This is a follow up to a prior post where Pat "I'm a Lunatic" Robertson's 700 Club showed a clip of a gay man who claimed he had been cured during one of the "purity sieges" along Interstate 35. Having studied these programs for years now, worked with Wayne Besen and folks over at Ex-gay Watch, and talked directly to a number of researchers, I am pretty much convinced that the only gays who are ever "changed" or "cured" by these programs are the ones who are on the "ministry" payrolls and are ex-gay for pay. Thus, it is no surprise that James Stabile (pictured at left) is recanting his story.Yes, I know that there are those who will argue that if one's religious background makes them desire to change, they should be allowed to try to do so. That may be true theoretically. However, since NONE of these programs actually work and serve merely as propaganda ruses and cash cows for Christianist organizations, is it not better to tell these tortured souls the truth: The programs do not work!! Accept your sexual orientation and move on with your life. Yes, it took me a long time to do it myself, so I do speak from experience as to how trying to change will fuck you up big time (the only positive outcome of my misguided efforts has been my children). Do not repeat my mistakes. In any event, here are some highlights from a new Dallas Voice article (http://www.dallasvoice.com/artman/publish/article_7601.php):
Representatives from Heartland World Ministries Church in Las Colinas had already uncovered James Stabile’s web of lies. In fact, Stabile had decided to leave the congregation after being confronted by church leaders, and he’d been kicked out of the home where he’d been staying with other members. But that didn’t stop Heartland from asking Stabile to do an interview for a segment on televangelist Pat Robertson’s “The 700 Club” about the so-called purity sieges organized by the church outside gay bars on the Cedar Springs strip.
Joe Oden, a Heartland evangelist denied the church exploited Stabile, a 19-year-old who is bipolar but was not taking his medication. “There’s no way we took advantage of him,” Oden said, adding that Stabile stayed at the Heartland member’s home for several weeks before “The 700 Club” requested the interview.“We had no idea we would get publicity on anything, period.”[My comment to this statement: Yes, and I am the Queen Mother too]
Stabile, meanwhile, apologized to the LGBT community this week and said he hopes his story will discourage others from entertaining ideas that they can change their sexual orientations. Stabile also provided a glimpse inside the ex-gay treatment facility where he went before returning to his parents’ home in Richardson in early December. “If I could, I would take back everything I’ve said,” Stabile told Dallas Voice. “I’ve hurt a lot of people in the gay community, and I am truly sorry from the bottom of my heart. “I’m not here to get any attention,” he added. “I’m here to say to people that I want to help prevent other young gay guys from experiencing what I experienced, because I don’t want them to be hurt, and I was hurt really badly.”
When he wasn’t working, Stabile said there were counseling sessions, prayer meetings, Bible study, reading assignments and workbook exercises — all geared toward making him believe that if he didn’t stop being gay, he was going to hell. It was a few weeks into the program when Stabile began to question whether he could change his sexual orientation. He said he decided to pray for the answer. “I said, ‘God, am I going to be gay when I come out of here?’ And he said, ‘Yes,’” Stabile said. “I don’t want to be gay, but I am gay, and because I’m gay, I’m going to have to accept it.”
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