Gay Evangelism
Conservatives routinely accuse gay activists of trying to convert young people to homosexuality. It's all part of the diabolical "gay agenda". None of it is true, at least of the dozens of gay activists that I know, none of them want to change anyone's sexual orientation. We hope to change people's attitudes to make the world a safer place for LGBTIQ folks.
From having been an Evangelical, Born-Again, Pentacostal, Conservative Christian, I think I understand why the Religious Right slander the queer community. They look at the world through their own world-view. They want to convert the whole world, so they assume the rest of us want to do the same thing.
As an Evangelical, I was taught that my highest call was to share the Gospel of Jesus in hopes of leading many to Christ. At school, on the job, in my neighborhood, I was on the prowl to "save souls". My church gave me license to exploit any opportunity "for the Kingdom". I was in a life and death struggle to rescue people from the devil's clutches.
I believed this and felt that God expected me to use my position of authority at my job in NYC to advance the Gospel.
As a gay activist, I see things very differently. I do not want to convert anyone to Gaydom. Rather I want people to discover who they are and run with it. If you are gay, great. Straight, great. Bi, great. Just be yourself without shame and fear.
Many straight men fear gay men because they believe that the gay men lust after straight men in the same way that many straight men lustfully look at women. This may be a valid fear; I've seen (and experienced) that sort of lust.
But the fear that Conversatives have that we are an army of Gay evangelists seeking to devour the youth of America does not hold up.
posted by Peterson Toscano @ 10:46 AM
6 Comments:
Good point. I think a lot of things that conservatives say about queer folk can be boiled down to projection...
It's a good reminder about that old way of looking at things (which is also the way I was raised), and how if you see the whole world through those lenses, it's hard to see what's really there.
And the reverse holds true w/gays as well sometimes.
I think you're right that many conservative Christians project their own intentions onto others. When you have an agenda you tend to think everybody has one.
Accusing others of subversive tactics is also a means of "poisoning the well": implying that gay people or whatever people can't be trusted, and thus trying to negate the need to listen. That sort of mindset pushes storytelling out of the picture. Like I think you've said before, it's a lot easier to argue abstract theology that someone's story.
People say to deflect degrading comments that are made towards you, but after a while, it's rather hard to do, whether what they are saying is true or not. It goes to your brain and slowly eats away at your self-esteem and self-worth. Just remember, they might say these hurtful words, but psychologists say that those who make fun of others and harrass have problems of their own. In the end, everyone has a problem or two of some kind, so no one is singled out from everyone else.
Conservatives may think that gays (and their allies, like I) are trying to evangelize homosexuality, but all that is really going on is that they/we are trying to make the uneducated learn a thing or two, to try and get them to view things in a different manner.
About homosexuals supposedly lusting after everyone of the same sex that they see or come in contact with, it's basically like saying everyone of the opposite sex that an individual comes in contact with will think that individual is externally attractive, which is impossible.
Nice photo. It makes your chronological age irrelevant!
Well your article is interesting to say the least. It is amazing when someone is so immersed in their own agenda they are blinded to a lot of things. It seems we live in a space and time that likes to justify everything, as long as it feels good to me (us)! We have no regard to what the Word of God has to say or even surrendering our lives to us. Oh we desperately say we want to, that we need to, and we have good intentions of doing so- but only on “our terms” not His terms. If we can make Jesus into what we want Him to be- to suit our needs, wants, and desires. Then we have a false Jesus, with a false agenda.
I have been on “your side” and I have struggled just like you! I however decided to surrender to God, not to my flesh or feelings. I once was gay, but I have been healed! I have been delivered and set free! Praise the LIVING GOD! He has redeemed me and set me free! Now I help people coming out of homosexuality. Both sides have their agenda but only one is based in TRUTH! The Truth is the only thing to set us free and we do not get to determine the TRUTH only GOD can! Jesus still calls sin, sin. He does not change.
There is hope for the homosexual they can be set free. They can find the love they were so desperate for.
annonymous,
Blessings on your journey and your quest for truth.
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