The May 2010 Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Newsletter can now be found at: http://www.euthanasiaprevention.on.ca/Newsletters/Newsletter108(May2010)(RGB).pdf Bill C-384 was soundly defeated by a vote of 228 to 59. Check how the Members of Parliament voted at: http://www.euthanasiaprevention.on.ca/HowTheyVoted.pdf On June 5, 2010, we are co-hosting the US/Canda Push-Back Seminar at the Radisson Gateway Hotel at the Seattle/Tacoma Airport. The overwhelming defeat of Bill C-384 proved that we can Push-Back the euthanasia lobby in the US and Canada and convince people that euthanasia and assisted suicide are a dangerous public policy. Register for the Seminar at: http://www.euthanasiaprevention.on.ca/2010SeminarFlyer(RGB)(LetterFormat).pdf The Schindler family are being attacked by a Florida television station and Michael Schiavo. The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition is standing in solidarity with the Schindler family. My blog comments: http://alexschadenberg.blogspot.com/2010/05/att...
Reflections from the pastoral ministry of an Evangelical Catholic Priest.
Another sad case of, "Do as I say, not as I do." Hypocrite.
ReplyDeleteI don't want to judge, but seems like this fellow's work with NARTH was a great cover.
ReplyDeleteCA
Hi CA,
ReplyDeleteMore to the point - if reparative therapy really works (as purported by yourself and NARTH), then why in the heck is Dr. Rekers "holidaying" with his "rent boy"? Physician - heal thyself!
Not only is Rekers acting in a manner that is inconsistent with his stated principles, but he has also demonstrating the lack of efficacy of reparative therapy and its underlying premise (i.e. homosexuality is merely a lifestyle choice).
CA - you have bought a bill of goods in accepting the nonsense of NARTH and the self-loathing homos like Rekers who founded it.
I sometimes wonder why so many anti-gay biggots are self-loathing homosexuals. Why is it that the LGBT movement so often finds itself wrestling with closeted members? Indeed, the LGBT rights movement apprears to have been right all along - the real enemy of the LGBT community is the closet. Rekers' actions demonstrate this in spades.
Cheers...Martin
Hi Tim,
ReplyDeleteApparently, I have it all wrong! Dr. Rekers was actually "sharing the Gospel" with his young male escort. Here is Dr. Reker's second explanation of why he was in the company of a male prostitute while on his Euopean vacation:
In George's own words: "I have spent much time as a mental health professional and as a Christian minister helping and lovingly caring for people identifying themselves as “gay.” My hero is Jesus Christ who loves even the culturally despised people, including sexual sinners and prostitutes. Like Jesus Christ, I deliberately spend time with sinners with the loving goal to try to help them. Mark 2:16-17 reads, “16When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ’sinners’?” 17On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” In fact, in a dialogue with hypocritical religious leaders, Jesus even stated to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him. ” (Matthew 21:31).
Like John the Baptist and Jesus, I have a loving Christian ministry to homosexuals and prostitutes in which I share the Good News of Jesus Christ with them (see I Corinthians 6:8-11). Contrary to false gossip, innuendo, and slander about me, I do not in any way “hate” homosexuals, but I seek to lovingly share two types of messages to them, as I did with the young man called “Lucien” in the news story: [1] It is possible to cease homosexual practices to avoid the unacceptable health risks associated with that behavior, and [2] the most important decision one can make is to establish a relationship with God for all eternity by trusting in Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins, including homosexual sins. If you talk with my travel assistant that the story called “Lucien,” you will find I spent a great deal of time sharing scientific information on the desirability of abandoning homosexual intercourse, and I shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with him in great detail."
Whatever "lifts your luggage" Dr. Rekers. I certainly believe this long winded rationalization.
Cheers...Martin
Hi Tim,
ReplyDeleteThe good Dr. Rekers has issued a third explanation for the use of a young male prostitute during his recent European vacation.
Wait for it....here it is:
***MISLEADING INTERNET REPORTS ABOUT PROFESSOR GEORGE REKERS***
"A recent article in an alternative newspaper cleverly gave false impressions of inappropriate behavior because of its misleading innuendo, incorrectly implying that Professor George Rekers used the Rentboy website to hire a prostitute to accompany him on a recent trip. Contrary to Internet stories based on this slanderous article, following medical advice Professor George Rekers requires an assistant to lift his luggage in his travels because of an ongoing condition following surgery. His family, local friends, and even another university professor colleague have offered to accompany him on trips to lift luggage. Professor Rekers was not involved in any illegal or sexual behavior with his travel assistant."
Now this makes much more sense to me. Not one of his colleagues or friends was able to "lift the luggage" of the ailing Dr. Rekers, so naturally, he had to enlist the help of a male prostitute who only advertises his services on rentboy.com.
This makes much more sense than his previous explanation wherein he told us that he had hired a delicious male prostitute for the sole purpose of evangelizing him during a 10 day all expense paid European vacation.
Or was it that Rekers had hired the male prostitute without any knowledge that he was a prostitute until half way through the trip? Oh my - my brain is getting all addled with the conflicting versions.
