Try to talk some sense into this guy? "Former" Gay

[Effie]

I stumbled upon a blog by a young man who "was" gay until he found Jesus. It seems like he is denying who he is, which is sad. He has become very anti-homosexuality ever since.

His blog: mattmoore89.wordpress.com/

His blog-post where he talks about his "sin": mattmoore89.wordpress.com/2011/03/14/gay-christian/

His facebook-page "The truth about Homosexuality": facebook.com/truthaboutgaylifestyle

My entire life, up until September of 2010 when I was saved, I lived under the impression that I was born gay. I hid it for years, not “coming out†until I was 20, in August of 2009. The culture in America has taken homosexuality and made it as natural as being born left handed, and that’s what I grew to think also. I thought that I was genetically designed to be gay, and that’s how I was going to live my life. I wasn’t going to deny who I really was anymore; I was going to embrace it and enjoy my life. For over a year I lived an openly gay lifestyle. Everyone knew…my friends, parents, family. And I’ll have to tell you that with the exception of my dad telling me it was wrong, I was completely supported by everyone and my lifestyle was condoned. I had never felt more accepted in my life, and had never had so much fun or been so happy. I was enjoying my life of going out and getting drunk & embracing my “gay identityâ€.

Long story short, this past September, Jesus Christ intervened in my life...

I decided to seek God and see what this was. I told God, and my Christian friends, that I didn’t know if being gay was right or wrong, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me from seeking God anymore. I wasn’t going to take anyone’s word about the issue (I’m stubborn like that), I was just going to let God show me. And He did.

I started to see that even 2000 years ago there were homosexuals, like me, who were made clean. It was then that God started to open my eyes to the truth about being gay. Homosexuality is no greater than any other sin- like adultery, fornication, etc. I asked God to let me look at this through His eyes and not my own. Culture has made homosexuality “NATURALâ€. Because it feels natural. (“ There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of deathâ€- Proverbs 14:12) Well based on that logic, pedophiles would also just be “born that way†and there should be nothing wrong with that. Same thing with adultery. Honestly, it’s just a matter of time before our culture decides that pedophilia and adultery are just as “natural†as homosexuality and should not be looked down upon, and that they should be accepted as a functioning part of society.

[BlackHawk]

Specifically protesting Apps on the Apple itunes platforms for Exodus International and The Manhattan Declaration. Two organizations that simply believe that marriage is the union between a man and woman, and that you don’t have to be gay if you don’t want to be.

That is in one of the comments left on the site.. I haven't made it past there... Are you fucking kidding me.... are there seriously people who believe that bullshit? I'm going to keep reading then possibly comment.. but dammit, I hate people.

[defrauding]

Remember, Christ’s light shines through more the bigger our holes are.

Matt Moore: the Christian Tobias Fünke.

[doggie]

the anger shows it is easting him up with the fakery.

[Olivia]

Aw, I feel badly for him. He had the most fun in his year of accepting himself? Well, maybe that indicates something right there -- did God really create us to be miserable, or did he create us to be happy, to be productive and serve, and to worship him out of our joy? I know which one I vote for, but that's just me...

[BlackHawk]

So I doubt it will help, but I posted a comment. I'll post it here too, but like I said, I doubt it will help him or his ilk.

Dear Matt,

I have read your testimony several times and find it sad. I am saddened that you have been taught that you cannot live a life that makes you happy because someone's "god" says you cannot. I am a gay Christian who believes in the one TRUE Father. I wanted to show you another side to your statements above. I do hope you can listen and read and research yourself how you truly feel.

You quoted Corinthians 6:9. The KJV states that verse as "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,". I use the KJV, as it is commonly used as the closet translation to the original Greek. If Paul had meant "homosexual" in that verse why would he not have used the common word for relationships between two men, paiderasste. Instead he used the word Molokoi, which roughly translates out to "soft". It was most commonly used during that time frame to refer to men who were lazy or cowards.

The second phrase there that could be attributed to homosexuals is "Nor abuses of themselves with mankind." Paul used the word arsenokoitai. This seems to be a word he made up, completely, and left no direct translation of. It was commonly translated out to mean masturbator.

I urge you to take a look at your Bible again. Jesus never once condemned homosexuality with his own mouth. He spoke of other things that would keep you unclean and away from the Father, but never was the word homosexuality uttered by him. Please search your heart and your Bible and truly look for understanding.

Thank you,

Hawk

[shesinsane]

Are you fucking kidding me.... are there seriously people who believe that bullshit?

It's easy to believe when you don't know any gay people*. If you grew up homeschooled, no access to pop culture and your only friends are your siblings, when you're told gay people choose to be that way and therefore they are evil, you have no reason not to believe it. You can't challenge it with examples of nice, God fearing Christian gay folk because you don't know any exist.

*Anyone who insists they don't know any gay people really do, but the gays they know are smart enough to not mention it.

[Cassandra]

I just hope this kid manages to get over this before his self-repression leads to mental health issues/depression.

[Effie]

The attitude towards homosexuality should not be: "Gay? Well, do not forget the sunscreen, 'cause the place you're going is hot!"

No, the attitude should be more like: "Sinner? Then you're in good company, my friend."

[doggie]

I say if god made 1500+ species of animals that practice homosexuality why not one more?

