Comments on: Catholic Ex-Gay Re-Education Threatens Children — and Those Who Protect Them

By: Mark Zamen

Mark Zamen — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:18:19 +0000

A very good essay; accurate, well written, and comprehensive. The basic message here is that a large segment of society, especially the religious right, still regards gay men and women as second-class citizens – or worse. This is the salient point of my recently released biographical novel, Broken Saint. It is based on my forty-year friendship with a gay man, and chronicles his internal and external struggles as he battles for acceptance (of himself and by others, including fellow Mormons). More information on the book is available at http://www.eloquentbooks.com/BrokenSaint.html.

Mark Zamen, author

By: Fr. Marty Kurylowicz

Fr. Marty Kurylowicz — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:39:24 +0000

Michael.

Thank you for posting this on Truth Wins Out. I am encouraged by the comments made here. Many people who grew up to be gay in similar social environments would not always realize where their depresion is coming from because it started so early in their childhood. I only realized it after years of psychotherapy and my studies in psychology at the University of MIchigan and attendance at APA conventions, which then at the New Ways Ministry all the dots were connected in lightning speed. I then realized what had happened ot me. My first thought was all the wasted time, lost of love and years of self-hatred none of which ever needed to be.

I was overwhemled by realization and my thoughts that very young children are going through this same treatment, I had to come out to try to stop this crime from continuing. I did not expect that Cardinal Ratzinger (today Benedict XVI) to be so resistant to protecting children. There was on his part the immediate push to get me removed from the priesthood, which I had no intention of leaving. Because then Ratzinger and the Vatican would no longer have to considered that their antigay teachings are seriously harmful to children. By my staying in the priesthood Ratzinger/Benedict XVI has to face the the harm of these antigay teachings and he has to do something about removing them. If not he will go down in history as a symbol of corruption in the Catholic Church. Bush did great damage to the Republican party, the same as Benedict XVI is doing to the Catholic Church, with all due respect.

Marty

be equal to the Pope the condemned Galileo.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:10:37 +0000

I was raised Catholic and have been in therapy now for 20 years trying to undo the damage. I’ve only recently realized how bad that damage is. The part of your article that especially resonated with me was this:

“Because this child will continuously attempt to stop breathing and what is more, he will be praised by his parents and others for trying to seriously harm himself, putting his life at risk. This child will be praised for being depressed, alone and detached from any human being. This is a very painful life existence, which is what is prescribed by the Vatican’ antigay teachings. It has no future hope of ever being one with another but to be always isolated and alone, an inhuman existence.”

I’m so sorry that you and other gay and lesbian people have had to endure that that kind of pain like I did, but knowing I’m not alone in my experiences is comforting, and helps, I think, in the healing process.

Thank you for your thoughtful words. Please be good to yourself.

By: Richard S

Richard S — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:01:20 +0000

Thank you so much Father .(I hope you’ve left that evil organization.) This is why I no longer consider myself catholic. Does anyone know a way I can get formally excomunicated from the church?

By: Jessica A.

Jessica A. — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:24:43 +0000

Ditto William; thank you so much for this.

By: William

William — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:09:40 +0000

Fr Kurylowicz, as a gay Catholic myself, all that I would like to say at this moment is: thank you for what you have written.