Commentary Tidbits

Dispatches from the Culture Wars: Ex-Gays: It Gets Better

RH Reality Check: My Patients Deserve Complete Care: Why I Support New York City’s Crisis Pregnancy Center Bill

Good as You: Implied Criminality: FRC's Latest DADT Distraction

Right Wing Watch: Engle: Dreams Are The Word Of God

A Feather Adrift: Fundamentally Futile

Religion Dispatches: Focus on the Family Cashes in on Anti-Gay “Day of Truth”

Religion Dispatches: Why All the Silly Devil Talk Should be Taken Seriously 

Religion Dispatches: Homosexual Thoughts and Feelings Not a Sin, Says New LDS Handbook

Truth Wins Out: Former Exodus Leader on Why She Speaks Out

BBC News: How urban-rural divide sways U.S. politics

Box Turtle Bulletin: Barred from “Outing” Campaigns, Ugandan Tabloids Turn To Gay-Baiting And Imaginative Conspiracy Theories

Media Matters: Washington Times op-ed: DADT repeal forces "GI Joe" to have "Gay Joe for a bunky"

The Daily Progress: Abstinence-Only Education Not Enough

Good Reads: EX-GAY NO WAY by Jallen Rix

After partaking of Jallen Rix's workshop at the 2010 Soulforce Symposium in Philadelphia, I purchased a copy of his 2010 book, Ex-Gay No Way: Survival and Recovery from Religious Abuse. In the book, Rix describes his experiences in reparative therapy, his ultimate rejection of the ex-gay movement, and his journey to sexual and spiritual wholeness. More than a simple condemnation of reparative therapy, Ex-Gay No Way explores the dynamics of religious abuse and religious dependency, pointing to healthier paths that allow for spiritual maturity and the integration of sexuality and faith.

Raised in a loving and devout Southern Baptist home, Rix acknowledges both the delights and constraints of living in a conservative Christian community. Early on in his upbringing, young Rix learned that his Baptist religion saw sex outside heterosexual marriage as a sin, creating inner conflict about his own budding homosexuality. Devoted to his loving family and community, he dared not reveal his homosexual feelings for fear of his community's rejection.

In young adulthood, Rix was conflicted about his gay encounters and homosexual feelings. Guilt drove him to an ex-gay program in Los Angeles called Desert Streams, which claimed that participants could be washed clean of their same-sex attraction and become "new creatures in Christ". Combining pop psychology, disdain for unrepentant homosexuals, and evangelical Christianity, Desert Streams became Rix's weekly destination for the next eight months. However, Rix quickly observed that participants were not becoming heterosexual, and that the ministry's theory of homosexuality as a result of abuse or poor parenting didn't correspond with reality. In time, he observed elements of religious abuse in the program, such as us-versus them thinking and conflation of the will of leaders with the will of God. After disappointment with Desert Streams and a failed exorcism, Rix left the ex-gay group and began to explore his sexuality in a more open-minded way. Finally, while at a church planning meeting, he felt the divine voice quietly telling him not to worry about his sexual orientation, assuring him that God was still with him. This realization -- that God loved him and did not condemn his homosexuality -- liberated Rix from his fears of rejection, allowing him to nurture his spirituality without repression or fear.

Demons, Glitter, and a Guy on the Floor: My Experience with an Apostolic Prayer Group

(UPDATED 11/14/10)

Much attention has been devoted to a fundamentalist religious movement called the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). NAR is a network of charismatic Christian ministries that rose from the independent Charismatic movement, known as Third Wave Christianity. C. Peter Wagner was responsible for constructing its basic theology, and figures such as Lou Engle and Cindy Jacobs have expanded and marketed the movement. During the 2008 presidential election, the movement received media attention because of Sarah Palin's reported ties to a NAR preacher.

