Spoiler Alert! Throughout this post I give away some of the movie themes and toward the end of this post I give away the ending. If you don’t want to know what happens, read no further

A week ago my wife and I watched the engrossing movie The Book of Eli. It is an American post-Apocalyptic film in which the main character, Eli (played by Denzel Washington), is on mission to bring a book to the West Coast. That book turns out to be the last remaining Bible, the last remaining Bible, a King James Bible no less. Along the way another man, Carnegie (playes by Gary Oldman), seeks to recover the book to use it for his own powerful purposes.

Many things could be said about the movie, but six things stood out, three good and three not so good. First the good:

1. A consistent theme was the idea of walking by faith and not by sight. Throughout the movie the only thing Eli knew was that he was to go from the East Coast where he came to the West Coast where he was to complete his mission by bring the Book there. He did not know what he would encounter or how he would survive. He only knew he would (because of the promise of survival and provision from the Voice who told him to ‘Go!’) and that he had to do this thing to which he was called. The same is true for us on our own journey called Life.
2. On that note, his blindness plays a significant role in the ending: at one point Eli is forced to give up the Book he spent half a life-time defending and protecting to the man who wanted it for powerful, malicious ends. He finally gives it up, but when the villian goes to read it, it’s in brail. I can’t help but think of Jesus’ line, “Let those who have ears, here.” Likewise, “Let those who have eyes, see.” It was impossible for Carnegie to “see” the Holy Scripture because he did not have the eyes necessary to understand and interpret it, much less read it. I could be wrong, but that stood out to me. In the end we also find out he has memorized the entire thing, which leads to the last point and the ending.
3. One line from Eli got me: “I’ve spent so long guarding and protecting this Book that I forgot to live out it’s teachings.” WOW! How true for much of Christianity! How many of us have memorized large portions of the Holy Scriptures, yet it never finds itself pouring out of our life? Toward the beginning there was a point when Eli stumbled across a husband and wife who were being harassed and assaulted by a marauding group of savages. Eli hid behind a rock and did nothing, right after he slaughtered a group of people to protect the Book inside his bag. He could defend the Book but not the people the Book told him to love. Reminded me of the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Though the idea of defending the Text and caring for people in the process is not mutually exclusive (meaning we should only care about loving people at the expense of loving and defending what the Text says about how we are to live) it also reminded me how often we defend Scripture at the expense of other people.

Now for the three disappointing things:

1. The Book/Bible is portrayed as a weapon used by the powerful to gain/maintain authority and power over the weak. This was captured in Carnegie’s lust to get hold of this Book at all cost, including murder. Carnegie believed that what was contained within the Book could make him powerful and he could use it to control the masses in order to achieve his powerful aims. This is consistent with Michael Foucault’s deep hermeneutic of suspicion of Institutions that characterize our postmodern culture, including the Institution of Christianity. As I wrote elsewhere, our postmodern culture pictures the Church in the form of Christianity as a Warring Despot hell bent on using any powerful means necessary to bring all people and people-groups in subjection to their version of normalcy, which is through “The Bible says…” I am not suggesting this is true, but it does reflect our cultures institutional angst, much less Christianity angst.
2. The movie also suggested violence was justified to protect and guard the Book in order to carry out Eli’s mission. Throughout his journey to fulfill his mission, Eli killed or maimed in order to protect and defend the Bible. This movie, then, appears to be a scathing indictment against the ways in which Christianity has used violence to defend and promote its aims. While I understand many have done horrendous things in the name of Christianity (like the Crusades of a distant memory or abortion doctor killings of recent ones.), this is neither the Way of Christ or the Church at large. Though I could be misunderstanding this plot device, I am disappointed the movie would make this suggest Christians as individuals or the Church as a whole is simply about using violence (rather physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual) in order to live out its mission. Come on!
3. Finally, ending basically ruined the whole thing for me. It was quite disappointing, though utterly predictable (though as a committed Christian, I am confused why Denzel would even do this film!). As I’ve written in three other posts regarding the trend within even Christianity to dismiss the exclusivity of Jesus Christ. In the end, Denzel recites the Bible verbatim and a Curator of Culture (stationed at Alcatraz of all places) copies it by hand and reprints it using a Gutenber-style press. It was then brought to a book shelf and placed alongside three other books: the Tanak, Torah, and Koran. In fact, there was a space already created between the Torah and Koran, suggesting that the Bible is one more book among many, one faith-option among a myriad of options.This doesn’t surprise me in the least for Hollywood to produce a film that sends this message. It makes sense. Our culture believes that the Bible and Christianity is one option among many. I am surprised and deeply disappointed, however, that a self-proclaimed Christian would star in a lead role in a film that pushes this message. In his new book, “It’s Really All About God: Reflections of a Muslim Atheist Jewish Christian,” another self-proclaimed Christian and director of a Christian faith community, Samir Selmanovic’s, says the same thing when he writes, “to say God has decided to visit all humanity through only one particular religion is a deeply unsatisfying assertion about God.” (pg. 9) In fact, “As long as those of us who are Christians insist on staying enclosed in our own world of meanings, we have nothing more to say to the world. Without recognizing God, grace, and goodness outside of the boundaries we have made and without the possibility of expanding our understanding of God, grace, and goodness, we have come to a place where Christianity as we know it must either end or experience another Exodus.” (60-61).

