Disqus - Latest Comments for Pete

Re: Luggage Anyone?… and briefly about Public Policy

Pete — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:17:30 -0000

Randy,

This short post struck me as interesting and made clear to me the catch-22 that you must find yourself in. Like it or not, many churches (mine included) with a traditional, orthodox sexual ethic will not have a thing to do with Exodus because you are perceived as a group of "right wingers" with a political agenda .

Having read the blogs of some of Exodus' staff (yourself, Alan and Mike, namely)I realize that, while they are your personal blogs and reflect nothing of Exodus' policies, you all are pretty conservative in your politics.

Randy, you have every right to write about politics on your blogs, but you must be aware that your readership is wide and, like it or not, your writings DO come across as representative of Exodus. Yeah, its unfair that you can't "distance" yourself from your organization, but that is the price of being in the public spotlight.

Anyway, as long as you and your counterparts continue to talk politics, specifically as it relates to LGBT issues you will be giving ammo to those who seek to destroy Exodus

Pete

Re: Luggage Anyone?… and briefly about Public Policy

Pete — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 23:17:30 -0000

Randy,
This short post struck me as interesting and made clear to me the catch-22 that you must find yourself in. Like it or not, many churches (mine included) with a traditional, orthodox sexual ethic will not have a thing to do with Exodus because you are perceived as a group of "right wingers" with a political agenda .
Having read the blogs of some of Exodus' staff (yourself, Alan and Mike, namely)I realize that, while they are your personal blogs and reflect nothing of Exodus' policies, you all are pretty conservative in your politics.
Randy, you have every right to write about politics on your blogs, but you must be aware that your readership is wide and, like it or not, your writings DO come across as representative of Exodus. Yeah, its unfair that you can't "distance" yourself from your organization, but that is the price of being in the public spotlight.
Anyway, as long as you and your counterparts continue to talk politics, specifically as it relates to LGBT issues you will be giving ammo to those who seek to destroy Exodus
Pete

Re: Change is Possible - PC to Mac

Pete — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:18:21 -0000

Very clever and well-written.... Of course, some might say that you were always a Mac user with a "PC problem".

Then again, to carry the analogy further and process its full implications, it can be argued every gay man in America is a Mac user.....;)

Re: Change is Possible - PC to Mac

Pete — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 03:18:21 -0000

Very clever and well-written.... Of course, some might say that you were always a Mac user with a "PC problem".
Then again, to carry the analogy further and process its full implications, it can be argued every gay man in America is a Mac user.....;)

Re: Prosperity Gospel is Evil

Pete — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:13:08 -0000

This is awesome. Makes me want to look more into Piper. I just saw this on my friend's blog and left a comment using the name "Benny Hinn." The comment was short: "blasphemy!" ;)

Re: Prosperity Gospel is Evil

Pete — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:13:08 -0000

This is awesome. Makes me want to look more into Piper. I just saw this on my friend's blog and left a comment using the name "Benny Hinn." The comment was short: "blasphemy!" ;)

Re: Prosperity Gospel is Evil

Pete — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 12:18:55 -0000

Randy,

I guess I have a strange sense of humor... My friend has to notice the email address (mine) with which I made the comment. Thank you for posting the video, though. Its a message that needs to go out.

Re: Prosperity Gospel is Evil

Pete — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:18:55 -0000

Randy,
I guess I have a strange sense of humor... My friend has to notice the email address (mine) with which I made the comment. Thank you for posting the video, though. Its a message that needs to go out.

Re: Nothing Is As Romantic As Being A Struggling Writer (NOT!)

Pete — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 11:47:23 -0000

Hey, thanks for the great essay. The people I know who have this romantic notion of writing also tend to have romantic notions of six figure book deals and 5 figure magazine articles... Ramen noodles and roach infested studios rarely fit into the picture of how they want their life to be.

