James Stabile

[Daniel]

This is some story!

http://www.towleroad.com/2007/12/ex-gay-camp-har.html


Gay Man Goes Through "Ex-Gay" Hell After Christian "Purity Siege"


Some of you may remember the piece I posted about Pat Robertson and the nutty evangelical "purity sieges" that have been going on around Interstate-35 in the midwest.

According to Robertson, God is using superhighway I-35 that runs from Canada to Mexico to purify America from sin. He says "I-35 is the highway spoken of in Isaiah 35:8 - "And a highway will be there; it will be called the way of holiness." So, evangelical Christians have set aside 35 days to use the cities around I-35 to rid America of sin, meaning "abortion clinics, gay bars, strip joints, and porn shops." God is using "purity sieges" to set America free.

One of the main people featured in the clip posted below is James Stabile, who was apparently "cured" of his homosexuality by a minister at one of these purity sieges.

John Wright of the Dallas Voice attempted to track down Stabile and discovered what had happened to him after talking to Joe Oden, the midwest evangelist who has been organizing the "purity sieges" and who "touched" Stabile, allegedly transforming him from gay to straight in an instant:

Writes Wright: "Oden told me Stabile had been shipped off to Pure Life Ministries, which operates a residential treatment program in Northern Kentucky. 'It’s a program for people who’ve lived alternative lifestyles just to get totally clean,' Oden told me. Upon further investigation, I discovered Pure Life Ministries is also the place where Mike Johnston — remember him?! — is director of donor and media relations. Johnston’s the guy who contracted HIV before swearing off homosexuality and becoming a poster child for the ex-gay movement in the late 1980s. Then, in 2003, it was revealed that Johnston was living a double life — cruising men online and organizing unsafe sex parties while failing to disclose his HIV status to partners. Johnston eventually checked into Pure Life and later re-emerged in his current position. 'With good reason, people would question what I’m saying now,' Johnston told me recently during what he said was the only interview he’s given on the subject in four years."

Soon after, Oden told Wright that Stabile had been kicked out of Pure Life Ministries for being a "compulsive liar" so Wright tracked down Stabile's father (pastor of Cochran Chapel United Methodist Church, the oldest church in Dallas) to "get the real scoop."

According to Wright, "Joseph Stabile said he’s fully accepting of his son’s sexual orientation and believes being gay is neither a choice nor a sin. Joseph Stabile said James left home to go out that Friday night and never returned. Joseph said James, or 'B.J.' as his parents affectionately refer to him, is bipolar and had stopped taking his medication. James called a few days later and told his parents he was moving out, and that he’d be back to get his stuff. James apparently had moved in with some folks from Heartland. After that, it would be some time before James’ parents heard from him, as his church friends reportedly advised him not to contact them. Joseph Stabile said the Heartland folks also may have advised James to throw away his medication, telling him that God would cure his bipolar disorder, too. Joseph’s parents said James has a tendency to be less than truthful, especially when he’s off his medication, and that he loves attention. They said they don’t believe he’s ever questioned his sexuality, but that the folks from Heartland manipulated and exploited him for publicity."

So the Fundies basically emotionally kidnapped Stabile, took away medication that helps him act rationally, and that's not all. Apparently it cost James $2100 to get into the "ex-gay" program and another $150 a week while he was there. The people at Pure Life constantly told him he was going to Hell, he had to be clothed from the neck down even while sleeping. James is now home with his parents, describes his experience at "straight camp" as being "horrible" and is seeing a therapist.

There is a hell on earth apparently and these people are at the center of it.

[scott snedeker]

Holy mind rape! Batman!

[ladyinred]

Holy mind rape! Batman] And wallet-wise too. These people again are apparently not qualified mental health practicioners.(Are they accredited or licensed?It doesn't sound like it from what I've read) If I were his parents I'd think I might think about suing them for practicing "medicine" without a license.

