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Spokespeople from Exodus International and other so-called “ex-gay” organizations get mad when I say that they “pray away the gay.” They deny that they this is what they do. They call such accusations “simplistic” or exaggerated.
Unfortunately, for Exodus, it is true.
This is a video that they posted on their website last year. Clearly, this strident “ex-gay” activist is….praying away the gay.
Let the facts speak for themselves.
sweet fancy moses…
Whoever video taped this piece of artsy-fartsy video was trying to be clever. The constantly altering angles, poor videography, and chopped up style are annoying to say the least. Like he/she was practicing Mondrian’s Space Division Theory. Too bad he didn’t try zooming in on one eye. Oh, and we’ve heard this sorry-assed tale before – “My life was so empty until I found Jesus.” Fine, that doesn’t mean you weren’t a lesbian.
I think the videography was metaphoric for such types, who are unpredictable and capricious. Their incoherent lives swing wildly from one extreme to another. Perhaps, this was subconscious, as she explained her flaky past.
Oh my God! her parents wanted a boy! She became a tomboy…wow…My former girlfriend was a major girlie girl.
I know, Emma. Her cause and effect is so absurd that it is mind boggling. It is difficult to take such nonsensical flakes seriously.
Oh wait, she married a former gay man who’s “change” was more of a process. This is not going to end well.
This seems like nothing more than a straight or bisexual girl who was an unwanted child, and had a bad gender confused life, guilt tripping herself into religious dogma to save her from her personally perceived negs.
Christianity and gay do not mix, unless you adhere to their “god’s” golden rule, “obey or pay” with constant abuse through fear and judgment by “god” and/or everyone around you.
This scenario would never happen to a naturally born gay person. Alan Chambers is the perfect example.
It’s amazing the lengths some will go to falsely conform with a false self to societies/religious standards out of fear of standing up for the natural real self. It’s really quite sad as they could have had a wonderful real life being their true gay selves if they would have put in the effort, as many gay and straight people do.
It seems her guilt caused her to adhere to her straight side. All guilt. Very typical of the Exodus experience.
It’s especially not going to end well for the children of these bogus unions. They can hide and pretend all they want, but children can sense when something is ‘off’ with mommy and daddy and their relationship. And the psychological outcome is never good.
For # 7, Christianity and gay mix just fine in progressive/inclusive churches where they *really do* practice the golden rule instead of just giving it lip service. Unfortunately fundagelicals and roman catholics seem to get all the press.
If there was any legitimacy to the ex-gay movement it wouldn’t be a purely fundamentalist Christian movement. Why is there no secular ex-gay push? Because it’s the product of the people who gave us the KKK and no one else.
The woman in the film said she was a lesbian and born that way and no one could do anything about it, then she went to church with her Mum and went to the cross and WALLOP is no longer gay, and is now happily married to a man and has a family.
I don’t know who she’s trying to fool, but she ain’t fooling anyone who can think for themselves.
She is a bisexual. I am. It IS possible to fall in love with a member of your own gender get married (or enjoy a civil union) and be happy, or fall in love, and marry, and settle down with someone of the opposite gender and be settled.
That’s what (as far as I can tell) bisexuality can be.
I’ll tell you a testimony that happened to a friend of mine.
She had a different boy every night, partied, did drugs, etcetera, all because she felt unhappy and unwanted and unfulfilled but then she met a woman and WALLOP, she is now happily in a civil union, clean and alcohol free, and expecting a baby with this woman.
Kelly’s testimony is just as valid and true as this bi woman in the film. But then if this woman in the film knew she would reject it because Kelly didn’t go ‘from gay to straight’ and didn’t ‘need Jesus’.
A true lesbian would hear this and wonder ‘why can’t I change to straight?’ Because you are lesbian. Accept it. It’s nothing to do with Jesus, it’s to do with WHAT YOUR GENETIC MAKE UP IS.
One more thing;
WHAT IS THE LESBIAN LIFESTYLE?
Aaaaaaaah!
Ahem.
Sorry.
Funny, The first time I ever heard the term “pray away the gay” was at the Exodus group in Cincinnati in 1987. They were pushing it as a real solution.
Jessica asked “WHAT IS THE LESBIAN LIFESTYLE?”.
That’s where women go to bars and go into the ladies room dance around naked and then exchange bras. Or at least that’s what I heard on TV.
Hmm….A brash of YouTube videos with everyday gays who have overcome religious and social persecution struggles telling their stories, could be very helpful to gay youth and confused gay and straight people.
I’m thinking this entire script is a fraud. I would have To interview her for much more detail to understand her real sexual makeup and religious persecution background. She leaves alot of gaps.
Exodus caters to beaten down people which have extremist religious backgrounds who have been severely scarred and desperate for acceptance. Hence “visions” etc could be part of their neurosis simply to survive and not commit suicide or live a life of self ruin etc …..
Seems this is more an add to get people to pull out their wallets for Jesus and fill the coffers.
No. 14; Priya, thank you for the definition of the lesbian lifestyle.
I always thought it was something to do with working together to stop good Christians spreading their love for LGBT people, that special love that hurts (LGBT people), bringing down democratically elected governments and destroying all that is honest and good, focusing on traditional families, pausing to evangelise straight young people and turn them gay to recruit more LGBT people to spread the Word of gayness.
Or is that the Gay Agenda?
I dunno, I get mixed up.
I obviously didn’t get my copy of the Agenda, in a plain brown envelope, passed to me under the table in a lesbian group in the village in Manchester.
I feel dead hurt and rejected now.
I just wanna put my 2 cents in, and say one thing (who would’ve guessed). If you think that the whole ex-gay thing is a Koolaid tonic so to speak, the regular gay thing is just as well.
I struggle, and still do, with homosexual behavior. When I was coming into adolescence, it didn’t help me that I found all these messages and read all these things that said “you’re born like this,” “you can’t change it.” All the self-assured people from testimonies who “just always knew” they were different. Well yeah! Of course I felt different, doesn’t freakin’ everyone at that age? So then, rather stupidly, it suddenly made sense that I was never very masculine, I was always a quiet, sensitive person; I was always that one guy in a group full of girls. (you know)
The whole “deception” thing, if you want to call it that, is a two way street. I was way too young to be that sexualized. And it was through every fault of my own. I’m not blaming anything on anyone. It was just this stumbling block I never got around. It’s NOT something I was born with, I just never developed that masculinity, because I was always caught up in that self-deceiving.
I’m sorry, I don’t mean to rant, but I think it’s important to see that other side. When you deluge people who are young, uncertain of themselves, at risk, with all these ‘born this way’ messages; you’re just as guilty of trying to subvert them as anyone else. And it’s screwing me over every day. Those messages were planted long ago, and they ain’t going nowhere.
Not tryin’ to hate on anyone…
Am I supposed to be surprised at Richard? Because I saw that coming miles away. I can’t be the only one.
Don’t be too surprised, I’ve stated those things previously around here.
@Richard Wingnut
Being born with brown hair is not a deception. Being told you are not born with brown hair, when you are, is a deception. I can see how all this data could turn someone into a “wingnut”. Noone knows better about you than you, and that includes any number of historic “gods” or social authority figures you may want to use to bash yourself.
If you get with a balanced therapist to help you separate deception from reality, you can overcome your confusion.
I’d exchange Bras with you any day. Pryia Lynn
oops sorry, Priya Lynn.
I got into arguement with her daughter, who posted on my youtube page that “I not will be able too post messages” because I was being “nasty and cruel”…
Richard (I’m only calling you ‘wing-nut’ because that is what you call yourself. You don’t seem to be able to abide in your own skin, do you?)
As iDavid says, only you know you. I don’t know if you were born gay or not.
I do know that unless you find peace with yourself you will be thoroughly unhappy and hate yourself and you don’t seem a bad chap, just dead mixed up.
First of all, the woman in the film is bisexual and has gone down the straight path, she is who she is.
I was born with a life threatening genetic congenital condition that affects every aspect of my life. When it’s not actively threatening my life, it is making me feel ‘odd’. (not to look at, I look like everybody else, bar being very small. Just ‘odd’ in my behaviour).
As a kid I was ill most of the time and ‘different’ and the other kids used to pick on me because of this. I used to hate and get angry at myself for my not been able to keep up with the other kids.
Long story short, it’s only the last five years (I’m 48) I’ve been able to fully accept I won’t ever be healthy and ‘like everyone else’. It’s me, it’s who I am.
My (wonderful) Mum says I am unique and should celebrate that. My (ex) girlfriend was attracted to my eccentricity. ‘You look at things differently than most people, it’s brilliant!’)
