On Saturday, July 10 in Bakersfield, CA, Exodus affiliate, His Way Out Ministries, will host a conference, “Reaching Gay Youth”. The event will be run by Pastor Phillip Lee (pictured) who will ask creepy questions such as:
So, what does a friendship with a “gay youth” look like?
How do I begin a dialog with a gay youth?
Want to connect with a youth? Be authentic.
Given Exodus shady behavior, disgraceful record and tardy response to allegations of sexual abuse, I think the group should clarify what it means when it says, “connect” with gay youth.
To be honest, when I read this item, my skin crawled and I felt nauseous. I would strongly urge all parents who love their children to think twice and do their research before placing their children in the clutches of Exodus.
GROSS.
Ex-gay businesses are like the Protestant version of the Catholic priesthood.
Easy access to vulnerable young guys.
“So, what does a friendship with a “gay youth” look like?/How do I begin a dialog with a gay youth?/Want to connect with a youth? Be authentic.”
Sounds like he’s looking for a date!
It’s really creepy how much effort they put into recruiting children.
Yes, it is creepy Buffy. They always accuse us of recruiting…project much? ‘Cause from where I sit, it sure looks like it.
Ewww. Think I’ll take a shower now.
PFLAG never has these problems. Neither does the Girl Scouts of America.
You’d think someone would get a clue.
Acceptance is a good thing. Parents being educated about their gay children keeps families intact, the identity of their gay child honest, open and the relationship authentic.
And, they are less likely to BURY their dead gay child later on.
This is another example of redefining morality. In this case, “reaching gay youth,” means recruiting young people into the immoral, anti-gay lifestyle. (And of course making money for the recruiters in the process!) I hope there will be protesters outside of this event, passing out fliers teling participants what they can do to walk away from the anti-gay lifestyle. People are not born homophobic or anti-gay and change is possible!
[...] Wayne Besen: Making My Skin Crawl: “Reaching Gay Youth” Conference. Read more [...]
Yes, Wayne, I couldn’t agree with you more. It makes my skin crawl too.
I still have disturbing memories of my years as a gay teenager at a time when homophobia was pretty well unquestioned orthodoxy, growing up in a town of about 10,000 people, feeling as though I didn’t belong, not being able to find out who else in my age-group was gay (because they were all keeping their heads down for the same reason that I was), and not having anyone that I could even dare to talk to about it. The very last thing that I would have needed was the psychological and spiritual abuse of an “ex-gay ministry” on top of everything else.
If this Pastor Phillip Lee has been mug enough to inflict it on himself, than that’ his affair, but that he should try to inflict it on other people’ gay children is absolutely scandalous. He ought to be stopped.