Last week we got an email from a reader who claimed to have seen ex-gay activist Matt Moore on Grindr, and attached a screencap of what appeared to be Moore’s profile. Knowing how easy it would be to steal someone’s photo, we emailed the source for more information.
We didn’t hear back but, this week, blogger Zinnia Jones reached out to Moore, who confirms the account is his.
He tells Jones:
The grindr profile was really mine. I’ve been on it on and off for the last couple of weeks.
Like I told the guy who sent you the picture, I am wrong in having been on grindr. I haven’t changed my views on homosexuality, the Bible, etc.
Creating a grindr profile and talking to guys on it was major disobedience on my part….disobedience to Christ. Disobedience to a loving and gracious God. Thankfully, I believe that He forgives me for this disobedience. I believe the blood of Christ covers this disobedience. And I won’t be on grindr again….ever.
The pastor of my church and the church body I am a part of were informed about me being on grindr (I told them) before all of this came out, publicly.
Look, Matt Moore isn’t some guy quietly dealing with his own personal struggle against what he thinks is sin. He’s a professional ex-gay: He blogs about his “coming out of the homosexual lifestyle,” gets interviewed by nutbag Christian websites and radio shows, and helps organize things like the Overcoming Same-Sex Attraction conference.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
It doesn’t seem as if Moore is the victim of some repressive environment, either: On his blog, he reveals his family is confused by his ex-gay stance, and that some friends have stopped talking to him.
Moore’s most recent blogpost, dated January 29, doesn’t directly address the Grindr profile, but does hint at a possible slip:
Many, many days I have failed to fight perfectly. I have at many times in my walk stooped down and willingly spoon-fed myself the familiar, vile vomit that is sin. Yet, in each and every one of my failures— I was given grace; grace to repent and to keep following after Jesus. The Lord gives me grace each and every day, despite the failures or successes of the day, to believe the truth that Jesus Christ died for my sins and that despite my inability to offer God anything, He offers me everything—He offers me His Son. And in believing this truth, the truth above all truths— I am able to wage war against the hopelessness that fights to consume my heart and destroy my soul. The life-enabling grace given to me because of Jesus Christ, and only because of Jesus Christ, sustains me—to the surprise of many. And even often to the surprise of myself.
The power of my testimony is not limited to my road-to-Damascus-like conversion experience, but is really found in my grace-enabled perseverance that points right back to the power, love, patience, faithfulness and goodness of Jesus Christ.
In case you don’t speak horseshit, Moore is essentially giving himself a pass—the Guy Upstairs forgives him each and every time he logs on to Adam4Adam, so who are you to judge? So long as you feel bad about your sin—and continue to castigate others for the same sin—you don’t have to stop sinning.
Jones calls Moore’s particularly brand of fuckery “reality-denying foolishness” that’s “harmful, hateful, ignorant, irresponsible bullshit that puts shame on innocent people.”
Truer words were never spoken.
2eo
No sympathy, not even the slightest bit. Like all pedellers of damaging and fundamentally wrong information and practices every step should be taken to humiliate and destroy their public identity and credibility.
If I had found this information I’d have made sure it was in your local papers and everyone in your church knew before I made it known to you.
Never hesitate to hurt these people, ever.
vonlmo
That’s 23? He should also have been found culpable for posting as a 23 y.o
Texasteacher
Many Christians seem to be hell-bent on turning their religion into a fertility cult. As a teenager, all the clergy ever preached about at my church was sex, sexuality and gender roles. I left church, because no one needs more than a semester of sex ed. Increasingly, I hear Christians use the word “Christian” as a euphemism for “I hate gays.” If that is all Christianity aspires to be, it will become irrelevant fast. You can believe in God without having a pre-packaged religion. You can also not believe in God, but self-hatred and hatred of others is destructive. Find another hobby. I like painting.
Lefty
I don’t have much sympathy for people like him, but he is a victim of homophobia even though he’s actively propagating homophobia with his activism. He must be doing some serious mental acrobatics to justify all of these contradictory behaviors to himself. I wonder how people like that do it. There must be a complete absence of conscience. I mean, what do people like this actually get out of aligning themselves with homophobic morons and spouting all this crap? It’s very sad…
Caleb in SC
He seriously needs counseling, and not from a Christian counselor.
