Just a couple of weeks ago, I wrote the following:
If one ever completely screws up his or her life and wants “redemption”, there are two courses of action. The first is a name change, with the hope that no one notices the sordid past. Don’t laugh, the technique worked for ValuJet. In 1996, the airline crashed into an alligator-infested swamp, changed its name to AirTran – and presto – it was like the disaster never happened.
And, like clock work, the beleaguered and scandalized “ex-gay” activist group, Jews Offering New Alternatives to Homosexuality, (JONAH) has changed its name to “Jews Offering New Alternatives to Healing”
Where did JONAH get the idea of a name change in a time of scandal?
It came from its co-founder, Arthur Abba Goldberg, who is a convicted Wall Street con artist who looted millions of dollars from poor communities. After Goldberg’s parole was up, he dropped the “Abba” from his name, making it nearly impossible to find out about his sordid history on Google. It was at this point he reinvented himself as a great healer of homosexuals and co-founded JONAH. This scheme worked for nearly a decade, until it was uncovered this year by Truth Wins Out and the South Florida Gay News. So, it makes sense that this charlatan would replicate his old trick, which shielded him from controversy for years.
However, Goldberg can change his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and it won’t make his tawdry criminal record disappear. Likewise, altering JONAH’s name will not erase the fact that the group’s senior trainer, Alan Downing, stands accused by two former clients of sexual misconduct. The facts won’t so easily be dismissed, nor will people be so easily fooled. And, if they are, Truth Wins Out will be there to remind them.
From what I hear through the grapevine, Goldberg is now claiming that “JONAH is at war.” I’m glad to hear this because he is now operating on my turf. I wish him luck and believe that our truth grenades will prevail over his bullshit bombs.
Goldberg is quite cunning. One has to be to steal millions of dollars — and nearly get away with it. His greatest weakness, however, is that he overestimates his abilities. He fervently believes that he is always the smartest person in the room — like the Enron guys. And we all know what happened to them.
While Goldberg might be a genius in money mismanagement (or is it malfeasance), he needs some work on his lousy PR instincts. For example, only someone delusional or out of touch would use disgraced “life coach” Richard Cohen (See pictures of therapy) as his therapeutic guru. He also made a gargantuan mistake by changing the name of JONAH to Jews Offering New Alternatives to Healing.
Why?
The greatest weakness of this organization is the bizarre, sexually inappropriate and unproven methods of “healing” it promotes. As of today, they have made it infinitely easier to focus on the types of therapy provided to clients — including nude therapy, therapeutic lap dances and pretending to murder a parent by slamming a tennis racket into a pillow.
Truth Wins Out is excited about debating JONAH on its so-called “healing” methods. The truth is, Goldberg is the smartest person in the room — if the other people are George W. Bush and Carrie Prejean.
Goldberg and JONAH can change like chameleons, but, in the end, they will show their true colors. When they do, Truth Wins Out will be on the scene to shine a bright spotlight so the entire world will see the flawed and corrupt character of Goldberg and his minions at JONAH.
So Wayne, in your view, once someone does something
wrong when they are younger, they should have that
act hung around thier neck for the rest of thier life
a;wayns hanging over thier head, never able to put it
behond them. Obviously you have no concept of
redemption and second chances. This is another example
of your narrow minded-ness and judgementalism. everyone
deserves a second chance to redeem themselves and
put thier past behind them. Who are you to sit in
judgement of Mr. Goldberg or anyone else? Who are
you to say that he hasn’t reformed?
Um, he caused BILLIONS in fraud? I would think that’s a pretty big thing, and not something that can just go “Ooops my bad” If he was truly repentant he would work to make up for it, repay the community for the damage he caused. Instead hes bilking people out of their money while giving repressed closet cases opportunities for egregious sexual abuse, how is he “truly” repentant?
The fact that he tried to hide it – put in a great effort to, in fact – shows he has not truly been redeemed of it. A redeemed person would be honest about their past and own up to it as proof of their redemption. They wouldn’t edit their wikipedia article, then try to get it deleted, then cry “victim” afterward.
At the very least, a redeemed person, after trying to hide their past but found out anyway, would THEN own up to it and be honest.
Abba has done none of these.
Brad:
It is clear that abba gold berg has not repented because:
1) he started JONAH, which is just another immoral and dishonest scheme
2) he concealed his middle name, “Abba” until we exposed him. Why wound a reformed con man conceal his name, unless he wasn’t really reformed.
3) he is sending young men to nude therapy.
Sorry bradley, but Goldberg’s second act looks very much likevthe sick and twisted first one
BRAD IS BACK! He must have recovered from, as the Sadly, No! writer said about Pastor Grant Swank (who Brad probably likes), “his semi-annual stroke,” and is now gracing us with his presence again!
My prayers, directed at clouds, have been answered.
I dunno, the name change seems pretty accurate; there are only two alternatives to healing I can think of: causing harm or not changing anything at all.
Brad, we forgive people if they stop doing wrong and make amends for the harm they’ve caused. In this case Abba Dabba is just causing more harm.
[...] has recently changed its name to Jews Offering New Alternatives to Healing. (See what Wayne Beeson has to say about that at TWO.) The original program at the AOJS convention called for a presentation by [...]
Brad, people can be forgiven. I agree with Wayne that if he was repentant, he wouldn’t have to change his name. Chuck Colson didn’t change his name. So, go back to the basics of honesty in God or stay out of the limelight.
Why should be ones to judge if therapy works or not? If someone thinks that sexuality change can occur and that they have completely changed their sexuality why shouldn’t we believe them. Shouldn’t they allowed to remain happy and why should we say they are lying?
[...] JONAH’s Arthur Goldberg? Wayne Besen at Truth Wins Out is all over him – he’s “a convicted Wall Street con artist who looted millions of dollars [...]
Off topic comment. I’ve been reading a lot on the subject of being gay in America. I am not gay, nor am I anti-gay. My comments should be taken as no more than one person’s perspective. It seems to me, that there is a problem with the equality of gay people. I, in no way, am attempting to fix anything, but its been my experience, that if you act differently, or require extra attention, you do, in fact get treated differently. If you don’t want to be treated differently, why request, almost require the extra attention? Be gay, be proud regardless of the worlds take. Feel free to respond.