There was an interesting segment on ex-gay programs on triplej’s Hack currect affairs program yesterday. You can listen to the mp3 here. I think the first 10mins is about the Brisbane storms, and then the last ~20min is about the ex-gay programs. A young, gay Christian guy is interviewed in the studio, as well as a guy who grew up in a religious home and headed up a brach of one of the gay conversion organisations. There’s also an interview with a woman who had been through a program, and comments from a minister who runs a program.

From the program blurb:

You might be attracted to guys or girls or both - but is that something you can change? You’ll hear from a 20 year old guy who’s been through 3 gay conversion programs.

NB there’s a couple of ‘adult themes’ I guess, so maybe not for the very easily offended or if you have kids around. Otherwise, it’s quite an interesting listen.

It’s a fairly blinkered piece of political correctness. It’s a shame, for example, that the interviews failed to include anyone who has benefitted from the programmes concerned and considers them to be a clear success. Their stories were dismissed, but we didn’t actually get to hear from any of them first-hand.

One recent book that I’ve found particularly helpful is Alex Tylee’s Walking with Gay Friends, in which she speaks of her own experience and that of many others from a really good biblical perspective.

Her book is a good counter to the secular ‘wisdom’ that says there is no hope whatsoever for people who struggle with unwanted homosexual desires.

I hope you don’t mind me asking this Gordon, but do you find the world to be a particularly threatening place? I’ve read a few comments of yours now, and I’m starting to get the impression that you believe that there is a massive conspiracy out there to undermine you and everything you believe. It’s almost as if you think that the world is out to get you.

The morality of these issues aside, it seems that Triple J made an effort to get a number of seemingly well-adjusted and articulate conservative Christians on the program to voice their opinions. If anything, this view was overrepresented. Furthermore, you must have missed the part where the host stated that three different ex-gay programs were invited to be part of the program, but were “unavailable for comment”.

Joshua Aldersley - 19 November 2008 09:08 PM

I hope you don’t mind me asking this Gordon, but do you find the world to be a particularly threatening place?

Hello, Joshua. Who are you and why are you here?

If we can stick to the issue and not personal attacks, that’d be super, thanks.

I thought the story of the gay Christian guy who had tried numerous programs, attempted suicide twice (!) and *still* made an effort to go to church every week and was passionate about God & Jesus was pretty remarkable.

I don’t think the program was saying there was “no hope whatsoever” for same-sex attracted people, and for interests sake I would have liked to hear from someone that had made a full conversion from homosexuality to heterosexuality (or whatever), but I think the more interesting question is what happens to genuine Christian people who try desperately to ‘succeed’ in these programs, but for whatever reason, don’t?

Gordon Cheng - 19 November 2008 09:27 PM

Joshua Aldersley - 19 November 2008 09:08 PM

I hope you don’t mind me asking this Gordon, but do you find the world to be a particularly threatening place?

Hello, Joshua. Who are you and why are you here?

Well, for starters, I’m not one of those evil spirit beings out to get you, so rest assured.

If you could kindly answer my question, I’d be more than happy to answer yours more fully.

Luke Stevens - 19 November 2008 09:52 PM

I think the more interesting question is what happens to genuine Christian people who try desperately to ‘succeed’ in these programs, but for whatever reason, don’t?

It is an interesting question and would have to be looked at on a person by person basis.

I wonder if, spiritually speaking, it is all that different from Christians dealing with other sins like greed, gluttony, or disrespect to parents. The big difference in our climate is that you would probably not be mocked by gluttonous people for having tried to give up gluttony and failing.

Hi Josh,

The number of posts you’ve contributed suggests that you would be aware that on Sydneyanglicans.net forums we play the ball, not the man. Shall we steer it back on topic?

Gordon Cheng - 19 November 2008 10:01 PM

I wonder if, spiritually speaking, it is all that different from Christians dealing with other sins like greed, gluttony, or disrespect to parents. The big difference in our climate is that you would probably not be mocked by gluttonous people for having tried to give up gluttony and failing.

Yes, I think that is a core question here, Gordon. For my money, I do not believe that our sexual orientation is a disorder of the will in the same way gluttony is. As a straight man, I know the seven deadlies in a way I do not know a fundamental sexual attraction to men. Furthermore, gluttony, lust, etc, are issues for gay people as well as straight.