JasonMacBride
Another victim of Christianity.
jheryn
I feel sorry for this guy. He views his sexual orientation as an addiction or abnormality. He obviously doesn’t understand gay is the way God made him. Being gay isn’t like being an alcoholic or drug addict.
There are plenty of Christians who do not view homosexuality as sin. Kristin Chenowith, Carrie Underwood, and the President and First Lady are some famous ones that come to mind. I go to a Christian church that fully supports the GLBT community. Not all Christians are haters. In fact, I think the only real Christians are the ones who don’t hate. I don’t want to be stereotyped into any mold as a gay man so I am certainly not going to lump all religious people into a single mold either. I think that gay people who do that are just as bad as the people who do it to them.
The Real Mike in Asheville
@Avenger: Troll much, asshole?
Dustolio
@jheryn: I agree with you 100% Ex-gays aren’t our enemy, they are just confused about what God really wants for their lives. I go to a church that teaches that sex and sexuality are gifts from God, not obstacles to overcome.
This guy is obviously still very conflicted about his sexuality and faith, and I remember a time when I felt the same way. I pray that he can eventually find peace.
jwrappaport
@Dustolio: I respectfully disagree. These people are our enemies: They stand very literally for the idea that we should not be able to live either in peace or with any dignity. I don’t wish them peace, I don’t pity them, and I won’t turn the other cheek. Far from it, I want to [legally] destroy them and rid us of their clerical tyranny, which is so repugnant to any society that takes seriously the propositions of self determination and equality before the law.
In so many words, I am intolerant of intolerance (i.e., theocratic fascism). You are more than welcome to forgive them, but don’t say they’re not our enemies – they are certainly mine, and I’m happy to stand against them in your place. I didn’t start this culture war, but it’s on. As we say on Grindr, *block*.
kurt_t
Ex-gays all seem to create this strange alternate reality for themselves, and in that alternate reality, the ex-gay has all the same experiences a gay person typically has– attraction to the same sex, masturbatory fantasies about the same sex, masturbation accompanied with same-sex porn, sex with the same sex, deep emotional attachments to members of the same sex– all exactly the same experiences, but the ex-gay filters all those experiences through this narrative that says “I’m getting better. I’m fixing myself. God is using these experiences to humble me so that my homosexuality will go away. The sexual attraction that I feel to other men is the new heterosexual me awakening to authentic maleness.” And on and on and on.
And the question I’ve always had is whom is the ex-gay trying to deceive? Other ex-gays? His faith community? His supporters? His detractors? Me? You? Or himself? Or all of the above?
I’ve never figured out the answer to that question, but if you want to see an example of what I’m talking about, read this blog…
http://www.growingintomanhood.blogspot.com
CNYMASC
Denial, denial,,he was there for hooking up and got caught!LOL,
Fidelio
kinda liking this Gawker/Deadspin/ type writing (i.e., cursing).
IzzyLuna
All I can say is “RELIGION FUCKS YOU UP.”
jwrappaport
@IzzyLuna: I say this without a shred of irony or humor: That is exactly what thousands of young Catholic boys said. As though we didn’t have enough evidence of the dangers of accepting outrageous propositions without justification.
Dustolio
@jwrappaport: I’m more talking about trying to be sympathetic to their plight. I don’t think people caught up in the Ex-gay movement know what they are talking about. They have been so turned around by the rhetoric of the White Straight Males that control these groups that they don’t really know what is going on anymore.
I don’t even think they know what Jesus has to say on the matter anymore (which was nothing BTW, to Jesus, sexuality was a non-issue)
when I say they are not the enemy, I am thinking of them more like members of a cult or that 16 year old cousin that was raised in a republican household. You don’t argue with a cult member, you do you best to deprogram them. You don’t argue with a republican teenager, you just pat them on the head and hope that they don’t break too badly when they encounter the real world.
Ex-gays, the gay and lesbian people who are struggling, need to see that the larger gay community is a place that supports them and wants them to find peace.
The leaders of those groups, who are primarily NOT gay and lesbian are the real enemy.
stfallon1028
And another house of cards comes tumbling down….
viveutvivas
He just needs a good f*ck, and to stop lying about his age. 23, really, you would have to be blind!
viveutvivas
Having said that, he’s cute enough. I volunteer to “convert” him.
