Upon first reading the recent story about Jews Offering New Alternatives to Homosexuality (JONAH) founder Arthur A. Goldberg, we contacted NARTH’s David Pruden (among others) for a statement for the record.
Goldberg is listed on NARTH’s website as an Executive Secretary and they have a long history with him. In his response, Pruden confirmed that JONAH’s Arthur A. Goldberg was indeed Arthur Abba Goldberg.
I know nothing about the content of the article from Arthur or anyone else. I can say that everyone I know, knows his name is Arthur Abba Goldberg. I’ve seen it on documents, email communications, etc. for years. No secret there.
Pruden is referring to the article we sent him from the South Florida Gay News (SFGA). As such a revelation, particularly on the record, amounts to something of a statement against interest, we give it substantial weight.
With the preponderance of evidence originally brought forth by Truth Wins Out (TWO) and SFGA, and the additional information discovered since, there is no room for any reasonable doubt here.
Further, Arthur Avrum Goldberg appears not to exist, except in a brief edit of Arthur Abba Goldberg’s Wikipedia page.
Good research.
Wonder what’s taking JONAH and their friends (NARTH, Exodus etc) so long to respond to these reports?
I think David, because nothing shames the Devil.
Oh, I don’t know. Maybe we’re waiting to hear Arthur’s side of the story. That would seem kind of fair to me.
If David Pruden made a statement for the public without first talking to Arthur, then he was wrong to do so. He was also probably blind-sided, one of this site’s favorite tactics.
Have you guys made any atempt to contact Arthur? In the interest of public disclosure.
We sent Pruden a link to the existing stories and asked if he cared to give a response for the record. Since Goldberg is listed as the NARTH Executive Secretary, that is perfectly proper. He responded the next day with the simple fact that Goldberg’s middle name is well known to be “Abba.” I’m not sure how either our polite request or Pruden’s honest reply with that fact are at issue here. He’s a big boy and certainly doesn’t need your scolding or your defense.
Which are you suggesting, that he should have lied or withheld the facts?
I can’t speak for the others who wrote before us, but we did try to contact Goldberg by phone and email before our first story went up. He didn’t reply. I have also been informed that Wayne Besen tried to contact him at least by email and, as far as I know, has not received a response.
Thanks for the clarification, David.
Karen, I’m not sure which story you think Arthur should give his side of. The story of what happened 20 years ago? If so, he already gave his side in court and the justice system found him guilty. I don’t think you can get much fairer than that.
Karen Booth
I wonder what the folks in Guam and East St Louis think. Have you contacted them for their side of the story? Of course not. But that’s right, they were the victims.
I am very suspicious of a complex, large scale finacial con artist who starts a non profit that can accept donations immediately after coming off parole. I wonder if JONAH was and is vehicle for laundering money hidden overseas from the original con back into the US so that Goldberg could access the funds. If so, I would expect Goldberg to do the smart thing, keep his mouth shut and say nothing.
The other side of the story would be the parts Wayne Besen left out when he cherry-picked the “truth” about this. The other side would be what has happened in Arthur’s life in the last 25 years. Heaven forbid that any of us would be judged today on who we were 25 years ago!
Allow me to also clarify several points:
My comments above about “blind-siding” had to do with my own personal experience with Ex-Gay Watch. Several years ago, one of their writers (don’t remember who, but I’m sure he’ll identify himself) blind-sided me in regard to an issue with one of our former ministry board members. He asked for a response before I was even aware of all the facts in the situation, continued to pressure me when a response wasn’t forthcoming within a day or two, and then upped the pressure, also exposing me to public ridicule, when I refused to share private information publicly. I’m guessing that is likely the way Ex-Gay Watch is operating with Arthur Goldberg and the organizations with which he is connected. I’d like to be proven wrong on that score, but I doubt that will happen.
The kind of scandal-mongering I am witnessing out there (and here) in regard to Arthur’s supposed past – not an attempt to hold him accountable, but rather a crusade to destroy his name, reputation and work – is vile. It’s vile when done to Arthur. It’s vile when done to Barack Obama, Sarah Palin, or any other political or national figure. Utterly, reprehensibly vile. The claim that it’s being done to protect the vulnerable victims of ex-gay ministry is a completely transparent sham. Only in the upside-down world of pro-gay apologetics could any of this be considered noble.
