Why Do We Seek Ex-Gay Experiences?
Well it depends on who you ask, when you ask and under what circumstances. If ten years ago when I entered Love in Action, you asked me, I would say becuase of my faith in Jesus, the desire to find wholeness and healing and the hope to feel normal. My number one answer was always because of my relationship with God and my understanding of the scriptures based on how they were taught to me.But on deeper inspection, processing my experience through art and therapy and blogging and discussion, I've unearthed deeper reasons that fueled my drive for change.
Jim Burroway over at Box Turtle Bulletin writes about a recent survey done by the ex-gay folks People Can Change (hmm, change--I imagine they don't just mean their underwear). No surprise the survey reveals what sounds like party line. I'm not saying that the survey participants answered dishonestly, but sometimes it takes time to figure out what is really motivating us.
Jim writes about it clearly and thoughtfully. Read Why Pay $550 to Change? Man, that's a bargin! Back in 1996 I was paying $950 per month (okay which did include meals and a single bed in a room with two other struggling homosexuals).
posted by Peterson Toscano @ 12:33 PM
3 Comments:
gay chrisian blogger--no special treatment. Everyone gets the same bed, eachs the same food, goes to the same church. One guy came from a denomination that worshipped on Saturday that he was forbidden to attend.
Oh and meals only includes five meals a week. The rest of it you are on your own.
Why Do We Seek Ex-Gay Experiences?
I would imagine, Guilt! Whether it is from religion or family or society pressures we feel that somehow it is entirely our fault. For me I did not go through the EX-Gay movement, but I hid in the closet for fifty years worrying about what my family and friends would think. I felt that somehow I had let them down.
It's interesting that while "outside pressure" is the least cited reason, "shame" and "fear of rejection" are also on there, and score much higher.
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