Ex-gay ministries

Somebody mentioned the "ex-gay" ministries in comments below, which always reminds me of this classic bit from Mr. Show:

For a more serious look at the same subject, check out the documentary One Nation Under God, which tells the story of the founders of prominent "ex-gay" group Exodus International. It's a love story.

Comments

[toxicfur]

This clip is a beautiful thing indeed.

Tangentially, it reminds me of my coming-out experience when I was a 19-year-old college student. I had grown up a Southern Baptist, in a very conservative household. When my mom found out that I like girls, she strongly requested that I get counseling. At the Southern Baptist Counseling Center near our town. I reluctantly agreed, though I feared something along the lines of the Exodus program and its ilk.

But no. I had a wonderful therapist who told me during the very first session (after she had heard from my mom everything that was "wrong" with me) that my sexuality was not a religious issue or a moral issue. However, it did seem that I could use some help in learning to better communicate with my mom, so perhaps we could talk about that. I had a lot of respect for that therapist, and it did give me hope that I could be myself, without guilt.

Fortunately, within a few years, my mom came around, and she and I are very close now. She was surprised (and, I think, secretly pleased) that I married a man, but she's also surprised me in how much her views on gay and bisexual people have changed.

[Simon St.Laurent]

Actually, the second part of that clip - Marshall, the 13th Apostle - was even better.

[LL]

I've seen this before, it's greatness. I love how they (like these kinds of people in the real world) use "lapse" and "slip." "Lapsed" into homosexuality, "slipped" back into the "lifestyle." I'm gonna start using those in my daily life, like when I lapse into driving over the speed limit and slip into not paying my bills on time. Not my fault - I lapsed and slipped. Happens to everybody.

[jackd]

Marshall, the 13th Apostle

I thought that was Rufus.

[John Norepente]

Not Biff?

[wintermute]

> I thought that was Rufus.

And there was me hoping that that link would lead to Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.

Ah, well.

[PK]

I suppose this was inevitable.

[ako]

When my mom found out that I like girls, she strongly requested that I get counseling. At the Southern Baptist Counseling Center near our town. I reluctantly agreed, though I feared something along the lines of the Exodus program and its ilk.

Wow, I was lucky. My parents were basically fine with me liking girls (although my dad's generally embaressed by anything that connects his little girl with sex), and probably would have freaked out at anyone's suggesting I try to change it. One of the few ways I could spark family drama over my sexual preferences would be look for something like an ex-gay ministry or a therapist to "correct" me.

But my family's not very religious, and there doesn't seem to be much of any secular argument against homosexuality or in favor of changing a person's sexual orientation.

[toxicfur]

ako: It truly sounds like you have a wonderful family. I've come to terms and forgiven my mom for thinking I could be "fixed," because at that point, I think she was one of Fred's "reluctant homophobes." We were conservative Southern Baptists, we lived in a town of about 3,000 people in the South. She simply didn't have to tools (at that time) to react any other way, I think. That sounds patronizing, and I don't mean it to be, but I do think that people who know and like individual GLBT people are more likely to be able to handle it gracefully if one of their children fall into a "nonstandard" sexuality box.

[Razia Boota]

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for men."(Col.3: 23)
ACAC
Peace to you,

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In Jesus Love,

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[Jesurgislac]

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