Google News lists numerous stories this morning about yesterday’s antigay conference hosted by Focus on the Family and Exodus near Palm Springs, Calif.
The most thorough coverage is from The Desert Sun, which published numerous articles and updates about the event. One of the articles quotes Timothy Kincaid of Ex-Gay Watch, who attended a morning vigil as conference attendees arrived:
“I don’t object to having a religious belief,” said Timothy Kincaid of Los Angeles, who protested the event. “What I object to is when you come in and you don’t tell the truth.”
Kincaid said the message of love at the conference is undermined by the Focus on the Family suggestion that people cannot simultaneously be gay and effective Christians.
“That message is so detrimental,” Kincaid said during a telephone interview after the protest. “It pries the gay community away from God.”
(Kincaid is also interviewed at the end of this video recorded by The Desert Sun.)
The same Desert Sun article quotes Focus on the Family official Bill Maier (pictured here and here) lobbying conferees to legislate against gay marriage.
The newspaper also published three photo galleries:
- Vigilers and protesters at Indian Wells
- Love Won Out conference at Indian Wells
- Unity Rally in Palm Springs
Among the pictures are two photographs of friends of Ex-Gay Watch holding this web site’s large white signs at a morning vigil outside Love Won Out. A third photograph shows Daniel Gonzales of Ex-Gay Watch being interviewed by the media.
We will be looking for coverage from other Los Angeles media later today, and we plan to have a first-hand report by Monday.
Update: The Desert Sun and the Press-Enterprise in Riverside appear to be the only LA mainstream news media to have provided online coverage of the conference.
Here is my favorite quote from the article:
Love Won Out media director Gary Schneeberger said the event was not aimed at influencing political decisions on gay marriage, domestic partner benefits or gay adoption.
But in at least one of the conference sessions the speaker highlighted gay marriage ballot initiatives and told the audience arguments they could use against gay marriage advocates.
“National same-sex marriage could also mean a very real threat to our religious freedom,” Bill Maier, a Focus on the Family vice president, told the group.
I honestly don’t know how these people sleep at night with these barely disguised lies. ALL of this is about gay marriage. Imagine if we held a bunch of rallies designed to show you how to convert people into the “homosexual lifestyle.”
Great reports by the Desert Sun. I see Dr. Throckmorton is posting to their forum.
It appears to me that if Melissa Fryrear has found contentment in her life thru God, then why do news photos, such as the ones posted on thedesertsun.com appear to show someone on the verge of, if not, having a breakdown?
I was also impressed by those photos of Melissa Fryrear, she seems like a desperate person or an actress in a tragedy.
I got that impression from those photos also. We are talking the same performers over and over again. Now Anne Heche’s mother is brought into it.
I’ve noticed that not much, if anything is being said about Anne’s 19 year old brother.
Who, fearing that he might be gay and couldn’t reconcile whatever his feelings were at the time, took his own life.
He was so afraid of homosexuality, he didn’t want to live with it, whether it was his or someone else’s.
If the message is more how bad homosexuality is and being that way is, would this boy’s reaction surprise anyone?
After all, Exodus does go around talking about how dangerous it is, and what a short life you’ll have and God won’t love you and send you to a worse place.
I was sitting with Ann and Ellen at a special event at the Museum of Tolerance at the time.
Whatever Anne is doing now, to her credit, it hasn’t made her ANTI GAY.
Instead of her mother being happy with the situation, she’s trying to play the tragedy card…over and over and over again.
I see Fryear has a wedding band on her hand. So if she’s married now, good luck to her.
And if she’s straight now, again,…goody, goody.
Here’s where I have several problems…but this is something I’ve mentioned before.
Why BELABOR how straight you are? Why moan and tear up over HOW horrible being gay was?
Where’s the joy in being a Christian? Where’s the reinforcement that YOUR PERSONAL marriage is working for YOU, also personally.
But all marriage and relationships are personal.
How they work or don’t, is different for everyone and work or don’t for different reasons.
LEAST of which is because of the sexual orientation of the persons who are married.
Marriages aren’t successful based solely on the couple being heterosexual.
The VOWS of marriage are the important part and whether or not those vows are kept.
Okay, so Melissa played her scene again.
These folks really aren’t very good actors…I still can’t believe a word of it, no matter how much they insist that I do.
mayhaps they protest too much…?
I want to thank:
Timothy Kincaid, traveling companion, for the ride to Palm Springs.
It was good to finally meet you and see what a handsome thang you are!
I should have warned you what a chatterbox I was and chow hound-but all went well.
I love you!
Daniel, thank you too for just being the committed and thoughtful and praiseworthy intellect that you are. You are so young, and yet…so together and you make this sistah friend proud to call you MY friend.
Jim Burroway:
It’s a PROMISE I will see you in Tucson. I enjoyed you so much, I want MORE!
May I just say that it hasn’t always been easy being an advocate. Gay children are my greatest concern and I don’t always know if I’m doing right, but I would do anything to try and assure a better hope and future for them.
I’ve been too blessed by these kids.
But guys, I really appreciate you having me along for everything.
Counseling me, being so affectionate and giving of your time.
Hugs, kisses and ‘mo hugs!
I love you!
Reagan, Timothy and Jim
Wonderful meeting all of you. I had a great time.
Regan,
Thank you. You were right that it was a great weekend and you are a delight. And how do you stay looking so young? I have to get the number to your plastic surgeon!! (inside joke there)