Today’s program was the testimony of a woman only identified as “Maureen,” the mother of an independent, out, adult lesbian in a domestic partnership. Note to readers, if this is the sort of story that interests you, join Exodus’ parents email discussion board for a daily deluge of this sort of thing. Like so much ex-gay rhetoric, “Maureen” reminded us how miserable we are all supposed to be. In a letter written to her daughter which she read on the air:
(+9:44) I pray that your spiritual eyes will be opened and that you will see God’s truth. I’ve grieving because you are missing all the blessings God has in store for you. He can’t bless you. You will never have real joy, happiness, contentment and peace as you continue to live in this gay lifestyle. You may that you are happy right now, but that will not last. Real joy and happiness only comes when you walk in God’s truth. (Real Audio / Windows Media)
My mother (who lives in Virginia and works in DC), meanwhile, is sending me updates on the situation in Maryland every other day in hopes that my wife and I will move there. She even wrote a letter to the governors of both states about how she wants “both of her children and their wives” to feel welcome and not be afraid to visit.
Thank you for reminding me to be grateful. Maybe Maureen’s daughter will be similarly blessed one day. If Maureen loses her daughter, it will not be because of lesbianism. If her daughter shows misery and pain around Maureen, well, that mother needs to take a look in the mirror.
When this was originally broadcast, I remember thinking that it was one of the saddest ‘testimonies’ I had ever heard. I wrote this comment at the time:
The closing, ‘prophetic’ (disturbingly hopeful??) words of the mother were “My daughter is a Stephen Bennett in the making today.” Somewhere there is a partnered, musically gifted lesbian teacher whose mother would rather she be Stephen Bennett than the wonderful person she is.
It’s terrible that someone like Stephen can lead this woman to believe her daughter lives such a miserable life. It does nothing more than keep the mother from being a part of the joy that the daughter may very well be experiencing.
I’m in a similar position as Jayelle. Since I came out to my mom, she has been nothing but supportive. She loves my boyfriend (calls him sometimes over me if the topic would be of more interest to him) and has been helping us plan our wedding.
It wasn’t always good with my mom. I’m bi, and she strongly believed I should be with a man. She also read the Bible quite “conveniently”. What really helped was that L’Ailee steadfastly remained at my side during a health crisis and that she sat both my mom and my aunt down and said, basically, “Look, we have something in common. We all love her. Let’s not make her feel bad or guilty.”
My mom and my wife have also bonded over their mutual love for Law and Order and mourning for Jerry Orbach.
Then again, my mom would NEVER, EVER have wished for me to become the next Stephen Bennett! And she never liked any of my boyfriends.
Isn’t any sentence beginning with “He [Jesus] can’t…” blasphemous in and of itself? It surprises me how many times religious conservatives limit the powers of supposedly omnipotent God to fit their message.
Wow. This is so terribly sad. It’s amazing how people can express their “love” in such horrible ways. How painful for this daughter. I can’t imagine someone wishing/hoping I’d be a Stephen Bennett in the making, either.
C’mon Christine, doesn’t every mother want her daughter to grow up to be a lying man?
After listening to that segment, I was really shocked at the ordasity*sp of the the mother. Maureen could not even recognize that her daughter as an adult, let alone a lesbian. She listed exactly what she thought her daughter should be in life, justified it using God, and then was dismayed when her daughter chose a career track that suited the daughters want and needs, not the mothers. The arrogance of ‘Maureen’ was utterly disgusting, and at what point do people realize that God is not their puppet, interjected to suit their domineering will and insecurities?
I’m sorry but I laughed. What propaganda & BS including the traditional wingnut waterworks.
“”My daughter is a Stephen Bennett in the making today.” Somewhere there is a partnered, musically gifted lesbian teacher whose mother would rather she be Stephen Bennett than the wonderful person she is.”
Maybe she just wants her daughter to be a bit more feminine. Oh, wait. That’s bad for so many reasons… I can’t say that!!
😉
Sounds like something my mom could have said. When I explained how my lack of depression, suicidal tendencies, alcohol abuse, etc. etc. since accepting myself as a lesbian have made me better towards other people, improved my character, etc. she replied that there are many other ways of testing character.
In other words, a gay Mother Theresa would still be tainted with evil. She’s of the school (and there are many Christians like this) who believe that unless a person’s actions fit into a life where beliefs in Jesus are present, no matter how ‘objectively’ good they may be, they are still sinful.
And no matter how ‘objectively’ happy one is, you’re still inside, by virtue of the ‘knowledge’ you’re disobeying God, ‘truly miserable.’ It’s a nice way of fitting empirical evidence to a priori theories.
As stephen keeps broadcasting these, I am better of ex-gay testimonies, I would be a good rebuttle to collect testimony from people whose lives got better after accetping their homosexuality. Even better from people whose drinking and self destructive behaviors subsided after coming out. Me included. Ihave an email from a childhood friend telling me he couldn’t wait for me to come out. My friends all knew I was gay before I could admit it. They all saw how destuctive it was for me to play it straight. They applauded me when i came out. Including my parents.
If anyone wants to write a testimony, I would happily post it as a a rebuttle to Stephen’s show.
“And no matter how ‘objectively’ happy one is, you’re still inside, by virtue of the ‘knowledge’ you’re disobeying God, ‘truly miserable.’ It’s a nice way of fitting empirical evidence to a priori theories.”
It all fits with the way that some conservative Christians view “Truth”.
Since they know what the Truth is, it doesn’t matter what facts they observe. They physical evidence is all just a delusion of Satan.
You think you’re happier? Delusion!
You think that you aren’t promiscuous? Delusion!
You think that you weren’t molested as a child or that your father/mother/whoever wasn’t distant? Delusion!
You still feel attraction for the same sex after decades of ex-gay ministries? Delusion!
You think the wall is blue when God said it’s yellow? Delusion!
You think the Vatican is not the center of the Universe? Delusion! Oh, wait, that one’s been conceded.
Before I had reassignment surgery, my “ultra-spiritual” mother told me that she prayed to God that He would take my life before I could have the surgery. But, (she teared up at this point as she spoke) she said she was afraid He wouldn’t [kill me].
Res ipsa loquitur