Ex-Gay Watch

Alex Frantz at Public Nuisance discusses how the Bible defines traditional marriage:

Marriage in the United States shall consist of a union between one man and one or more women. (Gen. 29, 17 – 28; II Sam. 3, 2 – 5)

If a married man dies without children, his brother shall marry the widow. If he refuses to marry his brother’s widow or deliberately does not give her children, he shall pay a fine of one shoe and be otherwise punished in a manner to be determined by law. (Gen. 38 6 – 10; Deut 25 5 – 10)

Frantz’s point, of course, is to challenge the religious right’s claim to own the definition of “marriage.”

Frantz admits his approach is a bit weak on Biblical scholarship. But then so is the political religious right’s approach to the Bible.

In an Aug. 12 news statement, the Exodus national office cites Matthew 18 as a guideline for Episcopalians responding to the naming of a monogamous gay bishop.

The Exodus national office neglects to consider that, in the view of many Christians (conservative and liberal), antigay Christians are sinning brothers. The widely published tirades of antigay Episcopal priests like Steven R. Randall, who equates gay-tolerant Christians with the Sept. 11 terrorists, exemplify the antigay movement’s refusal to hear the church — in other words, its insistence on being “like a heathen and a tax collector.”

Exodus reflects:

The difficult part will be to not rush to separation before seeking reconciliation.

Conflict and division is never easy but it is sometimes necessary in order for the kingdom of God to remain undiluted and unified. We feel the Episcopal leaders who voted to approve the unrepentant gay Bishop and passed other measure are in error. We support the efforts of our brothers and sisters to bring the leadership to repentance or for separation.

In its finger-wagging against gay-tolerant Episcopalians, Exodus seems to misapply core Christian practices of reconciliation and repentance.

Both are two-way streets. Reconciliation and repentance often require a change of heart among both factions in a dispute. And given the violent hate being voiced by the former faction, it is unfortunate that Exodus selectively points fingers at the latter.

Exodus doesn’t seem to “get” reconciliation or repentance. Whether this stems from a subjective morality, political bias, or something else, is subject to debate.

In any event, if any partisan cause is going to quote the Bible as if to say, “God is on MY side,” then it can expect to have the Bible — sometimes the same verses — quoted right back at ‘em.

Selective use of the Bible is rarely, if ever, a productive way to solve a dispute.

PFOX Can Blame Itself for NEA Silence

By Wayne Besen

The audacity was breathtaking. The same week ex-gay poster boy Michael  Johnston was revealed as a fraud, Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays filed a frivolous complaint with the District of Columbia’s Office of Human Rights against the National Education Association. PFOX is accusing the NEA of discrimination because they will not allow the right wing group set up an “information” booth at the NEA’s annual convention.

“They most definitely are discriminating,” said Regina Griggs, executive director of PFOX. “They will not allow another voice. They literally have silenced ex-gay schoolteachers and members of their own unions, as well as our organization.”

PFOX should know a little bit about silence. The group has publicly said nothing about Johnston’s demise, nor do they ever mention the parade of ex-gay leaders that have fallen in scandal and shame.

PFOX is also mum on the fact that their name is a misnomer and their mission is mean-spirited. It is not a group of friends and parents supporting ex-gays as its name implies. It is a group that consists mainly of hurting fundamentalists family members who condemn their gay children as sinners. PFOX offers these parents religious rationalizations for rejecting their children’s sexual orientation, and in effect, tears families apart.  Also, this organization has never been lead by the parent of an ex-gay individual. Mrs. Riggs’ son, is an openly gay man.

PFOX’s is silent about the wacky and weird life of its president Richard Cohen. President Cohen once belonged to an inner healing cult, The Wesleyan Christian Community Church, that got booted out of the United Methodist Church for practicing nude therapy. In my book, Anything But Straight, Cohen said of his time with the cult, “It was like Paradise.”

