SameSame.com.au ~ Inside Out Australia

Day Of Silence Vs Day Of Truth

International News, By Christian Taylor, 10th March, 2008

In America, the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network – otherwise known as GLSEN, are promoting April 25 as a day of silence against homophobic violence in schools. However, not everybody plans to keep quiet.

In light of the recent murder of teenage student Lawrence King, you’d think that a day devoted to raising awareness of the bullying and harassment that some kids face in schools could only be considered a good thing. However certain church leaders don’t agree.

A Pastor in Bakersfield is telling parents to keep their children at home on the day of silence so that they can’t participate.

“If you go into the middle east whatever you can be put to death for it,” said Pastor Mike Franey to KGet.com. “Based on Christian principles and what the bible teaches, I’m totally opposed to it… However, man has chosen to decriminalise it.”

No matter which way you look at it, Franey and his supporters are justifying the violence, the harassment and essentially the murder of gay students with such remarks.

A spokesperson from GLSEN defended the day, saying “It has nothing to do with anybody’s beliefs or values. In fact, it’s not about changing beliefs or changing values, but it’s about changing behaviour.”

But the Christian groups are not at all interested in changing anything. They’re holding their Day of Truth a few days later on April 28 – a day that is all about standing up against “the promotion of the homosexual agenda” and expressing “an opposing viewpoint from a Christian perspective.” They’ve set up an online resource centre so that as many schools across America as possible can participate and are urging students to wear t-shirts and hand out cards with the following message on them:

“I’m speaking the Truth to break the silence.
True tolerance means that people with differing – even opposing – viewpoints can freely exchange ideas and respectfully listen to each other.
It’s time for an honest conversation about homosexuality.
There’s freedom to change if you want to.
Let’s talk.”

But what is this so called ‘truth’? What will they be saying during these ‘honest conversations’? According to their website the ‘truth’ includes dispelling the myth that we are born gay, redefining notions of ‘tolerance’ and that sexuality and gender are not fluid and that all sexual experiences are not equal and not all should be accepted.

It’s unsurprising to find out that Exodus – the ex-gay organisation – is involved with this program.