Nixter
@Avenger: You lying liar for Christ. Bullshit.
jerbear
This guy is really the worst type of gay man out there. He gives himself a pass to get fucked in the ass, then tries to make others feel bad for doing the same. What a piece of shit!
Dana
Oh FFS, you are gay dood. Get over the holy crap and back to being gay…being yourself.
sirald66
“He offers me His Son”
Ok, reading that in a whole new light now.
samwise343
Don’t worry. Next month he’ll be on Manhunt.
Alnbarthel
So he’s still gay, right? He’s lying to God, his lying to his radio audiences, he’s lying to his readers, he’s lying to us, but worst of all he’s lying to himself.
He’s in total denial.
Pity.
Ann Mason
@Caleb in SC: I agree completely. Matt Moore’s sexual orientation isn’t the problem. The problem is the magical crap he has been taught. He isn’t letting go of that, and he thinks the answer is to let go of being gay (which he obviously can’t do, proving it isn’t a choice for him). It’s a pathetic, circular situation.
We should be grateful there are LGBT-friendly churches. Many people have spiritual needs, and someone like Matt Moore is an example of the sad, flakey conflict that arrests a person’s development when spiritual issues and individual traits can’t be reconciled.
It’s also important to keep in mind that some people will be unstable no matter what. Maybe it’s in the genes, and maybe it’s caused by external stress. At any rate, there will always be people whose love-hate relationships with themselves will be vented on the rest of us.
Levyr
What a big hypocrite.
colourblind
Ok. my grandfather, who raised me, was a southern Baptist preacher. One thing that I was taught to believe is if God heals you from an affliction, YOU ARE HEALED! The guy that had problems with his legs and couldn’t walk, once he was healed he was healed. He didn’t wake up every morning praying to God to make sure he would walk. He didn’t have to because GOD HEALED HIM!!! This idiot is making God look less Godly and more manly. He’s a joke, a farce and liar!!!!
D9W
No words have been spoken truer then these: “In case you don’t speak horseshit…”
queerty1958
@Avenger: Equating [a slip up] quitting smoking or drinking to forcefully changing one’s own nature is totally ludicrous. It would be just as unnatural to change one’s sexual orientation, as it would be to change your eye color. You can’t! It’s ok to be who you are no matter what others feel about it.
mcflyer54
Matt is everything I so love about Christians. They judge and condemn others while committing the same “sins” they preach against. But, of course, being the God fearing bible beaters they are they quickly (once caught) profess that they have been granted God’s forgiveness. This “forgiveness” temporarily clears their conscience and, oops, they do it all over again. Matt Moore appears to be a phony who is probably making a nice living off this fake “pray the gay away” sideshow he’s running.
Misty
I really think people like him should stop saying they were gay and admit they were pretending to be gay. We are born desiring either girls or boys or both sex. If he was really gay he would of never left the gay society but stayed in it.
He is ashamed of his sexuality and who he is. Plus if he is talking with other men again than he needs to stop fooling himself and just love a man.
I have done extensive research in the bible and the new testament states not to judge they neighbor. Plus Christ was surrounded by men and never married. The church needs to stop using the Bible to mean whatever they want it to and realize that over the years meaning of words have changed and that there is more to it than what is written.
Be aware that ever pope changes the bible sometime in their life to mean what they want it to. Yes I know the Pope deals with the Catholic Church but I know many Catholic Churches that use the same Bible as other branches of the Christian Society. I have picked up a Bible from the 1700’s and one from today and the wording and meaning in both bibles are totally different.
Plus remember that it was the Christian Society that went on Witch Hunts and killed innocent women, men, and children for nothing than hear say. That the Christian Bible says not to judge ones neighbor but than does so in every which matter there is. Plus that it states in the new testament that one should kill a child that is not obedient (something left out in the churches sermons) but they sure make other rules in it known to be followed.
People need to stop hiding behind their religion that Homosexuals and Bi-Sexuals and the rest are in the wrong.
If they are going to hide behind it than they better follow all the rules. Meaning no work on Sunday and to fast (no food or liquid) all Sunday, Never get a divorce, etc…
Misty
@queerty1958:
True. I agree with you that we can not just change who we are. I am me. I am always going to be the girl I am no matter what I go through.
Since I can remember I have been for gay rights. That has never changed. At a young age we know who we are. I knew who I was and what I believed in at a young age. So did many of the others that I have known over the years.