While PFOX talks quite a bit about healing homosexuality, it is again silent when it comes to the bizarre techniques it endorses. For example, one method Cohen uses for making gay people straight is smashing a pillow with a tennis racket while yelling the name of a same-sex parent. He also is a fan of intrauterine memory recovery, which is inducing a flashback in a patient so he or she can remember what occurred in the mothers womb. 

PFOX also conceals the fact the group’s webmaster is a shadowy figure who goes by the menacing title Burning Black Triangle. “BBT” runs a shockingly hateful website with graphics of hellfire and doom for gays.
While PFOX often talks about science and psychology, it rarely reminds its members that the work they espouse is rejected by every respected medical and mental health organization in America. The American Psychological Association says efforts to convert gay people into heterosexuals can cause “anxiety, depression, and self-destructive behavior.”  

No, the NEA didn’t silence the right wing group as Mrs. Riggs suggests. The only silence comes from PFOX, a radical, dishonest fringe group that omits key facts and hides embarrassing failures. The  NEA made a smart decision by limiting their convention hall space to groups interested in education, not indoctrination and politically motivated hate propaganda.

Wayne Besen is the author of Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth (Harrington Park Press). The book comes out Oct. 1. Besen is also a former spokesperson of the Human Rights Campaign.

From the Express Gay News in South Florida:
The ‘Ex-Gay’ Coverup, Aug. 18, 2003

Besen, the author of Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth, told The Express that Johnston’s behavior is typical of ex-gays’ “cycle of sin and repentance.” “They abstain from sex for months and then something snaps,” Besen said. “The dam bursts and there’s a tidal wave of irresponsible behavior. Instead of saying, ‘Well, let’s have sex and use a condom,’ it’s like, ‘Well, I’m a terrible sinner anyway, so we may as well do it without a condom.’”

I’ve been busy elsewhere the past several days, but there’s plenty of material to be posted tonight:

News from Exodus and Wayne Besen, draft principles of accountability for the ex-gay movement, and a bit more.

During XGW’s down periods (normally about three days per week) please take a moment to check out the other site that I manage: I’m the deputy webmaster at the Independent Gay Forum.

See you all here later….

– Mike A.

Alan Chambers spoke to Orlando Weekly reporter Jeffrey Billman:

By Chambers’ estimate, only 30 percent of those who seek to switch orientations succeed. Fifty percent abandon the program. The other 20 percent, he says, go back and forth.

“I would say it’s like [Alcoholics Anonymous],” Chambers says. “It’s in the 30-percent range [that] find a great degree of healing and move into heterosexuality, single or married.”

Not quite a month later, BPNews, the Southern Baptist daily news outlet, quotes Chambers in a story about Michael Johnston’s fall:

The percentage of people who change but then fall back into homosexuality is “minute,” Chambers said. But there is “a very high percentage of people who continue to stay true to the Lord and stay true to the fact that their sexuality has changed.”

Thus, new entries for our Exodus-to-English dictionaries:

• 20% = “minute”
• 30% = “a very high percentage”
• 50% = statistically insignificant?

Chambers might protest that he cited Johnston’s relapse as part of a miniscule subset of the 30% of success stories, or that in retrospect Johnston had always been in the 20% of back-and-forth ex-gays. Until independent research produces firmer statistics, ex-gay leaders are free to mold their anecdotal observations into whatever shape they choose.

– Steve B.

The attorney for one of ex-gay activist Michael Johnston’s alleged victims wrote to XGW today:

I wanted to say that I appreciate your web site and have been following the commentary on Michael Johnston’s “moral fall.” As the attorney who contacted Wayne Besen to help get this story out, I have been very disappointed by the lack of coverage the story has received. No local newspapers in the Hampton Roads, Virginia, area have carried the story whatsoever nor have prominent gay web sites and online services such as gay.com and 365gay.com mentioned the story.

