Newsletter of EVANGELICALS CONCERNED, INC
Winter 2012
Romans 8
“Kim and Kris Divorce? Blame the Gays!” This is the headline on Tony Jones’ blog note on the 72-day marriage of Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries. Jones is Solomon’s Porch theologian-in-residence in Minneapolis and a Fuller Seminary adjunct professor. Ridiculing an argument against gay marriage, he quotes a Minneapolis Star Tribune letter to the editor: “It must be the threat of gay marriage that broke up [their marriage]. Probably the gay couple at my church who have been together for 40 years … Or maybe my friend’s brother and partner, who lovingly cared for his mother in their home for the final years of her life and have been together for more than 30 years. Or the real culprit could have been my colleague and partner, who have been together almost 20 years and have adopted two beautiful children … Yes, this celebrity heterosexual marriage can sure teach these gay and lesbian couples a thing or two!”
Ethan, a “twentysomething gay Christian man”, admitted that the letter “kind of makes me smile. It’s one of those guilty pleasure smiles, a smile of vindication. For just a few moments here, I have this wonderful feeling in my chest that someone understands me.” But only 9 minutes later, he wrote: “Ah! See? My few moments are over. While I don’t want to detract from what I just wrote – I stand by it – I just want to add that to be fair, using one specific example to generically paint such a picture can be taken as insulting to the other side. … I guess I just believe in a gospel message that’s about loving them well even if they don’t love us well. And yeah, I may be making too big a deal about something that was meant to be fun and trivial. And it was fun and trivial! But I guess it also pricked something in me that runs deeper, huh?” Ethan’s online bio notes that God is “redeeming me daily as an agent for the Kingdom of Heaven [and] I fail miserably most days, but with the power of the Everlasting, we get better.”
Dick and Lynne Cheney have again publicly supported their daughter’s same-sex relationship. On ABC’s The View, Lynne Cheney spoke warmly of Mary and Heather and the lesbian couple’s two little children. Barbara Walters asked: “So, you’re not against gay marriage?” “That’s right.” Joy Behar interrupted the applause to the reply by quickly asking the former Vice-President, “Do you agree with that?” He replied, “Yes,” and added: “I certainly don’t have any problem with it.”
Longtime “ex-gay” leader John Smid continues his efforts at denouncing the “ex-gay” movement’s claims: “I’ve never met a man who experienced a change from homosexual to heterosexual.” Smid was a leader in Exodus International for over two decades (11 years on the Exodus board). He sees himself as still homosexual, though he’s married to a woman. Discussing “ex-gay” Christians’ continued “experience [of] attractions and relationship desires for those of their same gender” as well as gay Christians who are in monogamous same-sex relationship, Smid says: “It is between them and God to figure out what to do with the desires that rage within them.” He blogs: “Is there any distinction between those who choose to go the ex-gay route, or a gay affirming one that would void ones faith in Christ? One may say that an unrepentant perspective of homosexuality would clearly set them apart from a faith in Christ, but I would say not. While some may be in a posture of believing any homosexual act is sin, and some may embrace same sex committed relationships; if they are ‘In Christ’, are we not still one Church, one Body?”
He tells of meeting many seriously committed Christians who find committed same-sex partnership consistent with Christian discipleship. He says that, after having resisted associating with such gay Christians for so long, he’s now “deeply challenged” by their witness. Smid’s website is www.GraceRivers.com.
He is but one of the “ex-gay” leaders who have acknowledged never having met a truly ex-gay person. Those who preceded him include: John Evans, Mike Bussee, Gary Cooper, Rick Notch, Roger Grindstaff, Jallen Rix, Peterson Toscano, Christine Bakke, Jeremy Marks, Jeff Ford, Alex Haiken, Darlene Bogle, Ben Gresham, Gunter Baum, Noe Gutierrez, Ann Phillips, Anthony Venn-Brown, Sergio Viula and many more.