It makes sense our world would deny Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. I expect nothing less, to be honest. It doesn’t that self-proclaimed Christians do, which is what these Christians are saying when they say God is revealed outside of Christianity. Christianity is a straw-man, anyway. The point isn’t Christianity. The point is Jesus Christ and the Holy Scriptures (Old and New) tell of God’s complete Story of Rescue which points to Jesus Christ and Him alone.

A few weeks ago I wrote how I am taking a more hyperlocal focus with novus•lumen. While this post seems to be outside that new focus, it isn’t: I am deeply troubled by the trend within the local, West Michigan Church that is trending toward discounting and downplaying the exclusivity of Jesus Christ. In the interest of Inter Faith dialogue and religious accommodationism, it is not longer really about Jesus Christ, but It’s Really All About God: Reflections of a Muslim Atheist Jewish Christian http://www.amazon.com/Its-Really-All-About-God/dp/0470433264″>really about God, a generic way of accommodating any and all expressions of God, which is really idolatry.

As Karl Barth said in His Church Dogmatics, “[God] is wholly and utterly in His revelation in Jesus Christ.” (CD II 1:75) “Any deviation, any attempt to evade Jesus Christ in favour of another supposed revelation of God, or any denial of the fulness of God’s presence in Him, will precipitate us into darkness and confusion.”(CD II,1:319). Why can’t Grand Rapids Christians proclaim this with as much boldness and courage as Karl? Or the apostles? When they (specifically Peter) was confronted by the religious leaders of his day, this is how he responded:

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is ” ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.” Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.

Then the Scriptures say that these leaders were “astonished” when they say the courage of the ordinary man Peter. Courage is what we Grand Rapids Christians need, not religious accomodationism. Tolerance of other beliefs and faiths, sure. I have no problem with that. Not at the expense of courageously proclaiming that “Jesus is Lord” and God raised Him from the dead and exalted Him to His right hand. I only wish Denzel had the guts to make this proclamation. Will the Grand Rapids Church?

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A week ago my wife, Melinda, and I attended a lecture at Calvin College by Shoon-Chan Rah entitled “The Next evangelicalism and the Changing Face of American Christians.” It was based on his similarly titled book by IVP, The Next Evangelicalism: Freeing the Church from Western Cultural Captivity. It was a very interesting, wide-ranging lecture on the ‘fate’ of evangelicalism, or it’s changing ‘face.’

Here were some thoughts from the notes I took on my iPhone:

• Regarding US diversification, by 2043 more than 50% nonwhite minority.
• The Pew and ARIS religious survey reports suggest a decline of evangelicalism and Christianity. Show Christianity is in danger and in decline.
• 17.5% go to church in 2005. Mainline lost 25% in 25 years. Evangelical numbers flat and keeping up with popular trends.
• The decline in evangelicalism is in white evangelicalism. That’s what the Pew and ARIS show. Only reason evangelicals surviving is because of ethnic minority increase. Large and increasing denominations are stable and increasing because of nonwhites. Surviving because they are ethnically diverse. Smaller and declining denominations are 89-96% white, i.e mainline protestant. Baptists 64% white and pentacostals 58% white, which are increasing in size.
• There is a decline and collapse in Evangelicalism among white attendance and commitment. The silent story is increase an vitality among ethnic nonwhites. The story isn’t that evangelicalism is declining. The story is that it is declining among whites. Dying white churches and being replaced by nonwhite churches.

