LGBTQ Facebook users aren’t happy about being targeted by a sponsored ad urging them to abandon their gayness and convert to Christianity ASAP.
The creepy video, which runs nearly nine minutes and was produced by a Christian extremist group called Anchored North, has been making its rounds on the social media site since last week, specifically targeted users whose profiles identify themselves as LGBTQ.
Related: Obese “ex-gay” Christian says it was easier to his change sex habits than his eating habits
In it, a sort of cute middle-aged man talks over a soft music soundtrack about how he used to identify as gay and had a pretty fabulous life in Los Angeles–going to cool parties, attending premieres, and dating lots of cute guys. Everything was great! …Until one day he was sitting in a coffee shop and he saw a group of people reading the Bible. He struck up a conversation with them, attended their church, and–ta-dah!–just like that, he magically wasn’t gay anymore!
“I just met the king of the universe,” the man explains about his sudden transformation. “God! Jesus! … I was like ‘God, you have my whole life. This is it. It’s all yours!'”
He continues, “When I was living that gay life for many, many years, I was 100% sure that was my identity.” But, he says, now he knows “beyond a shadow of a doubt that homosexual was not who I was, that my identity was in Christ.”
Related: Moby claims to have highly sensitive info on Trump, and he just let it all out on Facebook
The ad concludes by telling viewers, “Even if you have found your identity in worthless things, Jesus died, and resurrected for you.”
“Worthless things?” Wha-wha-what?!
But based on some of the videos comments, most LGBTQ people don’t seem to be falling for the propaganda:
Watch the creepy video below. Or don’t.
h/t: Unicorn Booty
GRMonLI
Personally I will not watch the video in any form…..will not give it the “validity” that it seeks. How much study and research do THEY need to realize that anti gay movements and conversion therapy simply does not work.
I am a Clinical Therapist and I believe that I KNOW who I am and what I want and need……and my husband of twenty years and counting agrees.
I love you honey!!!!!
NathanR
Sigh. Have we REALLY not evolved past this ignorance yet? I’m checking my calendar to make sure we’re not still cavemen.
GayEGO
Don’t worry, Marriage Equality is the law of the land and last time I checked it was supported by 61% of Americans. These religious bigots have been brainwashed by their religions and are digging their heels in as they are dragged, kicking and screaming, to the 21st century. Those who dig themselves too deep will bury themselves.
ChrisK
He starts out depressed because he was feeling empty. Then he comes upon the bible and OMG you guys are the enemy. Then he goes to the church and he gets filled with the holy spirit just like that so he just knows that’s it’s all real and he needs to change his life today or go to hell.
This hypocritical BS is what’s causing people to leave the church in droves. At least they’ll still get the mentally ill crowd.
NateOcean
“…gets filled with the holy spirit….”
“…felt the touch of Jesus…”
“…the holy spirit came upon him…”
This is all very questionable language.
GayEGO
Another religious bigot? Many of us are Christians and many Christian churches are changing and performing same-gender marriages. This “Pray the gay away” group is a bunch of dufuses.
1EqualityUSA
It never occurred to me to ask for this. We refer to these guys as seekers. They never quite find what it is that they’re seeking.
HereinNYC
He seems lost from the beginning, and i’m regret that the only place he could find himself was through an institution that only partially accepts him and castigates another large part of his life that he never pray away. It’s like a vegan going to steakhouse, yeah sure, you’ll find something to eat, but you’re not really the target audience and won’t fully enjoy the experience.
Regretfully, that sense of finding and acceptance isn’t based on fact, since he has to deny who he is.
Daniel-Reader
Someone make the parody ad! It should go “If you are a Christian, you are already gay. No doubt whatsoever. From man-on-man kisses with Judas to introducing his beloved boyfriend John to his mom. Your religion made up a hot-looking guy with abs and nailed him in public – what could be more homosexual? In reality, Jesus would have had pre-cancerous legions on his leathery-skinned body from too much time spent in the sun near the equator, but don’t let reality ruin the illusion.”
Evji108
Best part is swallowing the body and fluids of Christ at communion.
Daniel-Reader
*legion=lesion
1EqualityUSA
Lesion, for we are many.
HereinNYC
He seems lost from the beginning, and i’m regret that the only place he could find himself was through an institution that only partially accepts him and castigates another large part of his life that he never pray away. It’s like a vegan going to steakhouse, yeah sure, you’ll find something to eat, but you’re not really the target audience and won’t fully enjoy the experience.
Regretfully, that sense of finding and acceptance isn’t based on fact, since he has to deny who he is.