In bringing the story public my client had two goals: First, to warn the possibly very numerous number of individuals in the Hampton Roads area that may have been exposed to HIV by Johnston and not know they should get tested immediately in the hope of containing the spread of HIV. Second, to help expose the ex-gay programs for the frauds both he and I believe them to be. Sadly, many of those exposed to HIV by Johnston still may have no knowledge of their need to be tested for HIV and warn their other sex partners.

Also, wider coverage of the Michael Johnston fraud might cause individuals to come forward who are willing to be publicly identified so that prosecutors can consider criminal prosecution against Mr. Johnston. For employment reasons, my client cannot be publicly identified. Therefore, individuals who can testify that Michael Johnston knowingly had unsafe sex with them are needed to allow law enforcement officials to take any action.

It is a safe assumption that the “Christian” Right organizations will not be calling for Johnston’s prosecution. It appears that it was their hope that Michael Johnston could be hidden away at Pure Life Ministries so that no one would be the wiser about his irresponsible and apparently illegal conduct. Wayne Besen and I were blasted in a column linked to townhall.com recently for “outing” Johnston, thus evidencing the “Christian” Right’s anger that their and Johnston’s secret was discovered. The total failure of these “Christian” organizations to make any attempts to warn Michael Johnston’s victims, in my opinion, speaks volumes about the falsity of their claims of “love” and “compassion” for gays. Such claims are just more of their disingenuous lies.

Michael B. Hamar, Norfolk, Virginia

Mr. Hamar and I corresponded a bit after his initial message to me. I questioned why the local and national media might be overlooking the Michael Johnston story and the potentially dire consequences for men-who-have-sex-with-men in the Norfolk-Newport News area. Here are Mr. Hamar’s added remarks:

Personally, I think the mainstream media is simply afraid to touch sex scandals among *conservatives* which, unfortunately, enables these “Christian” Right types to continue to put out deliberately false information unchallenged. I can also say this: my client signed a sworn affidavit and other individuals confirmed Johnston’s identity as well in my presence. I believe they are telling the truth. Moreover, Johnston has done nothing to try to deny the truth of the story and several of his past promoters have issued press releases that did not challenge it either.

Unlike the “talking heads” of the “Christian” Right who in my opinion make utterly disingenuous claims of “love” and “compassion” toward gays — Robert Knight springs immediately to mind — I was face to face with some of Johnston’s victims and I was greatly moved by the fact that their lives had been callously put in jeopardy. All are young, relatively inexperienced and vulnerable in their own way — people’s sons and brothers. They are real living, breathing creations of God, loved by family and friends, and not mere chess pieces in the “Christian” Right’s so-called “culture war.” As a church going, believing Christian, I find it very offensive that Johnston and his backers at Family Research Council, Concerned Women for America, etc., call themselves Christians even though their behavior and hate-filled statements are an affront to the true Gospel message.

There has been a bit of local news coverage and discussion at the Virginia News Source.

Mr. Hamar, thank you for writing.

– Mike A.

Exodus spokesman Randy Thomas protests XGW’s reflections on the Michael Johnston tragedy here.

My response:

Thomas neglects to mention that, after he blogged about his personal reservations over the criminalization of sodomy, he reversed himself:

Sodomy Law Challenge set before Supreme Court

When I first mentioned this in the Spotlights last year, I wrote that I was concerned about Christians picking up this battle without remembering the human side of those they oppose. The concern was that the war of words would get in the way of presenting the gospel and respecting individuals dignity. After much reflection and more research it does appear that if the Supreme court overturns this case it could be a watershed event in redefining the family. Therefore, in the realm of public dialog, the possibility of overturning the laws deserves opposition from those of us who want to defend our beliefs as they pertain to Biblical models of relationships. Of course it is up to the reader on how to make their views known.

Subsequently, Exodus escalated its public support for sodomy laws and its political support for Sen. Rick Santorum.

