As many of you know, I’m not a big fan of so-called “ex-gay” Chad Thompson. I think he’s an aging creep who dresses up like a teenager to appeal to youth and “twinks” with his deceptively destructive message. His schtick is just alarming, eyebrow raising, and weird.
Thompson was forced this week to apologize to his small flock after he wrote an article laced with anti-gay invective titled God’s Light or Lady Gaga’s?
Personally, I think Gaga is much more in tune with God than Thompson, who has this cloying habit of hating LGBT people while pretending that he actually loves them. Anyone who has read his writings knows that he has great disdain for all LGBT people, particularly himself.
Anyway, his anti-gay jeremiad was so nasty that it caused many people to flee his e-mail list. Did the LGBT dupes and suckers who call him a “friend” really believe that Thompson, author of Loving Homosexuals as Jesus Would, truly cared for them? Some people are so gullible that they will believe anything.
Here is the apology letter that Thompson sent his e-flock:
Many of the folks who receive my email newsletter felt misrepresented, stereotyped, and alienated upon reading my most recent article “Gods’ Light or Gagas” (which has been deleted from the web site and replaced with this letter). Those of you writers out there know that, often times, you have something on your heart to share but the words you use do not effectively communicate what you were trying to say. In fact, in some cases choosing the wrong words may even cause you to communicate exactly the opposite of what you had intended to say! That was the case with this article.
The truth is, I published this article on my web site without giving it a proper edit, or thoroughly combing through it to take out all the things that were “accidentally offensive”. The things I wrote were not the things I meant. For starters, I made the statement: “Try to have a conversation with anyone of the homosexual persuasion about the morality of such behavior and you will instantly be shut down with the mantra ‘I was born this way’.” This is a broad generalization about an entire group of people, and I talk over and over again in my book about the importance of not stereotyping or generalizing LGBT folks. Certainly not all LGBT individuals believe they were born that way.
Additionally, some felt that the article equated all same-gender unions with animalistic sex in a way that suggested LGBT relationships do not consist of emotional connection, but are only in it for the act of sex. In fact, I was not trying to suggest that at all; rather I was trying to point out that the SONG “Born This Way” seems to suggest that.
One friend indicated that my article also suggests that every single gay person agrees with Lady Gaga’s beliefs about morality, which could be looked at like saying every straight person believes and behaves as Hugh Heffner believes and behaves.
Another good friend wrote: “This is just such a departure from the content, spirit, and tone of your book…it just left me scratching my head…”
Indeed, the article was full of poorly phrased paragraphs and concepts taken far beyond the context of what is truly in my heart towards those who struggle with unwanted same-sex attractions as well as those who have embraced the gay identity; both are my friends and both deserve an apology for having to read this article.
For those of you who unsubscribed from my list because of this article, you are still unsubscribed. This will be the last communication you receive from me (unless you choose to re-sign up).
All the best,
Chad Thompson
Too bad he took down the original letter. It must have been a doozie. Attention self-loathing homosexuals: Now that the mask is off, do you still think this creep “loves” you?
NO, nimrod. IMO the song means just that–Born this way. What is it with you thumpers and your assumptions about us? I have been married to a wonderful man for just under four years now and sex is a very small part of our marriage.
“Loving Homosexuals as Jesus Would” – This title illustrates how narrow the focus of hatred is on the Homosexuals. Otherwise there would be a book-a-month club where you can get the whole set: Loving Idolaters as Jesus Would. Loving Murderers as Jesus Would. Loving Thieves as Jesus Would. Loving Adulterers as Jesus Would. This could be a big hit.
Here’s something I posted at the Christian post a month ago:
I must be stupid, becuase i just don’t understand “proclaiming the truth in love”, certianly not as I uinderstand words like “truth” and “love”.
Here you are complaining of all of this bad behavior by HETEROSEXUALS, and you are upset because two men or two women WANT to make the commitment to each other that you deem so important, that heterosexuals not making and keeping it is causing the decline of our culture?
I have gay coupled friends that have been together for longer than all seven of Newt Gingrich’s and Rush Limbaugh’s marriages combined. I know of at least one couple where you could throw in Liz Taylor’s 8 marriages in addition, and they have still been together longer. I saw many men– myself included– care for their sick partners and boyfriends 30 years ago as they were dying, while their families and churches abandoned them, just like Jesus would have, I’m sure. Straight people abandon their families and children for no other reason than convenience, as you so rightly observe. A fatal disease would hardly keep them around, would it?
And we’re the problem?
