Tracy Baim, author of the new book, Obama and the Gays, reported on a protest outside Exodus International‘s ex-gay roadshow Love Won Out, which took place this weekend in Rockford IL.:
About two dozen LGBTs and allies showed up to protest the Exodus International “ex-gay” conference in Rockford Saturday, Sept. 25.
Representatives from Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, the Gay Liberation Network, and Diversity of Rockford spent two hours outside the church, and were given honks of support from most drivers speeding by the Rockford First Church on Spring Creek Road. One man in a red pickup truck yelled “faggot” as he sped by.
Rockford First Lead Pastor Jeremy DeWeerdt came out to greet the protesters, accompanied by Lisa, who did not give her last name. But he was not there to accept them, just to shake hands. When asked what his church believes about gays, he said they follow “what the Bible says.” Pressed further, he said they have church members who are struggling to overcome homosexuality, and that those people are welcome in his church. Basically, the “hate the sin, love the sinner” argument. But he quickly steered away from the media and went back into the conference.
Exodus International is a group of alleged “ex-gays,” and the conference was called “Love Won Out.”
“Love Won Out sugarcoats bigotry with messages of a loving god, while supporting discrimination against [ LGBT ] people in employment, housing, public accommodations,” said David Kirk, one of the protest organizers and a native of Rockford, in an advance press release. “They target vulnerable young Americans with a fake ‘therapy’ program denounced by every major professional psychological association. It is nothing more than a textbook case of brainwashing.”
As the press release for the protest stated: “And more than just gays and lesbians are hurt by Exodus’s bromides. ‘Ex-Gay’ congregants are typically urged to stay in loveless heterosexual marriages, despite the pain that it causes their partners. Their own leaders periodically scandalize the movement by ‘going off the wagon’ and engaging in gay sex.”
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One man in a red pickup truck yelled “faggot” as he sped by. — this is so typical of those puerile cowards. When the weather was nice and we would hang outside of the gay disco where i went in the 70s, cars of teens would drive by and yell faggot out of the window. We, of course, would just ignore them and keep on talking, but I wish back then we had had ‘stop sticks’ that the police use to stop speeding cars, and could have signaled someone down the road to throw them across the street and blow out all their tires as they sped by.
Could you think of a more appropriate name than “Pastor DeWeerdt” for someone promoting the b******t and hypocrisy of the “ex-gay” movement? He has as much credibility as Pastor Bedtime and Pastor Thighs.
Is it that you guys hate that some people don’t accept or embrace being gay or lesbian? I am a lesbian. I went to the Love Won Out conference a few years ago. I had 2 problems 1. when a speaker spoke about the “Gay Agenda”.I simple got up and walked out til the dude was done speaking. My second problem was 3 PFLAGG members protesting the event with picket signs. I wanted to get out of the car and talk to them…I mostly wanted to punch them in the face. I am 24 years old. My only reason for not getting out of the car was 2 older women that came to the conference WITH ME! It was my choice. I was not forced. So stop spreading that lie. People should just stand up for themselves if they don’t want to go to the Love Won Out conference. I went because as a believer in Christ I know that the ultimate love is not going to be found in some Women or Man. You must understand the premise and stop attacking the surface. If your not a Christian, why do you care anyway. Love Won Out displays truth the the Holy Bible has given. With this being said I don’t believe in equality but it is not biblical. I do however believe that people should be able to marry whomever they want. Marriage is a social issue, whenever out government has put a mandate on social issues it as always ended bad for both sides.
My point….I disagree with this article and the jerk in the red truck is no brother in Christ of mine…
Religious gibberish. Get educated!
“Is it that you guys hate that some people don’t accept or embrace being gay or lesbian?”
Is that some sort of criticism? Because if it is, it’s a weird one. People hate bigotry? Who’da thought.
Do you ask people if they hate racism, too?
Jackie said “If your not a Christian, why do you care anyway.”.
I care because it deeply disturbs me that people are lead to reject who they are and lead lonely loveless lives because of superstition and lies.
The only reason that Jackie didn’t punch PFLAG protesters of Love Won Out was because there were two women in the car with her who would apparently not approve of this. Jackie should thank God that these women were there to rein in her behavior.
Instead of wasting time on a Love Won Out conference that is never going to make her straight, she should spend some time at an anger management conference. As per usual with the ex-gay crowd, her bigger issues have nothing to do with her lesbianism.
Jackie — please seek a good psychiatrist. It is obvious that you are not well and should enter some sort of anger rehab.
It seems that you are possibly using religion as a mask for much larger issues.
One way to reduce your bitterness and rage might be to find peace through self-acceptance, instead of embracing a shallow, inaccurate, lowbrow version of the Bible that condemns your love. This technique has worked for millions of people, while the Love Won Out route has mostly just brought misery and extremism — you know, like wanting to slug peaceful protesters.
Please do the right thing and police your out-of-control behavior before you hurt someone or end up getting hurt yourself. (You do realize that peaceful protesters can retaliate when physically attacked, foolishly and pointlessly placing yourself in harms way)
The road you are currently on is clearly one of destruction and pain. Make a wise change before it is too late. Choose the path of self-acceptance instead of self-delusion.
Thank you… I WAS and angry kid, I’m not anymore. Yes I still have some bitterness, I’m working on it. I sometimes don’t speak clearly…rather type clearly.
Love Won Out is there for those that believe in Christ. To give them a biblical answer for the questions of Homosexuality.
I have lived on both sides. Truth Wins Out side and Love Won Out side. I agree, people should not be forced to go to these conferences. Love Won Out has come out and said the same thing. Shame on the churches that think forcing someone to go to these things is ok. They are not for everyone.
I also don’t see how protesting helps. It has not done any good in my life. That is the only point I wanted to get across.
Oh, I didn’t punch them because I knew that it wasn’t them I wasn’t angry at. The ladies in the car with me helped and me realizing that it wasn’t loving (nor was my thoughts).
Instead of picketing, can’t you just hold a conference. It just doesn’t seem peaceful to me and to be honest how is it helpful? I’m not battling rights here. You have a right to protest whatever you want.
I know, you shouldn’t have to protest anyway but these conferences aren’t going away. There is a demand for them. Gays & Lesbians have sought Love Won Out.
Oh and know it wasn’t criticism. I really wanted to know. It was a question.
Jackie,
Love Won Out is a lie. They lied by your own admission about the “Gay Agenda.” Their basic premise and basis of attraction of people to their conference is a lie: that they can change gay people straight. Every time they try to describe gay people as disordered, drug addicted, diseased, sex obsessed and gay relationships as false, they lie. It is right and noble for these PFLAG volunteers to shine a light on the lies of Love Won Out, Focus on the Family, Exodus and NARTH. Telling the truth, even in the setting where unstable people want to punch you in the face, is a noble and honorable thing.
Jackie, I actually find that I don’t believe what you’re writing here. That you could find Love Won Out at all sympathetic makes me question what you’ve written here. And then your claim that you’re not a criticizing rings hollow. People have a right to picket these conferences that are advancing lies and practices that are damaging and dangerous. But most disturbing is that you wanted to punch PFLAG people in the face. First, you seem to have rage issues, second, you as a lesbian should know what PFLAG stands for.
Jackie, Jesus didn’t say anything about Gay and Lesbian people. And when he drove the money lenders out of the temple that was a protest. You seem to be confused here. But, that’s what going to Love Won Out faux conferences will do.