After the Supreme Court ruling, Exodus expressed mild reservations about the severity of sodomy laws — but it longed for their return with regret and alarm at the consequences for America:

As a result of today’s ruling, young people will be led into further confusion. Alan chambers states, “Our young people are not going to grow up under the same teachings about morality that we did. The school books will simply state that homosexuality was legitimized by the Supreme Court on June 26, 2003. We are risking the moral upbringing of all the generations to come.

At no point did Thomas or Exodus call for changes to existing sentencing for sodomy convictions.

Thomas accuses XGW and its participants of slander. Slander, by definition, is a falsehood spoken with malice. But Thomas offers no specifics to substantiate his remarks.

At the moment, I find no malice in XGW discussions of Johnston, nor falsehoods. I do see moral outrage at Exodus’ support for Peter LaBarbera, as he minimized Johnston’s offenses and threw stones at homosexuals. And I see some obvious animosity as a consequence of the Exodus national office’s irresponsible behavior.

If someone can offer details of whatever “slander” has occurred, I welcome civil discussion about it and I will be happy to retract and correct any factual errors.

However, if one compares XGW to other gay-tolerant venues, my hope is that one will find XGW has been exceptionally fair and reserved toward the ex-gay movement.

Personally speaking, I remain supportive of local ex-gay ministries IF they are honest, apolitical, professionally run, scientifically accurate, and respectful of diverse individuals.

We are unlikely to see ex-gay activists call for that.

Because, despite the desire of Exodus leaders and the religious right to see the nation’s homosexuals made prosecutable on sodomy charges, it appears they do not wish for their own activists to be held accountable to the same laws.

(Nor do Exodus and the religious right apparently wish to see Johnston prosecuted under a Virginia law that forbids the intentional transmission of HIV. According to The Washington Blade, such an act would constitute a Class 6 felony, punishable by imprisonment of between one and five years, and a fine of no more than $2,500.)

A couple months ago, I personally warned Exodus spokesman Randy Thomas that sodomy laws threaten ex-gays. Thomas did not listen. Shortly thereafter, Exodus publicly defended sodomy laws and criticized the Supreme Court.

Thus far, the Exodus national office, Coral Ridge Ministries, and the Culture and Family Institute have avoided the implications of their public policy positions when they are applied to Michael Johnston.

I don’t believe sodomy laws make good civil policy for anyone, but if Exodus and the religious right believe otherwise, then they should advocate for equal enforcement. Ex-gays are not above the law.

At a news conference in late July, reported by religionjournal.com, Exodus executive director Alan Chambers publicly acknowledged that the national office has shifted away from its already feeble efforts to minister to gays.

Instead, Chambers says Exodus intends to work even more closely with antigay churches “to proclaim a clear message of the power of Jesus to change lives,” religionjournal.com reported. “Our desire is … to equip an army of believers to really attack this issue head-on.” Some might view Chambers’ appeal to attacking armies as an admission that his goal is culture war, not ministry.

Former Exodus leader Joe Dallas is quoted with some irony:

Some Christians have a “harsh, judgmental, unloving indifference or outright hostility” toward homosexuals, Dallas said. Such an attitude “negates the church’s ability to be what the church is meant to be: a visible representation of God’s heart and mind in the literal world. Many (homosexuals) feel as though the church represents an oppressor, an enemy population of people who loathe them, fear them, who would just as soon they didn’t exist.”

At the other extreme, Dallas said, some Christians are sacrificing truth in order to be inclusive. “More and more denominations are compromising basic doctrinal principles about the person of Christ, about the relation of God to humanity, (and) specifically about human sexuality,” he said. “This makes it impossible for the church to call people to repentance.”

Dallas calls for compassion — which is incompatible with tendencies among some ex-gay activists to:

• favor discrimination and prosecution against homosexual persons
• mischaracterize homosexual persons who maintain orthodox Christian belief and practice
• decline to launch or support antiviolence programs in public or private schools, and
• impugn the moral values of tolerant places of worship.

One might recommend that the ex-gay movement leaders, including Chambers and Dallas, pay closer attention to Dallas’ own words.