Dueling Rallies Fuel Debate Over Homosexuality

Here is one of the two television interviews I did today (video available if you click through the link included at the end of the quote.)

Dueling Rallies Fuel Debate Over Homosexuality (07/15/08)

Two groups with very different messages spoke out Tuesday night.
Exodus International held its kick-off event at Ridgecrest.

The group says homosexuals can become heterosexuals through faith.

The Coalition for Cquality countered that statement, hosting the director of the group, Truth Wins Out at the Firestorm Cafe in downtown Asheville.

Wayne Besen says Exodus International gives individuals false hope that you can “pray away gay.”

While Randy Thomas of Exodus International says his group helps gays and lesbians move away from a life of unwanted homosexuality.

Exodus International says more than 700 people signed up for its week-long conference at Ridgecrest.

Many of the event speakers give personal testaments to how they changed their lives.

[From ABC 13 - Top Stories]

“pray the gay away” is a simplistic mantra that I guess Wayne thinks is cute. I don’t know why they put it in quotes without clear attribution. We never say we “pray away the gay” even though as Christians we would hope we would all be in consistent prayers about all matters. His snarky one liners reveal his own willful ignorance of how complex and truly viable our lives and beliefs are.

Another example … in the video, Wayne said we like to trot out the wedding pictures but never show the divorce papers. Tonight, marriage was not put out there as *the* barometer of healing. In fact Alan said that there was all manner of possibilities for those in attendance. Regardless of what happens next, we have a God who loves us and wants the best for us. A God who would never leave us or forsake us.

Heterosexual development, shift, … whatever … is not the goal. Living life pursuing our spiritual convictions, modeling Biblical relationships and an abiding dynamic relationship with Christ is the goal. Some marry, some remain celibate, some experience full orientation change, some shift, some experience no change at all. However, if in each of these situations they all are becoming true honest disciples of Christ, honest with themselves and content with their lives … each are a success as determined by their own goals.

We are here to help those who want our help.

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