I recentely met a woman on a plane last weekend who was paid by Town and Country to spend a week at a luxurious eco-lodge in the Patagonia region of Argentina. Lets just say that I was more than a little envious...

Re: Nothing Is As Romantic As Being A Struggling Writer (NOT!)

Pete — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 21:47:23 -0000

Hey, thanks for the great essay. The people I know who have this romantic notion of writing also tend to have romantic notions of six figure book deals and 5 figure magazine articles... Ramen noodles and roach infested studios rarely fit into the picture of how they want their life to be.
I recentely met a woman on a plane last weekend who was paid by Town and Country to spend a week at a luxurious eco-lodge in the Patagonia region of Argentina. Lets just say that I was more than a little envious...

Re: The Chattering Class

Pete — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:59:19 -0000

Well, unfortunately, (and I see this in my own life as well) politics in this country has been reduced to a form of entertainment. We love the discord. The chaos. My friends and I drink beer and watch the debates like we'd watch a football game. And then we "chatter" about it. People like Al Franken, Bill O'Reilly and even Stuart Shephard (Focus on the Family's "Stoplight" guy) only add fuel to this fire.

Re: The Chattering Class

Pete — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 23:59:19 -0000

Re: A Persistent Scourge - Young Men Contracting AIDS at Higher Rates

Pete — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:49:58 -0000

While it is defintely a bummer, I was not suprised by this. The problem is that guys of my generation and younger never saw the devastation of the early/mid '90s. When I was "active" in the gay community, I was shocked by how many guys refused to have safe sex because it didn't feel as good. Several friends of mine in their early 20's have recently gotten the virus. They, of course, are devastated. The whole thing breaks my heart.

Re: A Persistent Scourge - Young Men Contracting AIDS at Higher Rates

Pete — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 22:49:58 -0000

Re: The Gay Legacy?

Pete — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:00:58 -0000

Randy,

You said "I am personally encouraged that today’s broader culture is much safer for those with same sex attractions than the reality of what some of our Senior citizens went through." I could not agree more. The culture in which we live allows me to share openly with friends at church -hopefully educating them on the issue and giving them a glimpse of what it means to live, day to day, with this.

Yet, the reason why the culture is safer is because of HRC, because of all those drugged out guys who dressed like Judy Garland and rioted in the streets of New York in the late 60's, because MTV puts gay characters on Real World and because celebrities like Ellen and Rosie are not afraid to share their lives with the public at large and because, in many states, there are laws that protect LGBT folks from employment discrimination, etc. Its a catch -22 of sorts, isn't it?

In some ways, I have HRC, Lamda Legal and the tireless work of Gay Activists before my time for the fact that I can openly share my story without coming off as some sort of freak. Would you agree?

Re: The Gay Legacy? — ETC: Everyday Thoughts Collected

Pete — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:00:58 -0000

Randy,

You said "I am personally encouraged that todayâ€™s broader culture is much safer for those with same sex attractions than the reality of what some of our Senior citizens went through." I could not agree more. The culture in which we live allows me to share openly with friends at church -hopefully educating them on the issue and giving them a glimpse of what it means to live, day to day, with this.

Yet, the reason why the culture is safer is because of HRC, because of all those drugged out guys who dressed like Judy Garland and rioted in the streets of New York in the late 60's, because MTV puts gay characters on Real World and because celebrities like Ellen and Rosie are not afraid to share their lives with the public at large and because, in many states, there are laws that protect LGBT folks from employment discrimination, etc. Its a catch -22 of sorts, isn't it?

In some ways, I have HRC, Lamda Legal and the tireless work of Gay Activists before my time for the fact that I can openly share my story without coming off as some sort of freak. Would you agree?

Re: The London Times Slams Exodus - Quotes Yours Truly

Pete — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:56:46 -0000

Randy, I got to agree with you here. That piece was shoddy journalism. Even ex-gay watch agrees -which I found suprising.

