Exgay activist Stephen Bennett will debate whether people can be gay and Christian on PAX-TV’s Faith Under Fire tonight at 10 p.m. ET/PT, 9 p.m. CT/MT. (Bennett says it is impossible.) Other debate participants: Ron Poindexter, who is ex-exgay, and Duke Holtz,
who is gay and celibate.
Other debates on the program:
Joseph Farah of WorldNetDaily.com will "argue" with the Rev. Barry Lynn of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State about "removing faith from the public discourse."
Gretchen Passantino of Answers in Action will debate Leah Hanes over the gender of God.
Why is this news? No one watches PAX. It’s like a tree falling in an abandon forest.
Actually, a lot of people watch PAX. If they didn’t, it wouldn’t be on. And the problem is, while maybe none of your friends watch PAX, the kind of people who vote against gay marriage, and make life hell for those of us who are gay or ex-ex-gay are the ones that DO. Not to say that plenty of “regular” tolerant folk don’t watch it, but, let’s face it, their audience is generally to the right….and they are aware of that.
A lot of people don’t watch PAX. It’s still on because the people who own the network have an agenda. People who hate gays would find this type of information anywhere else if PAX weren’t around. It’s not a successful network.
BTW, are there any people on this “Family Under Fire” show or whatever it’s called who are actually gay and happy to be gay? I guess Poindexter is but he will be painted as self-hating and mentally ill because he once wanted to be straight and now he’s claiming that he isn’t. What about people who never wanted to be straight? He’s going to get ganged up on. What a slanted, disgusting, and typical picture. That queeny Stephen Bennett is such a joke as a spokesman for the ex-gay movement — they can keep on trying but his stories don’t fool anyone but the true believers. I’m still cracking up over all his trips to P-Town and his outrage over people gawking at the legs he so happily showed off.
This is the only network that cares anything about peddling ex-gays anyway. Most people see right through their tricks, while PAX continues to try to sneak them in under the back door.
OMG did you hear the clip on their website? “I’m sorry my bible does not say that.” Could he sound any more queeny?
re: “a lot of people watch PAX” vs. “a lot of people don’t watch PAX”
Of course, both are true. In the grand scheme of things PAX is last as far as the other big networks go. However, that “last” place still represents a whole lot of people, many of them conservative Christians.
Dan, he makes Sean Hayes look butch. And that’s a really bad facelift or eye lift he’s had.
Annika, my point was that the people who watch this trash will watch it anywhere and already know all these details, so it isn’t reaching a new audience.
OK James. I guess we just disagree on this (and I’m OK agreeing to disagree). Or perhaps are just looking at things from two different, yet valid, perspectives.
You said “People who hate gays would find this type of information anywhere else if PAX weren’t around.” My concern isn’t necessarily that people who hate gays will find this show, but that most people who hate gays (or are just ignorant of all the issues but believe being gay is wrong) don’t go to seek out information, because they don’t really care enough to learn much beyond what they believe.
I think we are probably just thinking of different groups of people. It sounds as though you’re thinking of the vitriolic gay-haters who troll this site, for example, and are the kind who are always out there searching for new information to back up their position.
I am thinking of another group of people (many PAX viewers, imo) who don’t know much about this issue and haven’t cared much beyond just believing that the Bible says being gay is wrong, and have never heard “gay” and “Christian” in the same sentence. They don’t watch much TV (and if they do, it’s “Touched by an Angel” reruns on PAX), don’t subscribe to cable, daily papers or national magazines, and get most of their information from right-wing talk radio, Jerry Fallwell’s voting guides, the AFA newsletter, and Focus on the Family magazines and letters. I know this firsthand as I grew up in a family like this, surrounded by other families like this, and many of my friends are still like this.
In my opinion, it seems like in the ex-ex-gay world (or just gay world – whatever) we tend to think that everyone is aware of these issues, and who the main players are, and the fact is most people aren’t. Not even real gung-ho evangelical or pentacostal/holiness Christians (the ones who in my experience have been the most homophobic and pro-ex-gay-movement) know a lot of this stuff. They don’t know about the successes and failures and the ex-gay credibility issues. They don’t know real people who are gay, ex-gay, ex-ex-gay, or even gay celibates.
Initially you’d said “Why is this news? No one watches PAX.” For one thing, not only (imo) is it news whenever ex-gays manage to get themselves on television or in print as “credible experts” (and not to mention, this is Ex-Gay Watch, whose purpose is to watch and report on ex-gays, and the politics of the ex-gay movement). But in addition, it’s news (to me at any rate) because it has the likelihood of being seen by people who are ignorant of the larger issues (and I think that’s the core of where we see differently).
I see that for those of us who read exgaywatch and know who all these people are, it’s maybe not news that Stephen Bennett has gotten himself on TV again. And I suppose it’s easy to think, “PAX? Who the heck watches that anyway?” But I think it’s important to look at the audience that PAX has, the background that many of their viewers have (largely evangelical Christian, I’d assume) and the general ignorance most have around these issues.
