Given the smashing success [sarcasm] that was “National Coming Out of Homosexuality Day” the religious right has created “Day of Truth” this Thursday following GLSEN’s “Day of Silence.”
What does this have to do with ex-gays you ask?
Well if you go to ADF’s page “Partners in the Day of Truth” you’ll see Stephen Bennett Ministries is listed as a partner organization. Further down that page the ONLY TWO references which appear under the header “Related Information” are a link to “Read the testimony of former homosexual Stephen Bennett” and a link to Love Won Out.
I’m not sure what conclusions, if any, can be drawn from this but I felt it needed to be discussed publicly.
I had neither the time, interest, or optical fortitude to sort through Stephan Bennett’s website for mention of his participation in the “Day of Truth.”
From the Day of Truth website, “In the past, students who have attempted to speak against the promotion of the homosexual agenda have been censored or, in some cases, punished for their beliefs.”
Which students exactly? If anyone has been censored or punished, I would assume the reasoning has been the same for the gay students that have been punished- “disrupting the classroom.” Sure this is a vague charge, but I don’t really see it being unequally enforced. I personally haven’t heard of people being censored for speaking out against homosexuality in their private time.
Well, TA, at a protest against the “Day of Silence” in CA last week, the students, who began the protest in a nearby park, were prevented from bringing their signs and sweatshirts into the school. The school insists that signs stating the homosexuality is a sin and against gay marriage violate the school’s policy against statements that attack specific groups, but it is being declared as “censorship” by the American Family Association (www.afa.net).
Interestingly, these same groups promoting the “Day of Truth” (which apparently involves repeating false myths and stereotypes about gay people) would have apoplexy if a group of students had a “coming out of Christianity” day in which they promoted the idea that certain fundamentalist religions are fraudulent, and people can leave them. Unfortunately, the analogy to attacking innocent gay people as a threat to society fails to reach these groups.
CPT Doom- thanks for your response. I read the article, and it looks like the school cited the same reason for preventing this protest (on school grounds) as they have for many gays- disrupting class. There some current cases where students have faced the same “discrimination.”
On a side note, the AFA’s website made it sound like these signs were harmless pro-Christian sings. But, if you look at the club’s homepage (https://www.hscca.org/), you can see that the signs were more than just saying gay is sin, scripture, and pro-“traditional marriage,” as the AFA claimed. I really like the 78% of AIDS cases one. To me, that goes beyond a simple religious message.
It’s funny that they have to call this thing the day of “Truth”. As if calling it that actually makes it so. Not surprisingly, the cornerstone of this truth can be found under a humorous answer to one of the “hostile” questions they anticipate someone might ask:
https://www.alliancedefensefund.org/actions/Default.aspx?mid=410&cid=3310#hostile9
Essentially: If someone on our day of Truth dares to ask you how we know we’re speaking the capital T truth (and this question could only be a symptom of deep hostility), well, by golly, you tell ‘em it’s because the Bible says so. They go on to explain there is such a thing as absolute truth because the Bible says “Thou Shalt Not Kill” and if that isn’t an absolute truth, then it’s okay to kill innocent people. Although Thou Shalt Not Kill doesn’t qualify itself with “innocent” they way they do. Glad they cleared that up. Because murder and homosexuality are pretty much the same thing. Or… something.
CPT Doom said: “Interestingly, these same groups promoting the “Day of Truth” …. would have apoplexy if a group of students had a “coming out of Christianity” day….”
Based upon my personal experience and observations, I’m confident that the success rate for “coming out of Christianity” is far greater than for “coming out of homosexuality.”
Another observation: Whenever the word TRUTH is emphasized in a message/campaign/crusade it’s a good indicator that it is most likely NOT the truth.
out of idle curiosity, i clicked on stephen bennett’s “coming out of homosexuality” testimony.
it’s unfortunate that he would use his story to try to derail rights for other gays–but i do have to say that he seems much happier now, as an ex-gay. if his life as out an out gay man was anything like he describes, he is definitely better off in a heterosexual marriage. i think some people really do need the structure of church life to protect them from their own lack of self-control.
who cares if he still lusts after men? that is beside the point. the point is this: recognizing his own limitations in controlling his life, he surrendered to an authority that helps him cope, and he is happier for it.
now, if we could only get him to admit that there are paths to happiness besides the one he has chosen…
Ok well, this whole exgay thing, is ridiculous. It is either bisexuals who have fallen in love with someone of the opposite sex or its people who never were homosexual to begin with, they just chose same sex partners because of their lack of different sex partners and just wanted to be loved. Now getting to the topic at hand. This day of truth… its fine to want to be proud of your christianity. i am very proud. But to 1- be proud of your hatred of another group and to act out of vengance (which is exactly what this is) is as un christian as it gets. Reexamine your lives.
“who cares if he still lusts after men? that is beside the point. the point is this: recognizing his own limitations in controlling his life, he surrendered to an authority that helps him cope, and he is happier for it. Now, if we could only get him to admit that there are paths to happiness besides the one he has chosen…”
Thank you Mr. Riddle for sounding reasonable here. You are able to acknowledge Bennet’s happiness and not call into question his life changes, but at the same time point out his hypocrisy.
I believe it all comes down to his overly literal, fundamental interpretation of the Bible. He believes gays should change because “God said so.” If not this, then why else would he refuse to acknowledge that there are many different ways to live a fullfilling life?
Did everyone notice the raging success of the Day of TRUTH.
There were something like 1150 kids in 350 schools. That averages out to about 3 kids per school. Considering the effort they put into this, it’s really pretty pathetic.
And since I imagine that some of these schools were church schools with lots of kids signed up, I suspect that there were a lot of schools with just one poor kid. Poor kid, I’m sure it sucks being the one lone freak on campus passing out religious material.
I wonder how many of them signed up and when they found out none of their friends were going to celebrate the great Day of TRUTH decided not to go through with it.
Regan:
“I just read an article by a guy named Boggs on a Southern Baptist Christian online journal.
I think the link might be
http://www.sbc.com”
Regan, that’s not it. Would you mind posting the link? I’d like to read the article.