The August issue of GQ still is not at my local newsstand, so I turn over the mike to southern gospel music blogger averyfineline.com for analysis of the magazine’s story about Kirk Talley:
Some of AVFL’s key points:
- Talley seems uncertain whether he is a victim of a backward religious culture or whether he is a spiritual masochist. Talley chooses neither to affirm same-gender relationships, nor to condemn “homosexuality.”
- The article title is misguided and false. Within the context Talley has chosen, there is no spiritual closet, nor has he come out of anything.
- Talley confuses temptation with the full scope of sexuality.
- Talley may prefer the known — the meanness and rejection he faces from evangelical and southern culture, which are familiar and predictable — over the unknown of starting over at age 47.
If you appreciate southern gospel music — or insightful analysis of the culture — go read AVFL.
I like the AVFL assessment. Talley seems to be sitting squarely on the proverbial fence – his decision is to make no decisions. I have found that position to be intolerable in my own life, like an endless logic loop. There is no forward or backward, no growth, just endless internal debate with one’s self.
Perhaps it is just the bad Amway experience from my early 20’s, but I found the MLM “Noni juice” material on kirk-talley.com to be a little creepy.
-R
He’s playing it smart, good for him. Maybe he’s just working out what he thinks.
I had to visit six stores in my small town last night before I found one that carries GQ! I read the article and found the AFVL take on it to be pretty good. I’ve been following the Talley story with interest for the past year and a half and was amazed that GQ saw this as a story of interest to its readership. I feel sorry for Kirk – the article describes the loneliness of choosing against intimacy with another man. He does seem to be in a odd and uncomfortable place. Although the evangelical world will not allow him to live as an openly gay man and still have a ministry, he at least has not taken potshots at those who live honestly as gay men and women. A little-publicized event (absent from his own website other than an uncaptioned photo) was his appearance at Potters House Fellowship in Tampa Florida – a gay pentecostal church – in June.
On a personal note – my online commentaries in early 2004 on the Talley scandal resulted in my being introduced to the wonderful man who is now my parter. Two Sundays ago, we went to a Kirk Talley concert in Erie PA to say ‘thanks’ to him for his role in bringing us together. He was very welcoming and cordial toward us. Kirk-Talley.com has our picture with Kirk taken after the Erie concert – he even captioned it with our names : ) I think he’s probably a lot more gay-positive than he is able to let on if he wants to rebuild a career in gospel music.
Rick,
Congrats on the relationship. You look like a happy couple and Kirk looks perfectly content to have you there as such.
While I feel bad for Kirk and would not want to be in the place where he is, perhaps some good can come of it.
It seems he has access to good southern-gospel-lovin’ people that we could never reach. And he is able to give them the message that The Gays ain’t demon possessed depraved sinners who deserve no rights.
His beliefs may not be the same as mine, but if they were he’d not have access to these folks. So perhaps his bringing an in-between message can bring his audience a little further along towards a better understanding of gay people.
And that’s a good thing.
Reading some of the links from AVFL, you wonder if we all read the same article. In the article Kirk said that he had not had a relationship which INCLUDED sex since his divorce in 1986. He didn’t say that he hasn’t had sex since 1986. A lot of people are running with the idea that he hasn’t had sex since his divorce and he has been celibate all these years. He was caught frequenting a gay chat room on AOL. My God, if anyone has ever visited one of those chat rooms you know that sex is the only thing on those guys minds.
Although I like Kirk and his music ( I was raised in the same fundamentalist religion and I am also gay and out) he is denying who he is to recapture his career. But it’s his life and he needs to live it as he sees fit. I only hope that he won’t regret his actions.
It is his life. He will have to live with whatever he decides. As long as his decision doesn’t interfere with my life, I don’t care what his decision is.
Kirk,
You used to be annointed,but now your not,
Because the Devil has griped your heart. I believe
that homesexuality is a spirit of the Devil No matter if you believe it or not If you really
want to know God and know him personally then look
at Acts 2:38 because that is the only way you can be delivered. Hear O Israel the Lord our God is One God (thats what the Bible says). There is no other God but Jesus The Father Son and Holy Ghost are one. If you read more of the scriptures you will understand what I’m saying. If you really want to know God pray that he will give you a spirit of revelation and that he will guide you in the right path and into all truth I hope you get delivered.
Responding to the note above posted by Donnie Russell. Are you out of your mind? I’m a straight, Christian male, but having watched christian friends agonize through coming to terms with their God-given sexual identity, I can tell you that they would have much rather “chosen” to be straight than to go through the guilt, self-loathing, and alienation of being gay. And now in your mind he’s not “annointed?” You remind me of the pastor in the article that said he believed in forgiveness, “but not for that.” How can we put man-made limits on the creator of the universe all his desire to be in relationship with everyone as he has created us? I can’t believe any of us can claim to know the mind of God – much less be a position to pass judgement on one another.