[ladyinred]

Here's the lowdown on what his parents said, they are trying to get him help through his therapist:http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2007/dec/14/dallas-gay-man-adversely-affected-christian-purity/ Here's another article:http://www.dallasvoice.com/artman/exec/view.cgi/94/6872 On the APA:http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=news&sc3=&id=23416

[ladyinred]

Are these cures? And these are a few of the ways the ex-gay experts "cure" gay people and make them heterosexual:

Men should play sports

Men practice going fishing, women practice putting on make-up

Men are taught to sit the right way, no crossed legs

Men are taught not to stand with their hand on their hip

Take away a man's Calvin Klein clothes and Barbra Streisand records

Men should avoid extreme sarcastic behavior

Men should wear short business-like haircuts

Show a gay man photos of nude men while placing rotted hamburger meat under his nose - he will then associated repulsion with same-sex attraction

The laying of hands on a gay man in front of the assembled church congregation

Reading a specific prayer over your gay child to list his "generational curse"

Forcibly abduct gay teens in their sleep, handcuff them, and send them to military boot camps where they are forced to march 20 miles a day with weights on their backs (this is a true, and horrible, story).

[tdogg]

Funny. Not in a laughing way. Fundies teaaching people 'how' to act and be a gender. These tactics are extreme and harmful.

So, last night at Target we were blessed with being in line in front of an obviously imbibed man. He was acting very stupid and somewhat violent with a stuffed duck that he kept hitting on the counter and basket, then yelling at it to shut up. He finally got interested in us and our little FloorMate we were purchasing. His comment "so, your husband let you buy that?" It just pisses me off when people assume a female needs a man to make a decision and well, my reaction was "I'm her husband". Which of course resulted in the usual homophobic crap. Realizing this was a man completely out of his mind and as he was batting around a stuffed duck, might not be too much of a stretch for him to follow us out and bat us around a bit. He was completely ugly in his comments. A person under the influence will normally act in their customary manner as the alcohol (or drugs) wipe away inhibition.

I think society in general is betting better and more accepting, but there is still a significant number of those who feel we are immoral, deviant, sinful, etc. As long as there is a significant number, things like this will go on. They will continue trying to change GLBT and stuff them back into closets and neat little boxes. Labels and stereotypes will continue to the be the norm. I'm not sure how to go about making it better, other than being supportive to anyone having gone through horrors such as the ex-gay programs, and then living out and proud and being ourselves every day no matter what.

[ladyinred]

It doesn't sound like their cures reflect any kind of science at all but gender stereotypes.
"A person under the influence will normally act in their customary manner as the alcohol (or drugs) wipe away inhibition." I remember there was a scene at our apartments one time and the young guy upstairs was with his GF making a complete butt of himself and raising alot of racket. My ex told them to keep it dowm since it was late at night.(She had to go to work in the morning) He exposed himself and said "Bite this"... Needless to say when heterosexual men act like jerks or dummies nobody seems to be that concerned, I guess part of the male heterosexual" prowess" or macho image" they like to project.(Not saying all heterosexual men are buttheads, or act that way) I don't know how his girlfriend reacted, but if I were her, I definitely would have dumped him as a boyfriend. And they say gays are exhibitionists? I never beared my private parts in front of someone else I didn't know on an intimate level if you know what I mean.

[BruceChris]

Too bad you couldn't have caught him sober, and brought along 17 of your girlfriends. OK, Maybe that wasn't a very Christian thing for me to say, but then again, if he was sober, and you had a lot of friends along, you could have said it very quietly, and then the ball would have been in his court.

Self respect; Bruce Chris

P.S. I live on I-35, right next to the broken bridge, and we have very little homophobia around here.

P.P.S. not to say all heterosexual men are buttheads, just far too many of them.

P.P.P.S.: "and if all of you had pointed, and laughed hysterically"..................

[ladyinred]

Luckily she didn't get hurt by the guy, if it were me, I would have run out that door quickly..