And you tell us you love us? Do you love us when you blame us for the state of heterosexual marriage and family, conflating our lives and our right to live our lives after the fashion that nature has made us, with the child abuse, child molestation, and partner abuse of the HETERO world, where REAL people are hurt and harmed, not the fabricated hurt and harm that gay people cause you to suffer just by existing? Do you love us when you call our lives abominations, dangerous, filthy, disease, perverted and sick, on the basis of what you prefer to believe, rather than the facts of our lives? Did you actually ever talk to gay people whose lives have not been hurt and harmed by the self-hatred you preach?
Exactly how much to you love us when you oppose everything we try to do to live our lives peacefully and happily, with the same fulfillment you would expect for yourself? Exactly how much do you love us when you join political campaigns that attempt to demonize us, lying, propagandizing, fear mongering, calling us a threat to marriage, family, children, freedom, faith, liberty, and the whole of Western civilization, such as it is? Do you truly love us when you seek to disadvantage us legally in every way that you can, to make our lives as difficult and unpleasant as possible, to impose your religious beliefs upon people who most vehemently do not share them? Is it your “love” that makes that OK?
I can just feel the love there, although I must confess I would probably prefer being hated, it being a tad more honest.
And then you have THIS little gem. “We also need to be willing to take the hit of “being judgmental” by continuing to proclaim the truth in love. Often, people mistake the judgment of God as us judging them.” We need controlling. We need moral guidance. After all, we are barbarians, aren’t we? We gay people are moral and social children that must be supervised by the all-knowing and morally superior. We’re too immature, too wrapped in the coils of lust and sin to know anything about our lives, our sexuality, our faith, our loves, or our families.
I call shenanigans! Very frankly, I have never met, talked to, or debated any faith based opponent of my right live my life as I see fit, without the burden of your animus-disguised-as-love, who knew the first thing about human sexuality in general or gay people in particular. And as for knowing what the bible says about homosexuality, a word that did not appear in it until 1948? Don’t get me started.
You want to believe you love me? Wonderful, but don’t expect me to buy it. You are in fact judging, as much as you would like to pretend that you are not. As a gay man, I have yet to hear anyone proclaiming the truth in love about gay people without making being gay the extra special-icky sin that they so fervently want it to be. Are you really god’s Best Buddy, that he keeps you informed of all of his thoughts? I don’t think so.
I don’t think I am mistaking the judgment of God for you judging other people. I’ve got eyes and ears and brains, and besides…I don’t hear God talking, I only hear YOU talking. Proclaiming the truth in love? I’m sorry to inform you, but this isn’t love, it’s narcissism.
I’m almost certain that Jesus was speaking to you in a number of places. So I’ll proclaim the truth in love to YOU—something about not being concerned with the sins of others until you yourself have achieved a bit of perfection.
“Judge not lest ye be judged.” That doesn’t mean that you rub your hands with glee at the thought of God is judging people exactly as you would, were you God, which you aren’t.
“Look not for the speck in your bothers eye” because you have one big ol’ log in your own, starting with the belief that you really aren’t judging anybody, your just spreading “the truth in love”.
“Let him among you…” Well, everyone might be a sinner, but not everyone is throwing stones.
Exactly what part of what The Lord had to say does not apply to a bible-believing Christian such as yourself?
I’ll leave you with this thought. There are plenty of Christians, and plenty of Christian denominations, which no longer buy the myths about gay people and god that you people or so happy to repeat, all in the name of proclaiming the truth in love. I’m not a homosexual, an abomination, a problem, or any particular kind of sinner, and if I am, you have your own sins to keep you busy. I’m certainly not a threat to you, your family, your children, or your faith, unless the whole of Christianity boils down to “get the homos by proclaiming the truth in love.”
I won’t tell you if I am a Christian. But I will tell YOU, pastor, that YOU do not know my relationship with God. You do not represent God, and until I hear it from god himself, you do not speak for God. No one has given YOU any authority to judge others. The problem here is simple: you have chosen judgment over God, no matter if you would prefer to call it “proclaiming the truth in love”, or admitting it for what it so clearly is. God gives us a choice: self-righteousness or Him. When you make the wrong choice, choosing moralizing judgmentalism as so many of you have done, I can only suggest that you repent and find your lord before it’s too late.
I wonder why he put “accidentally offensive” in scary quotes. What a pitiful “man.” Funny though, “accidentally”–with the quotes–is exactly how I would describe his offensiveness. Everything that “man” says about homosexuality is purposefully offensive to MOST gay people (the ones who don’t hate themselves enough to join his mailing list) and he would have to be a gaping idiot to not realize that. I think he’s missing a few screws, but I wouldn’t call him an idiot. So that leaves just one obvious explanation: He’s a liar.
