I recently saw the controversial film ``Brokeback Mountain'' with my wife. I am writing a column about it for the newspaper soon but wanted to pass along a view that I don't necessarily agree with. I've posted it below. It is written by the president of the ``Traditional values Coalition.'' Tell me what you think. I'll say more about my views after the column is published.
Traditional Values Coalition
The Real Tragedy Of ‘Brokeback Mountain’
By Rev. Louis P. Sheldon
Chairman, Traditional Values Coalition
For Publication On Or After February 6, 2006
Washington, DC – The homosexual-themed film, “Brokeback Mountain” has received rave reviews from critics and is being showered with awards from various film groups. It has already received eight Oscar nominations. This is to be expected from a liberal/homosexual dominated film industry.
The self-selected and self-serving cabal who hand out awards know what they’re doing. They’re determined to normalize homosexuality by using every means possible—including creating sympathetic “cowboys” who are victims of “homophobia.”
What this film does not deal with is the dysfunctional nature and social consequences of the same-sex lifestyle. Homosexual behavior is no different than tobacco or alcohol abuse. All have serious emotional and physical consequences. Homosexual sex acts frequently result in the spread of STDs, including HIV. And, crystal meth drug use is epidemic among homosexual populations.
Of course, until forced to by the government, the tobacco industry never talked about cancer. The alcohol industry seldom discusses the dangerous consequences of alcohol abuse on families. And, Hollywood carefully avoids revealing the consequences of homosexual behaviors—which frequently include a painful death at a young age.
“Brokeback Mountain” assumes that both of these “cowboys” are driven by their genetic makeup to engage in secretive same-sex behaviors. In doing so, they betray their wives. The underlying assumption about homosexual behavior is wrong. No one – not even responsible “gay” researchers – claim to have discovered a “gay gene” that makes men seek sex with other men.
In fact, the existence of ex-homosexual organizations such as Exodus International and therapeutic groups such as the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) provide compelling evidence that hope exists for individuals struggling with unwanted same-sex desires. There are literally thousands of men and women who have broken the back of their same-sex attractions and now live heterosexually.
The tragedy of “Brokeback Mountain” is not that homophobia somehow destroyed the lives of two men who just wanted to “love” each other. The tragedy of this film is that its underlying assumption about homosexuality is wrong; it ignores the serious physical and emotional consequences of homosexual behavior; and it gives no hope to an individual to break free of unwanted same-sex attractions. In short, the film condemns men with same-sex attractions to despair and hopelessness—but wrongly blames it on homophobia.
The truth is that homosexual behaviors are not fixed or genetic in origin. The truth is that the homosexual condition can be healed. Thousands of ex-homosexuals can attest to this fact—but these are inconvenient truths that do not fit in with the goals of the homosexual activists in Hollywood.
Alan Chambers, an ex-homosexual who is president of Exodus International, has warned about the danger of “Brokeback Mountain.” He notes: “We hear from hurting individuals every day who are looking for answers beyond the culture’s one-sided ‘born-gay’ response to the issue of homosexuality. Messages like the ones emphasized [in this film] only further add to their confusion and desperation.”
