?
No he has no shame. Ultimately Cohen seems a tad short on intellectual horsepower.
Comment by David Hart — January 26, 2009 @ 11:03 pm
“In my view, Cohen is a greedy, opportunistic shyster”
OK, everyone take a breath because I’m going to go all PC for a moment here. Forgive me, but in the context of someone named Cohen being referred to as a “shyster” it just edges a little to close to anti-semitism for my comfort. I’m certain that wasn’t the intent, but I’m just putting it out there that it would be nice, if people truly feel the need to use that term, if they would at least not use it on a person who is Jewish.
Thanks for listening. Keep up the good work.
Comment by David — January 27, 2009 @ 5:56 pm
A laughing stock he may be, but his appalling testimonials, under ‘parents and loved ones’ on his website, are no laughing matter.
http://www.gaytostraight.org/StoriesfromFamilies.asp
The first story is a classic example of religious bullying and intimidation from family members on a teenage son, with no evidence provided of any ‘change’.
Comment by adrianT — January 27, 2009 @ 7:40 pm
Regarding the word “shyster” & anti-semetism:
I’m Jewish, and part Israeli.
In fact, I have relatives named Cohen:
Richard Cohen is not one of them, I’m happy to say.
Cohen IS a shyster.
So is everyone at Focus on the Family, the 700 Club, P-Fox, etc.
Let’s not be afraid to call a spade a spade.
Let’s stop worrying that the truth might “offend” someone.
Truth Wins Out, as Wayne likes to say.
Comment by David Alex Nahmod — January 28, 2009 @ 8:30 am
Thank you for that link, adrianT. I’ve now read the story of Stuart and his son Stephen. What nauseating drivel! Would that that were all: then we could simply sneer at it. The trouble is that it’s real people’s lives that they’re playing these pernicious games with.
Comment by William — January 28, 2009 @ 10:32 am
Richard Cohen may be of Jewish descent but he is not a practicing Jew, so far as I know. He is a former Unification Church member; his ex-gay foundation is suspected — by some ex-gay pundits — of retaining ties to that church and the messianic Rev. Sun Myung Moon.
http://wthrockmorton.com/2007/10/16/cohen-ihf-has-no-religious-affiliations/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Cohen_(lecturer)
Comment by Michael Airhart — January 28, 2009 @ 10:50 am
Everyone is right so far. Cohen is a shyster, he’s not really Jewish anymore, and yes, using shyster edges toward anti-semitism – though I would never accuse Wayne of that since he himself is Jewish.
Personally, whether someone is a “shyster” or not, i would refrain from using the word, if only to help it go out of style.
Comment by Emily K — January 28, 2009 @ 12:02 pm
The research is thin at this point but from what i hear, Richard Cohen is not a Jew. He dabbled in Messianic Judaism and in the process became a poseur Jew.
antonio
Comment by antonio — January 25, 2010 @ 12:40 pm
Cohen has not been Jewish since college. He
1) Converted to mainstream Christianity
2) Converted and became a Moonie
3) Converted to fundamentalist Christianity
4) Joined a nude religious cult on Vashon Island. It was the Wesleyan Community Church
5) Rejoined regular old fundamentalist Christianity and became an ex-gay poster boy
The only ties to Judaism that Cohen has had in decades is posing as a Jew at JONAH meetings.
Comment by Wayne Besen — January 25, 2010 @ 12:45 pm
A sad man looking for places to belong.
Comment by Evan Hurst — January 25, 2010 @ 12:49 pm
His role in the nude cult may help explain why he later thought it was a great idea, as then-president of PFOX, to pose with shock-jock Howard Stern’s staff as they stripped off their pants and exposed their private parts to the camera.
http://www.howardstern.com/rundown.hs?d=1126756800
Comment by Michael Airhart — January 25, 2010 @ 2:43 pm