Comments on: Guess who’s coming to dinner?

By: Peter

Peter — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 02:09:20 +0000

What kind of dinner will it be, what would you eat? Would some alcohol be allowed, like wine? Perhaps you all need some Tequila, to have a right fisticuff fight. What will be served in the US, as most of the planet survives on under one Dollar a day? Bon Appetit!

Peter Damm.

By: Stephen Black

Stephen Black — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 22:42:26 +0000

Michael… Skeptical… I really couldn’t be anything but skeptical. I am just trying to be completely honest. I hope being skeptical doesn’t demonize me further. In all fairness, don’t you communicate yourself as someone who knows and understand Scripture? Shouldn’t I be skeptical? What would it be like if Exodus or First Stone Ministries was to have a stand up comic to make fun of their experiences in the gay community? How would you feel if we were to actually personally make fun of you and what happened with your decision to leave your wife for Gary? Honestly, how would you feel? It would be awful! How should I feel about when the exexers from our ministry communicate complete distortions and lies of their experience with First Stone Ministries? Proverbs and 1 Cor. communicate several warnings for me to have dinner, especially with a group of so called brothers/sisters who have maliciously slandered me. I am NOT saying that is true of the keynotes or leaders of BEG.

Michael, I have met your exwife. She is precious! I would never want to hurt you or make fun of you or anyone on of the BEG people. Yet there are those with who are exexgay, ‘Soul Force’ and BEG that have of First Stone and/or Exodus Ministries. Yes, Michael I am just a bit skeptical. Perhaps, someday we will meet… but not in a BEG format.

By: Warren

Warren — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 22:58:57 +0000

Eddy -- here is the website for Peterson's perspective.

By: Eddy

Eddy — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 18:01:19 +0000

The first reports on the dinner are on Peter Toscano’s site. Sorry, I don’t know how to link. It seems to have gone very well. (I think I got there by following the Beyond Ex Gay link above and then found Peter Toscano but not sure.)

By: jag

jag — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 11:56:48 +0000

“The passage I cited is specific to those who claim to be Christians and defiantly, proudly engage in homosexuality at the same time â€” those who have once been enlightened and have returned to sin.”

Sonya,

If you had a daughter who was a Christian, gay and marrying another woman, would you refuse to have dinner with her? and/or her partner?

Interesting all the ways in which we can isolate ourselves in the name of Christianity.

The Pharisees would be proud.

By: Timothy Kincaid

Timothy Kincaid — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 15:07:43 +0000

Mary (34897)

Yes, I think that prayer is a great idea.

By: Michael Bussee

Michael Bussee — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 13:15:31 +0000

If not dinner, I am hopeful that at least Alan and I will be able to meet sometime soon. We’ve got a lot in common and we really don’t have anything to lose.

By: Lynn David

Lynn David — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:02:46 +0000

The #34853 Comment by Rich Cook on the thread "Ex-Ex-gay?" as an 'experience' seems appropriate here also.

By: Jayhuck

Jayhuck — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 04:58:55 +0000

Stephen,

If you had read Christin Bakke’s responses to Eddy’s questions, you would have known that she and others at BEG had talked to Exodus staff about whether there would be time in their schedule to have the dinner.

BTW, this isn’t a protest conference – You may clearly deem to categorize it as such, but everyone has gone to pains to say that that is NOT in fact what it is.

I’m not saying your view is biased – but the fact that you are at the Exodus Conference tells me more a great deal.

By: Michael Bussee

Michael Bussee — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 02:22:38 +0000

Stephen: I think you ARE being too skeptical. I know these guys. I think all they really want to do is establish some sort of dialog — other than faceless blog fights and endless media wars.

I think they asked you to dinner at this time because you’re in town. It was an act of hospitality. Informal meetings like this and some open channels of communication would be wonderfully refreshing, wouldn’t you agree? I know I would love it — and I think both sides of this issue would be better for it.

To its credit, EXODUS has recenlty adopted an official stand against bullying, violence and hate. EXODUS is also becoming more transparent about what “change” is and what it is not. Even though I disagree with EXODUS on many points, I support EXODUS’s right to exist and to act in accorance with its beliefs.

30 years after EXODUS was created, I think both sides may finally be trying to mature a bit. It’s time to extend a peacepipe of sorts — or maybe just a dinner invitation (since you happen to be in town.)