CompleteMartialArts.com - Be Not Deceived: The Sacred and Sexual Struggles of Gay and Ex-Gay Christian Men
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Manufacturer: Rutgers University Press
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 261.8357662
EAN: 9780813538228
ISBN: 081353822X
Label: Rutgers University Press
Manufacturer: Rutgers University Press
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 244
Publication Date: 2006-03-01
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
Studio: Rutgers University Press
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Editorial Reviews:
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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.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Indispensable research, invaluable tool
Comment: My doctorate is in religion, not sociology, but I can recognize good research and clear analysis when I see them. Wolkomir spent a LOT of time with "gay Christian" (MCC) and "ex-gay Christian groups," (Exodus) and her empathy with the individuals caught in the dilemmas of being gay and committed to conservative Christianity is evident on every page. What makes her work even more valuable than Tanya Erzen's (also an excellent study) is that Wolkomir goes deeper, analyzing how the theology of each group impacts the individual's self-understanding and provides emotional payoffs that might not be obvious at first. She also studies the wives of "ex-gay" men, an important chapter on an under-studied group. Finally, the concluding last chapter packs a real punch, as Wolkomir demonstrates how even the pro-gay Christian group (MCC) is possibly shoring up an oppressive system. On the other hand, she gives credit to both groups for opening up "social space" for non-conformers and thus changing the larger society.
All in all, an invaluable resource for all interested in the relation between homosexuality and conservative religion in America.
Customer Rating:
Summary: eye-opening
Comment: This book provides an inside look at men working to reconcile their sexuality and their faith. The author tries very hard to show the similarities of these men even though the media portrays them as diametrically opposed. It is a different-than-normal way to think about Christianity and homosexuality. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to think outside of the box and see where individuals don't always fit into society's definitions.
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Summary: Interesting Ethnographic Research, Comparative Study
Comment: In this book the author, Michelle Wolkmir, an assistant professor of sociology at Centenary College (Shreveport, Louisiana) conducted her own fieldwork by studying two competing ministries that offer solutions for Christians who experience homosexuality. One is the proclaimed ex-gay ministry, Exodus International, and the other is the growing Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC). The specific individual affiliates studied where Expell and Accept, respectively. The latter believes that God made people gay to suit divine purposes, while the former teaches that homosexuality is a sin, a symptom of psychological disorder, and a wayward lifestyle which can be overcome by the power of God.
Wolkmir found, by way of attending the two group's Bible studies and ministry meetings, that they had different ideas about homosexuality, while both were "strikingly" similar in terms of prayer and worship. Both had gratitude to God and asked God for grace in their lives. Some differences in specific prayers were that the Exodus group prayed for healing of their own homosexuality, while MCC prayed for the wounds inflicted on gay people by people who mistreated them. MCC believes there is no biblical basis for condemnation of homosexuality, that the discrimination and stigmas against homosexuality is really a result of what they consider the Church's heterosexism. Interestingly, the author accuses MCC of "revising theology [so] that [it] defends homosexuality" (p. 194).
Wolkomir's attempt in the study was to unbiasly explore how people with basic religious beliefs, who have the same problem, arrive at opposing solutions. Her narratives are frank and interestingly telling. She uses much verbatim and less of a political angle than Erzen's book (Straight to Jesus). Like Erzen, Wolkomir found that change for the ex-gay identified men she studied did not always mean complete change in sexual orientation. Within the Accept population she reports that the members were able to reconcile their homosexuality with their faith and that, with the exception of one, they had positive experiences. Finally, this is a poignant read for those interested in comparative studies.
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