Ex-Gay Watch

I haven’t read the article, but it doesn’t say that this man believes himself to be straight now. Controlling one’s “impulses” is not the same as changing one’s orientation, nor is this article clear about the long haul.

Sorry, I meant I haven’t read the Italian article.

This has to be a Timothy post.

Why, yes. It is.

What would make you guess that?

Other than perhaps you know that I’m the one who would think it’s funny because Alan Chambers would rather juggle rattlesnakes than recommend praying the rosary. And the day that Mike Ensley venerates a saint will be the day he campaigns for gay marriage.

My mother said the Rosary every night at around 630pm. It was a great comfort to her.

As a kid, I had no frame of reference, but as an adult, I recognized the similarity of the rhythmic chanting of the Rosary and the chanting/meditation used in other religions. I have said the Rosary countless times during my lifetime, but not once did it make me any less gay.

Well Timothy — think again.

Exodus is just about, soon now going to recommend praying the rosary as having a suitable role in conversion therapy.

But it has to wait.

First order of the day are Whirling Dervishes. Followed by rattle snake juggling, followed by Tibetan prayer wheels – then, and only then, will there be time and office resources available to introduce praying the rosary. Veneration and/or Adoration of Saints to follow.

You really must read your “Exodus Update” more carefully, ya know.

And before anyone asks: like Timothy, that was me being as sarcastic about the one dimensional religious aspects of Exodus despite claims to the contrary; and not any particular religious practice.

Though, personally, if I was to ever attempt rattle snake juggling I’d want said snake to be placed into a prayer wheel by a Dervish and whirled to the point of unconciousness before even touching the thing.

Here is the URL of the La Stampa article [http://www.lastampa.it/redazione/cmsSezioni/cronache/200702articoli/18527girata.asp].

I did a quick and very dirty translation through ets.FreeTranslation.com. It appears from the article that he contracted HIV ["Anche lui finì nella morsa dell'Hiv."]. And get this, what started his conversion was when he came across a friend’s notes concerning the work of Joseph Nicolosi. He describes his early life which let to the gay life in classic Nicolosian terms (well, as classical as my poor translation can make out).

“Memory my childhood to play with the doll and with the friends of the palace I wanted always to do the mommy”, tells. Already then the parents were separated themselves, he lived in a studio apartment to Milan with the mommy “too affectionate, to times suffocating but also very busy in the struggle for the survival”. …

“…I screamed the name of my companion in the sleep. The psychologist said that I was the classic child gotten upset for the separation of the parents and that another change would have been harmful”.

He is also planning on getting married.

“He left the buddismo, found the christianity and discovered for the first time l’ identity of man. “I do not say that it is easy state, you have to saper to renounce, to stop the hunting to the sex compulsivo that before I put into practice instinctively”. They are wanted you are us years, some fall here and there, much will, also – and a time would be appeared him inconceivable – much prayers. “Three rosaries to the day, the course of the group Chaire and those of Living Waters. A year ago I knew my fiancée. Of me it knows all and it accepted to be me near”. They are putting aside the money to marry itself, it count to do us it it in the turn of two years. ” [Translated, poorly]

I agree with John, I’ve said a lot of rosaries as well, but I’m still gay. Heck, my mom said a never fail year-long novena thing for my salvation. I’m still a lesbian, so that must mean being a lesbian isn’t incompatible with being saved?

Also, if you have property you need to sell, bury a small statue of St. Joseph in the front lawn and it will sell. Seriously, I know somebody who told me it works. Really. No Kidding. It does. His house sold after he did this.

I don’t think that St. Josemaria Escriba would be the appropriate patron saint for ex-gays. St. Jude is the patron saint of lost causes, and I think that he would be a much more appropriate saint for Alan Chambers and Exodus. Maybe they can erect a life size statue of St. Jude just outside their offices in Orlando.

RedLaw: In fairness, the Catholic Church is not as bad as some Protestant groups like Exodus. Being gay isn’t a sin. Having sex with someone of the same gender, or anyone outside of wedlock, is. Not saying I agree with the former, but that’s what the Church teaches.

Being Eastern Orthodox, we have a special place in our hearts for saints as well. Upon my charismation I had to choose a patron saint to emmulate and I took one that is very unknown.

St. Zotikos of Constantinople.
http://www.st-seraphim.com/zotikos.htm

He is commonly referred to the patron saint of orphans, the outcasts, and lepers. Something I think most gay men can identify with. Zotikos reached out and embraced the unwanted. May St. Zoticos always be with those who are victims of unfortunate diseases, praying to Jesus Christ for healing and deliverance from the social intolerance that still infects our world today.

I truly love the diversity of religious experience and affiliation found among our readers.

I’ve always found Eastern Orthodoxy fascinating.

Opus Dei? How S&M is that?!

Oh, no, no, no, Arthur.

Kneeling on sharp gravel and flogging oneself with a knotted cord or scouring oneself with a steelo pad is NOT s&m if it is an act of handing one’s sins over to God. The pain is merely a reminder, need I remind you.

And the fact I actually LIKE doing it is purely coincidental.

(“There’s none so queer as folk”, yes?)

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp had a story yesterday about gay life in Iran. There, the government offers and partially subsidizes sex change surgery in order to “align” homosexual male’s feelings to heterosexuality by making the men become women. Some men actually take up the offer, not because they want to be women, but because they want to stop the persecution and living under the threat of being caught and subject to punishments ranging from 100 lashes to death.

Ga Life in Iran

There has been an interesting story concerning a Roman Catholic ministry to the gay community of Utah (Park City) and the fine line which the priest was evidently walking between the Church’s stated position and ‘affirming’ gay and lesbian relationships. The first article is in the Deseret News and an article from the Salt Lake Tribune delves into the controversy which some parishoners created. Evidently for those parishoners, any outreach to gay people was an affirmation of that which the Church considers sin.

Lynn David,

WOW… that’s really an evidence that the old “love the sinner, hate the sin” is little more than a cover for “hate the sinner”.

These people were so preoccupied with condemning gay “behavior” that they could not allow gay people to go uncondemned.