Media
Release 4 March 2015
Is
celibacy the new ex-gay?
In
a surprising move, one of Australia's remaining ex-gay/reparative/conversion
therapy organisations, Liberty Christian Ministries (LCM) has invited a gay Christian, Dr Wesley Hill, to
speak at their conference next week. Anthony Venn-Brown, founder and CEO of
Ambassadors & Bridge Builders International says this reflects the ultimate
destination these organisations much arrive at. It's okay to be gay......but
there is a twist.
LCM
is one of the oldest ex-gay organisations in Australia and has been operating
for over twenty years. Last year Living Waters, Australia's longest running
ex-gay organisation, closed suddenly. Living Waters and LCM have always
preached the 'change is possible' message and that the term 'Gay Christian' was
an oxymoron .
Anthony
Venn-Brown, who has monitored ex-gay activities in Australia and spoken out
about the dangers for over fifteen years, says organisations like LCM have only
two choices; to close down or change their message..
'For
four decades, ex-gay organisations, said that being gay was a sin and that
God's power could transform homosexuals into heterosexuals. That message has
left a trail of damaged lives and suicides. Finally in 2012, Alan Chambers,
former president of Exodus International, admitted that "99.9%" of the people
he knew "have not experienced a
change in their orientation". Whilst some still refuse to believe Alan
Chambers statement, it was the death knell of Christian ex-gay ministries.'
Venn-Brown said.
"There has been
an increasing number of churches and people willing to accept that a person is
gay innately and it can't be changed, but at this stage, that is a far as it
goes. From the ashes of the failed ex-gay movement comes the new celibate gay
Christian movement.' Venn Brown added.
'Of course I'm
grateful that these people have accepted
the reality that being gay is okay and not in conflict with a person's faith,
the new message "but you can't act on it" is problematic. I believe
this continues to have a negative impact on young gay and lesbian people in
churches. The message now is essentially "you can never fall in love or
have a life partner like others in the church". It is like a sentence
inflicted by people who only see sexual orientation in terms of a sex act and
not as it truly is. Our sexual orientation is fundamental to the core of our
being and profoundly influences who we love and people we would want to spend
the rest of our lives with. The most profound experiences we can have as human
beings, such as love and intimacy, flow from our same sex or opposite sex
orientation. As with being gay, love should never be something we are ashamed
of.' Venn-Brown concluded.
Media
inquires
Founder and CEO of Ambassadors & Bridge Builders
International
(ABBI)
M:
+61 (0)416 015 231
Twitter:
@gayambassador
Ambassadors & Bridge Builders International's mission
is to create understanding and
acceptance for LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual. transgender, intersex) people, empower community
members and build bridges with religious organisations and leaders
Labels: media release