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07/03/2007
He attacks our lives and loves, yet we are the aggresors?
Well, we knew when we heard Michael Glatze's "ex-gay" proclamations this morning that it was only a matter of time before the "pro-family" movement appointed him their new poster boy. However, we had NO CLUE the response would be so rapid.
Here are some words from "former homosexual" Stephen Bennett, as quoted by the American Family Association's One News Now site:
Stephen Bennett is a former homosexual whose ministry proclaims freedom from that lifestyle through Christ. He spoke with Glatze earlier today and says the former homosexual is repentant and ready to move forward with his new life in Christ.
"He did say that this is the beginning of his journey -- so [to] the church and others, we do need to be there for this man and we really need to keep this man in prayer," Bennett urges. "But, I'll tell you, it's so exciting, again just to see how Christ is working among homosexual men and women. And obviously this is the ministry we're involved in, but we can't do the changing ... Jesus is doing it."
Blah, blah, blah -- gays are detached from Jesus -- blah, blah, blah -- it is divine intervention that has led Mr. Glatze to take what is more than likely (a) a vow of celibacy, or (b) an expression of the hetero-focused side of his bisexuality. You know, we said all we needed to say about this aspect of the situation in our piece from this morning. However, what we do want to address is this next section of the ONN article:
Bennett, who runs Stephen Bennett Ministries, predicts that homosexual activists now will mount attacks on Glatze through the secular media and the Internet. "It's going to be like a swarm of killer bees [trying] to discredit this man who they have given credit to for so many years," he says.
He anticipates those attacking Glatze will utter "evil, hateful, vicious" accusations. "It's probably already begun," Bennett laments, "but I can guarantee you [that] within the next day or two, that's exactly what we're going to see: people trying to rip this guy to shreds -- one of their own who now has made a decision and a choice for Jesus Christ."
Bennett says he has offered his counseling to Glatze as he begins his journey with Christ.
This false idea that it is gay activists who are on the attack is classic Stephen Bennett. Never mind that he is a man whose only ostensible career is to tell gays that they are immoral and that they can only truly be happy if they become an "ex-gay." No, no -- we, the ones he spends his days persecuting, are the ones he claims to be the mean-spirited militant ones. We are the "evil, hateful, vicious" "killer bees." To hear Stephen put it, we are to be denounced when we speak out against the "ex-gay" movement, yet they are to be celebrated for their nonstop endeavors to make ours lives harder, our loves legally unrecognized, and our families buy into their unscientific, baseless movement. When we fight to simply live our lives and ask that they just be happy in their own, we are the ones they say are on the offensive.
It is nothing short of enraging!
The undeniable truth is that it is Stephen Bennett and some of his cronies who are the ones throwing stones! It is to be expected that some gays will not react kindly to being hit, and may react unfavorably to Mr. Glatze. After all, he did say such things in his revelation as:
"Homosexuality, delivered to young minds, is by its very nature pornographic. It destroys impressionable minds and confuses their developing sexuality"
"...homosexuality prevents us from finding our true self within."
"...there is no homosexual "desire" that is apart from lust."
"God is regarded as an enemy by many in the grip of homosexuality or other lustful behavior, because He reminds them of who and what they truly are meant to be."
"...homosexual sex – and all other lust-based sex – is never satisfactory: It's a neurotic process rather than a natural, normal one."
Even a staunch opponent of gay rights MUST understand why a happy, well-adjusted gay person might be just a wee bit offended by that!! And while those opponents may not like the pro-gay responses, they can't wash their hands of their role in eliciting those reactions. For without their attempts to force their oh-so-happy "ex-gay" lives onto others, there would be no gay activist who even gives them a thought! Virtually no gay activist on our radar is concerned with the personal, private lives of Stephen Bennett, Alan Chambers, Richard Cohen, Melissa Fryrear or any of the other professional "ex-gays." Speaking only for this site, we wish them happiness and fulfillment with whomever they pursue. However, they do not wish the same for us, and that is where the problem arises!