Other “ex-gay” leaders – such as John Paulk – lost credibility when they were caught cruising gay bars or, as in George Rekers’ case – were caught traveling with a rent boy. Many more “ex-gay” leaders – such as Guy Charles and Colin Cook – have been sacked for having sex with young men who came to them for the “ex-gay” experience.
“My exposure to reparative therapy changed me.” Mormon Sam Wolfe says that his two years in “reparative therapy” showed him that “it’s a bunch of junk and simply doesn’t work. No one I encountered was getting any straighter!” Now an attorney with the Southern Poverty Law Center’s LGBT Rights Project, Wolfe remembers his years of “fasting, continual pleading that with God’s help I could slay my personal dragon and somehow manage the next, critical step in Mormon progression: temple marriage.” But he found that the “ex-gays” from heterosexual marriages were stuck with “constant battling against their orientation, cycles of guilt after gay thoughts or encounters, double lives, broken marriages, families who came to despise them, and [they were] men who hated themselves.” He says that, finally, “with self-acceptance came a sense of peace, greater fulfillment, and integration.”
“I disavow the validity of the study. I don’t agree now with what we wrote.” That’s psychoanalyst Harvey Kaye now telling Grove City College psychologist Warren Throckmorton that he rejects his own 1967 research on lesbians. The “reparative therapy” association, NARTH, is still using Kaye’s old study, claiming it’s “state of the art”, in order to rationalize the NARTH claim that same-sex orientation can be changed by psychoanalytic treatment.
On Irving Bieber’s famous 1962 psychoanalytic study of male homosexuality, Throckmorton quotes Kaye’s now saying: “I disagree with Bieber’s views violently. He was one of the last ones to hold on to the idea of the role of the mother and father.” Yet, as Throckmorton notes: “Reparative therapists consider the 1962 Bieber study to be a landmark investigation of the psychodynamics of male homosexuality.”
For his doctoral study on homosexuality in 1966, Ralph Blair did an extensive review of the etiological and treatment literature, including Bieber’s. Sociologist Carlfred B. Broderick, editor of the Journal of Marriage and the Family, judged Blair’s examination to be “thorough and [it] shows a remarkable analytic ability in his evaluation of the research of others. Indeed, his survey on the etiology of homosexuality is to my mind the best in existence.” Blair concluded that there was no scientific basis for psychoanalytic notions that homosexuality is “a circumventive adaptation for coping with fear of heterosexuality”. Yet, almost half a century later, the baseless claims are pushed by NARTH. Blair quoted Bieber’s overstating (contra Hendrik Ruitenbeek, Ernst van den Haag, et al.): “All psychoanalytic theories assume that adult homosexuality is psychopathologic”. Blair wrote: “The other side of this coin of presupposition is also given by Bieber himself when he says: ‘We assume that heterosexuality is the biologic norm and that unless interfered with all individuals are heterosexual’.” Blair wrote: Bieber’s “admission of an assumption at this point underscores the fact that there is no empirical evidence to substantiate the dynamics of even heterosexual orientation, let alone homosexual orientation.”
“Suicide attempts increase during sexual orientation change therapy.” This is what Warren Throckmorton, points out is the actual finding of a report from NARTH. But NARTH had headlined the opposite: “Sexual Orientation Change Efforts Do Not Lead to Increased Suicide Attempts.” The NARTH headline, in it’s own Journal of Human Sexuality, did not reflect what NARTH cohort Neil Whitehead had reported in his analysis of a study by Ariel Shidlo and Michael Shroeder on potential harmful outcomes of sexual orientation change efforts. In fact, the NARTH report states that the therapy was “associated with a several-fold increase in attempts” at suicide. Says Throckmorton: “Whitehead set out to tell us that sexual orientation change efforts do not lead to more suicide attempts. However, playing by Whitehead’s rules, the only statistically significant finding is that such attempts increase during such therapy. … NARTH claims to be a scientific organization. However, since 2008, NARTH has been using a study to claim something not possible to claim by virtue of the study design or the reanalysis by Whitehead. Make no mistake about it, the claim that sexual orientation change efforts do not increase suicide attempts is not based on science but on advocacy.” For details, see: wthrockmorton.com/2011/09/26.