If somebody can not love you for who you are than they will are not worth your time. Be with those that love and respect you for you 🙂
bmwblonde
What a silly man. First of all “Christianity” (whatever that is — 2,000 years after whoever HE really was, arrived to get Judiasm unstuck from the rigid goofiness of too many years in the Old Testament (AKA woman-hating, body-hating, freedom-hating, self-hating Leviticus, et.al.) — is still populated by the same ridiculously stuck “religious” who people haven’t budged an inch. NOT happy campers, which is too bad since the Real Universe and the real Divine Intelligence (NOT a grumpy old white man in a beard, idiots) wants us all to be happy. But as it is all too often pitched, Christianity: has a god who made Man in His (note gender) own image, and then deliberately made us flawed and sinful, so that we have to hate ourselves and repeatedly beg for Forgivemess. What kind of a nut-cake god would DO that? And what kind of totally ashamed, self-hating crazy people would FALL for such an obviously stupid scheme? The worst thing about Matt More is that he is such a walking cliché. If he is going to be stunningly neurotic, at least he could invent some original material instead of joining the ranks of walking cartoons. But basically, very silly. And why does Queerty care? Sillier still.
wllmjunior
It never ceases to amaze me as to the amount off hate we as the gay community supposedly take, despise, and “do not condone,” while at the same time never ceasing our vile tirades, especially when it comes to Christianity. What a bunch of hypocrites we are as a group. We claim we want an end to the hatred supposedly coming from all of these groups, but yet do nothing on our part but repay them in kind. I realize that “The Christians” should be the ones setting the example of how to do everything in this world, according to the standard God has set for them and by God the one we are holding them to, but like each and everyone of us THEY ARE NOT PERFECT EITHER. Therefore, in view of their continued failure and until such time “The Christians” decide to take up what should be their position of leadership on the manufacture, distribution, and refraining from the enjoyment of hatred, Why Don’t WE as the “Gay Community” Set, Aspire To, Proliferate, etc. Nothing But LOVE & ACCEPTANCE for EVERYONE, including the FEW Christians behaving badly. If WE TRULY want and desire a cease fire in the war on hatred and not revel in the attention it brings to us and our causes, somebody in the friggin battle has at least got to come to the peace table. Until we have a cease fire, stop bashing “The Christians” because I can’t tell the difference between good and bad when they are acting the same.
Ogre Magi
This is why GLBT folks should never have any thing to do with christians! Those people are mind rapists
jwrappaport
@wllmjunior: Oh please – spare us the “don’t be intolerant of intolerance” shtick. I don’t love people who don’t think I’m disordered and immoral as a matter of course.
Chad Hunt
CHRISTIANITY, HOMOSEXUALITY, MARRIAGE, EQUALITY …
When it comes to christianity and the sanctity of marriage I suggest these so-called Christians read the entire books of 1&2 Samuel. …
[1 Samuel 18:1 … And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.] …
Is this not exactly what happens in marriage? 2 souls are knit together as one. In marriage are we not taught that we must love our spouse as ourselves and our own souls? …
[1Samuel 18:2 … And Saul took him that day(David), and would let him go no more home to his fathers house.] …
Is this not what is described in Genesis 2:24, Ephesians 5:31, Mark 10:7, & Matthew 19:5? In each of these verses it describes how man shall leave father and mother and cling unto his spouse. The two being made one flesh. …
[1Samuel 18:3 … Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.] …
Is marriage not a sacred covenant? …
[1 Samuel 18:4 … And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.] …
Does this not describe giving all of oneself as a gift to a spouse? Jonathan strips himself naked and gives all of himself to David from his robe to his girdle. Does this not sound like a wedding night? …
Later in the story we find that Saul has turned to evil and he plots against David. It was not uncommon in those days to have more than one spouse. … This is how Saul first plots evil against David …
[1Samuel 18:20-21 … And Michal, Saul’s daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain.] …
So to cause David harm he makes him marry his daughter and he is Saul’s son in law of the twain. Twain meaning twice. First, with Jonathan & secondly with Michal. …
In the first chapter of 2 Samuel we are told the love between Jonathan and David surpassed the love of a woman. …
[2Samuel 1:26 … I am distressed for you, my brother, Jonathan; greatly beloved were you to me; your love to me was wonderful passing the love of women. …
LESBIANISM between RUTH & NAOMI …
Don’t you find it odd that what Ruth vows to Naomi is exactly part of the wedding ceremony many churches still use today? …
I could go into the story of the Roman Centurion who asks Jesus to heal his young male servant … If you actually translate this story from the original text you learn the word used for the Centurion’s servant is not servant but actually translates to young male lover which the Greeks and Romans were known for. Did Jesus condemn the Centurion or did he grant him his wish?