For another example of the way Stephen views this situation, click the pic below to watch a short video that he recently filmed with wife Irene. Towards the end of the video, the two talk about gay rights activists:
Stephen: Gay activists, people, everywhere are watching this
Irene: Oh. That's very sad
Stephen: Say hi, gay activists
Irene: Hi, gay activists. We don't hate you, even though you think we may. We don't.
Stephen: We do not hate you. We come in peace.
Irene: [laughs] That's right
Stephen: Peace, baby peace. Oh the phone's ringing so we gotta go
Irene: [Dismissively] Oh, there they are. Now they're mad...
And while this bit is silly or whatever, it just gives a little more insight into how they view the situation. They act as if they are doing absolutely nothing wrong and that gay activists should have no reason to care about what goes in their little lives. But again, this is a man who RUNS A MINISTRY TO 'CURE" GAYS! And this is a couple who used to host a radio show solely dedicated to changing gays! While it's very easy for them to laugh and think they are being oh-so-cute, those of us who Sunday night activities were with our same-sex partners might have a little more trouble believing their protestations of peacefulness!
Okay, okay, so this is getting long and rambly. Bottom line: We gays, like most people, don't like getting attacked for simply being who we are. While folks like Bennett don't agree that being gay is part of who we are, the majority of gays think (and much evidence strongly suggests) that it is. And while we don't expect Bennett to quit fighting us on these issues, we do wish he would at least acknowledge that it is his team that has militarized this particular "culture war" battle!
Former homosexual activist credits God with new direction in life [ONN]
Your thoughts
I hope very much that Mr. Bennett has willed his body parts to science so that, when he dies, someone can examine his brain and prove the theory I’m about to put forth.
Mr. Bennett’s cerebral cortex has been taken over by his R-25 complex.
The Reptilian brain, or lizard brain as I like to call it, thinks that the brain in which it resides represents the whole of the universe. It’s primary job in life is the survival of this limited universe, and the more paranoid it is, the better it’s doing its job. The lizard brain is largely responsible for someone (read: Stephen Bennett) believing beyond even the tiniest shadow of a doubt that everyone else in the world should think and act exactly like him. And it supports his suspicion that anyone who doesn’t align themselves with him in all things is dangerous, evil, and aggressive (read: killer bees).
I do wish there weren’t so many lizards masquerading as humans.
Posted by: robin reardon | Jul 3, 2007 4:44:07 PM
What if this whole thing is just a brilliant maneuver to take down the ex-gay myth from the inside?
The other option, of course, is almost too depressing to think about.
Posted by: Marie S | Jul 3, 2007 6:07:26 PM
(sigh) Great. Another person that thinks he can be straight by the power of so-called Christ. What upsets me is that Michael put in all this work and time into fight for human rights for homosexuals and then just dumps it as it was nothing. He was looked up by gay youth, received numerous awards, and now he buys into this stupid "ex-gay" movement just because he suddenly thinks that God say his gay life is wrong.
As much as he thinks and says he's straight, he is bi-sexual and nothing more. Just like everyone else in this world falls somewhere on this "completely gay/completely straight" scale, he's just falls somewhere in the middle just like Stephen Bennett. All these ex-gays are just bi-sexual and no matter how much they desire to be straight, there is no way they can truly escape their desire for that closeness to the same-sex.
I guarantee this. All these ex-gays will eventually give into their desires. It may not make the news like John Paulk but they will eventually fail because no one can truly escape the desires of the heart, not even through the power of a so-called christian god. And then they will realize that they just waisted their time where they could have been true to themselves.
I'm just glad that the world has realized that gays can't change their sexual orientation and one day, we will get all of our human rights
Posted by: Sam | Jul 3, 2007 7:19:35 PM
It's like they treat the whole "helping gay people out of homosexuality" as some joke. Disgusting. They are smug and arrogant about it as well. That is not Christ like.
