Responding to ex-gays

Several days ago The Friendly Atheist posted A Gay Christian Woman Struggles With Her Identity. The person in question launched a new blog, Becoming Israel, while her questioning Christian friend at FlowerDust mused, Why is being gay a sin?

I usually avoid wading into argumentative waters, but hate to see anyone wander down this treacherous path of self-denial, believing they're doing the best thing for themselves and loved ones, while also honouring a higher power. This is also part of my story, I miraculously lived to tell it, and tell it I must.

Coincidentally I have been working on the the novel Pilgrim's Cross, which mines the same mother lode of narrative from a fictional direction. So the universe has been riding me this week. No wonder I'm anxious.

Here are my comments in various places, for the record.

First, I addressed the question by Hemant Mehta (The Friendly Atheist), "How can you convince gay Christians that it's okay to be gay?"( Answer: they might have to hit bottom themselves before they will listen. )

Someone else referred to "peripheral damage" that may happen to spouse and children when ex-gays convince themselves and others that they are cured. I had to respond to that....( because she was absolutely right. )

A Christian reader seemed to take pity on me, said Christians don't mean to make life miserable for anybody, admitted to his or her own struggle with homosexuality, and explained, "The Lord will help you if you let him." He added that he thinks I just haven't met the right church.

At first I didn't think that warranted a response, but...( I'm fine, thanks )

Back at Becoming Israel, the woman in question asked, Why ask why, and concluded that she had to be content with the answer that being gay is a sin because God says so. But she seemed to be approaching the question honestly, so I explained why her reasoning is dangerous: ( What I experienced and saw happen to people in the ex-gay movement )