The lecture was an eye-opening glimpse into the future face of America, not to mention Her current face.

Afterward Melinda and I went to a local coffee shop to discuss our thoughts. We both came away with a similar feeling: while we appreciated Dr. Rah’s revelations regarding current evangelicalism, we thought he painted a more rosy picture than it deserves. We both were excited to see that massive shift away from an Anglo-Western domination toward a diverse portrait, but we wondered about the white community that is leaving the church en mass.

Now, here me out: I celebrate the diversification of evangelicalism in general and Western Michigan evangelicalism in particular. Near our house in Alger Heights there are a myriad of storefront hispanic and black churches that fit under the evangelical umbrella and several more throughout the city amidst the dominant form of “white” Christianity. This diversity is one of the reasons I have fallen in love with my city. I am excited about the increase in ethnic minorities who are coming to Christ and finding expression within the larger body of Christ.

A linger question remains: How are we to respond to the changes in our white evangelical Grand Rapids church community?

Let’s face it: for a long time (really long time!) Grand Rapids and the broader West Michigan area has been demographically white. Really Dutch and really white! Look at the statistics for three West Michigan counties from 2000 (From US Census QuickFacts):

KENT
White persons, percent, 2000 86.2
Black persons, percent, 2000 9.3
Asian persons, percent, 2000 2.1
Hispanic or Latino, 2000 9.5

OTTAWA
White persons, percent, 2000 94.7
Black persons, percent, 2000 1.5
Asian persons, percent, 2000 0.4
Hispanic or Latino, 2000 8.2

MUSKEGON
White persons, percent, 2000 83.3
Black persons, percent, 2000 13.4
Asian persons, percent, 2000 0.5
Hispanic or Latino, 2000 4.5

AVERAGE
White persons, percent, 2000 88.07
Black persons, percent, 2000 8.07
Asian persons, percent, 2000 1.07
Hispanic or Latino, 2000 7.4

Like I said. White

My guess is that these demographic averages across West Michigan will shift when the new census data is released later this year and our area will still be mostly white. While I am super excited about the ethnic shifts that have taken place and are occurring in my city, I’m still concerned with the analysis from Rah, Pew, and ARIS that shows a massive decline among whites in mainline and evangelical Protestantism.

I am not saying I am concerned with whites at the expense of ethnic minorities. Instead, it seems like (at least for Dr. Rah) there isn’t a concern for what is occurring in this particular demographic because so much good and growth and occurring in other demographics, in ethnic minority communities. Perhaps I misunderstood Rah, but it seemed as though he was saying the story isn’t so bleak because there is massive growth among minorities, even though it really is bleak for the white demographic.

It seems that if the national trends hold true for Grand Rapids, there could be major problems for the Grand Rapids church. Perhaps those problems have already been manifesting themselves. While the Grand Rapids church isn’t exclusively demographically white, it is by and large made up of white people. National churches that are majority white are hemorrhaging. National churches that are diverse are stable and/or growing. National churches that are ethnic minorities are growing. It seems as though the same could (and perhaps is) be said of Grand Rapids.

Perhaps I am making too much of these statistics and worrying too much about an entire demographic of people. Perhaps not.

Any thoughts? Specifically, do you think, demographically speaking, whites are exodusing from the Grand Rapids church in the same way they are nation wide. If so, why is that the case and what can be done about it? What are the problems this demographic has with the Church, especially in our area?

These are the lingering, hyperlocal questions that remain from Dr. Rah’s lecture

Popularity: 1% [?]

