Ex-Gay Survivors on Montel

[revtj]

http://www.exgaywatch.com/wp/

Thank God they weren't on Jerry Springer!:rolleyes:

[BruceChris]

Oh yeah, she did that years ago.

P&L, BC

[TigerXero]

I put the video on my myspace, and then put this [really long] caption below it.


"I believed that it was wrong for me to be gay, and that I would do anything to make it right because if that's what God wanted, then I need to give God everything, so ultimately, I spent seventeen years and over thirty-thousand dollars on three continents trying to get help. I was even married for a time to a women, and that ended in disaster; it was heartbreaking for her." It didn't work. This is like countless other stories of gay Christians who think they're an abomination in God's sight and who have tried to change. They couldn't. Is it really a problem then, or does God love you for who you are, same-sex attraction is a part of who you are, and dating your own sex is NOT a sin when you're homosexual? Has the Bible been wrongly interpretted, or does the Biblical rules specified for a specific form of homosexuality (pedastry, idolatry, pagan fertility rituals, etc.) seen during an ancient time not apply to contemporary homosexuality (similar to the Biblical condemnation that even Jesus made condemning usury {putting interest on money you've loaned} that the Church now supports/allows). By the way, celibacy is a God given gift which is not fit for everyone, and thus not a command that gays must to follow. Even if we're wrong about all this, I'd like to think there's a wideness in God's grace.


What do you think?

[Rick336]

I clicked on the above link about the Montel Williams show and read the article below the video on the Ex-Gay Watch site. It was about the comments from Wayne Besen, creator of the organization "Truth Wins Out," of an ex-gay man named Chad Thompson.

Then I went to the "Truth Wins Out" web site and read Wayne Besen's comments for myself. He said this about ex-gay Chad Thompson:

"Not only does Chad dress like a slob and look like he needs to take a bath - he also speaks out of both sides of his hypocritical mouth."

It's one thing to argue and disagree with someone who you strongly believe is wrong. But to make comments about how a person dresses and looks is not only very unprofessional but it reflects back on the person making the comment as being vindictive and vicious.

I support Wayne Besen in his effort to get the truth out about the ex-gay movement. But I think he needs to chose his words more carefully. People are much more likely to support a leader who comes across as a good person instead of one that sounds tacky and mean.

Rick

[NathanATX]

On the main page of Truth Wins Out, I could only find a link to this article referring to Chad Thompson.

http://truthwinsout.org/news/?p=65

Where does he say what you've quoted?

[Emproph]

Where does he say what you've quoted?
WayneBesen.com:
Chad Thompson: An Unusually Good Liar (http://www.waynebesen.com/2007/02/chad-thompson-unusually-good-liar.html)

Which was picked up by Timothy Kincaid of Ex-Gay Watch:
Destroying the Enemy (http://www.exgaywatch.com/wp/2007/02/destroying-the-enemy/)

At which point Wayne responded in the comments section here:
http://www.exgaywatch.com/wp/2007/02/destroying-the-enemy/#comment-21047

~~
My feeling is that had he explained all that then there wouldn't be any controversy. What is said doesn't bother me as much as why it's said. I consider Wayne to be ahead of the curve on this subject so I tend to give him and those like him the benefit of the doubt.

The bad vibes are unfortunate, because I agree with the sentiments of both Wayne and Timothy.

~~
As for the Montel video, I was of course hoping for some exposure of intentional lies in regard to ex-gay ministries, but I found the almost matter-of-fact revelation that Lance Carrol's family STILL rejects him – and that it was his Catholic principal who helped him find the family he's living with now – to be even more powerful testimony.

He survived. We don't hear about the one's who don't. That's how they get away with murder.

[revtj]

Well, I weighed in on the Besen comments yesterday on the Ex-gay Watch site.

Wayne has a very cynical dry sense of humor. And in fact, his remarks were relevant to the issue. He didn't just do a comedy routine on the guy for fun, what he was saying, however sarcastic, was factual. The guy puts twinks all over his website, it's weird if not laughable.

As I have stated before, I find satire, parody and off-color humor to be a fair weapon in a non-violent, civil discussion of this sort.

The way I see it, the right wing has declared a "culture war" and we will all be very lucky indeed if the worst thing we experience in their self-declared war is some sarcastic bitchy ad hominem humor. The very word "culture war" makes me think of some redneck with 2 shotguns on the rack of his pickup truck.

Meanwhile watch this and see if you think Kimmell is making fun of this guy?

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOTYFXZb_rE

[Zerbie]

Wayne Besen is on-the-money most, if not all the time. I support his endeavors. But I find that his "sarcastic style" DOES go over the top and it crosses the line where it ceases to be funny or make the point, but is just plain mean. Okay if that's his personal style. But as a spokesperson, I strongly wish that he would moderate the personal comments. I used to read his blog regularly, but stopped altogether after I observed him making personal insults to a man who commented on his blog - incidentally, one who agrees with Besen politically but had only one or two small points of disagreement. I thought, "Why waste my time?" And that's when I stopped following the blog.

Ya know? I like him. I met him briefly at our Phoenix protest and we had a lovely conversation, you can tell he's a good guy. But the personal comments are sometimes very mean, and that meanness is going to prove counterproductive.

[Daniel]

This matter speaks to the perspective of nonviolence, which is to go after the ignorance/thought system, not the person. Going after the person just weakens one's argument.

[NathanATX]

I think we're all "in progress." I know I've certainly grown a lot the past couple of years. I think Wayne is on the right track. His effectiveness will grow as he learns how to truly harness his energy.

[Rick336]

I think it's a matter of character.

If you attack a person for what he wears and how he looks instead of sticking to the issues, you're taking the low road. You're stoopping to the kind of mud slinging that gains little respect.

When I originally went to the "Truth Wins Out" web site, I was encouraged that there was an organization that offered answers to the lies and misinformation coming from the ex-gay movement.

But after reading Wayne Besen's comments about Chad Thompson, I'm not so sure I want to be associated with his organization. I just believe that taking the high road is always the best way to confront our opponents.

Some justify their vicious comments about their opponents because they feel they were attacked first. But the "he started it first" argument should be left to the kids on the playground.

Rick