Cheers...Martin
Hi Tim,
ReplyDeleteYet another clarification from the esteemed Dr. Rekers, anti-gay propagandist and founder of numerous anti-gay advocacy groups that provide fodder to the religious right:
"***MISLEADING INTERNET REPORTS ABOUT PROFESSOR GEORGE REKERS***
A recent article in an alternative newspaper cleverly gave false impressions of inappropriate behavior because of its misleading innuendo, incorrectly implying that Professor George Rekers used the Rentboy website to hire a prostitute to accompany him on a recent trip. Contrary to Internet stories based on this slanderous article, following medical advice Professor George Rekers requires an assistant to lift his luggage in his travels because of an ongoing condition following surgery. His family, local friends, and even another university professor colleague have offered to accompany him on trips to assist him in his travel. Dr. Rekers found his recent travel assistant by interviewing different people who might be able to help, and did not even find out about his travel assistant’s Internet advertisements offering prostitution activity until after the trip was in progress. There was nothing inappropriate with this relationship. Professor Rekers was not involved in any illegal or sexual behavior with his travel assistant."
Well...that certainly clears things up. LOL.
How much money does an anti-gay preacher and professor actually make? My, my, my...to be able to afford a high class Miami call boy at an estimated $1,000 per day plus travel expenses for 10 days to merely "lift one's luggage" is easily a US$15,000 to US$20,000 cost. All this extravagant expense when every airport and hotel offers push carts and courtesy bell hops. Interestingly, however, it was Dr. Rekers who was photographed at the Miami airport pushing his own luggage cart. Hmmmmm....I don't know about you folks, but this story is need of some serious christian apologetics.
I wonder how all the religious donors in the deep south who sent this guy money are going to feel about the flagrant use of their money to fund Dr. Rekers' sweet, firm, young "luggage lifter"?
Cheers...Martin
Martin, you're having fun with this, aren't you? LOL!
ReplyDeleteHi Lady Janus,
ReplyDeleteI do feel a bit guilty about taking such pleasure in the fall of Dr. Rekers.
Having said that, I think it is important to remind ourselves that however painful it might be for the esteemed doctor to be publicly exposed, he has done a lot of harm to LGBT individuals.
How many young people have committed suicide because of the stigma and homophobia that this man has inspired?
How much evil has he let loose in the world because he has provided a veneer of respectability to the vile attacks of anti-gay bigots?
How many years more will lesbian and gay couples go without access to equal marriage because of this man's pseudo-science? How many children will be deprived of stable futures, how many spouses will be denied hospital visiting rights, access to pensions, access to housing, or secure jobs because of the nonsense this man has promoted?
The damage that NARTH, the Family Research Council, Focus on the Family and all of their kin have done is inestimable. Anyone with half a brain in their head could see that the theories and programmes promoted by these organizations were motivated by anti-gay animus and were without basis in fact or science.
The sad truth, however, is that most anti-gay bigots could breezily ignore all of this. What they cannot now ignore, what they cannot now pretend is not true, is that a key architect of the anti-gay propaganda that fuels their culture war was created by a fraud, a man without much personal integrity, a man who so loathes his own sexuality that he wants to punish and hurt everyone who is gay. Dr. Rekers has exposed himself as self-deluded, sad and twisted.
Martin,
ReplyDeleteAre you gay? (No need to answer that). Why do you assume that all who have same-sex attraction are happy with the way they are? Bernard Nathanson once said that it was his "self-loathing" that eventually led to his own change of heart about abortion. Why is our society so fixated on "self-esteem"?
Recker is innocent until proven guilty, and here are his words:
"I am immediately resigning my membership in NARTH to allow myself the time necessary to fight the false media reports that have been made against me. With the assistance of a defamation attorney, I will fight these false reports because I have not engaged in any homosexual behavior whatsoever. I am not gay and never have been. (May 11, 2010)"
If he were a fraud, what would be the reason for cover-up? Just does not make sense. Then again, anything is possible. I am only interested in discovering truth.
I won't be able to keep up with this thread, as am away, but wanted to give you some food for thought.
Thanks for your patience.
CA
"Are you gay? (No need to answer that). Why do you assume that all who have same-sex attraction are happy with the way they are?"
ReplyDeleteWhat was the point of that first question?
As for the second, what makes you think they're not happy the way they are? The only possible reason they could have for being unhappy with their own sexuality is because they know that they're going to be despised and discriminated against by their family and co-culturalists because of it. If no one discriminated against homosexuals and no one thought it to be "unnatural" (as it is not), no homosexual would ever feel the need to hide and express himself sexually only in secret and in shame. And Recker wouldn't feel the need to engage a defamation lawyer to "prove" what he cannot prove -- and should not be required to prove.
If he's gay, he's gay, and that should be his business. But he needs to back off and leave others alone, as well. He's just getting a taste of his own medicine, and he doesn't much like it. Hands up, everyone who's surprised...
Hi CA,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your question. While you do not require me to answer it, I will:
None of your business.