As Bruce Wilson at Talk to Action explains, the New Apostolic Reformation has a far-reaching and radical fundamentalist agenda:

The major tenets of the adherents of this sect include the belief that we are living in the final years before the return of Christ. However, they differ from dispensationalists in their belief that they must defeat evil on the earth and purify the existing churches before Jesus can return. Furthermore, the building of this “Kingdom of God” is not to be delayed until after the Rapture, or to be built in a heavenly sphere. They believe that they have a mandate to build the Kingdom in the present and in the physical realm. In preparation for this task, this final generation is being “imparted” with special supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit that will allow them to wage spiritual warfare and take control of the earth from the devil and an array of demons. The church must be unified under the leadership of their apostles and prophets. The mandate for building the Kingdom includes their current Seven Mountains strategy for the taking control over government, arts and entertainment, media, education, family, religion, and business.

This effort includes extensive mission work around the globe featuring their well developed spiritual warfare strategies which have been published in books and videos. The goal of these spiritual warfare tactics is to take cities and communities from the territorial demons that control theses geographic areas and that they believe prevent their efforts in planting their own Apostolic churches. Spiritual warfare around the globe includes the goal of taking control of cities through the expulsion of witches and demons, and the conversion of Roman Catholics, Jews, Muslims, and all other religions. They also believe that there must be a civil war in the Protestant church in order for them to purify that institution before Jesus can return. The movement has an extensive focus on youth, with several leaders specifically prophesying that those born after 1973 are to be the trainers and warriors for God’s army.

For me, the NAR movement is not a nebulous faction somewhere far away, but a movement I've seen in my own region with my own eyes. I normally don't discuss my personal life on the blog, but for this topic I'll make an exception. Years ago, my former friend Derek* became a born-again Christian, and his faith grew increasingly fundamentalist as the years went on. After joining a rural Apostolic church, he started attending an Apostolic prayer group that some of his Christian friends were frequenting. When I visited Derek in summer 2009, he invited me to attend the prayer group with him on a Saturday evening. Curious, and knowing how eager he was to participate, I agreed.

Hoooo-boy.

Daddy I Do

(UPDATED 11/16/10)

RH Reality Check just ran a review of the documentary Daddy I Do, released this year by Jaye Bird Productions. Up and coming filmmaker Cassie Jaye examines Christian abstinence-only programs and the "purity" movement, asking if these programs really arm young people with the knowledge they need to make good sexual decisions. The documentary looks at issues such as faith, patriarchy, relationships, self-esteem, teen pregnancy, abortion, sexual abuse. (Click here if you're having trouble viewing the video.)



Check the Jaye Bird Productions website for upcoming screenings of Daddy I Do. There is currently a waiting list for those who want to obtain a copy of the documentary.

Commentary Tidbits

Frank Schaeffer at Alternet: How Republicans and Their Big Business Allies Duped Tens of Millions of Evangelicals into Voting for a Corporate Agenda
(Hat tip to Paul at Cafe Philos)

Frank Schaeffer at the Huffington Post: "End Times" -- Election Results Reflect Biblical Republican Paranoia

Jews on First: Inside CUFI's 2010 Washington "Summit"

Seattle Times: Pharmacy Board's New Motto Could Be "We Judge"

The Advocate: The Message From Iowa 

Mother Jones: The Fierce Urgency of Sows

Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters: Religious right blames 'civil rights' for situation involving kidnapped child

Religion Dispatches: Man-Made Climate Change Not Possible, Says Potential Energy Committee Chair

Religion Dispatches: Rehabilitating McCarthy: Doug Phillips’ Festival Award

Think Progress: Oklahoma Voters May Have Accidentally Voted Against Ten Commandments, Too

Right Wing Watch: Cindy Jacobs Prophesies a Third Party Led By Marco Rubio

Right Wing Watch: The Annual War On Christmas Gets Under Way

Ms. Magazine: The Anti-Abortion Clinic Across the Street

Washington Post: When religion is the bully

Washington Post: The God Vote: What Evangelicals Want Next

Huffington Post: Why the Religious Right Will Dominate

LGBTQ Nation: Colt David Hansen: Clash with Mormon Faith Leads to Another LGBT Suicide in Utah 

News Tidbits

St. Charles Patch: Students Who Wore 'Straight Pride' T-Shirts During Gay Bullying Awareness Week Will Not Be Punished

