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Let World AIDS Day Inspire and Inform

December 1, 2010 By Randy Thomas
Photo Credit: The Guardian (click image to visit)

Today is world AIDS day. It is a day set aside to raise awareness of this terrible pandemic. It isn't simply a day where we remember the deadly toll AIDS has had on our generation.  It is also a day to highlight resources, ministries and efforts to prevent and find a cure. Regardless of whether you identify as one of the letters in GLBTQI, as an "ex-gay" or as a Christian on a post-gay journey, we all have known too many people who have died of AIDS and/or currently have loved ones and friends living with HIV/AIDS. I picked the picture for this post from the Guardian because it speaks … [Read more...]

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What’s in a Name? The Story of Brenna Kate Simonds – Part 2

November 12, 2010 By Brenna Kate Simonds
My Wedding Day

Yesterday, I shared the first half of my story.  This is the second half. I had just become a Christian.  In one sense, I felt hope, but at the same time, the labels were still haunting me.  Even though at the time I could not voice what was going on, I continued to spiral out of control with my eating and relationships. I was so desperate for love that I entered into a relationship with an 18 year old woman with a drug problem (I was 24 at the time). After 3 months, this woman (having been raised in a Christian home) said to me, “Listen – the Bible says you must either be hot or … [Read more...]

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What’s in a Name? The Story of Brenna Kate Simonds – Part 1

November 11, 2010 By Brenna Kate Simonds
Brenna with a mohawk from having her head shaved

A Christian speaker recently reminded me that words are a container for power. The book of Proverbs says “reckless words pierce like a sword”, “the words of the wicked lie in wait for blood”, and “when words are many, sin is not absent”.  In the Bible, words & names are very important. Throughout my life, I allowed people and circumstances to label me, name me, and define who I am. I was born prematurely in May of 1975. I was given a 50% chance of survival and rode in an ambulance to a hospital 50 miles away since the hospital where I was born did not have premie … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bi-sexuality, Encourage, Exodus Blog, Friendship, Gay, God, Holy Spirit, Homosexuality, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Marriage, Post-gay, Purpose, Support, Testimonies, The Father, Youth & Young Adults Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Brief Media Round-Up Concerning Day Of Truth Announcement

October 12, 2010 By Randy Thomas
Day-of-Truth

I knew when Alan made the announcement that Exodus was giving up participation in the Day of Truth campaign that it would cause a bit of a stir.  I didn't expect it to cause such an enormous amount of feedback! The blogosphere lit up and emails, Facebook private messages, phone calls started coming in.  There were quite a number of media outlets that picked up the story as well. A vast majority of the feedback was exuberant agreement with the decision. However, there were a few who didn't like the decision.  Some of those who disagreed were very thoughtful about their disagreement and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Audio, Bi-sexuality, Blogs, Culture, Exodus Blog, Gay, Identity, Lesbian, Love Won Out, Media Mentions, Post-gay, Press Releases, Print, Publications, Radio, Sexuality, Television, Websites, Youth & Young Adults Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Why Does The Gay Community Refuse to Acknowledge Our Testimony?

September 21, 2010 By Randy Thomas
Q&A

This question was left on my formspring service after I wrote this post on my personal blog.  I will answer it by parsing out the different points.  First ... How can people in the gay community make that claim dismissing a person once being gay? I think some (not all) make that claim just like Conservatives and/or Christians who used to claim (some still do) that there are no truly gay people.  What I have discovered is that people on both sides, actually people in general, are not usually happy with others whose identity and/or moral systems are based in direct opposite views to their … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Culture, Educate, Exodus Blog, Gay, God, Identity, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Post-gay, Q & A, Religious Liberty, Sexuality Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

CNN Belief Blog Interviews Alan Chambers About Prop 8 and Gay Rights

August 10, 2010 By Randy Thomas
Photo Credit CNN

From ‘Ex-gay’ ministry on gay marriage's chances after Prop 8 ruling ... “It’s disappointing that a judge would rule against the will of the people,” says Chambers, author of Leaving Homosexuality. “That’s the greatest tragedy.” For 34 years, Exodus has told gay and lesbians that they can be “delivered” from homosexuality through faith in Christ, professional counseling and support groups. But how will groups like Exodus fare if fewer Americans believe that homosexuality is a sin, and if gay marriage becomes an option? Chambers acknowledged that “our culture is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blogs, Church, Culture, Equip, Exodus Blog, Gay, Identity, Lesbian, Marriage, Media Mentions, Post-gay, Religious Liberty, Sexuality Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Eighteen Years and Counting

July 23, 2010 By Randy Thomas
dove

This is cross-posted on the ETC Blog.  Here is an audio file (embedded at the end of this post as well.) *** Today is the day that I remember the actual moment in which I turned away from my gay worldview and began my Christian post-gay journey. This is *not* the day I became a Christian.  I was born again before I turned away from homosexuality.  The anniversary of accepting Christ as Lord and Savior is in the last week of May.  So yes, I considered myself a "gay Christian" for the whole two months between May and July of 1992. During a prayer time 18 years ago the Lord (no … [Read more...]

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First Hand Report From The NEA Ex-gay Educator’s Caucus

July 14, 2010 By Randy Thomas
Click Image to Visit Melinda's Facebook Profile

Melinda has become one of my favorite facebook friends.  She's always got an encouraging word.  She recently went to the NEA Convention and she had a remarkable experience.  I asked if she would like to write a guest blog post about her experience and she graciously agreed.  Here's Melinda in her own words (emphasis mine): My experience manning the NEA Ex-gay Educator’s Caucus booth at the National Education Association (NEA) convention in New Orleans recently could be compared to being in a dunking booth or being fed to the lions. The Caucus was raising awareness that “ex-gays” do, … [Read more...]

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The Post-Gay Momentum Is Increasing

June 16, 2010 By Randy Thomas
Postgay

I am increasingly confident that we are moving into a post-gay era.  Post-gay is a very broad secular term that was created in the gay community to describe a day where they reach full equality (as they define equality) and no longer need to fight public policy, social or religious battles. I contend (hat tip to Peter Ould) that people like us are on a Christian post-gay journey where the gay vs. ex-gay vs straight labels are no longer sufficient ... or even appropriate ... to describe who or what we are about. That said, I listened to this whole program on Boston station WBUR.  The … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bi-sexuality, Culture, Educate, Exodus Blog, Gay, Identity, Lesbian, Post-gay, Religious Liberty, Sexuality Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

About John Paulk – A Brief Response To Rev. Cheng On The Huffington Post

May 28, 2010 By Randy Thomas
light in darkness

I read a blog post the other day by a Rev. Patrick Cheng PhD, for The Huffington Post. He basically said that ex-gays were going to hell and really, really deserved it. I never tell anyone they are going to hell. It wasn't the fear of hell that saved me. It was the kindness, mercy and love of God that led me to repentance. In the years I spent as a gay-identified man I didn't appreciate Christians telling me to "flip or fry." Today as an ex-gay man I still don't appreciate being told I deserve hell especially by a theologian who is selective about his tolerance, not to mention his … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blogs, Church, Culture, Encourage, Exodus Blog, Gay, God, Identity, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Marriage, Media Mentions, Post-gay, Religious Liberty, Sexuality, Testimonies Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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