LEVITICUS … The bible has been translated into saying you shall not lie with mankind as with womankind but that is not what this verse says in it’s original form. What it says is you shall not lie with male temple prostitutes in the bed of a woman. (it was common to have both male and female prostitutes working the steps and grounds around the temple in those days.)Basically what it is saying here is you should no defile the marriage bed by sleeping with someone else in it.
It is time for all of these HYPOCRITICAL Christians who dont even know the stories of their own bible nor read or translate them for themselves to SHUT UP and STOP letting others do their thinking for them. Thats why education is so important and why so many of these false religions etc don’t want their congregations to go to college or translate the Bible from the original Latin, Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic texts.
wllmjunior
@jwrappaport: Then you deserve no better.
jwrappaport
@wllmjunior: Interesting argument: I don’t like people who say dehumanizing things about me; therefore, I deserve those statements.
wllmjunior
@jwrappaport: You are characterizing an entire group of people based upon the actions of few of people claiming to be a part thereof. If you have ever been to a Pride parade you know how wrong that stance is. As for “disordered, dehumanizing and Immoral,” so far you have said nothing that leads me to believe they are not correct and that you aren’t doing a great job on your own. Done. If you wish to debate, lets take it outside of this arena. Time & Place Bitch!
jwrappaport
@wllmjunior: An entire group? Nope, just the ex-gays like the gentleman in the article. I never mentioned Christians or the faithful in general, just the clerical bullies who won’t leave us in peace. I’m not sure where I illicitly generalized.
Also, disordered and immoral are pretty bold indictments – not sure I merited them.
D9W
@Chad Hunt don’t forget the “Song of Solomon”. Both the Christian and Jewish religions have tried to hide what the story is really about- aka between two lovers– not God and his nation or his church. And don’t forget honey wine does not flow out of a girl’s navel, try someone a lot lower- and I don’t think most gay men would consider it honey.
erik11
I wonder why he, and his ministry buddies are so bold as to try to undo what God did to make people gay. I’m always astounded when they talk as if they are god himself, or repeat some bible passage to assure them they are doing the right thing…. But let’s be real. This guy believes in a magic fairyland called heaven, and believes that god gave him some giant challenge that, if he doesn’t choose as his pastor says, he will burn in a fiery death. basically, not working with a full deck of cards. God made people gay for a reason, and to try and change that is akin to spitting in the face if God…. And since none of them really talk with god, they re clueless. I pity them for their clear ignorance. And laugh t their folly.
So mote it be.
tjport1980
Lying Hypocrite ! ” I’ll never use Grindr again ” What, just going to use your profile on Adam for Adam next time ? Self righteous Scumbag. Just admit it doesn’t work. Quit lying to yourself and everyone else !
Derek Williams
Jesus Christ never said a word about homosexuality, apart from one possible allusion to ‘Eunuchs’ (a possible colloquialism for LGBT in the absence of any other in the ancient Hebrew and Greek vernacular of the BIble.
Homosexuality is not mentioned in the Ten Comandments, nor Christ’s Two Commandments, nor his Eight Beatitudes nor his Seven Last Words. Even the alleged passages don’t spell out homosexual intercourse graphically enough to mean much. On the other hand, there is no mistake about the admonitions in Deuteronomy and Leviticus to kill disobedient children, anyone who picks up sticks on the Sabbath (Numbers), or a married couple who have sex during a woman’s menstrual cycle, or a woman not a virgin on her wedding night. Death for them all, as commanded by God in the Holy Bible, with no wiggle room. Oh, and a childless widow is commanded to mate with each of her late husband’s brothers in turn until she produces an heir.
Religious homophobes don’t know their own bible, and cherry pick the text hunting down poisons to fit with their animus against us.