I did not attend the conference but downloaded an application as I considered atttending. Didn't it have the applicant sign a disclusure designed to keep this type of thing from happening? If so, how is that being handled? You obviously can't discuss legal options, but I feel badly for Michelle and hope future attendees can be more confident that the conference is indeed a safe space.

Re: The London Times Slams Exodus - Quotes Yours Truly

Pete — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 02:56:46 -0000

Re: WARNING: WILDLY Entertaining Post Ahead - Presidential Election in THREE WEEKS!

Pete — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:46:34 -0000

Randy, you are endorsing a Republican candidate???!!! I thought one had to be a Democrat to work at Exodus ;)

Re: Pastor Steven Furtick: Practice Selective Hearing

Pete — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:12:39 -0000

Interesting thoughts. I agree that there is wisdom in selective response. That being said, selective response requires one to discern between false accusations and accurate ones, between those who wish to destroy your ministry in its entirety and those who care deeply about what you do yet are very concerned about participation in events that perpetuate both lies and injustice.
Selective Response as a discipline must acknowledge the consequences of silence and the power of implied consent.

Re: Pastor Steven Furtick: Practice Selective Hearing

Pete — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:32:37 -0000

I was shocked when IL Governor Rod Blagojevich compared his arrest for corruption to those of Ghandi and Martin Luther King. But by comparing the situation you and yours find yourselves in to Christ on the cross, I think you one upped my former Governor (but at least you have better hair).

Re: Pastor Steven Furtick: Practice Selective Hearing

Pete — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:22:21 -0000

I see your point. Fair enough. But it must be remembered that Jesus was without sin and truly had nothing to answer for.
ps Did you go to law school?

Re: Pastor Steven Furtick: Practice Selective Hearing

Pete — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 07:41:31 -0000

Randy, you appear to be a guy who will not allow his opinions to be prejudiced by the facts. As anyone (including Evangelicals Dr. Throckmorton and Wendry Gritter) who seriously follows this issue knows, a board member of Exodus (and not some fringe staffer from one of your "240+ agencies") is participating in a conference that is advocating the criminalization of homosexuality, forced reparative therapy for those dealing with homosexuality and the false notion that all of us who struggle with same sex attraction can be cured of it. And the real tragedy is that all this is happening in a country that is rampant with true and genuine homophobia -a country where, according to a missionary friend of mine, it is not uncommon to see human bodies on the side of the road.
Why is it so difficult to make a statement about all of this???

Re: So Why Aren’t You Watching Damages? - The Daily Beast

Pete — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:45:56 -0000

Wow, I haven't heard anyone else mention this show until now. I don't get why it has not gotten the big ratings -maybe because they don't really market it??
I had no idea the finale was tonight and wonder how on earth they can wrap everything up in just one episode. And Randy, who knew that we'd actually agree on something :)

Re: So Why Aren’t You Watching Damages? - The Daily Beast

Pete — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 00:44:57 -0000

You are probably right about that writers' strike. I think they ended the season very well. The scene with Patty and Ellen in the hotel room will tip the scales in the favor of one of those actresses come emmy time.
I look forward to the third season.

Re: Perez Hilton Vs. Miss California

Pete — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:07:10 -0000

I have been following the whole thing and I think Perez is a PR genius. This incident got him on Larry King and several other cable news outlets -which will just increase his site traffic and, therefore, his ad revenue. He knew before asking the question that the answer would be controversial -especially since he probably had access to information about her (including her faith).
While she did not come across as the brightest bulb in chandelier, Miss California answered the question honestly and without compromising her personal integrity. I think that represents what is good about America much more than the pandering that Perez would have preferred. If the political figurehead (Obama) of the US can get away with saying that his personal views of marriage are restricted to a union between male and female, then why not the busty blond figurehead?

Re: So Why Aren't You Watching Damages? – The Daily Beast

Pete — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:45:56 -0000

Re: So Why Aren't You Watching Damages? – The Daily Beast

Pete — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 00:44:57 -0000