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Thursday, December 18, 2008

Coping with being gay and godly

Published:Dec 15, 2008

Please click on "external link" to access entire article

As long as churches condemn homosexuality, there will be those who claim they can ‘cure’ this sexual orientation, writes Robert McKay

In 2006 the Rainbow Nation celebrated another milestone. South Africa became one of the most progressive countries in the world when it legalised gay marriage.

From then , as far as the constitution was concerned, gay men and women were equal to their heterosexual countrymen. But a survey published as late as last month shows that this spirit of inclusivity hasn’t filtered down into the hearts of ordinary South Africans.

According to the annual SA Social Attitudes Survey, by the Human Sciences Research Council, as many as 80percent of South Africans remain opposed to gay and lesbian relationships. That this same fraction of people identify themselves as Christian is no coincidence. Much of the prejudice towards homosexuality is rooted in religion. When the Civil Union Bill was passed, African Christian Democratic Party leader Kenneth Meshoe even warned of “provoking God’s anger”.

But, if religion has historically been part of the problem for gay men and women, it now also promises a solution in the form of the “ex-gay” movement — a loose collection of Christians who claim to “cure” homosexuality. The movement began in the US and remains largely American, but several ministries have opened in South Africa. One such organisation is Living Waters, the local branch of a US-based ministry headed by Craig Roome.

Roome says the counselling programme offered by Living Waters is designed for all people who are struggling with relationship issues, and only part of that work includes “helping [gay] people to journey out of that lifestyle” — about 20 percent of the people who enroll for the six-month course are “from gay backgrounds” and the five or six support groups Living Waters runs each year draw 500 to 600 people.

Roome is convinced that people can change — he is a product of the programme himself and now regards himself as heterosexual (he dislikes the term “ex-gay”).

In the US media, the ex-gay story has centered on the debate between ex-gay proponents who say “Change is possible” and gay activists who say “No, it isn’t”.

Labels: Craig Roome, gay marriage, homosexuality, Human Sciences Research Council, Living Waters, Robert McKay, SA Social Attitudes Survey

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