A press release follows from Queer Action Coalition, Memphis, Tennessee.
The unidentified teenager will appear at 3 p.m. today outside a hearing between the unlicensed exgay live-in treatment facility Love In Action and the State of Tennessee.
LOVE IN ACTION, the Memphis-based fundamentalist Christian program which describes homosexuality as “a masterful deception from the enemy”1, has recently launched a campaign targeted specifically at converting youth to their agenda2. Their youth program, Refuge, attempts to convert homosexual youth, a process which leading medical associations warn has disastrous affects, “including depression, anxiety, and self-destructive behavior.”3 The group came under fire over the past year, after a Bartlett teenager revealed via weblog that his parents were forcing him into the program against his will. This cry for help led to international media attention, and daily protests outside the facility, organized by the Queer Action Coalition (QAC).
For the first time since the controversy began, a teenager who was coerced into Refuge will speak out about his experiences in the program. The teenager will be in Memphis on Friday, February 3 at 3 p.m. in front of the Federal Courthouse, as Love In Action awaits a judge’s decision in a “Motion to Dismiss/Preliminary Injunction” hearing – Love In Action International, Inc. v. Phil Bredesen, et al.
The teen will tell his story, and answer questions about his traumatic stay at Love In Action, including his eventual escape from Memphis, and the legal battle that awarded him with the promise of never being forced into the program again.
It is QAC’s concern that Love In Action is actively targeting youth, and their parents, with an agenda that promotes pervasive myths, and empty, biased stereotypes in an attempt to stimulate a notion of fear and shame. As concerned citizens, we feel the negative views held by the program endanger the well being of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people on a daily basis; people who already face prejudice and hatred which often leads to emotional and physical abuse. Furthermore, we believe that no one should be coerced into any “treatments” for homosexuality, especially with all major mental health associations clearly outlining the danger of such “therapy”.
1. The Fountain of Youth, by Rev. John Smid, 1999.
2. Understanding Homosexuality As A Young Adult, by Love In Action (PDF document).
3. American Psychiatric Association.
By
Queer Action Coalition
Phone:Morgan Jon Fox, (901) 335-3740
Email: fighting.homophobia@gmail.com
Web: www.fightinghomophobia.blogspot.com
I’ve added some choice comments about this to my blog as well. To Love in Action: you want to cater to adults, I’d rather you didn’t but okay. But leave these kids alone, please.
I support Love In Action and believe that God is at work in a powerful way to set people free from chains that bind them regardless of the chains. I have chosen to support people who are at LIA by their choice and with their parents. We are all captive to some bondage and Jesus Christ desires to set us all free. It is His power that is at work within us. It is very sad to observe the way that people respond negatively to LIA because I believe that they are doing a very good work and it is evident that they are doing something good because of the unkind way that people are responding to them. I pray for people who are against Love In Action and other efforts of Christians to try to help people that they will experience the love of God through people. LIA is an effort to help people, not to hurt people. I look forward to seeing how God is going to work in the lives of everyone who seeks to be set free from the bondage to sin. May you have a very blessed day!
Jennifer:
“I support Love In Action and believe that God is at work in a powerful way to set people free from chains that bind them regardless of the chains. I have chosen to support people who are at LIA by their choice and with their parents.”
Sorry Jennifer, you have only chosen to support so-called Christians from abusing others in the name of God. The people in LIA are not professionals, nor do they understand the harm they are doing to their ‘patients.’
“We are all captive to some bondage and Jesus Christ desires to set us all free.”
Yes, free from charlatans that dare speak in His name. Hopefully, LIA will be permanently shut down.
“It is very sad to observe the way that people respond negatively to LIA because I believe that they are doing a very good work”
What is the basis of your belief that they’re doing “a[sic] very good work”?
” and it is evident that they are doing something good because of the unkind way that people are responding to them. I pray for people who are against Love In Action and other efforts of Christians to try to help people that they will experience the love of God through people. LIA is an effort to help people, not to hurt people.”
While it’s quite probable they have good intentions towards their ‘patients,’ their intentions doesn’t necessairly mean they’re doing good things.
“look forward to seeing how God is going to work in the lives of everyone who seeks to be set free from the bondage to sin. May you have a very blessed day!”
How can you be entirely free some sin during your life on Earth? And what do you mean by sin? If you’re refering to homosexuality itself and consensual monogamous sex based on true love, then many would disagree with you, including the majority of people who frequent this site.
Jennifer, there are three things, given to us as human beings that are supremely powerful and sacrosanct, and in no way should be interfered with if that human being or those like them do not betray, violate or in any way compromise another person’s ability to function freely.
That is physical, mental and spiritual identity.
Gays and lesbians do not choose or volunteer to be homosexual or have the homosexual identity.
This is an identity that is universal and indigenous to all mankind.
It is legitimate and does not meet the other conditions mentioned.
And obviously so powerful, that it’s endurance, in spite of every means to destroy it, should tell you just how God given this identity is and isnt’ meant to be changed or destroyed.
But, you are and have been conditioned to believe and think otherwise based on text, not reality.
Reason, has already informed us of the normalcy of gay people.
Just because gays and lesbians have been forced into accepting the hetero identity, doesn’t mean it’s right they should be or accept any other identity but their own.
Recognize this Jennifer, to even suggest however gently or well intentioned that someone abdicate their identity…is offensive.