A fundamentalist youth pastor’s video pushed the testimonies of two young “ex-gay” teens and promised viewers that, whether it’s gossiping or gayness, all such can be changed by getting saved. The teens’ Orange County classmates reacted by making a pro-gay video. The youth pastor, Compass Bible Church’s Bobby Blakey, then pulled his video. But his video is still on the Internet, being mocked for its superficial rhetoric. A gay blogger observes: Blakey is “setting up these poor kids for a world of pain when they realize giving themselves over to their invisible magical friend isn’t making their same-sex desires go away.” Evangelicals with a deeper biblical understanding and a more realistic knowledge of sexuality than is evident in Blakey’s are concerned that these teens might then give up on the One whom that angry gay blogger dismisses, a la Bill Maher, as an “invisible magical friend.”
He claims he exorcises the “curse” of homosexuality. He claims to love homosexuals. But last year he led a successful voter drive that overturned health benefits for gay partners of city employees. And he insists that did not violate Christ’s call to seek the welfare of all. He’s Tom Brown, founder of a big church in El Paso. Brown preaches the “Health ‘n Wealth gospel”: If people get sick, have financial trouble, they’re kids misbehave or they’re gay – whatever the problem – it can be solved by an exorcism.
Joel Osteen says, “homosexuality is a sin”, but he tells The Washington Post that homosexuals can be loved “back into wholeness.” The smilingly upbeat pastor of America’s biggest congregation, Houston’s Lakewood Church, says he’d not perform a same-sex wedding but he’d attend such an event to support a loved one.
Of the It Gets Better project to prevent gay teen suicide, Liberty University English department chair Karen Swallow Prior says: “The Church should be thrilled – but it isn’t.” Writing on “Who Would Jesus Bully” in Relevant, she laments the bullying that leads to such suicides and sees that it often comes from self-avowed Christians and even preachers. She says: “People near and dear to me are homosexual. And people near and dear to me have committed suicide. And I want them to know – wish they had known – that it – life – can, truly, get better. Furthermore, if we value human life, particularly as those of us who describe ourselves as pro-life say we do, then surely we want to protect the lives of these vulnerable young people from harm, whether at their own hands or at the hands of bullies. … Shame on us.”
Last year, evangelical activist Jim Wallis of Sojourners, called on Christians to step up to confront the bullying of gays very specifically: "To paraphrase Christ, if you oppose bullying, what reward will you get? Isn't everybody against it? If all you do is say that you shouldn't harass someone until they kill themselves, are you really doing more than others?" He wrote. "The fact that bullies target gay and lesbian people should mean that Christians give extra attention to protecting and standing up for them. The fact that any community or group of people is regularly the target of harassment and hate means Christians should be on the front line of defense against any who would attack."
With few exceptions – e.g., Joe Jonas and Justin Bieber – celebrities who affirm their Christian faith have shunned It Gets Better. More common is the approach of a Chuck Colson who warns that the gay lobby is exploiting the suicides for its progay agenda.
The Right-wing Florida Family Association is attacking a toll-free hotline for gay teens at risk for suicide. The FFA is misrepresenting the mission of the Trevor Project, saying that it’s aimed at “recruiting teens and children to become ‘gay’.”
“Where is the loud and unambiguous public voice of the progressive Church on this issue [of bullying gay kids]?” Progressive Christian blogger Brian Kirk, a Disciples of Christ pastor on the adjunct faculty of Eden Theological Seminary, asks this question in the wake of more gay teen suicides associated with relentless antigay bullying. Says Kirk: “It’s time for us to stop laying the blame for intolerance at the feet of conservative and fundamentalist Christians and take responsibility for our own complicity of silence when it comes to the oppression of GLBT persons. It’s time for progressives to let go of code language like ‘we welcome all’, and just come out and say, ‘If your are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered, you are welcome here just as you are.’” It’s time for youth ministries in our progressive churches to stop quietly allowing gay teens to join our groups without ever publicly declaring ourselves as sanctuary for those who have been oppressed by the church for their sexual orientation.”