I would appreciate it if you would refrain from stuffing words down my throat. I do not assume that all LGBT folks are happy with their sexuality. As this news article points out, Dr. Rekers is at least one unhappy individual with an attraction to the same sex. Is this a feeble attempt to change the subject or misdirect attention from Dr. Rekers' actions?
I have simply pointed out that Dr. Rekers has acted in a way that is inconsistent with his stated prinicples. Contrary to what Mr. Rekers has asserted, his various statements on what he was doing with his rent boy while on vacation are at odds with one another. His statements are more consistent with someone caught in a series of lies.
The young man that was photographed with Dr. Rekers has made statements to the media that are more consistent with the known and admitted facts - in other words, Dr. Rekers knowingly hired a male prostitute. Dr. Rekers paid for and received nude sexual massages from this male prostitute.
If these allegations are true (and all evidence indicates that they are) then there are some pretty obvious implications. Since you seem to have a high capacity for cognitive disonance, I will spell out some of the more obvious implications:
a) Dr. Rekers is a hypocrite and a liar.
b) Dr. Rekers has poorly integrated his own sexuality into his personality and is self loathing.
c) Reparative therapy does not work - otherwise Dr. Rekers would have cured himself of his same-sex attractions.
d) Reparative therapy does not work because the ideas underpinning it are inherently flawed. While I concede that one failure - no matter how spectacular - does not single handedly invalidate reparative therapy, I also point out that there is absolutely no data to support the efficacy of reparative therapy. Absolutely none. Dr. Rekers' actions are merely an exclamation point that even the religious right cannot ignore.
e) NARTH is an organization whose purpose is not to "cure" homosexualty, but it is an organization designed to disseminate anti-gay propaganda. NARTH was established through the efforts of at least one self-loathing homosexual, whose theories are scientifically unproven and appear twisted and delusional.
I am not sure you are interested in the truth. Everything you have written on this topic to date is more consistent with someone who is cherry picking "evidence" to support a pre-determined conclusion.
Good luck with that CA.
Cheers...Martin
Hi CA,
ReplyDeleteOne last point:
In 2008 the State of Florida hired the unfortunate Dr. Rekers to testify against the adoption of children by gays. Florida paid this man over $120,000 to render an "expert" opinion, however the court had this to say about your hero:
Rekers’ testimony was “motivated by his strong ideological and theological convictions that are not consistent with the science.” The judge concluded: “Based on his testimony and demeanor at trial, the court cannot consider his testimony to be credible nor worthy of forming the basis of public policy.”
To the extent that you ape Dr. Rekers' "expert" opinion on the subject of homosexuality, the same judgement applies to your writings.
Time you started letting go of your Republican Party talking point wouldn't you say?
Cheers...Martin
Martin,
ReplyDeleteWhat is truth? -- for you?
CA
Lady Janus,
ReplyDeleteAllow me to disagree. Most well-balanced people are happy with the way they are regardless of what others think. Self-esteem cannot be given to us by the approval of others, nor taken away by their disapproval.
Frankly, I don't know this Dr Recker, nor am I defending him, nor am I interested in whether or not he is guilty of sexual sin.
Has a media campaign been mounted against him? Only time will tell. Do I really care? Not really.
My own opinions are not based on this man's testimony. I have heard from the mouth of a psychiatrist I do trust that SOME, though not all, people with same-sex attraction can be helped (at least to remain chaste). Some who have freely requested his help have been able to revert to heterosexuality. What percentage? I don't know. Probably a very small number of highly motivated individuals. And you know what ... that is their own business too.
CA
My dear CA,
ReplyDeleteThat people can change their behaviours is a source of great hope for me. Irony intended.
Nevertheless, with respect to changing one's sexual orientation - there just ain't any evidence that it can be done. Behaviours can be changed, but why go against one's nature when that nature is as good as any other?
What is truth? I find it ironic that you ask Pontius Pilate's famous question of the gospel. Entire philosphies and religions have been built to answer that question. I will not labour this thread with my version, however, I will note that:
John 18:38 tells us that after Pilate asked that question he went out to tell the Jews that he could find no guilt against Jesus.
Rekers is no Jesus - but the gays have certainly been put on the cross by bigots and frauds like Rekers.
Cheers...Martin
"Most well-balanced people are happy with the way they are regardless of what others think."
ReplyDeleteWhile that is true, it only proves that there are not too many well-balanced people in the news.
"Self-esteem cannot be given to us by the approval of others, nor taken away by their disapproval."
Well, now, that depends entirely on the individual. Most people who care what others think of them (which is most people) can lose their self-esteem if they are subjected to ridicule and scorn.
"I have heard from the mouth of a psychiatrist I do trust that SOME, though not all, people with same-sex attraction can be helped (at least to remain chaste)."
Why would they want to be "helped?" And there is no such thing as "reverting to hetrosexuality." Those who make a conscious decision not to follow their homosexual attractions and stay strictly hetero are called bisexual. They are simply denying one side of their sexuality. But that's their own choice, if that's how they want to play it.
If you know of a psychiatrist who tells you that he can "help" homosexuality, I suggest you give him a thorough investigation before you pay for his services, because frankly, he's off his beam.