Derek Williams
Jesus Christ never said a word about homosexuality, apart from one possible allusion to ‘Eunuchs’ (a possible colloquialism for LGBT in the absence of any other in the ancient Hebrew and Greek vernacular of the BIble.
Homosexuality is not mentioned in the Ten Commandments, nor Christ’s Two Commandments, nor his Eight Beatitudes nor his Seven Last Words. Even the alleged passages don’t spell out homosexual intercourse graphically enough to mean much. On the other hand, there is no mistake about the admonitions in Deuteronomy and Leviticus to kill disobedient children, anyone who picks up sticks on the Sabbath (Numbers), or a married couple who have sex during a woman’s menstrual cycle, or a woman not a virgin on her wedding night. Death for them all, as commanded by God in the Holy Bible, with no wiggle room. Oh, and a childless widow is commanded to mate with each of her late husband’s brothers in turn until she produces an heir.
Religious homophobes don’t know their own bible, and cherry pick the text hunting down poisons to fit with their animus against us.
Derek Williams
apologies for the duplicate posting – no Edit or Delete feature on this page
manxxxx
@wllmjunior: At 63 going on 64 I’m tired of turning the other cheek when ex-gays actively seek to undermine gays at every turn. I’m not about to judge them or denigrate them in any manner. I do, however, get to stand my ground and fight back at their intolerance. On many occasions individuals will characterize the gay community as pandering to the same level as attackers. Well, let’s take a good look at how the Jesus of the gospels reacted to the money changers. There is a place for righteous anger. In the face of such idiocy, and I place this fool (Okay, I lied, I am judging.) with the idiots, we have an obligation to stand up for our rights as humans. I refuse to allow such individuals to attempt to for me to justify my sexuality, my relationship, my anything to them or anyone else. Why should we allow ourselves to be anything but proud? Defense? Been there, done that, through being there and doing that!
erikwm
The irony here is he thinks others are fucked up, when he is the one who is a total clusterfuck. He speaks like a cultist who has been severely brainwashed. What a mess!
D9W
@erikwm let me point out something a third grader knows: When you point at someone, there are three fingers pointing back at you – childish- yeah. But it’s something our grandmother used to say to us grandkids to get us to think about judging others… seems somebody forgot that.
Joel J
This guy doesn’t walk his talk and he shouldn’t be giving testimonials about the gay cure. If he were truthful, he would admit he just can’t shake this “thing.” The truth would set him free, but he just keeps repeating his Biblical cant.
standupwi
Attacks are so classy and intelligent. By the way, for Christians who believe Jesus is the third person of the triune Creator God, Jesus did talk about homosexuality. It’s okay if you don’t ascribe to those beliefs, just don’t blast those of us who do, and then pretend you are all about tolerance and acceptance.
johnconroy5
@jwrappaport:
Perfect analysis buddy, Love what you said. It MAY (and I highlight that word strongly MAY) be the case that these people are entangled with sexuality and religious beliefs or are just cruel manipulative humans but neither lends the excuse to dismiss, bully or hate monger against other people going about their daily lives innocently NOBODY has the right to this particularly not the church hierarchy who seem to do nothing but love some and hate others, this is morally abhorrent behaviour that should not be accepted
John Allman
66
Matt Moore isn’t some guy quietly dealing with his own personal struggle against what he thinks is sin. He’s a professional ex-gay: He blogs about his “coming out of the homosexual lifestyle,” gets interviewed by nutbag Christian websites and radio shows, and helps organize things like the Overcoming Same-Sex Attraction conference.
99
So, we only hate him because he’s a “professional” ex-gay, right? We don’t hate him just because he’s ex-gay? It would be cool with us that he had outed himself as ex-gay, if only he didn’t make a bit of money from talking about his ex-gayness. That’s what offends us. Nothing else.
That’s good. I guess that makes me, another ex-gay, OK in everybody’s eyes, unless and until I turn “professional” myself. Then, it’ll be hate, hate, hate.
I’ve been ex-gay for over forty years myself, “quietly dealing” with my own personal struggle against what I think is sin. I outed myself as ex-gay for the first time in my life only last year. I took this step, because I started noticing venomous, hateful content on the internet, directed against ex-gay people. I became very worried about the unbalanced reporting of the dispute between people who think like me, and people who advance the model that everybody has an innate, unchosen, immutable “sexual orientation”. I noticed that the latter tended to heap abuse and ridicule upon the formed, especially if they happened to be people of faith like this young man.
