In the Sydney Morning Herald, Katrina Fox has penned a first-hand account of her visit to an ex-gay conference sponsored by Living Waters, an ex-gay network. The founder of Living Waters in Australia, Ian Lind, is quoted condemning sexually honest, same-sex-attracted persons to hell and severing such persons from contact with any house of worship.
Or at least not a church that he approves of:
After lunch the conference delegates break off to take part in a workshop of their choice. Naturally I pick the one on homosexuality, led by Ian Lind, who founded Living Waters in Australia 30 years ago. Before becoming a Christian, Lind was part of the gay scene in Sydney for 10 years. For him, the two are mutually exclusive. “There is no such thing as a gay Christian,” he proclaims.
“I don’t believe you can sit in church as a gay person. I chose homosexuality like others choose drugs or alcohol. When I gave myself to the Lord, I turned my back on my lifestyle so I was no longer gay. I am still attracted to men, but I never went back to that lifestyle or gave in to my feelings.”
Lind’s ostracism of gay people isn’t enough for the current Australian leader of Living Waters, Ron Brookman, who also condemns thousands of people globally who are born with some of the genes, hormones, organs, or brain activity of both genders:
Brookman goes on to explain that God’s image can only be displayed on earth when male and female come together in sexual union within the context of monogamous heterosexual marriage. Anything outside is a sin.
Lind is not content to condemn gay and transgender persons; he also directly blames parents at the ex-gay conference for their adult children’s sexual orientation. According to Fox:
One couple is concerned about their son who came out as gay a year ago. “It’s there in your upbringing,” Lind asserts.
“If our mothers nurtured us and our fathers spent time with us, we wouldn’t have those issues.” Discussion ensues about whether a person is “born gay”.
While Lind is adamant this is not the case – despite various research studies identifying biological factors such as prenatal hormones and brain structure that may be related to sexual orientation – others in the room argue it doesn’t matter if people are born gay. “As Christians we shouldn’t be worried about this,” says one participant. “You can still be redeemed and choose to live a pure life.”
After the conference, Brookman tried to backpedal from his and Lind’s condemnations:
In an interview a few days after the conference, Brookman was keen to point out that Living Waters “goes to great pains not to condemn people in homosexuality or any other form of sexual brokenness, but seeks to reach out with compassion to those who are ill at ease with their sexuality”.
It’s true that at that no time during the conference did anyone express outright hatred towards gay or lesbian people, but references to Satan and “the enemy” in the context of discussing the “sin” of homosexuality hardly empower us.
In addition to assuming the role of God by passing judgment against the sexually honest, Brookman and Lind continue to lie — calling themselves “heterosexual” even though they admittedly remain predominantly same-sex-attracted.
Fox’s printed observations give only brief attention to the reaction of Australian former ex-gays, so former ex-gay Anthony Venn-Brown and Ben Gresham have both initiated conversations with Fox and her readers.
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hah! and to think Christians would accuse us JEWS of “poisoning the waters.”
Comment by Emily K — March 1, 2009 @ 12:52 am
On what authority does Michael Airhardt define the word “gay?” I’d say Airhardt was lying by saying Brookman and Lind “assume the role of God.” Now that’s a lie! Why does he keep saying “sexually honest?” What kind of lingual-twisting-bull-crap it that? Regardless of how honest you are, if someone wishes to condemn you for your homosexuality, ignore it if you’re so confident that your way is correct. Sounds to me like you really can’t accept it. Ridiculous article.
Comment by Jason P. — May 17, 2009 @ 12:15 pm
Jason P,
Sexual orientation is defined as an enduring romantic, physical, sexual, and emotional attraction (whether or not those feelings are acted upon).
The reason it’s such a problem is because, even though we know we’re right in saying that, we’re the minority and unless people know this truth, then we’ll be denied our rights as equal human beings.
Why don’t YOU ingnore this “ridiculous article” if YOU are so confident that YOUR way is correct??? Huh???
Comment by James — May 17, 2009 @ 1:23 pm
Jason P, the “ex gay” myth is a dangerous one and it has destroyed so many lives. All because people cannot live with their natural sexual orientation. All because people have to try and convince them that they could change. I tried, it didn’t work. So I at least have the right to let people know that.
People have the right to know about the “ex gay” myth before they go and try to be straight, realize they can’t and they’re only suppressing themselves, and go off and kill themselves like I almost did. To NOT be honest and try to be someone you’re not, can cost lives.
Comment by James — May 17, 2009 @ 1:25 pm
Jason P,
1. The persons who wrote in the Bible that people are born male or female were mistaken; many people are not 100% male or female. Some are born with genes or organs of both genders, and some are born with and/or develop in infancy certain personality traits that ignorant people associate solely with the opposite gender. While the original authors and editors of the Bible may have been merely ignorant, no one today can be excused for perpetuating what is now a blatant lie.
2. Brookman implicitly condemns intersexed persons as sinners.
3. Brookman falsely states that the Bible rejects polygamy as sin. It might be nice if the Bible did, but it does not. The Bible also encourages husbands to kill their wives if caught in dishonorable circumstances. In other words, the Bible is fallible and sometimes very sinful.
4. Lind violates one of the Ten Commandments by encouraging people to falsely scapegoat their parents instead of telling them to honor their parents.
5. It is a simple fact that there are many gay celibate Christians. Brookman isn’t alone among supposed ex-gays who condemn gay Christians to hell regardless of their sexual activity; Exodus President Alan Chambers does so, too.
6. Both Brookman and Lind appear to brand anyone who disagrees with them as allies of Satan.
As a condition of being accepted or included among Christians, Living Waters requires that same-sex-attracted persons lie about their sexual orientation. It requires them to blame their parents, scapegoat their families, distort the Bible, and reject independent and critical thinking as if it were satanic.
Comment by Michael Airhart — May 17, 2009 @ 4:32 pm