Local government, police and community investors have distanced themselves from Frontline Church in Liverpool, England, after details of its “gay conversion” ministry were publicized.
In July, I wrote for The Guardian‘s Comment is free about Liverpool LIFE ministry, a group patterned after LIFE NYC, an extreme, anti-gay organization founded by Joanne Highley.
Although Frontline’s defenders are quick to claim they’re only following traditional Christian teaching, Joanne Highley’s teaching goes far beyond the “orthodox” Christian view of homosexuality. Among other things, she believes and practices casting demons out of any bodily orifice that has been penetrated and received an “ungodly deposit of semen.” For Highley, gay sexual orientation in itself is sinful, and it’s something that can be completely cured through prayer, exorcism and dealing with the emotional wounds that supposedly caused it in the first place. She tells her clients to cut off all gay friends completely, as they were never true friends in the first place.
Frontline Church has said it doesn’t follow all of Highley’s teachings, but it has not explained why it made and retains such close ties with an obvious extremist.
The church’s allies in the community are evidently not impressed by the revelation of Frontline’s ex-gay ministry. According to the Liverpool Echo, Merseyside Police has asked the church to stop referring to the regional police force as an “official partner.” Housing association Plus Dane has pulled funding from the church’s Food Bank. And Liverpool Council has said it “would not fund an organisation or its activities where they contradicted our equalities and cohesion policy in the way alleged in this case.”
The story has also been picked up by national newspapers The Daily Telegraph and The Daily Mail. Also, check out Ex-Gay Watch’s previous coverage of the backstory on Liverpool Frontline Church’s promise of a gay cure.
________
Correction (11/17/11): The original article incorrectly stated Plus Dane would continue to fund the church’s Food Bank. Plus Dane has, in fact, withdrawn all funding from Frontline.
Great job, Dave.
I applaud the Liverpool Echo for taking on this situation. It would really warm my heart if Christians I once worshiped with would take the time to listen to what is written here on Ex-Gay Watch….getting the whole picture and the real truth of ex-gay ministries and also admitting that the type of “ministry” such as Frontline offers are so damaging to LGBT people; the ministries like Frontline prey on the vulnerable and the rejected with their message of guilt, condemnation, fruitless promises of “healing/cure” when the experiences of LGBT people shows that only compassion, acceptance and justice are the real success stories.
Thanks Dave for highlighting this ministry once again…time for the church to exercise the ministry of reconciliation me thinks.
There IS no Christian teaching on how to cure homosexuality. The cure is essentially execution. Done.
WTF?!
If everyone listened to the more barbaric, reactionary and primitive way in which to deal with so much of life’s human realities, I doubt much progress would have been made since the 6th century.
Really?
EXORCISM?!
That’s like reading that there are still only FOUR HUMORS to explain human disease.
Would these same ministries insist that the pain of childbirth deserves no anesthesia because it’s punishment for eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge? Or that autopsy is dangerous because it releases black humor into the bodies of other people?
Pardon my Swedish, but PHUCK these ex gay ministry charletans!
Um, isn’t there also an admonition in the bible which has been interpreted by most fundamentalist cul… um, I mean sects which bans ALL women from the ministry as well as supervision over men in church?
I guess some women are more equal than others when it comes to fundies like Ms. Highley…
Nice to see you keeping us informed about the home town Dave; and, as always, an extra and much needed perspective on this unwanted U.S. export industry.
Of course, should one walk a few minutes down a bit and East from that church you soon end up on the splendidly named Menlove Avenue. That alone must be a sore temptation for the poor bastards walking to their Freedom, but no doubt also an easy excuse for all the ‘failures’. That, and the devils cosseted in one’s fundaments. Always a good excuse, that one.
“I couldnt ‘elp moiself officer… I ‘ave Satan stuck in moi ear’ole.”
Cheers mate and hope life’s treating you well.
@grantdale
Thanks for remembering Liverpool is my home town (well, one of them). I know Menlove Avenue, and I’d never made the connection you did. 😀
Life has dealt me a few knocks recently, but it’s onwards and upwards. I’m moving back to Liverpool in a couple of weeks, following two years over here in Canada. Frontline Church will doubtless be pleased to hear I’m back in the area!
Hope you guys are well.
Sorry to hear that Dave, but you’re right: onwards and upwards. As if one has a choice otherwise, as they say.
It’s also not hard to remember, for me, any Liverpool reference given Dad grew up in Aigburth and Mossley Hill. At a time when Penny Lane was just a dreary 1950’s post-war street, instead of a tourist bus route. I’ve got photos of him swimming off the (ghastly) Cast Iron Shore, if you need any proof — a family photo one would not even want to fake! And if memory serves, I think every male over the age of 15 also has a fag hanging from their mouth. Pure class.
Take care, and best wishes with the upcoming move. I guess this means you’re hanging up the snow-shoes, the furry hat with flaps, and the moose gun for a time?
We’ll look forward to the feature from you in the Echo about Frontline.
ps: we’re both obnoxiously well.