Mars Hill megachurch founder Mark Driscoll warns: “Masturbation can be a form of homosexuality because it is a sexual act that does not involve a woman.” This Seattle-based preacher who can be both blunt and bizarre has opened another branch of his congregational network in an especially gay-friendly section of gay-friendly Portland, Oregon where even the mayor is gay. Unsurprisingly, many Portlanders aren’t happy about the newcomer. But Logan Lynn of Q Center, Portland’s LGBT community center, says Q Center “will reach out to the congregants and invite them to visit the center. We’ll be respectful of them and try to make friends.”
GOP Presidential hopeful Ron Paul: “Homosexuals in the military isn’t a problem. It’s only a problem if they’re doing things they shouldn’t be. … But there’s … men and women getting into trouble with each other too. And there’s a lot more heterosexuals in the military, so logically they’re causing more trouble than gays.” He adds: “The whole gay marriage issue is a private affair, and the federal government has no say.”
“Biblically and historically, the government was very uninvolved in marriage. I like that”, said Ron Paul, when Christianity Today asked him about same-sex marriage. “I don’t know why we should register our marriage to the federal government. … I don’t like to fight with people who disagree with me, as long as they don’t force their views on me. So for that reason, I think the real solution to some of this argument is to have less government, rather than government dictating and forcing understanding on different people.” Congressman Paul shared these views at a Family Research Values Voters summit – where he won the straw poll vote. Though agreeing with President Obama – marriage is between a man and a woman – he thinks government should not be involved.
British gay rights activist Peter Tatchell defends yet another Christian punished for remarks opposing gay marriage. In this recent case, a Christian housing manager was demoted for expressing, on Facebook, his views against church weddings for gay couples. Tatchell has also come to the defense of antigay street preachers, saying that while efforts to protect LGBT people are well intentioned, reaction is often “excessive and disproportionate”. The Christian arts festival, Greenbelt, was harshly criticized for inviting Tatchell to speak there in 2010.
“What’s your view on how individuals who speak out against LGBT equality should be treated?” The Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute posed this question to its LGBT web audience and reported the results in its Gay Politics Report in September. “It’s a free country. No one should be punished for expressing opinions” was checked by 58.68 percent. “It’s hate speech. There should be consequences for it” was checked by 34.84 percent and 6:48 percent checked: “I’m not sure.”
Shorter University has adopted an antigay “Personal Lifestyle” statement. All employees of this Southern Baptist school in Rome, Georgia, are required to sign in, rejecting any and all homosexuality.
The son of antigay lawyer/preacher Fred Phelps speaks out against his father’s hate crusade. Nate Phelps, who escaped the family on his 18th birthday in 1976, is now an avowed atheist. He recently addressed atheists at the University of Missouri, telling them that his childhood home was “filled with physical and mental abuse.” He said that, back then, he was sure that running away “was going to end up putting me in hell”. He says his father “hates everyone” and thrives on publicity. Nate Phelps supports LGBT rights.
AND FINALLY
A gay 9th grade teacher yelled at his 14-year-old honor student for saying that, as a Christian, he believes homosexuality isn’t right. The irate teacher, who’d posted classroom pictures of gay men kissing, marched the boy to the principal’s office. He was suspended for three days. The boy’s mom contacted a lawyer who explained First Amendment freedom of speech to the school administrators. Punishment was reduced to a 1-day suspension – still implying he’d misbehaved. The teacher was put on a week’s paid administrative leave. Gay media report that the Fort Worth teacher and his lawyer are weighing their legal options.
In November, an anti-bullying bill passed the Michigan Senate 26-11. All Democrats voting against it, objecting to a provision protecting First Amendment free speech rights.
A Rasmussen national poll finds that 79 percent of Americans say political correctness is a serious problem these days.
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