You can purchase an autographed copy of Anything But Straight by sending a $35 check or money order to:
-------------------------
Wayne Besen
PO Box 25491
Brooklyn, NY 11202
Ex-Gay leader Janet Boynes will be staffing the first ever"ex-gay" exhibit at the National Education Association's annual meeting in Orlando, Florida THIS WEEK. She will even have a brainwashing booth to fool educators into thinking kids can pray away the gay.
This is part of an orchestrated effort on the part of the ex-gay ministries to target children. As a community, we have a clear choice to make: We can either sit on the sidelines and let the right wing mentally abuse kids or we can choose to take a stand and put a stop to this madness.
Friends, if you want Truth Wins Out to be in Orlandothis week to counter this threat , I need your kind and generous support TODAY. It is great that many of you have commented on my site - but commenting is not a commitment to stopping the very injustices that we discuss. I can't do this on my own and need your urgent help. If you are interested in making sure the truth is told in Orlando about these damaging groups please make a donation to Truth Wins Out today.
Donation sent! I cant believe the NEA let them!!! Maybe the booth will be next to the one for the Flat Earth Society. I have friends who are teachers and high up in our state's Office of Ed. I going to ask them to call the NEA and complain. Gary (NJ)
posted by Anonymous, at
6/27/2006 4:27 PM
So, we read in the article: "Janet Boynes lived a lesbian lifestyle for 14 years but later turned her life over to Christ and is now spreading the message that there is hope for homosexuals through a relationship with Jesus".
Yes, but she isn't spreading the mesage that she fancies guys now, is she? Because, really, truthfully, does she?
posted by Anonymous, at
6/27/2006 4:41 PM
If there is "hope for homosexuals through Jesus Christ," why does the ex-gay movement support NARTH, which is secular? It's amazing, they can't even get their own story straight, nevermind gay people. Is Jesus required or not?
posted by Anonymous, at
6/27/2006 5:38 PM
Chris L., very good point. This obfuscation, or blurring of the lines, is typical.
NARTH, for example, purport to be based on science and to apply a clinical methodology derived from an understanding of psychology. Yet their website features a Mr. Alan Medinger who rather than describing a successful clinical methodology, says that he was 'cured' by 'a whole bunch of miracles' at a prayer meeting one night!
So MARTH seems happy to espouse stories of miracle cures on a site supposedly about science.
The other way round, the "ministries" do not put their money where their mouth and just clearly promise miracle cures ("pray away the gay" as Wayne aptly puts it") of homosexual desire. Generally they seem uncomfortabe to simply do that, but cite pseudoscience psychology theory, perhaps to make them more saleable.
Suppose you heard of medical Doctor who wrote of a cure for diabetes based on a newly developed but clinically sound understanding of the disease. You find that he has not been published in any reputable peer-reviewed journal. You can't find anyone - not a single person - who has unequivocally been cured of diabetes through this Doctor's methods. You check out his website, and you find on it accounts of miracle cures of diabetes through faith in Jesus. At the end of all that, how would you feel about the trustworthiness of the Doctor and his 'treatment'?
(OK folks, it's an analogy - I am NOT calling homosexuality a disease!)
posted by Anonymous, at
6/27/2006 6:31 PM
Wayne has elsewhere pointed out that "reparative therapy" is the option of the well-off, and the "ministries" are the option of the poor, who can't afford the "therapy".
posted by Anonymous, at
6/27/2006 6:33 PM
There is something else that concerns me when I hear that these people are targeting kids. Seems to me that the people who are the most conflicted inside are the potential child abusers. We see it all the time.
What's going to happen when a person like this "mentors" a young, impressionable gay child?