Was this video made in the 1950s? Being gay and having a marriage/children aren’t mutually exclusive.
charlietex
Watch this video. Watch it over and over again. Click over and over again. Every time you do this advertiser pays Facebook. Let them play Facebook until they have no money left. It’s the greatest way to move money from bigots to a company that supports diversity.
dwes09
That is correct. Every time someone clicks through from the ad to the site, Facebook draws down on the allotment. But after clicking several times, you should report the ad as spam or as offensive. ‘Im not going to watch it though as i have little tolerance for that Jesus bullshit. They have the audacity to demonize Islam and disparage Judaism when they worship torture, murder and death and bow down to images of a bronze age torture device (not even going to discuss the ritual cannibalism)!
Billysees
‘Praying the gay away’ messages have been around for many years. Nothing new here. Is there any merit to these kinds of prayers? People pray for all kinds of worthy things but does it bring satisfaction? My prayers have only brought me affirmation and acceptance. That’s all I’ve personally experienced about this matter.
I have no choice but to say, ‘In Him I live and move and have my being’…….Acts 17:28
1EqualityUSA
God doesn’t want a bunch of liars. Be true.
Sluggo2007
While he’s on his knees praying, let me come over and pop something in his mouth. Ten to one, he won’t refuse it.
b2rocketfan
I spent 22 EARNEST years trying to pray my get away. It NEVER happened. People can question my faith or lack there of, or question my intentions, but it never happened. If people don’t want to have sex with people of their own gender, that’s fine I didn’t have sex but I was Still gay.
Now I’ve been in a relationship for 3.5 years with a man and I’m so happy. ?
b2rocketfan
Oops! Meant to put a !! At the end. It’s not a Question. LOL.
radiooutmike
I watched the video in its entirety and I don’t think it is BS in the personal sense for Becket’s life. It sounds like his faith helps him makes sense of his life.
I was brought up Roman Catholic and I was a born-again Christian in college for awhile. My group used to think that the Campus Crusade for Christ people were lightweights. So, I think I understand a bit where he is coming from. I wish Becket described what kind of life had growing up or what kind of life he has now. He sounds like he knew something about Christian values growing up and that he clearly knew what his orientation was.
When you, as single man, or anyone for that matter– go to fundamentalist church…you are accepted no matter what you have done previously. That’s powerful. It’s intoxicating and invigorating. If you are in any sense spiritual, and feeling empty; it is really easy to fill your life up with Jesus. You are guided in your faith with lessons that executed in a precise manner. You go to fellowships, Bible talks, devotionals, church and maybe even a bit of evangelizing. So, if your worldly relationships end, Jesus and his Body will pick you up and never let you down.
You keep up with the rules and you’re golden. Depending on the church and how aggressive they are… The first thing to go is masturbation, sinning against yourself. If in a few months, you show no interest in women, you’ll get the talk about homosexuality. Did you have any experiences before, do you wish you had them now, etc… That would not be an issue with Becket since he was an avowed homosexual and would have to give it up. It probably was easy, since he could not find a lasting, committed relationship.
I feel sympathy for him, because if he had an acceptable relationship he would not be in the church at all. He’s just a lonely guy who wanted a deeper connection with someone. Or if he had just realized that his answers to his life have to come from within him. Therapy would have probably done him a world of good. Eventually though, it will come up again. You can only suppress your desires for so long, no matter how much of the Bible you read.
The issues will come up if you start slacking on your discipleship or fall back into your sinful ways repeatedly. You will have to humiliate yourself and confess your sins to your whole congregation and ask for forgiveness. Feeling that you are the shit in the world for doing something that is perfectly normal. Some people go through these cycles repeatedly, they may even stay if they are earnest enough. But eventually, you’ll have to decide to live your life for yourself or all those other people who would shun if you fall away. I hope Becket wakes up, before he has to take a wife and have some kids to be a good upstanding Christian.
As far as a macro-level religion, this truly is shit. Pray away the gay and gay conversion therapy do so much harm to people who want only to be good.
I left the church I was in because a friend of mine had to renounce her second instance of homosexuality. I felt so angry that if God made is in his image, why was being gay wrong. But, I was also a cad. After I fell away and was shunned, I never contacted that friend to see how she was. One of those stupid mistakes you make when your young.
radiooutmike
Please excuse some grammatical errors. I get involved with thinking and writing something that words don’t get written out!
Ellie533
I was raised a Catholic, church every Sunday and was never taught any of this gay persecution crap. As far as I’m concerned these homophobes are to Christianity what ISIS is to Islam. I developed my self-hatred as a teenager from society’s prejudices. I frequently heard nasty and derogatory things that weren’t even directed at me or anyone real. Mike Wallace’s “The Homosexual” was a bit before my time but that was the mentality. The fact that there were absolutely no role models and being gay was never even mentioned was my first clue. If something can not even be mentioned in the vaguest of terms then the message is, “there is something wrong with it.” When I finally did discuss my burgeoning sexuality with a priest, he simply said, “God made you the way you are. Do you think He makes mistakes?”