February 19, 2013

Excerpt from the article “Boy Scouts could lose tax break for gay ban” on Hearst Newspaper’s SF Gate website: “California would strip the tax-exempt status from youth organizations like the Boy Scouts if they have policies that bar gay people from participating, under a bill introduced at the Capitol Tuesday. The measure, SB323, by Sen. Ricardo Lara, D-Bell Gardens (Los Angeles County), comes as the national Boy Scouts of America is considering changes to its policy barring gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people from serving as scouts or as leaders in the organization.”

February 14, 2013

Excerpts from ex-gay Christopher Doyle’s opinion piece on the Christian Post website: … “The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), which claims to be ‘a nonprofit civil rights organization dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry, and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of society,’ has been conducting a hate campaign for several years against former homosexual leaders, therapists, and persons with unwanted same-sex attraction (SSA).” (more…)

February 13, 2013

Text from Dr. Miriam Grossman’s blog article “Gay or Straight? When others decide for you – Part One” on www.miriamgrossmanmd.com: … “I once saw a college student who, a few hours earlier, nearly jumped from the window of his ninth floor dorm room. Fortunately he hesitated, and walked to the campus counseling center instead. He was screened by a therapist, then sent over to me for an emergency psychiatric evaluation.”

“Malik (not his real name) was deeply distressed. ‘I don’t want to be how I am’, he explained. ‘I’m attracted to men, but it isn’t me. I know it’s not me.’ It was a dreadful situation. (more…)

February 9, 2012

Following is a testimony called “Offended” by past Exodus International vice-president Mike Geoke featured on the PFOX website: “A recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle touted the merger of 1,400 ‘open and affirming’ churches (meaning churches that affirm homosexual identity and behavior) with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. The article stated that leaders in the gay rights movement consider their biggest challenge to be that of convincing Christians that homosexual behavior is not a sin. I saw a part of this movement when I spoke recently at a gathering of pastors and church leaders from a denomination that is heavily divided over the issue of homosexuality. One man spoke of his desire that everyone be welcome at his church, and that they be ‘inclusive’ and, especially, that no one leave their church ‘offended’ by what they hear. (more…)

January 28, 2013

Text from Andrew Comisky’s blog “Courage and Contending Part 5: What We Need” on the http://andrewcomiskey.com website: “A common charge against Desert Stream and other ministries that encourage same-sex strugglers to a life beyond the gay kingdom is that we are driving ‘at-risk’ youth to suicide. Implicit in that view is that some kids are ‘gay’ by nature; the only ‘cure’ they need is freedom from those (like us) who believe otherwise.”

“Any challenge to the ‘gay self’ is seen as dangerous. (more…)

February 8, 2013

Statement from Christian Concern’s Christian Weekly News: “Di Hodgson of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) has admitted that the organization’s opposition to therapy for those with unwanted same-sex attraction is not simply based on scientific evidence. She said on BBC Radio 4’s Sunday programme: ‘We have taken a view in a way which is regardless of the scientific findings. We still believe that it is unethical to seek to agree or to work towards changing someone’s sexual orientation through psychotherapy’ (you can listen to it here at 3m 4s in).”

“The disregard for science and emphasis on ethical opposition is worrying for both those who want the therapy and those who want to be able to provide it. It threatens to sideline people with Christian views on sexual ethics in this area.”

February 7, 2013

The story was covered by the Washington Examiner. Here is an except: “Prince George’s County Public Schools has pulled from six middle-school health classes a controversial video that discusses therapy as a tool to help gay teens become straight. The video, called “Acception,” is part of a bullying-prevention curriculum crafted by Washington-area filmmaker and psychologist Christopher Doyle.”

“The 20-minute film features four teenagers’ struggles with bullying: One boy is bullied in the locker room, a second boy is rejected by his family after telling them he is gay, a girl comes out of the closet and a second girl describes overcoming feelings of attraction toward women and eventually getting married to a man. A roughly five-minute segment also discusses whether people are born gay and describes reparative therapy as an option for gay people who want to be straight.”

February 7, 2013

CBS affiliate WUSA in Maryland interviewed ex-gay Christopher Doyle. Here is an excerpt: “Christopher Doyle asks, ‘Why would we want to withhold information to students, isn’t that’s what America’s about?’ Doyle’s production company’s video is called ‘Acception,’ and it’s been playing for middle-schoolers in Prince George’s County Public Schools for the last year, until this week.”

“The district says the video was pulled not because it included the concept that, with therapy, it’s possible for a teen to switch from gay to straight, but rather because the video didn’t focus enough on anti-bullying. Doyle says this all came as a surprise to him, and that the video is centered on anti-bullying messaging.”

February 7, 2013

Excerpt from an Associated Press article in the Leader-Telegram: “IRVING, Texas — Caught in an ideological crossfire, the Boy Scouts of America is putting off a decision on whether to ease its policy of excluding gays. Whatever the organization eventually does, it’s likely to anger major constituencies and worsen schisms within Scouting.”

“The delay, which the Scouts attributed to ‘the complexity of this issue,’ was announced Wednesday after closed-door deliberations by the BSA’s national executive board. Under consideration was a proposal to ease the longstanding ban on gays by allowing sponsors of local troops to decide for themselves on the membership of gay Scouts and adult leaders.”

February 6, 2013

Excerpt from the Americans for Truth About Homosexuality website: “Americans For Truth reiterates its call for the two corporate CEOs who reportedly are the strongest advocates for the pro-”gay” policy change — AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson and Ernst & Young CEO Jim Turley — to resign from the BSA’s Executive Board immediately. Regrettably, these two advocates of homosexuality have undermined the organization they are supposed to be serving. Through their ongoing pro-LGBT advocacy, they have instigated a massive and unnecessary public controversy that has already damaged the reputation of the Scouts. ‘Out and proud’ homosexuality may be the current rage in the corporate world, but it is not a Scouting value.” The list of the coalition as of February 6, 2013 is in the article. PFOX is part of the coalition.