"Be not deceived" the sacred and sexual struggles of gay and ex-gay Christian men - Wolkomir, Michelle (Rutgers University Press, 2006)
Master and use copy. Digital master created according to Benchmark for Faithful Digital Reproductions of Monographs and Serials, Version 1. Digital Library Federation, December 2002
Includes bibliographical references (pages 211-218) and index
The problem with being gay and Christian -- Alternate theologies : sins and solutions -- The dilemmas of Christian men who desire men -- Choosing a path to resolution -- Challenging traditional meanings -- Learning to be a gay or an ex-gay Christian -- Authenticity and the good Christian -- The wives of ex-gay Christian men -- Conclusions: the parameters of change
Homosexuality has become increasingly accepted in mainstream America over the past two decades. Yet despite indications of progress that can be found everywhere from academia to popular culture, gay men and women remain the target of much discrimination and stigma, particularly within conservative Christianity. In "Be Not Deceived", Michelle Wolkomir explores the difficult dilemma that gay Christians face in their attempts to reconcile their religious and sexual identities. She introduces the ideologies and practices of two alternative, and competing, ministries that offer solutions for Christians who experience homosexual desire. Using ethnographic data, she examines the implications of these ministries for the men who participate in them, for their families, and for understanding contemporary debates surrounding homosexuality in American society. One organization - the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches - believes that God made people gay to suit divine purposes. Changing one's sexuality is therefore impossible and a defiance of God.; In contrast, Exodus International preaches that homosexuality is a sin and a symptom of disordered psychological development - one that can be cured through redemptive prayer. By comparing participant experiences in these ministries, Wolkomir explores the paths and processes by which members learn to become gay or ex-gay Christians. Through careful analysis of the groups' ideologies, interactions, and symbolic resources, "Be Not Deceived" goes far beyond the obvious differences between the ministries to uncover their similarities, namely that both continue to define heterosexuality as the normative and dominant lifestyle