No way am I saying LGBT people are disabled, but if I’d have been told (had it forced on me, through shame or religion) change is possible, to try a bit harder, like a lot of LGBT kids are, I would have topped myself, because I am who I am.
It isn’t impossible to find peace with who you are, and the sooner you do, the better you will feel.
Anyhow,
all the best, dear Richard (do I have to call you ‘wing-nut’? My Dad was a Conservative and he was very level headed and accepting of other people’s lifestyles, so long as they didn’t harm him.)
Emma said “I’d exchange Bras with you any day. Pryia Lynn”.
All right!
@Jessica
Kudos for you and I found that story about your friend enlightening. I had not heard a story like that before and it’s a great “testimony”.
I’m sure, no, I’m positive, Jesus is root’n and bless’n her and her partners a*s all the way to heaven and back. Any union of love always gets his special loving attention to help keep it on track.
PS. U and Priya Lynn need to get a room!
Richard– being a wingnut is a curable condition. Being gay is not. There is nothing to be cured.
You know what else is curable, though it’s a lot of work? Self hatred. You’ve been very carefully taught to hate the best part of yourself, and thus it becomes the worst part of you. If you learn to deal with your self hatred, you will find that a lot of your problems will disappear. As you say, those messages were planted long ago, and they ain’t going anywhere.
The key to your rants was “I as way too young to be that sexualized.” it sounds like you were molested, and you internalized your shame. I knew I was gay when I was four or five, maybe as late as six. Sex had nothing to do with it. One true fact about many molesters is that they know how to pick their targets. The kid who is different, the kid who is probably gay. An experienced catholic priest knows that kid, as do the bulk of the other children around him or her.
When I was a kid, there were a couple of my camp counselors who I’m sure recognized me as surely as I had already recognized myself– and them. I wanted their attentions as much as I was afraid of them. I didn’t follow through, because If there was one thing I was certain of, even at the age of 6, was the NOBODY could ever know my secret.
Fortunately for me, I wasn’t ashamed of myself, merely fearful. That fear probably protected me when I was young. But there is a time to put away childish things and become a man. My brother never put away his fear and self hatred, and avoided the one person–me– who could have helped him. Instead of being a happy, healthy gay man, he died alone in the front seat of a car in the middle of the Mexican desert. Whether of murder, suicide, or both, no one will ever know.
I would suggest reading “im OK, You’re OK”, perhaps one of the best and most accessible books on what people are taught to do to themselves. Then, Find a competent, gay positive therapist and Deal with your self hatred. You can have a good life if you allow yourself to.
But if you don’t help yourself, no one else will be able to. And the rest of your life will be as you have lived it thus far.
And isn’t that just too sad?
IDavid said “PS. U and Priya Lynn need to get a room!”.
All in good fun, David, I am a married woman after all!
@Priya Lynn
Haha ok. Happy Sunday all.
27-iDavid.
I’m not a believer in any involved God of the Scriptures, but I’m sure if Jesus was who they say He was, He would be smiling and showering blessings on my friend and her wife (yes, wife, not civil partner, they aren’t in business together, they’re in love), because at last, they have both found happiness, contentment, and a stable life together.
Thank you.
29-Ben in Oakland. I’m dead sorry about your brother. My heart goes out to you, and I hope you and the rest of those who love him have found a modicum of peace and healing from the sorrow.
As for Richard (‘Wing nut’,) you’re right, he will never find happiness until he accepts himself, and finds others who will accept him. Gay isn’t the problem, it’s bitter, cruel self-hatred.
I like to believe he has read and taken this to heart, and will try to find the help he so badly needs.
@Ben
I ditto that Ben. I can’t imagine the sorrow of losing a brother you loved. I remember when my brother was diagnosed w cancer, I fell on the couch and just lost it. I thought he was going to die as he was in the hospital. That was 23 years ago and he is doing great. But it was a very close call. It seems you have come to terms with it. Death can be a real stickler, but then he’s probably listening to us and laughing as he’s probably way ok.
Best to you brother. Happy Sunday.
@Jessica
I am the same as you, zero energy for org religion but I know Jesus quite separate from Biblical interpretation. He loves love in all forms, which I relate to. It’s not the bodies that matter, I think its the intent. Great sex in play or love is just fine, just no foul play, cuz it hurts ones soul.
Have a good one!
Thanks for your comments. I only hope Richard read them and took them to heart. One more broken life sacrificed to antigay hysteria is one too many.