A few weeks ago in my New Testament 3 class we studied the books of 2 Peter and Jude. One of the major topics of these two books is false teachers. Each book makes it clear that these men and women came from “among the people” and “among you,” rather than outside the Church. False teachers do not come from outside the Church through the media, other religions, etc…but arise from within particular church communities. It is within the communities of Christ that these intruders “introduce destructive heresies” secretly (2 Pet. 2:1b). They are not overt about their introductions, but instead secretly introduce doctrines and teachings that are foreign to the rule of faith and Holy Scriptures.

My friend and colleague, Jason Myers, and I had a conversation about whether it is possible to identify false teachers in 21st century America. We wondered aloud whether the Church has the ability and permission to identify, name, and address men and women who are teaching doctrines and practices that are foreign to the Rule of Faith of the Church in our democratic, multi-cultural, postmodern context.

Is it even possible to ID false teachers in an environment that exalts every voice and every perspective equally? In a “the-world-is-flat” culture, how can the Church of Jesus Christ contend for the Rule of Faith that was given and entrusted to the Church by Jesus? And perhaps more importantly, now that that same ethos has entered into the Church (empowering everyone to have as equal a perspective and interpretation on Scripture and that Rule), while at the same time Her members are incredibly biblically illiterate and ignorant of church history, how can the Church protect Herself against those within the Church who slip in unnoticed and begin teaching so-called heresy?

These questions are not directed at one particular end of the theological and ecclesiastical spectrum. I think these people exist on the right and left equally. Given the unique point in history the Church find herself in, I think there is a real possibility of such people slipping in and creating destruction. Given the weightlessness that plagues modern American Christianity—a sort of “tumbleweed complex” in which She is completely untethered from the historic faith—coupled with mass biblical and theological illiteracy, there seems to be a great need to take the reality of false teaching and false teachers more seriously.

How that looks, though, is a mystery…

Popularity: 3% [?]

This a running account and commentary of the Grand Valley State University’s LGBT Center event “Religion and Homophobia: Spiritual Violence in our Community” that I promised to live blog. It started at 7pm, so later entries are at the bottom with the most recent action at the top.

Panel members include:
- Dr. John Corvino, Wayne State University professor, author and lecturer;
- Dr. Milt Ford, director of Grand Valleys LGBT Resource Center;
- Judith Snow, Grand Rapids area forensic therapist and author;
- Doug Van Doren, pastor of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ;
- Josh Sleutel, GVSU student, previous reparative therapy patient.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE PANEL LEAVE THEM IN THE COMMENT SECTION.

———————————————————————————————————————————————-

9:25- ALL DONE….that was fun and informative.

9:24-Question: The day I decided to come out was the day dad retired as Lutheran minister. Why do some pastors pick and choose some verses and not others to fit own agenda.

Van Doren–All selective literalists. One does come at the Scripture wiht particular perspectives. One needs to be honest with ones issues and the issues of the Scirpture. Certain parts seem seized on that issue and its largely political in and out of the church. It works. Need to be clear that the people are the ones that get the attention and area anti-gay are not the majority of the church opinion.

9:20-Josh, what brough you all the way around to face the issue, that reparative isnt working and to accept the real you?

Josh–Nothing specifically that convinced it was OK to be gay. A long journey of exploration and questioning what Christianity has said about being gay and realizing orientation not changing him at all.

9:17-Talk about discrimination you felt on campus. How has the religious/Christian organizations have affected you?

Josh–Personally only experienced inclusion. Impressed with GVSU and how they have created space for young gay people.

Ford–No discrimination of group or individual on campus. Was excited about a dialogue among the Christian community and LGBT community for dialogue and udnerstanding, which has slowed. Would encourage that dialogue

9:13-How do we break down gay stereotypes in the Christian community?

Van Doren–Tell the truth, engage different groups, honor people where they are, tell your story. But in the Christian community we should not use the Bible as a club nor a particular narrow perspective on a few verses. Doesnt back down from strong Christian faith but is still open. No place in Scripture where love is condemned. “Love wins” as he says

Van Doren–”Evangelistic Imperialism” other faith groups need to accept and appreciate diversity on all levels. I wish we were not so narrow that we have a lot to learn from other faiths.

9:00–What is the psychological state of those who are doing these programs?