Thanks for what you are doing Wayne. One of these days, when I have some time away from my 3 kids, I'll write up my testimonial for you.
posted by Anonymous, at
6/27/2006 7:12 PM
oh brother! this is doomed for failure. i hope.
posted by Anonymous, at
6/27/2006 8:17 PM
'A relationship with Jesus'? i guess this leaves non-christians out in the cold. So much for inclusiveness, even though it is a bunch of shit!
posted by Anonymous, at
6/27/2006 10:32 PM
Yes, Anonymous, that is an interesting thought. Most of the "ministries" are happy to suggest clinical methodology based on supposed scientific understanding, ALONG WITH trusting in Jesus. Their web sites spout the psychobabble about parental relationships, rather than simply saying "pray away the gay".
So will the 'clinical methodology' not work, then, for Hindus, Muslims, Bhuddists, Atheists, etc? Does the psychobabble only work if you invoke Jesus?
Or is the whole business of changing sexual desire - whether through "reparative therapy" or through a "ministry", a SHAM?
posted by Anonymous, at
6/28/2006 6:05 AM
Janet has claimed that 85 to 90% of Lesbians are lesbians because they have a history of sexual abuse. I'm not sure where she got this statistic.
posted by lloydletta, at
6/28/2006 9:25 AM
She pulled it out her ass; the same place Focus on Family got their stats on gay men and rimming--as if we would tell those fux anything person.
posted by Anonymous, at
6/28/2006 11:20 AM
does anyone know if pflag goes into public schools?
posted by Anonymous, at
6/28/2006 1:00 PM
"does anyone know if pflag goes into public schools?"
Why not use a search engine and find out?
I sure hope so; there is nothing like the stories of love and acceptance by parents of gay and lesbian children for exploding Christian quack-o-therapy.
posted by Anonymous, at
6/28/2006 1:58 PM
OK, so I have looked at Ms Boynes' website.
It is very clear that her sexual desire has not changed. The change she has made is from sexually active to celibate, but her desire is unchanged. She says:
"Six years later, I still stay in the Word of God and pray daily that I won’t slip back into that lifestyle. I try to stay transparent, accountable, and control my thoughts. I never could have changed my life by myself, but now I can say, “Look at what the Lord has done!"
Clearly, Ms. Boynes still desires her own, not the opposite, sex. Otherwise, she would be praying for help to keep her hands off men until she finds a marriage partner.
Now, if she was going round the schools saying that it's OK to be celibate, that, I guess, would be fine. What is thoroughly objectionable is the hint or suggestion that she gives, and all the others like her give, that you can change sexual desire.
Once again, Christians can't be honest to save their life.
posted by Anonymous, at
6/29/2006 10:31 AM
As a father of three, it scares the hell out of me to think that these ignorant and repugnant people are possibly reaching the future of our nation. And I am personally saddened by the fact that so many parents fear so that their children will end up gay that they expose their kids to such brainwashing and hatred. I am remeniscent of a visit to the holocaust museum in DC wherein I saw a KKK hood that could fit my four year old. I must admit, I would not want my kids to be gay. Only because as long as there are groups such as this, gay people face challenge that I wouldn't want to see inflicted on my children.
posted by jekelhyde, at
6/29/2006 10:42 PM
First of all, REGAN, your short comment about all the stray gay men you're helping is AWESOME. THANK YOU!
And to anonymous, "Once again, Christians can't be honest to save their life. posted by Anonymous, at 6/29/2006 10:31 AM"
I'm a Christian. I am gay. We in the gay community need to disect the right-winged nuts from the loving qualities of Jesus Christ, who believe him or not about his divinity, is a wonderful example for all. Christianity does not mean "gay haters", that's what judgemental people are, and my Lord doesn't teach that.
posted by Anonymous, at
7/01/2006 4:19 AM
I would not want my children to be exposed to either an only gay perspective or an only fundamentalist christian perspective but one of balance and consideration of all. As a caucasion woman with causcasion children, my children were sent to a diverse public school with many children from a variety of homes. This has made all the difference.
You're beautiful. The world needs more people like you.
I think it is time that Gay Christians or Gays of any faith take a stand. These people don't speak for God. Only He can and if the fundies don't want to listen, it doesn't matter. It's their life, or afterlife as the case may be.
posted by jekelhyde, at
7/04/2006 12:15 AM
