In the context of Amazon censoring "ex-gay" testimony books of Anne Paulk, Joe Dallas, and others, someone asked, "what does ex-gay even mean?"

"Ex-gay" is a label used to describe someone who once lived or identified as gay or lesbian before, but no longer do. Labels are of course something one chooses to self-identify with. "Ex-gay" also has been used by individuals who once had same-sex sexual desires but never lived or identified as gay or lesbian. 

The "ex-gay" label sometimes is also used by those who are just starting a journey out of homosexual behavior, lifestyle, and identity, for which they believe it is a sin that separates them from God. These individuals are new in their faith walk in Jesus Christ. They are desiring to live fully authentic as they believe God has destined for them, and so they choose to use that label in faith as it becomes the truth.

Christian ministry has always included evangelism of the faith, as commanded by Jesus. It includes discipleship in the faith. These are accomplished through solid biblical teaching, life testimonies (Rev 12:11) and life experiences of those who have gone before. Those books being censored by Amazon share the authors understanding of how Christianity directs us to live in Christ, mind, body, and spirit. Those books are being censored, solely because of their religious message. It is religious discrimination.

Our "ex-gay" Christian community desires to be a safe space for people who seek authentic discipleship in the Christian faith with their goal of aligning their lives, behaviors and identities included, with the teachings of Jesus Christ. These books are a needed and desired part of our Christian community.

We are disciples of Jesus, and our life stories are being censored because of a lie.

The "conversion therapy" straw man lie used to censor our books is conflating our testimonies of conversion to Christ with faux claims of electroshock therapy, drug aversion techniques, and coercive shameful behaviors by imagined licensed therapists. It is incredibly defamatory towards and bullying of our ex-gay Christian community. Our lives and our faith in Christ is not personally harmful to people who identify as LGBT. Not a single one of these Christian testimonies and discipleship books speak of harming anyone identified as LGBT but instead encourages love, life, peace and joy everlasting in Jesus Christ.

Again, it is a lie that these books are pushing "conversion therapy", the pejorative term used by those activists who identify as LGBT. In truth, these books are Christian testimony and discipleship books. Hope for those seeking to walk a journey of faith in Jesus. They guide people out of sinful behaviors and by that nature, it frequently occurs the reader elects out of the LGBT community and elects into the flock of God, into the church fellowship, into life in Jesus Christ.

Renouncing our former way of life as gay-identified, and pursuing Jesus, creates a problem for the narratives of the LGBT community who are determined to silence and erase our community.

The political and cultural lobbies aligned to LGBT identity have a death grip on the narrative that you're born gay or that once identified as LGBT one cannot change, that sexual orientation is fixed, immutable. Both are untrue beliefs or faith statements. The recent gene study showed we are not born with gay behaviors, and Lisa Diamond research shows sexual orientation is fluid. Also, common sense tells us desires can change. They use this false belief narrative in every place and every way possible to attempt censorship or erasure of our community or anyone else who subscribe to their faith.

The spirit (Eph 6) behind the LGBT activism against "ex-gays" is the same spirit against Jesus. We are Jesus' workmanship, evidence Jesus is alive and has authority, that he heals, changes hearts and minds, that He is who he says he is, the Lord, the King of Kings, the judge of mankind. That spirit is offended at our choices. In fact, our choices simply existing as a contrast to their choices, is too much to bear for their seared conscience. The work of Jesus in our lives, as written in the books being censored, weighs too much on their conscience as well. So they do everything they can to censor and bully us.

They wrapped their disdain for Jesus, for our choices to follow him, and our telling of His works, into a strawman lie, known as "conversion therapy."

What is this spirit (Eph 6) behind the censorship really saying? "How dare you suggest people can convert to follow Jesus and leave OUR community! How dare you say we are wrong. We are offended. You are pushing conversion [to Christ] therapy. What you are saying is hate speech!" And so they send their hate our way, encourage others to do so, including Amazon via their censorship.

Again, these books are encouraging Christian discipleship, which is a lifestyle choice where we pour all our heart, mind, body, strength, and soul into, including our identity and behaviors.
Now, because God desires that none should perish, we pray for those who persecute us. Love does no harm. Love is patient. In our "ex-gay" community, love our neighbors has a meaning. Do unto others has meaning. "If you love me, obey my commands" has meaning. "God loves you" has meaning. "Jesus is Lord" and "Jesus is my Lord" has meaning. We have love, as God defines love, for those who who are still identifying and living as LGBT.

The manner of our ex-gay stories is testimonies of Jesus, the living Savior and Lord of our lives, working in us. The one whose workmanship is ever healing and sanctifying. He sustains us for today and gives us hope for tomorrow. He rescued us from eternal death and brought us into the light. And as Jesus said, he is "the way, the truth, and the life". We believe that, and try to live it the best we can by his grace. And we have the right to write about it and we have civil rights protecting our books from discrimination based on our religion. This is religious discrimination.

Sign the petition asking Amazon to restore the Christian books they have censored!
http://chng.it/QhpmXG4PHy

Please share this petition again! Keep the momentum going. Let’s aim for 25k signatures this week.

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Other synonyms for "ex-gay" include ex-LGBT, X-LGBT, LGBT-EX, LGBT-X.

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