Snow is saying that there is a high degree of narcissism among those who want to convert and repair. It is not healthy, poor boundaries.

Ford–Where is the mindset coming from…the best intensions of a respect for who people are or what we want people to be?

Van Doren–”So which is it that you are so unsure about, your sexuality or your faith?” When we are secure in those places in our lives we dont need to whole world to confirm our beliefs and identities. (WOW!)

Josh–Had a not so bad in reparative therapy are not loonies but rational peoples and respect the healthy of their clients. But they are convinced that they are right. Doesn’t think the man who was his therapist had malicious intent….

The LWO guy (Dr. Brown) wondered why no one from the other side was allowed to be on the table. Good point, except he continued to hold the floor and bager the point. The guy needs to sit down…to be honest not representing Christ well.

8:51-How should we the community respond to LWO in GRap

Josh—We do need to listen and encourage a dialogue. Lets listen to one another. Perhaps a Christian person does care about someone because of their belief system…lets listen and not demonize.

Van Doren—Clearly we can say THAT PERSPECTIVE IS NOT NORMATIVE. Saying that they do not speak for all of us or all the Church…they are in a small minority. Need to state our point and be kind, but speak truth and be truth.

*THis is a curious comment…while the praxis of FOF and Exodus may be a minority, the doxy certainly isnt historically. I’m curious how he can say the theological perspective of the “religious right” is in the minority, when historically the perspective of such perspectives of Van Doren has never been a majority view.

8:39-For Judith–How can you have an agenda and be a therapist that is agenda driven? (basically saying how does the ex-gay min operate under they guise of psychotherapy…)

Judith—what matters is helping the client to find their own truth. unforuntately there isn’t a body governing the practice and therapy.

8:36-A guy who is a speaker at LOVE WON OUT–critically important to listen to one another…and appeal to tolerance and inclusion. The presenter has presented an EXTREME caricature of the Christian ex-gay community in the same way Christians have also caricatured the gay movement. (true)

Why are you not tolerant for those who’ve changed and said changed. Why not accepted by those who say people’ have changed? (good question)

Besen—says not caricatured. Asking they be honest and

Josh—there is a divisive language for people who want to be gay and christian, so we need to not bicker back and forth and paint the caricature. We need to have a dialogue where people are mutually listenting without painting a false pciture of one another. (also GOOD!)

8:31-My friend JOSH!!!! Found self not working out how he came to be gay or experience with rep. therapy, but focused on a fear that the panel would invite people to attack him. Experience is valuable but that this culture we are in does not allow gay people, esp. in the church, to be fully who they are, based on this culture of oppression. Has this internalized fear based on his experience in the church and working out being gay and a Christian.

Now Q&A time.

8:29-Ford—He wants to affirm and help people be who they are. Now quoting the Hymn, JUST AS I AM…He has learned as who he really is, just as he really is. he wants to help people live as they are authentically.

Corvino—Doesnt have a problem with LOVE ONE OUT people discussing the truth of their lives, and has a problem with ex-gay ministries from distorting the stories of HIS life by painting a false pict of the gay lifestyle that needs to be gotten out of. Prob is the with distorition of science and the lies. The event is about people telling their stories. Important to tell our stories so we can get a clear and accurate pict of our lives.

Snow—Wants to clear up the fact homosexuality is not a disease or broken piece. Mental health professional that is disturbed by the science and beliefs that are spun as truth…not truth. Has seen the harm done in sessions by LGBT people who have had their spiritual “resources polluted.”

8:25-Van Doren, a pastor—Tired of the violence the programs do. Tired of crying with the people who’ve been abused by the programs and churches. Tired of trying to heal some of the damage and spiritual violence done. Tired of the bad name they give to CHRISTIANS. The devil is the prince of lies…and he abounds in these ex-gays. The Church has been violent toward these folks. The message put out by churches that do these things is that they need to be repaired, that they are broken. With the high occurence of suicide its more than spiritual violence. TO parents it says they can think of them as people who need to be cured, rather than loved and accepted, esp. by parents. Amused by all the failed attempts in the programs. If they cant change them it doesnt seem that they cant practice…not fair to tell a teenage they cant have sex the rest of their life.

