Exgay activist Stephen Bennett will debate the topic "Gay and Christian" on PAX-TV’s Faith Under Fire on Saturday, Dec. 4. Other debate participants: Ron Poindexter, who says God didn’t expect him to give up his sexuality, and Duke Holtz, who is gay and celibate.
(Hat tip: Ray Whiting)
Mike, did you ever give tips that you often post on this blog to those debating high profile anti-queers? What are you hoping for that will be mentioned or emphasized in this debate?
Personally, I think an aggressive tone, one that demands a direct answer from an opponent and one that controls the flow of the debate is what is seriously lacking in these debates.
The problem with many gays on talk shows is that they are either there just to reinforce stereotypes, or they are used to such echo chambers that they have no answers when someone questions them about homosexuality. They can’t just say that it’s OK because they say so — they have to give convincing arguments.
The PAX channel has really gone downhill over the past few years. From genuine quality programs like Chicken Soup for the Soul to this pap hosted by some guy with an awful facelift.
Do Stephen Bennett and DL Foster ever actually do anything to help anyone? Or is their “outreach” related to bashing gays and trolling this blog?
>Do Stephen Bennett and DL Foster ever actually do anything to help anyone? Or is their “outreach” related to bashing gays and trolling this blog?
Um, no.
BTW, from what I have read, the fellow running PAX set of stations is a conservative christian. ‘nough said. One might seriously wonder why he would be running something like this, instead of the usual crap like “Dr Jane Medicine Woman” and “Touched by an Angel” reruns that they normally run.
I watch PAX quite a bit, usually for showslike Doc, Sue Thomas F.B.Eye, and the animal/pet shows… and the Gaither shows on Saturday evening. Now that PAX has original programming they don’t need to run the syndications so much. 🙂 Call me an old fart, but I prefer many of the shows on PAX to what’s offered on the major networks. O’course I watch a lot of PBS, also.
Xeno,
I think that debates like these are often biased from the start. The media invite a well-funded antigay operative armed with factoids intended to incite anger and fear. The gay-tolerant invitee is a volunteer who’s just asking for respect. The antigay movement is willing to tell big lies that score ratings; due to time constraints on TV, tolerance advocates are left sputtering, “That’s not true.”
The question in the “gay and Christian” debate is fundamentally flawed. TV shows don’t ask Jews to prove whether they are really American. They don’t ask Catholics to prove that they are Christian. The PAX debate seems to be asking the tolerant side, but not the bigoted side, to prove its integrity.
If I were the gay Christian side in this debate, I would go well-prepared with Bible verses promoting tolerance and condemning judgmentalism. I would memorize Bennett’s political affiliations and the efforts of his ministry associates (Janet Hensley in particular) to bully gay people.
Ron Poindexter is ex-exgay and affiliated with Evangelicals Concerned, so he’s a better choice than many that I’ve seen.
Uhhh, Mike I have seen christian teevee where Roman Catholics had to prove that they were christians. General consensus: they aren’t, just cult members.
Xeno makes a very correct point, The “diplomatic” rhetoric used by many in the Gay community have failed mostrously, as this election has proven.; Everytime one of these cult recruiting scum litter the airwaves with their recrutiment jargon, the “opponent” is often the most impotent “Queer” ever imaginable. Often playng defense for the most part, acting scared and timid, and most of all trying to play “tolerant of the Cultist/anti-gay/basher’s beliefs and point of view” than they are attempting to expose, demand answers, or expose the lies and contemptable agenda of the “anti-gay” speaker.
It is why they have gotten where they have gotten today, a froum, a platform, and a vocal snake oil salesman position. Why?…because noone will really stand up to them for fear of being labeled “rude”…AKA known as “victim mentality”…AKA…the “Sambo Complex”.
Until someone really starts making them mad, and acting mad themselves about the harmful and destructive agenda and actions of these people, nothing will ever really get done.
Is being called a “B*tch” or “Rude” really so bad?…I mean really?…when the lives of you Gay brtoehrs and sisters are concerned?
I think not, and happily accept those catcalls.
Rusty
Stephen Bennett is making the AFA circuit again.
https://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/4/262005b.asp
Wonderful about how he talks so much about “love and compassion for the homosexual” after he’s goes out of his way to call us a “Stench in the nostrils of God” in the past.
Moderating your message much Steve?
Wonderful about how he talks so much about “love and compassion for the homosexual” after he’s goes out of his way to call us a “Stench in the nostrils of God” in the past.
Moderating your message much Steve?
Not to mention he talks about “love and compassion” for homosexuals, while at the same time decrying our growing acceptance in society.
In other words – it’s fine to be gay, but you have to hate yourself for it.
Stephen’s website is sad. He has made an entire career around parading around as an “ex-gay”. The number of things that he is selling on his website rivals e-bay. Stephen told me one time that even if you have same sex attraction, if you don’t identify as gay, then you aren’t gay. This is the foundation of the ex-gay movement. I formerly identified as an ex-gay. I was in the ex-gay movement for years. I remember, during my first Exodus meeting, they told me to call myself a heterosexual who is struggling with same sex attraction. These people love to deceive themselves.
Priscilla, it sounds like you have an interesting story to tell.
I’d love to hear it.