Sadly, I do believe they(Stephan and Irene)are hurting inside. Whether they admit it or not. True followers of Christ are not like this. They are not arrogant or show contempt for their fellow human beings. True followers of Christ are those that are at peace not only with themselves but with of all creation. You learn to love all, even your enemies. The Holy Spirit is suppose to be the ultimate living and driving force in a Christian's life(Acts 1 and 2). Yes, even over the bible. It is through the Holy Spirit that man is truly made free. Embracing the fear of Hell, damnation, and the absolute demand to conform to their beliefs as the only true force to bring others to Christ is, from what I see, a false gospel.
Posted by: Ken | Jul 3, 2007 7:46:39 PM
Good afternoon Ken (and all)!
I would certainly agree that being "smug and arrogant" is not a Christ-like feature. Nor is affirming people that certain actions and lifestyle's are OK - actions and lifestyles which God's Word classifies as sin and transgression of God's Law.
And yes Ken, loving one's enemies is also a trait that ought to characterize the follower of Jesus Christ. But true love speaks the truth (in love). True love states that homosexuality is a sin. True love takes people through the Law of God and demonstrates that everyone has fallen drastically short of their Creator's righteous standard. True love shows men and women the perfect standard by which they will be judged, shows them they are guilty in the Courtroom of Eternal Justice, and are headed to hell. True love then places the teaching and proclamation of God's love in its proper, Christ-centered context – that being true loves direct correlation to the Cross of Jesus Christ. The cross of the Messiah is the focal point of God's love for the world. True love acknowledges that God is holy, we are sinners, God judges sin, we're guilty, God saves through Christ alone.
And true love is humble Ken. I'm sure you would agree with that. I personally didn't realize for far too long that the Bible warns that for every idle word I have spoken, I will have to give an account on Judgment Day. I foolishly and illogically thought that as long as I "believed in God" and tried to live a "good life," I would go to heaven when I died. But I was horribly mistaken. Jesus clearly taught that if I as much as looked with heterosexual lust at a women or with homosexual lust at a man, I had committed adultery in my heart. I had broken God's holy Law, and there was nothing I could do to cancel the penalty I deserved. I knew then and I know now that if my Creator judged me by the Ten Commandments on Judgment Day, I would stand guilty before Him and justly be sent to hell. But it was then by God's grace that my eyes were opened and I understood my predicament. I began to understand more fully why it was that Jesus had to die. He came to pay the price I could never pay. He came to die in order to take the punishment for my sins and the sins of the world. Jesus indeed was the Promised Messiah, He died for our sins just as Moses and the Prophets had promised, was buried, and rose from the dead just as Moses and the Prophets had promised.
Now, homosexuals are no different than anyone who hasn't come to this realization of complete judicial guilt before their holy Creator. Homosexuals I know and love and others I have talked to in the past constantly claim that "God made me to be a homosexual" and that "God doesn't want me to change" (I'll set aside for the moment the issue of how they justify this alleged knowledge). So basically the argument I hear constantly from homosexuals is that since they didn't make a conscious decision to "be a homosexual," it must be "natural" and OK with their Creator. Now, the question Ken of whether or not homosexuals are "born as homosexuals" often misses the larger claim of God's Word - that being that ALL humans are born with a sin nature and with sinful desires. So while it may well be perfectly "natural" for certain people to be homosexuals, it's also perfectly "natural" for ALL of us to be tempted to do things that our Creator condemns as sin and states are immoral and wrong. So sure, sin is natural for non-Christians. But it doesn't follow that our Creator wants them to remain that way. God promises He can and will set people who believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ free from their sinful nature, give them new desires, and help them withstand temptations. He did it for me (which is not to say I've arrived and am perfect). And He can do it for all those who understand their predicament and seek the only Savior.
You close Ken by identifying something - it was unclear to me exactly what you were attempting to say - as a "false gospel." Two questions. First, what is the "true Gospel," and based on what authority? Second, on what basis do you claim that a message is a "false gospel"?
Thanks and have a great Independence Day!
Posted by: AJ | Jul 4, 2007 3:08:01 PM
I love Steve Bennett ! He loves the homosexual and wants to help lead them out of their bondage.
Jesus came to set the captive free not leave them in bondage.
He is living proof that Jesus is who he says He is. He is our deliverer.
Posted by: Sue | Jan 25, 2009 8:11:12 PM
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