*HMMMM….I wonder how this man deals with the TEXT?! And I say that because there are clear Textual issues that compel these groups, as crazy and ignorant as the programs occur, to do their thing.

8:20-Now the panelists are coming to the table. See above. I wonder if they’ll address the biblical, theological, and textual issue surrounding the tension…

8:19-Ex-gay mins have sincere people…they play the part and want to believe that they’ve changed, that change is possible. But reality comes crashing down and they have to take the mask off and live authentically. Thats Freedom, he says. He’s now done with his presentation.

8:17-Showing some pretty disturbing recent quotations from Christian ex-gay ministry literature that is absolutely NOT rooted in the Text. Like encouraging parents who have artistic sons to wonder if they are homosexual. One thing that hit me is (from THESE quotations) is how non-Textual the perspectives and ‘reparative techniques’ are.

*He just addressed the used of exorcism…I’d say this is a pretty extreme example. Lots of layers going on here in this presentation. I’d say its mostly on the extreme…from both sides.

8:09-Now he’s breaking out nonsensical, fringe anti-gay quotations that ABSOLUTELY do not represent the mainstream Christian community that sees homosexuality differently than this community. COME ON MAN! Can you not make your point without resorting to scare tactics and fringe quotations?!

*To be honest I wonder how much of the content is a distortion of what really happens at gay reparative programs…I know the Church is ignorant and treats the issue poorly, but some of these accusations seem so over the top!

8:02-Explaining that FOF and religious right unlovingly say there is something wrong with people, they are broke, need to change, not happy gay, etc…So Christianity reinforces the negative perceptions of themselves. Say they are doing what they do because they love people and the world. When they talk to the flock their rhetoric is unloving: call homosexuality sexual bondage, brokenness, a distortion of the enemy, sexually brokenness, “God wants to heal sexual brokenness,” “fallen human beings that express sexual passion in broken ways,” “sexually broken” “God wants to set people free from any bondage”

*He had just said he respects people’s religious beliefs (in the context of them misusing and distoring scientific research…so just express beleifs rather than using bad science to prop up religious convictions), but then created a montage of video clips expressing that religious belief and called it “propaganda”

7:57-http://respectmyresearch.com/ explains how Focus on the Family misuses and distorts scientific research to make their case against homosexuality…or more importantly reparative therapy. He is saying they are distorting and misusing scientific research to back their religious convictions.

*Yeah this needs to stop!

7:54-At the heart of ex-gay min is bad science: had a bad rel with the opposite sex, have predispositions toward opposite sex characteristics…so they need to just hang with the guys or gals and PRAY. So abuse and bad homes is the claimes result of homosexuality.

*I would say this is a major problem with Christian/Church interaction with the issue that claims gay people have been sexually abused or alienated. This is ignorant, reckless pseudo-science that really needs to change…my experience is these people who spout this science are completely unconnected from people who deal with a gay identity.

7:48-Now saying co-founders Michael Busy and Gary Cooper of Exodus returned to gay lives, left their wives and had a committment ceremony. Rattling off more leaders who’ve failed after they said they have changed. Now wondering what is meant by change: questions whether people can suppress and change ‘who they are’ APA, AMA, etc say attempts to change is unhealthy and leads to an unhealthy life.

Alan Chambers says Exodus cannot change people…cannot liberate people. On Montel Chambers backtracking on the word CHANGE…Berens says that ex-gay mins say God changes people…and when they dont change people blame God, and internalize the fact they didnt change, become liberated…there must be some reason God is angry with them.

7:39-Now watching very emotional vids of ex-gay people who went through reparative therapy and the affects of the church on gay people…and the damage done to trying to change people to be who they aren’t. A person on vid who says ex-gay efforts are harmful and ineffective….All this seems a bit disingenuous to me, to be frank.

It is also harmful to women and families, because the ex-gay ministries encourage them to marry to heal and live a straight life…and they cheated, walked out, etc…one woman felt used.

*While I understand how dangerous it is for such mins to encourage men to marry to heal without actually dealing with themselves…I find it hard to beleive the mins are entirely at fault for the behavior of individual men; and we dont have all the nuance of the issues.