What LIA does and what motivates LIA is NOT LOVE, but control.
And they have no license to control gay people, and gay people DON’T NEED or require LIA.
It’s that simple Jennifer.
Oh, I just noticed something you said Jennifer.
You said:
‘it is evident that LIA must be doing good work because of the unkind way people are responding to them’.
I wish you were joking.
That is so patently naive and just shows that you are in serious denial and I doubt you understand the gravity of your own words.
People are responding unkindly to LIA because it’s an organization that exploits ignorance and fear.
It’s profits come because of the real violations and insecurities that gay youth face.
An organization that’s good and can function on it’s own merits, wouldn’t be helped by the intimidation and ignorance of others.
And itself would be invested in reality, reason and the truth that being gay is normal.
But the LIA agenda doesn’t and couldn’t function on that reality, let alone profit from it.
People are unkind to LIA because the message to gay people from LIA is unkind. Unkind, mean and destructive.
And LIA hasn’t been required until now, to prove the merits of their work.
And couldn’t come up with any.
The happiest gay person Jennifer, is one whose identity is respected and as a human being protected in the law and has equal access to life and liberty, hope and empathy and traditional institutions AS a gay person.
The only unhappy gay people are the ones constantly at war for their dignity and identity.
The one LIA, with no distinct understanding or caring of what that identity is or means-is out to destroy.
Yes, Jennifer, we are all captive to some bondage.
Some are captive to arrogance and believe that they understand Scripture better than others. This leads them to seek to persecute those who do not conform to their view and understanding of Scripture. They do things like seek constitutional amendments to ensure that gay people do not get to have the same rights that they have. Jesus Christ soundly condemned religious arrogance.
Some are captive to a spirit of deceit and believe that their lies are acceptable in order to influence others “for God”. They spread evil lies about “the homosexual lifestyle” so that they may scare youth – and their parents – into attempts to change a basic part of their nature. Jesus Christ soundly condemned liars.
Some are captive to self righteousness. They seek out sin in others and “help them”. This lets them feel that they are Christ-like when actually they are just feeling superior. They like to couch it in terms like “We’re all sinners” and “all sin is wrong”. But they spend much much more time on the sins of others than they do on their own sins. Jesus Christ condemned the self righteous more than anyone else.
Some are captive to a sense of martyrdom. They read the words of Paul about being “persecuted for his name’s sake” and then think that any criticism of them is a sign that they are doing God’s work. If you point out the harm you are doing to vulnerable youth, they see it as a sign that they are being persecuted. Ironically, these same people are the first to seek to punish others who don’t do their will. They rally against movies, or plays, or art, or anything else that doesn’t conform to their whims and call it ungodly. This false martyrdom insults God.
Oddly enough, Jesus didn’t find time in his three and a half year ministry to mention homosexuality. Or if he did, his disciples were never impressed enough to record it.
So while Christ condemned the sins of Love In Action (arrogance, deceit, and self righteousness) over and over, you have chosen to endorse them, Jennifer. You lend your words to support their godless lifestyle. And you insult God by suggesting that any rejections of LIA’s sinful lifestyle make LIA a martyr.
All I can say, Jennifer, is that is between you and God.
Where is the news account about this “event”…?
Now that it’s occuured, did any new organization cover it?
Uhm, it was on all of the local news stations in Memphis last night. Who knows where it will go from there. The news also reported that Love In Action is still trying to sue the state of Tennessee for interfering with their freedom of religion.All of this because Love In Action were asked to apply for a license to become compliant with the laws of the state they operate in and they not only refused to do it but sued the state? The enormity of their hubris is immeasurable. An organization that wants to follow the righteous path should want to do so by following the letter of the law. I don’t know what Love In Action is guilty of, aside from providing mental health servicing without a license, but I’m sure we will know by the time this case is over with.
Depends on how you interpret things.
I came across this anti-gay Agape press article by Tim Wilkins and wanted to respond to a couple of his points. I couldn’t find the perfect place for it so I put it here.
https://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/2/72006gst.asp
Tim says “…let’s remember that sexual immorality can be a thought as much as it can be an act.”
This is one of the most disturbing pieces of dogma of anti-gay believers such as Tim and demonstrates the lie that is “the behavior is not the person, we hate the behavior”. More so than anything else we ARE our thoughts. If one’s thoughts are immoral evil and bad the core of the self must be immoral evil and bad. If you don’t love what you know to be a person’s thoughts you don’t love that person – unless one means “love” as in control which Christians often do.
Tim then asks “…is it possible the homosexuals’ continued pain results in part from continued time investment in things homosexual?”
When one ignores reality anything is theoretically possible. What’s far more realistic is that gays continued pain results solely from the imposed social oppression of society. Tim more or less acknowledges that it is sexual thoughts of men that cause him pain, not the acting out of those thoughts. With these religious beliefs there can be no freedom from hyper-vigilance and negative feelings as one spends a lifetime fighting what their own mind naturally expresses.
Rather than eliminating the social oppression that causes the profound mental anguish he describes Tim would have gays swap one type of pain for another (feeling bad because of social rejecton swapped for the pressure of suppressing thoughts). It costs society nothing to let gays have responsible same sex relationships and costs the same sex attracted individual a great deal to live contrary to primary desires, thoughts and in essence, self. As long as you fail to acknowledge this Mr. Wilkins you most certainly are uncaring towards gays and that is being generous on my part.