[Eponine]

Matt Moore: the Christian Tobias Fünke.

This was exactly my thought! Does he realize how ridiculous he sounds?

[Effie]

So I doubt it will help, but I posted a comment. I'll post it here too, but like I said, I doubt it will help him or his ilk.

An important input! :clap:

[nutella addict]

That was a really great comment BlackHawk. I read this earlier and couldn't even comment I was too sad for this guy/annoyed at these so-called Christians. One of my best friends took years to fully come out and embrace his identity as a gay Christian - he left the conservative evangelicals behind and became Catholic because they were more accepting. One of my lesbian friends dated a Christian girl, who said simply "Why would God want to cause me that sort of pain? Why would God give me such deep feelings of love if I was supposed to deny them?" or something to that effect. I'm not going to give the fundies those questions, that wouldn't go down well. IIRC, she was from the south and not out to her parents because of their beliefs. I felt so bad for her for that. She was such a sweet girl! I will say though that this post has convinced me I need to start a blog with my friend and any of the rest of our friends, to try to argue for God's love over condemnation and judgment of others. Get a bit of a better balance out there on the internets.

[Effie]

Nutella addict, I think that would be great. I would love to read your blog.

You know what, when I went to my internet school library I found several scientific articles about the ex-gay-movement. Perhaps I should send these to Matt.

"It's not a choice: Challenging the lies of the Ex​-​Gay Movement. Orange County LGBT Affirmation Conference, June 19, 2010"

"Lesbians and Gay Men Embrace Their Sexual Orientation After Conversion Therapy and Ex-Gay Ministries: A Qualitative Study. Social Work in Mental Health, Vol 4(3), 2006, 61-82"

[thoughtful]

An important input! :clap:

+1

Good job, Blackhawk.

[ems]

I stumbled upon a blog by a young man who "was" gay until he found Jesus. It seems like he is denying who he is, which is sad. He has become very anti-homosexuality ever since.

His blog: mattmoore89.wordpress.com/

His blog-post where he talks about his "sin": mattmoore89.wordpress.com/2011/03/14/gay-christian/

His facebook-page "The truth about Homosexuality": facebook.com/truthaboutgaylifestyle

I started to see that even 2000 years ago there were homosexuals, like me, who were made clean.

Actually, in the Bible, of all the many people who Jesus healed or "made clean," none were cleansed or healed from homosexuality. Interesting that.

[Brittanicals6]

I have a very dear friend named Peterson Toscano, who went through a "pray the gay away" program. He has since set himself free to be the kind, loving, and GAY man he was always meant to be. His story is public and online, so I feel ok to post his name, in hopes that someone struggling with this will google him.

"Doing Time in the Homo Nomo'e Half Way House" was his first one man play. Very insightful, not to mention funny as hell.

[synchroswimr]

BlackHawk, that was a wonderful post to this young man.

And thank you for sharing it because I learned some new things about those passages and the original Greek! I appreciate that. :-)

[fundyfunland]

Matt Moore: the Christian Tobias Fünke.

LOL! Too funny! I guess that's why some fundies say women are naturally closer to God....because they have bigger holes to let God's sun shine through.

Ok...he probably didn't mean it like that, but had to point it out.

I don't know whether I should feel sorry for this guy or be peeved at him for spewing such hate & utter nonesense. He's not the first blogger I've read who's been turned straight though. Years later, they realize they've been living a lie, and realize that, no, you can't take the gay out of the homosexual.

[daisyjane1234]

Great post Hawk. Anyone who can actually reads the Bible (and practices some form of basic exegesis) will know that the Bible contains no condemnation of homosexuality.

It is always sad to see people using a beautiful and sacred piece of literature to justify hate and abuse.

[Patsy]

I think the Bible is condemning of homosexuality, actually, but I also think it can be meaningful to people that when Jesus healed the centurion's slave (assumed to be his lover) he didn't heal him of homosexuality - an anti-precedent for 'pray the gay away', if you will - AND, he didn't tell them off, even though after he saved the adulteress from being stoned he took the time to tell her to 'sin no more'.

[Childless]

In my opinion, homosexuality is not a sin. If you're a Christian, you should try to emulate Jesus. Jesus never said one word about homosexuality. Not one. Therefore, it must not have been a big issue to him. If he thought it was a sin, I'm sure he would have commented on it, since he had an opinion on every other sin.

[Effie]

I have found a blog from a pastor in Finland. He is examining all of the bible verses where homosexuality is mentioned. His conclusion is that homosexual love is like all love - love. hbt-bibeln.blogspot.com

I wrote a message to Matt, telling him to contact this pastor.

[pomology]

Matt Moore: the Christian Tobias Fünke.

Michael: You coming out? (of the storage space where George Sr. hid all of the family documents)

Tobias: No. I have to fight for my wife. And I'm going to keep my marriage alive.

Honestly, as long as people aren't listening to this Matt Moore guy, I don't see what the big deal of him choosing to deny who he is. I imagine that denying himself will eventually cause him all sorts of troubles including depression, but if he's only hurting himself, I don't give a damn. He apparently used to realize that homosexuality is who he is and he gave it up for right-wing Christian fuckery. What bothers me is that he's preaching this to other people who might be impressionable and believe him.