[ladyinred]

tdogg you know where patriarchal heterosexual norms came from ,Roman and greek pagan cultures that looked down on women with disdain, they had contempt for women and regarded them with shame,women were not equal citizens with men but treated more like property, marriage was hardly out of love.Some of the church fathers of Rome later expressed this sentiment toward women .(it figures) Here is also an interesting read:http://www.religioustolerance.org/cfe_bibl.htm ( And who the heck did they think gave them birth and brought them into the world?) They evidently viewed women as trouble and suductresses who would lead to their "downfall" The adage, "If something is wrong blame it on the women."(Especially your own weaknesses and character flaws) Sheesh.
Women were not given the right to vote here until after the emancipation of slaves.(Shows how far our civilization has come in relation to Roman attitudes over two thousand years ago, ha, ha.)
I was listening to this woman when I was in a restaurant and she was talking about her church telling her to submit to her man like a good wife, they said, well men work hard and need consideration , and me and my mother just looked at each other, and mom said and wives don't? Our society still has a long way off until becoming truly enlightened. We've seen that with hate crimes and violence toward LGBT people and other minorities sadly. But you hear too many stories about domestic violence and I can tell you women's shelters here in Texas have waiting lists.

[ladyinred]

just far too many of them. Sad but true.

[keltic63]

P.P.P.S.: "and if all of you had pointed, and laughed hysterically"..................


my first piano teacher was a woman of some "presence" which is not to say she was fat, but that she was tall, and sturdy, and had the personality to match. Once, as she was walking through a mall parking lot, a man sitting in his car with the door open, exposed himself to her. She looked down, looked back up at him and said "You poor little man." :lol: the man's face dropped and he covered up.

[ladyinred]

Hey you all I found this pretty neat website:http://www.childrenastheyare.org/ I hope you will check it out.
The Gender Public Advocacy Coalition works to ensure that classrooms, communities, and workplaces are safe for everyone to learn, grow, and succeed - whether or not they meet expectations for masculinity and femininity.

As a human rights organization, GenderPAC also promotes an understanding of the connection between discrimination based on gender stereotypes and sex, sexual orientation, age, race, and class.

Incorporated in 1999, GenderPAC is an IRS §501(c)3 non-profit.

Gender Public Advocacy Coalition
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Fourth Floor
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202.462.6610
gpac@gpac.org




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[tdogg]

Luckily she didn't get hurt by the guy, if it were me, I would have run out that door quickly..

I wasn't afraid of him, actually in his condition probably wouldn't have had any difficulties defending against his actions. Mostly, I didn't feel like subjecting myself or my partner to his ignorant drunken rantings. The poor kid behind the cash register was becoming a bit scared - tried to ring up and hide at the same time.

Coming from an A of G backyard since a small child, I can tell you that women have been and are still a 2nd class citizen in that sect. Which I guess makes us GLBT less than any class. Women are relegated to singing in the choir, teaching sunday school and babysitting, except for strictly women's events. Pentecostal men cannot have a woman telling them what to do. However, they are kind enough to welcome all GLBT people into the congregation, as long as we are in the Exodus program. :eek::mad: Oh well, after years of being subjected, I certainly don't miss it!

(Aww...thanks BruceChris! 17 of my girlfriends and that boy wouldn't have dared to open his mouth!)

[antiochian]

Responding to the article Daniel posted, doesn't it seem that there is a huge cultic element within Christianity? It's so disturbing. When you get to a point where there's mind-control and psychological terrorizing going on as in this case, that's where I say a religion becomes a cult. Another example--the documentary "Jesus Camp."

[Alecto]

The most disturbing part of "Jesus Camp": (paraphrased)

Mom: "How would you feel if you had to go to a school where they said creationism is stupid and anyone who believes in creationism is stupid?"
kid: "I'd feel bad"
Mom: "And how would you feel if you had to go to a school where they said evolution was stupid and anyone who believes in it is stupid?"
kid: "That would be awesome!"

Me --> Waiting for the mum to teach her kid a valuable life lesson on empathy

Mom: "Wouldn't it!"

0_0

[tdogg]

Haven't seen Jesus Camp yet, but we are thinking of renting it. Sounds like a 'must see'? Scary stuff for sure.