Do you see conspiracies everywhere, John, or just when it has to do with ex-gay ministry?
Um Karen, ex gay ministries ARE a conspiracy. A very specific one. The footage from Liberty University (among other things) is clear evidence of that and the Pro. 8 trial is another conspiracy.
The DADT issue is the dissemination of another kind of conspiracy.
So is the custody battle between Janet Jenkins and Lisa Miller.
Gay folks aren’t paranoid, but why would you deny that there aren’t people out to get them?
Just wonderin’.
Karen, please point out any particular statement that XGW (rather than one of its commenters) has made that you find particularly offensive or unfair, as well as any evidence that anyone has been blindsided in the course of XGW’s reporting on this.
I think XGW’s coverage has actually been pretty modest. Some valid questions were raised. I think the most pertinent part of Emily’s first article is this:
In the second article (of only two), we issued a vital clarification which can only be seen as fair and necessary from every side, namely that Arthur A. Goldberg of JONAH is the same Arthur Abba Goldberg convicted of fraud in 1989.
If you’re going to keep making generalizations about how ruthless, vile and deceptive XGW is (along with all “pro-gay apologetics”), back it up with some evidence. “I’m guessing you did x, so prove me wrong” is not the way these things work.
Karen,
The damage done to Goldberg’s reputation was done by Goldberg himself when he ran his multi-million dollar fraud. He seems to be trying to hide his past, rather than owning up to it.
Actually, I am not much of a conspiracy person, but I doubt that you would be contributing money to someone who you knew was convicted of a multimillion dollar fraud, just came off parole, has set up a non-profit and is asking you for a donation. If you would not think twice about giving money to someone who has already proven themselves untrustworthy with money (to put it mildly)…well, a fool and his/her money are soon parted.
There is the obvious analagous situation with regard to those that claim to be exgay. If you know that some guy has always been gay and is now claiming that Exodus has cured him, I doubt the average person would be jumping for joy when their daughter announces that she is giong to mary this guy who claims to have overcome his gaydom.
Karen, not everyone in the world is so gullible as to go along with you. There are lots of us who think for ourselves.
Oh, and Karen, when you talk about “cherry picking truth” are you talking about the conviction, the scope of the fraud, the victims in East St. Louis and Guam, Goldberg’s obviously racist remarks about Chammoros (the ethnic group of native peoples of the Marianas Islands which includes Guam), the length of his sentence, the time that his parole ended, the founding of JONAH or something else?
Dave, it’s good to hear that your methods have improved since your former dealings with me and my ministry. I do mean that; no snideness involved here.
John, I have read everything that Wayne has put out there so far and asume it is factual. Wayne would be an utter fool for it to be otherwise. Nonetheless, he still “cherry-picks” to make his case, usually leaving out anything that would mitigate in any way what he reports.
I am still waiting to see Arthur’s explanation, which I hope he will make public.
If any of you can get past your personal feelings toward me, you might want to consider how good I am for your numbers.
“Exodus President Joins Anti-Gay Extremists” – 10 comments
“British Journalist Declares War on Homosexuality Cures” – 22 comments
“Near Death Experience Exploited to Further Anti-Gay Agenda” – 4 comments
“Anglican Christians Divided Over Execution of Gays” – 8 comments
“Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill: Just the Facts” – 7 comments
“Christianity Today on Uganda: Condemnation Violates Human Rights” (where Karen Booth joins the conversation and where several people continue to talk about her after she leaves the discussion) – 67 comments
Without common enemies to skewer, you regulars seem to have very little to say to each other. Maybe the rest of the blogosphere is beginning to catch on.
Karen- is it possible for you to go for twenty four hours without saying something vile? Just curious.
Karen,
Please enlighten us about all those things that Wayne left out of the story that would somehow mitigate Goldberg’s greed and the damage that he did to so many through his illegal fraudulent dealings.
If you don’t have anything factual, I guess I should assume that your criticism is something that you just made up.
Ignoring Ms Booth’s silly, irrelevant observation about how good she is for numbers.
As regards the fairness of examining Goldberg in light of his past conduct, the words of the Office of the Clerk of the Supreme Court of New Jersey (1995) are relevant:
Yeah, that’s what we are all about here Karen, numbers. Good grief.