Amnesty International: Ugandan gay rights activist: “I have to watch my back more than ever”

NPR: Anti-Abortion Activist On Trial For 'Wanted' Posters

Winston-Salem Journal: Limit flags, group says

Edge Boston: Belgian Archbishop Hit with Pie After AIDS, Pedophile Priests Comments

WSOC TV: Pastor Flip Benham Convicted Of Stalking Doctor Who Performs Abortions

New York Times: In Efforts to End Bullying, Some See Agenda

Beliefnet: Conservatives Send a Warning Shot in Ousting Iowa Judges

Edge Boston: Poll: Some say homosexuality can be changed

Edge Boston: Protesters to Greet Americans for Truth Banquet

Nightline Segment on Ex-Gay Program

In the wake of last weekend's NARTH and Soulforce conferences in Philadelphia, the media has devoted some attention to the ex-gay movement. On Monday, November 8th, ABC's Nightline featured a segment on ex-gay programs. Specifically, Nightline focused on a Journey into Manhood retreat, the same program infiltrated by Ted Cox in his expose, My Journey into Manhood. To watch the segment, click here and begin at the 6:30 mark.

I appreciate how Nightline acknowledged the program founders' lack of qualifications, as well as the negative experiences of two ex-gay program survivors. Still, I was disappointed in how shallow Nightline's research was. The segment took little time to explore the the trauma many ex-gay program survivors report, as well as how many ex-gay programs conflate sexual orientation with stereotypical gender roles.

To boot, I was stunned that Nightline made no mention of the large role of Religious Right organizations in spearheading the ex-gay movement. Are they aware of the many conservative faith-based ex-gay organizations, such as Exodus, JONAH, Desert Streams Ministry, and Love In Action? Are they aware of the role of prominent right-wing Christian organizations in the movement, such as Focus on the Family and the American Family Association? These are major elements of the ex-gay movement. I realize that Nightline only had a short amount of time for the segment, but to ignore these important elements was neglectful.

I'm pleased that ABC at least brought attention to the bogus ex-gay movement, but with regard to important details, I think they dropped the ball.

To read additional commentary on the Nightline segment, visit these links:

Truth Wins Out: Nightline: Journey into Manhood Poster Boy Cruises Men With Wife; Analysis of Puff Segment

Ex-Gay Watch: Journey into Manhood Investigated by ABC's Nightline

Soulforce Symposium in Philadelphia, Part II

(UPDATED 11/10/10)

After lunch, I returned to the Soulforce Symposium and caught the tail end of William S. Meyer's workshop, "On the Diagnosis and Treatment of Homosexuality: When Prejudice Masquerades as Science." Meyer is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and OB/GYN at Duke University Medical Center.

Meyer discussed how homosexuality was seen as a mental disorder until a few decades ago, charting the process by which homosexuality was removed as a pathological condition from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). His handout listed dates and statements from major medical entities, such as the American Psychiatric Association, de-pathologizing homosexuality and condemning reparative therapy as harmful. The workshop was a reminder of how much LGBTQ people suffered in the past due to ignorance, and how far society has come in accepting them.

Next, the symposium hosted an invigorating panel discussion about intersectional justice in the LGBTQ movement. Panel speakers included Kevin Trimell Jones (behavioral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania HIV/AIDS Prevention Research Division and founder of the Black LGBT Archivists Society), Melanie Martinez (from the Human Rights Campaign Religion and Faith Program), Vincent Cervantes (public speaker and ex-gay survivor), J. Mason (education specialist for the Bryson Institute of the Attic Youth Center), Cathy Renna (managing partner of Renna Communications), Rev. Jeffrey H. Jordan-Pickett (pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Philadelphia), and Amanda Lee Genaro (a 2010 Soulforce Equality Rider).

* * * UPDATE: Vincent Cervantes' panel presentation, "Critical Witnessing and Multilingualism: Building the Counter Movement", is now available for download from the Soulforce website.

