“So Allberry, Butterfield, and Perry’s popularity comes largely because straight Christians like to hear them talk about how they dealt with their homosexuality. It makes straight Christians feel tolerant for giving them platforms. Straight Christians imagine that gay people will respond positively to their message and will not reject the Christian position on sexuality as hateful.”
(Robert Oscar Lopez – American Thinker) To be loving does not mean to be gullible. Jesus Christ mentions that we will come across dishonest people, especially among those who have prestige (or are seeking it). We should love people, but that does not mean we should let them take advantage of us. Or fool us. Or trick us.
In that spirit, I want Rosaria Butterfield, Sam Allberry, and Jackie Hill Perry to answer a simple yes-or-no question. No long filibustering paragraphs. No detours into extensive complaints about what other Christians are supposedly doing. No lifeline block-quotes from Augustine. Just yes or no. Here:
Yes or no.
Here’s why this question is urgent. Butterfield, Allberry, and Perry are currently superstars in the world of Protestant Christianity, constantly summoned to discuss issues of sexuality in the church. They all had experience with same-sex attraction. They all say they believe in Christ.
And they all attack conversion therapy. According to her profile on Alchetron, Rosaria Butterfield believes the following:
She does not identify herself as “ex-gay” and does not think any Christians should identify themselves as “gay Christians.” She notes that “[t]he job of the adjective is to change the noun.” Butterfield has criticized conversion therapy for contending that the “primary goal of Christianity is to resolve homosexuality through heterosexuality, thus failing to see that repentance and victory over sin are God’s gifts and failing to remember that sons and daughters of the King can be full members of Christ’s body and still struggle with sexual temptation.” Butterfield suggests this is a version of the prosperity gospel.
The Alchetron page classes Butterfield with Matthew Vines and Alan Chambers. What a club.
Sam Allberry’s group in London, Living Out, makes similar swipes at conversion therapy, though the prose below is actually attributed to Sean Doherty:
Why we do not support the idea of ‘gay cure’
1) Homosexuality is not an illness. But using the language of ‘cure’ makes it sound like it is, which could be very damaging to vulnerable people (such as a young person coming to terms with their sexuality), making them feel ashamed of who they are at a very deep and fundamental level, and perhaps in some cases even contributing to suicidal feelings. Thankfully, we are not aware of any organisations in the UK which do support the idea of a ‘gay cure’. Our belief is that all of us have fallen sexual desires (whether heterosexual or homosexual), and that what we need isn’t more heterosexuality or less homosexuality, but the holiness found in Jesus Christ.
Update – added 12/7/10
Research: