Undercover in a "gay conversion" camp

[Angry Floof]

What Happened When I Went Undercover at a Christian Gay-to-Straight Conversion Camp

It was the first night of “Journey into Manhood,” a 48-hour weekend retreat designed to help gay men become straight. In that room, about fifty men — some thirty “Journeyers” and fifteen staff members — sat on the carpeted floor of a ranch lodge two hours outside of Phoenix, Arizona. Most of the men, except for a few of the staff members, struggled to overcome their attraction to other men.

Sometime during all that holding and touching and singing, while I was cradled in the Motorcycle position, I felt it: the unmistakable bulge pressing through his tight jeans. It was the first time in my life I had a felt another man’s erection.

Fascinating read.

 

[gmbteach]

What Happened When I Went Undercover at a Christian Gay-to-Straight Conversion Camp

It was the first night of “Journey into Manhood,” a 48-hour weekend retreat designed to help gay men become straight. In that room, about fifty men — some thirty “Journeyers” and fifteen staff members — sat on the carpeted floor of a ranch lodge two hours outside of Phoenix, Arizona. Most of the men, except for a few of the staff members, struggled to overcome their attraction to other men.

Sometime during all that holding and touching and singing, while I was cradled in the Motorcycle position, I felt it: the unmistakable bulge pressing through his tight jeans. It was the first time in my life I had a felt another man’s erection.

Fascinating read.

WOW!!

 

[Brian63]

It is a good read, but important to note also that it is actually from several years ago. It sounded a little bit familiar already as I was reading it, so googled and found this previous (shorter) version of it from 2010 also:

http://www.stinque.com/2010/04/12/my-journey-into-manhood/



Again though, that is not to diminish the value of the experience, just want to make sure people here are not misinformed about it.

Brian

 

[Davka]

Sounds like the only "gay conversion' at the camp was that of the closeted counselors 'converting.'

 

[Rhea]

That was interesting. The weekend doesn't sound at all like attempts to convert, really, but opportunity to actually embrace their homosexuality, for just a weekend, twisted with some weird psychobabble that risks making the relationship with the father worse rather than better.

 

[Keith&Co.]

That was interesting. The weekend doesn't sound at all like attempts to convert, really, but opportunity to actually embrace their homosexuality, for just a weekend, twisted with some weird psychobabble that risks making the relationship with the father worse rather than better.

That's an interesting idea. In the 'religion reverses everything' video, Ra points out that people are speaking the right words, using the right labels, but their actions don't match the words.

Maybe 'converting' gay christains doesn't work, but if we can make them stop feeling guilty about being gay AND get them to mouth the right words ("I'm not gay any more"), they'll be happy gay christains who self-identify to anyone who'll listen as 'converted former gay christains?'

It's still going to leave festering self-image problems unrecognized and untreated, but they'll get a lot of 'It worked for me' testimonials after each session.