7:33-5 Reasons why we should care: 1) Its a major industry bent on changing people; 2) very powerful in government and trying to pass laws that persecute and coerce lives; 3) organizations are trying to get literature in as many schools as possible; 4) worldwide campaign: globalization of gay-bashing that stoke persecution of gay people; 5) they harm real people.

*What i find interesting is the exact same reasons largely apply to the pro-gay agenday groups, too.

7:29-Telling the story of how ex-gay man and ex-gay proponent John Paulk was hitting on a friend of his. He was outed for the fraud he was. Using the story to claim reparative therapy doesnt work. Another man Michael Johnston who had claimed miraculous healing by God through prayer…who later gave a man AIDS under the pseudonym Shawn.

*Talking about “our opponents” and the “right-wing extremists.” Interesting language.

7:23–What he thinks is scary is that Cohen is one of the main repairers. He is still the go to guy for reparative treatment. Thats what passes as mainstream reparative therapy. 1998 things changed. Family Research Council and other anti-gay orgs launched a major ad campaign to help people realize people could change. The fire and brimestone of Fallwell wasnt working anymore. People were coming out as gay and religious right had to change: instead of appear condemning needed to appear as loving by trying to change them. *so apparently the rel. right has a massive political/powerful agenda….

7:18-Now a John Stewart clip on Wayne Beson. A medical diagnostic spoof on suffering from GAY. TED HAGGARD just showed. A basic spoof on the ex-gay movement. Pretty nonsensical really.

Dr. Richard Cohen talking about “this and this fits…this and this doesnt fit.” use your imagination

7:14-Wayne Besen introed and presenting first. ANYTHING BUT STRAIGHT is his book, TRUTH WINS OUT is his organization. Here because he remembers in HS crying about being gay and asking God to take his homosexuality away…he wanted more than anything not to be gay, and be accepted by world. Late HS sat parents down and came out. Mom said, NO, NO THAT CANT BE. His process of processing through with his parents was interupted by a tape GAY AND NOT HAPPY tape they found in the mall and gave to him, produced by an EXGAY MIN. Said parents taken advantage of by the min…and feels bad for the LWO people because the parents are looking in the wrong place for the answers. LWO is not the answer, its the problem.

7:06-Talking about LWO holding program on Sat and NOW’s protest of the program, accompanied by the mayor.

7:05-Starting…About 300-320 people. Multi-aged, but mostly older.

6:49-IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE PANEL LEAVE THEM IN THE COMMENT SECTION.

6:40-TEST 2…Starting in 20 min

5:52-TEST

Popularity: 20% [?]

I received this email from one of my favorite Indy magazines, Adbusters. Check it out:

Nihilism has long been an abstraction: the dark muse of poetry, philosophy and art. But now we are confronted with the moment when this experiment of ours on Planet Earth meets its spectacular and terrifying end, when civilization reaches its summit and begins to tumble into permanent decline. This global meltdown has wrought a new breed of nihilism – eco-nihilism, psycho-nihilism, apocalypto-nihilism – for which no philosophy has ever been written, no remedy ever prescribed … Adbusters #84, Nihilism & Revolution, hits newsstands this week.

We are living in some crazy, contradictory times – every aspect of our lives is in upheaval. Our neoclassical economic model has proven a giant failure, so we’re devoting Adbusters #85 to exploring humanistic, ecological and no-growth alternatives. It’s going to be a big, fat 144 page issue. We want your stories … all the triumphs and disasters that come with living in (and breaking free of) the apocalyptic framework of megacorporate capitalism. Send your tales, epiphanies and laments to editor@adbusters.org.

One of the reasons I appreciate Adbusters is because they are a no bullshit organization/magazine that senses things are seriously screwed-up with the world, especially the Western world. But as a follower of Christ, I believe God provided rescue for all of humanity in Christ through the event of the Cross, and will re-create and restore the world back to the way He originally created it.

So how might we respond to Adbusters and the plenty of others who share the same hopeless, dystopic, nihilistic view of our contemporary world?

Popularity: 7% [?]