Panel participants talked about infighting they've seen in the LGBTQ movement, the need for attention to diversity, and the challenges facing various groups within the movement. The discussion was a reminder that the LGBTQ movement is not monolithic, and that LGBTQ identity overlaps with other racial, ethnic, socio-economic, religious, and gender identities that cannot be encompassed by narrow labels.

The panel discussion also brought important questions from the audience. One young man admitted that, as a gay atheist, he often felt stigmatized by LGBTQ people of faith. In response, Cathy Renna said that she had observed the opposite -- a scorning of religious LGBTQ people within the LGBTQ community -- because many LGBTQ people had been hurt by religious homophobia and transphobia. Another man in the audience felt that the panel had been unfair to white, middle class gay men, who have contributed much to the LGBTQ movement. While none of these intra-movement tensions will be resolved overnight, I was pleased that people were at least talking about them.

When attendees dispersed for the second workshop set, I was immediately drawn to a presentation by Christine Robinson entitled, "Genocidal Intentions: Public Policy and the Ex-Gay Movement." Robinson is an Associate Professor of Justice Studies at James Madison University, and she has studied the ex-gay movement in depth for seven years. She and Sue E. Spivey have collaborated on several scholarly articles on the ex-gay movement, including "Genocidal Intentions: Social Death and the Ex-Gay Movement" in Genocide Studies and Prevention, and "The Politics of Masculinity and the Ex-Gay Movement" in Gender & Society.

Soulforce Symposium in Philadelphia, Part I

Panel discussion on intersectional justice at the Soulforce Symposium.

I had the privilege of attending the Soulforce Symposium in Philadelphia on November 6th, which was an absolute delight. I've blogged about the many toxic Religious Right events I've infiltrated, so it's refreshing to blog about a hopeful, invigorating event hosted by such a positive organization. Plus, it allowed me to get acquainted with some fun corners of a vibrant city.

As you recall, the "ex-gay" National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) was holding a conference that weekend in Philadelphia, and thus Soulforce held a conference at the same time to combat lies from the "ex-gay" movement. As Soulforce executive director Dr. Cindi Love explains in this commentary at the Advocate, "ex-gay" groups such as NARTH, JONAH, and Exodus International have promoted dubious reparative therapy, intended to "cure" people of homosexual inclinations. The result has been ruined lives and homophobia, made even worse by the spread of the "ex-gay" message worldwide.

Anti-NARTH Protest in Philadelphia

(UPDATED 11/10/10)

Saturday, November 6th was quite a day for progressives in Philadelphia! A prominent "ex-gay" organization with strong ties to the Religious Right -- the National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) -- held a conference at the Renaissance Philadelphia hotel, prompting a coalition of LGBT organizations and bloggers to protest. LiftMyLuggage.Org, organized by the Equality Forum, Equality Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Community Church of Philadelphia, PFLAG Philadelphia, and various progressive bloggers, invited LGBT supporters to protest outside the hotel on November 6th. Demonstrators were encouraged to bring signs criticizing "ex-gay" therapy and pink luggage, a reference to the scandal involving George Rekers and a male escort.

Jeremy Hooper from Good As You gave a short speech at the protest, which you can watch below. (Click here if you're having trouble viewing the video.)




To read Edge Boston's article on the LiftMyLuggage protest and the Soulforce Symposium, visit the link below:

Edge Boston: "Ex-gay" organization protested in Philadelphia



Other bloggers in attendance have posted commentary on NARTH and the Saturday protest, which I encourage you to check out:


Zack Ford Blogs: Bully-Free Zones: Not on NARTH's Agenda

Zack Ford Blogs: The Marriott Plays for Both Teams, One of Which is NARTH

Joe.My.God: The Douchebags of NARTH

Joe.My.God: The Good Guys at the NARTH Protest

Truth Wins Out: Pictures from Truth Wins Out’s ‘Lift My Luggage’ Protest at the NARTH Convention

Good As You: NARTH "Lift My Luggage" Protest


In response to the negative attention, NARTH president Julie Hamilton posted an essay claiming that NARTH is not anti-gay and is not a hate-based organization.

Whatever.