"Be Not Deceived""Be Not Deceived"
the Sacred and Sexual Struggles of Gay and Ex-gay Christian Men
Title rated 0 out of 5 stars, based on 0 ratings(0 ratings)
Unknown, 2006
Current format, Unknown, 2006, , Available.Unknown, 2006
Current format, Unknown, 2006, , Available. Offered in 0 more formatsHomosexuality 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.
Title availability
About
Details
Publication
- New Brunswick, N.J. : Rutgers University Press, ©2006.
Opinion
More from the community
Community lists featuring this title
There are no community lists featuring this title
Community contributions
There are no quotations from this title
There are no quotations from this title
From the community