Oh god, here we go again. (David Roberts, you’re outed!)
Actually, that makes for an entertaining if very long post. We have Karen B and the-person-she-is-not-going-to-actually-name … James E. Phelan.
Along the way we get mention of Scott Lively (in an early mention of Exodus linking to his gay nazi crackpottedness) as a nice bonus. And much else besides. For free!
Karen B ends with her standard “I don’t know why I bother coming here because you are all such hateful people” shtick. That’s what I like — consistency. Most of the time.
Karen, I was just thinking that you’ve got it a lot easier here and perhaps if you’ve visited other sites that are of interest to gay people, you’d realize that the opposite certainly isn’t true.
For example, the Prop. 8 Trial Tracker site is open to comments, it doesn’t matter from who.
But the site for Yes on 8 doesn’t allow comments at all.
TownHall, repeatedly allows entire articles that paint gays and lesbians especially as a threatening, violent monolithic juggernaut that will mow down everyone, especially Christians and their rights.
However, I was treated to a serious dose of outright character assassination and reveal of my name and a quote attributed and actions attributed to me that although revealed to be an outright lie, there was no correction or apology for the behavior.
A few times, I’ve done something here that was incorrect and I was duly cautioned about it.
But wherever I go, even on TownHall, regardless of the cyber bullying and mob action against me, I remained civil and armed with facts or outright appeals to folk’s better angels.
You and a few others seem to get a REACTION confused with an ACTION.
Look around you, and note who attacks who first, who engages in serious defamation. Serious enough to manifest in casual violence and loss of STELLAR careers, such as in military service.
And each REACTION coming from gay folks is reported as if coming from a spoiled child not entitled to such emotions, or having no motive whatsoever to talk about or be angry at those who have taken away, or are trying to, every last shred of whatever IS held dear by BOTH gay and straight folks alike.
Name a serious INJUSTICE committed against hetero folks when gay folks HAVE gotten any parity or equal consideration for their legitimate grievances?
NAME ONE.
And name a recently allowed right or protection for gay folks that hasn’t been met with a mightier push to TAKE IT ALL AWAY with the most self righteous and self centered grudge?
For every step forward, there are TWO that go back.
Each and EVERY marriage and family advocate group is ALL about being ANTI GAY.
Most of their expenditures, every political discussion, every forum they are in, is about attacking the intents and purposes of what gay folks are fighting for.
So I ask you, WHERE IS THE INJUSTICE against heteros, when or IF gay folks reach equal status and protection?
Because this is at the heart of why XGW exists.
I happened to have found this site accidentally. I was trying MIGHTILY to learn about who ex gays were and what the whole business of ex gay ministries were about.
I got stonewalling, obfuscation and rote non responses.
But here, I got openness, exceptional intelligence, compassion and honesty.
I’m a curious and analytical person. I was looking to be educated and informed, and the ex gay folks treated me like a stupid child.
It took a long time for me to be onto the techniques they have, but I got it eventually.
So, here YOU are, with that same attitude of entitled expectation and speaking to the forum here with a stinky air of condescension.
You’ve been accorded a LOT more courtesy than your ilk cares to acknowledge.
You and so many firmly believe that gay people NEED YOU more than the other way around, so no matter how they get treated, gay folks better show some respect and take whatever anyone cares to dish out.
No conditions on what your presence does or how it degrades any opportunity for civility.
The question still stands.
Name what serious injustice is committed against the dominant culture when equality is realized, or ANY society that has suffered for more egalitarian principles and I will be the first to say you’re right and move on.
But the injustice is that orgs like JONAH, EXODUS and so on exist AT ALL.
Because just as the family and marriage orgs put nearly all their expenses and energy in running over gay folks, ex gay ministries and their energy are there to do the same thing.
In other words, to make gay people go away entirely and when they don’t, make life harder and harder for them.
Jews ESPECIALLY should know better. Because gays and Jews share the longest hatred from the world like no other people. Whole pogroms to make them disappear and die out have been exacted against them, and many still live to see that happen.
And if the Jews and gays disappear, then the world will have never known them or who they were and the contributions they made despite the long hatred.
And the tragedy of it all is no one is learning that or seems to care to as long as JONAH or EXODUS are around to lie and hijack the story.