Actually, I just realized that Matt originally said “Why is this News? No one watches PAX” – not James. Sorry!
I don’t know about other cities, but in D.C. the show seems to have been pre-empted for an Elvis Presley gospel music infomercial.
Yes, it was Gospel-Loving-Elvis here in the Rockies, too. For only 69.95 + shipping and handling, you too can hear Elvis singing all his gospel hits…
If Stephen Bennett accually said it is impossible to be gay and Christian. Then God help him. Judging the salvation of other people is absolutely FORBITTEN under the Christian faith.
I don’t know what he said in this interview (since all I got to hear was Elvis), but on his website (see bottom of page) he says, “after being confronted with the Word of God, the true Christian will be convicted by the Holy Spirit regarding their involvement in sin. If there is no conviction, their problem is not homosexuality; their problem is possibly that they have never been born again.”
Let’s assume being gay is a sin. I know Christians curse almost every day and feel no guilt about it. Are they not saved? You could say this about smoking, drinking, or gossip. Heck every Christian has something in there life which is not for public consumption but that they’ve come to accept about themselves. Maybe they’re not saved as well?
Bennett is a fool. Romans 10:9 says “that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”
I don’t see any gray area there. Bennett is like alot of ex-gays. They don’t feel good about themselves unless there tearing down gays especially gay Christian’s who accept themselves as they are. I know. I used to be just like him. Before I accepted the fact that I was gay I used to have a very judgemental and arrogant attitude towards gay people. I felt I was supperior because I wasn’t “giving in” to the temptation. Don’t worry one day reality is going to punch him in the gut.
But Annika, you said it yourself, that many of these people already have ugly viewpoints of gays. That was my point. They already hate gays based on what they are told. So anything they see on here is just what they already believe. That gays are sick, that gays can go straight, etc.
Yup — I tooned in in the Phili market to watch, and saw gospel Elvis as well. I was really looking forward to the show.
YOU ALL NEED TO REPENT
AND TURN TO JESUS
JESUS SAID I AM THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE NO MAN COMES TO THE FATHER BUT BY ME
Praise GOD amen
I AM AN EX HOMSEXUAL
JESUS DELIVERED ME FROM SODOM AND GOMORRAH AND FROM homosexuality READ 1st COR 6:9-11
and or visit http://www.repentamerica.com
“I AM AN EX HOMSEXUAL”
With all due respect, Repent, I think that you are lying.
Unlike Repent America, we don’t have much use for liars here. We think that they are vile creatures seeking their own gratification at others’ expense. We think they are a cancer on society. We think that God finds liars so repulsive that he has condemned them more than any other Biblical sinners.
And liars who claim to speak for God are even more despicable. They are condemned in two of the ten commandments – not to bear false witness and not to use God’s name in vain.
You need to fall on your knees right now, Repent, and beg God to not strike you down. Hope and fear that He will not find your sin so abominable that He will not even be able to hear your prayer.
Surely you know, Repent, that the God who holds you over the pit of hell like some loathsome insect abhors you and is dreadfully provoked.
Call out to God NOW, Repent. BEG Him to forgive you for your evil lying ways.
But that isn’t enough. You can’t just lie and then think saying “I’m sorry, God” is enough. No! You must make retrobution for your sin. You must now go out to the world and tell them that you have lied and that what you said isn’t true. You must go before legislators and tell them that you have NOT been delivered from Sodom and Gomorrah. Only then will God see that you are truly repentant.
I fear for your immortal soul, Repent.
Oh, and have a nice day.
Whom and what spirit are you
Fore the evil one knows the Gosple more then the sinners on earth
Homosexuality is SIN says the word of GOD
God destroyed Sodom and gomorrah for a testamony to all generations after
this I will do to all nations whos stink reaches heaven
Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death but the gift of GOD is everlasting life
JOHN 15 …..I am the vine and you are the branches ………any branch does not bare fruit it shal be cut off and cast into the heap and burned………IF the word hates you know that it hated me befor it hated you.
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.
If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.
He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father
But [this cometh to pass], that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
Gods Mercy and wrath
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed [it] unto them
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature
And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was met.
And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
and like that person who said
the scriprue
JESUS said i am the WAY the TURTH and the LIFE
no man comes to the FATHER but by ME
and i love the website http://www.repentamerica.com
you all must turn to JESUS TODAY
who ever has an ear let him hear
A warning
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Hope
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
KNOW THIS JESUS LOVES YOU
REPENT AND TRUST IN THE LORD TODAY
amen i have trusted in the LORD
my question to you have you?
Whom and what spirit are you
Fore the evil one knows the Gosple more then the sinners on earth
That’s a convenient crutch for people who get their legalistic ideas thrown back at them.
Inherently self-validating worldview = cult
Do not feed the troll.