But, most of all, I just got sick and tired of reading that ex-gay people did not exist, when I knew perfectly well that I was one of them myself.
I think the contribution that people of my opinion, and this Matt Moore’s opinion, have to make to discussion of social policy towards homosexuality, is under-reported. If some rich person offered me money to speak about my life experiences at conferences, I might therefore be tempted to become a “professional” ex-gay myself. Nothing would have induced me to take up such a career, before the coincidence of unemployment, and becoming sick and tired of the doctrinaire lies of the ex-gay deniers. But, on balance, I’d be happy to take the money too, just to level the playing field.
Anyway, what is it, about accepting money for speaking at conferences, that turns an ex-gay we can all respect, into an object of our contempt? It seems irrational that taking money what offends us.
And many of the comments seem to focus on a different criterion for hating Matt Moore. Many of the comments recommend hating Matt Moore because of his *religious* beliefs. If he was ex-gay for entirely secular reasons, would that be OK with us?
Joshua
As an activist and proponent of peace even if this man’s views go against my own, fundamentally and morally, he is entitled to his beliefs….. and as a community of gay people we should be that last group of individuals to advance hate. The struggle and strife that we have endured to get to our current state has not been easy. This man has right to his beliefs.
He has a right to find his “personal” truth, as we all do….. however being an ex gay he should know the bigotry and hatred that is thrown towards gay men and women, etc….. and being a true christian, being of Christ who did not judge, he would leave those judgements in the eyes and hands of his god. He should shy away from groups that seek to perpetuate homophobia.
In my own opinion, I feel sorry for him. I pity him…. I pity a person who would support homophobia whether or not he gets paid for it. Can I believe a person is ex-gay? Sure it could be possible. Copernicus was thought to be wrong. What I don’t agree with is perpetuating hate.
What we are doing here perpetuating hate. We ourselves are becoming bigots by perpetuating hate for this person…. let him own his views, but don’t hate him for them…. if you think his views are wrong then pity him… but don’t push for hate.
Derek Williams
@John Allman: Kindly exclude me from your “we”. Your religion has taught you that your sexual orientation is evil, and that acting on it is sinful. If you want to throw away your life devoid of the love of a man to whom you’re primarily naturally attracted, that may keep your paternalistic and sanctimonious happy-clappers happy, but it defies both science and humanity.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_denominational_positions_on_homosexuality
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/sexual-orientation.aspx
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=aDiYeJ_bsQo
There are over 34,000 denominations of Christianity alone in the world, each with fiercely conflicting views on Birth Control and Divorce, let alone Homosexuality. Even the Bible they all claim to share has dozens of often semantically and etymologically differing translations in English alone. But in none of these will you find a single admonition by Jesus Christ against homosexuals or homosexuality. It is not present in his Two Commandments, nor his Eight Beatitudes nor his Seven Last Words. It is not even in the Mosaic Ten Commandments.
In the same parts of this two-testament book that are alleged to proscribe homosexual relations, disobedient children must be put to death (Deuteronomy and Leviticus), as must anyone who picks up sticks on the Sabbath (Numbers). There are many more that religious fundamentalists ignore, yet they pick on the gays partly out of animus against us, but mainly because of ignorance. Religion offers social status to many who might otherwise be at the bottom of the pile, but not a single word of its mantra concerning divinity and eternal retribution can be proved, one way or the other.
I don’t hate “ex-gays” if they truly have somehow metamorphosed into heterosexuals, and vice versa. Nor do I hate fools, but I don’t suffer them gladly, and I’ll leave it to you to do your research as to where you lie, and with whom.
johnconroy5
@Derek Williams:
WOW such brilliant words John, PERFECT ACTUALLY 🙂 XX
Derek Williams
@johnconroy5: Is your reply to ‘John’ intended to go via your response to me (Derek Williams)?
johnconroy5
@Derek Williams:
Oh Derek so sorry it was actually meant for you, I had read the name wrong on the message, it’s your message that I consider marvellous, I slightly pity John Allman as I believe he has been brain washed however if he doesn’t spread or preach his decisions in a way that hurt or affect innocent people then I have no issues with his way of life
Nixter
@standupwi: Where did Jesus mention homosexuality? Verses, please.