Comments on: Ex-Gay Feels ‘Censored’ for Denial of Special Rights

By: Michael Airhart

Michael Airhart — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:17:10 +0000

I won’t allow name-calling here. For that reason, Lyle is no longer welcome to comment.

Furthermore, if Lyle is upset at the excesses of the best-known and loudest ex-gay organizations, he should blame them — and not blame Truth Wins Out for holding them accountable.

By: Emily K

Emily K — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 23:45:58 +0000

I’m also curious as to what he thinks we gays do on our Saturdays.

(I nap. As in, snoring and dreaming and pissy if someone wakes me up.)

By: Emproph

Emproph — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:32:17 +0000

“sick and tired of the BS that is gay life

negative behaviors associated with gay life”

Wow, you certainly seem to speak for me, Lyle. I’m gay, and I have a life.

I’m not completely convinced though. Tell me, what do we gays do on our Saturdays?

By: Lyle Norsit

Lyle Norsit — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 09:58:47 +0000

To Michael Airhart,
You an Airhead. Where did you make up the statement “Is it really virtuous for a Christian evangelical — who teaches that Jews are inferior and that Judaism can be cured…”
That may be the kind of Christian evangelicals they have in your town but making a broad statement like that really makes you look retarded and out to make false claims yourself. If you knew Christian evangelical culture you would know that they are not as you describe. Just as your statements that: “virtually all ex-gay groups falsely claim to have “left” homosexuality or to be “leaving” homosexuality…” is wrong because it speaks only to those ex-gay groups who make statements to get the attention of people like you. It may come as a shock that a group you would label an ex-gay group has only the purpose of helping those who are sick and tired of the BS that is gay life to walk away from engaging in it without a mention of cures or other voodoo. Just the negative behaviors associated with gay life. But since you seem bent on coloring everything with the same brush I guess you’re just as hopeless as the rest of the gay world. Wait, was that a broad and untrue statement??? It’s alright because Mike Airhead would approve.

By: Michael Airhart

Michael Airhart — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:51:45 +0000

Thanks for commenting, Karen.

You originally said:

“So, if I am reading you right you [David Roberts at XGW] would like to curtail the rights of PFOX from exhibiting at NAACP?”

This theme was repeated a couple times, as commenters pointed out that no organization enjoys an automatic right to be hosted by another organization.

While I understand your ultimate intent, I believe the assumed “right” of ex-gays to impose their untruths upon private institutions and upon impressionable children (despite parents’ and teachers’ better judgment) is a recurring theme at Exodus and Focus on the Family.

Regarding your ultimate concern about opposition to all ex-gay groups:

By their own definition of ex-gay, virtually all ex-gay groups falsely claim to have “left” homosexuality or to be “leaving” homosexuality when further inquiry finds little or no change in participants’ sexual attractions.

Furthermore, all ex-gay groups that affiliate with Exodus or that endorse Focus on the Family are inseparably joined to those organizations’ campaigns against equality and against truthful discussion and education about sexual orientation.

Some ex-gay activists that don’t affiliate with Exodus are even more politically and spiritually extreme — supporting quack exorcisms, violence, and incarceration.

Meanwhile, in my opinion, ex-gay groups that absolve themselves of political responsibility for their allies’ immorality may be worst of all, in certain respects.

Is it really virtuous for a Christian evangelical — who teaches that Jews are inferior and that Judaism can be cured — to say “no comment” whenever it is asked whether it supports churches’ efforts to fire Jewish public-school teachers, to humiliate Jewish students in public schools, to rout Jews out of careers in media and finance, to insult and proselytize Jewish comrades on a military battlefield, or to refuse to marry a Jewish couple in the course of one’s responsibilities as a justice of the peace?

I view that choice of neglect of one’s neighbor as contrary to the parable of the good Samaritan. Apathy seems to be among the worst of New Testament sins.

Do any ex-gay groups exist which teach the truths that:

–sexual orientation appears to be fixed and substantially unchangeable in most people

–gay people deserve equal access to jobs, housing, and religious and civil institutions, including civil marriage

–the “gay lifestyle” does not exist

–consensual sex between adults in private must not be prosecuted

I fail to see how a legitimate civil rights organization could maintain philosophical integrity while intentionally aligning with today’s ex-gay groups, which either promote inequality, prejudice, and family breakdown — or refuse to oppose inequality, prejudice, and family breakdown.

By: Karen K

Karen K — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:46:10 +0000

Michael,

To clarify, I never said I necessarily supported PFOX being at NAACP. I am agnostic at this point because I only have a superficial knowledge of PFOX and want to research it. I do think its important to research such organizations and as I said in the ExGay Watch comments, I plan to do that. That is one of the reasons I read blogs like ExGay Watch because it can challenge me to consider certain things that wouldn’t come up if I only listened to people I agree with.

My concern was that *any* ex-gay group would be deemed inappropriate to have a booth at NAACP. For example, the support group I help out with explicitly states in our mission statement that we do not get involved in fighting political battles. We do not agitate against GLBT rights.

I would think from the mission of TWO, though, that *any* ex-gay group would be deemed offensive merely for existing regardless of whether those ex-gays are against discrimination of GLBT people or not.