Those of you writers out there know that, often times, you have something on your heart to share but the words you use do not effectively communicate what you were trying to say…
They communicate that something in your heart well enough though don’t they Chad, even if you’d have rather not let people know was in your heart. “I was born this way” is a mantra is it?
Here’s the problem Chad: Words can speak for the heart or they can try to put a mask on it, but they can only mask what’s in the heart for a time. Eventually it comes out. It’s kinda like the way Mark Twain said telling the truth is easier because you have less to remember. Gay people especially understand how that is. The heart, the person within, always comes out. Sooner or later. Kind or brutal. Beautiful or ugly. The heart always comes out.
I have a suggestion. Start being honest with your readers. It’s easier. And eventually you might even start being honest with yourself.
His website (www.inqueery.com) and blog (http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=Radioman55) haven’t been updated in years, I assumed he lost interest in his ex-gay shtick.
Is he wearing a wig in that photo?
It appears that Chad has a short attention span. He starts projects but has trouble finishing them. Then he slithers back to the original projects at some random point in the future. Only to abandon them again when he sees a shiny new object.
Ben in Oakland – that was a wonderful post that said so many things so well. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve read some deluded raving lunacy before but this guy just might take the cake.
In this case, TWO seems somewhat unfair and a bit nasty itself. I read his blog and watched a video of a talk he gave a few years ago. He does genuinely seem to try to show respect and to give ample emphasis to combating homophobia and anti-gay bullying. To take one example, he recalls a time when some gay people challenged him to lend his org’s sound system to a gay pride rally to demonstrate his “love” for gays. He says that he thought about it concluded that they were right. He lent them the system.
I would not say that he is pro-gay or pro-equality, but at the same time he is a huge improvement over Greg Quinlan and his ilk. I did not see this controversial email, and it is possible that it might alter my view of him, but as far as I can see based on his prior writing, he is trying to carve out a new path, and while he may ultimately fail, I don’t think it is fair to respond by calling him a “creep” or to make allegations, with no supporting evidence, that he dresses in a particular way in order to attract “twinks”. Seriously, TWO, show some professionalism.
David, these people who claim to “love” us but still say that to act on our sexual orientations don’t really “love” us. He’s yet another self-loathing gay man who just tries to paint a smiley face on the hate. It’s rather like Santorum or Huckabee claiming “They’re not mad at anyone” while saying the most hateful things (though in a pleasant way). Chad Thompson is still doing great damage to GLBT people–that he does it with a soft tone of voice doesn’t excuse that. He let the mask slip here and TWO is right to call him out.
I don’t necessarily disagree with you. But within the universe of “ex-gays” wouldn’t it be progress to evolve from Anthony Falzorano and Greg Quinlan to this guy? Quinlan is one of the most horrifyingly hateful anti-gay commenters I have read. If you go to the PFOX website, it is like a window into a disturbed mind. The site has virtually nothing to do with changing one’s sexual orientation and everything to do with fighting the “gay agenda”.
If we can move from that to this guy, who at least acknowledges the reality of anti-gay violence and bullying, it seems to me that is positive movement. I would add to that the recent apology and change of heart by John Smid, formerly of Love in Action.
Again, I am not saying that these people truly love us or respect us and I am not denying that they are still pushing a form of “turn or burn.” But it is better for gays to have so-called ex-gays become less rabidly hateful. So I don’t get the benefit of calling Chad a “creep” or suggesting that he wants to appeal to twinks. Especially since, so far as I know, he has never been involved in a “back-sliding” incident.
Chad is a creep. If you are going to call yourself an “ex-gay” then stop dressing like the youth you aren’t and making it your gig to speak in schools.
Chad is worse than Quinlan because he is deceptive. I rather have a person’s hate out in the open than concealing it.
In other words, (for me) Chad Thompson, the very protestant, uhm, -christian- “ex-gay” guy said that he condemns Lady GaGa (a female singer who earns her money honestly) because she supports LGBT rights, that we all the GLBT population in the world are fanatics of Lady GaGa when are lots of people that hadn´t ear about her in their whole life, that we have “animalistic” intimacy, and we are in some ways stubborn, although the mayority of science said we were “born this way”. The point is that he has claimed in his career -as an “ex gay” for pay christian leader, that he is “a christian who is not homophobic”. The GLBT population, which was his target, are -without a doubt- outraged, He “is not homophobic”? His mask is broken, maybe he hates himself.
David, your argument seems to be that since there are worse people in the ex-gay movement we shouldn’t point out when this guy is shown to be anti-gay?