The pro-LGBT blogsite based in Singapore "Dear Straight People" loves to play victim, all while victimizing Christians, conservatives, pro-family activists, and anyone with common sense, i.e. people who recognize the scientific facts that people are not born gay nor born in the wrong body.
Of course, they had to target TrueLove.Is, a ministry (also based in Singapore) which helps Christians struggling with LGBT issues and behaviors. They started a fight, and then faced considerable backlash for doing so.
Surprise!
Dear Straight People,
On 10 July 2020, Facebook and Instagram announced that they will ban content promoting conversion therapy. In response, Dear Straight People published a post asking if Truelove.is should come under this ban.
It's not "conversion therapy" for the record. It's called reparative therapy or reintegrative therapy or therapeutic choice. Pretty straightforward. It sounds like religious extremism that LGBT activists like Sean Foo insist on calling this therapy a religious sounding name.
For context, Truelove.is is an initiative by 3:16 Church that seeks to reach out to LGBTQ+ Christians. While Truelove.is does not engage in practices commonly associated with conversion therapy such as electrocution, the platform has often been accused of being modern day conversion therapy that represses the sexuality of its members.
Big mistake once again. Many of the story-sharers for TrueLove.Is are not LGBT. They do not identify with their feelings or their past behaviors. Why does the LGBT movement insist on trying to turn this into something essential and unchangeable?
As expected, Dear Straight People’s post drew quite a reaction. What I did not expect however, were the many testimonies from LGBTQ+ Christians who felt like their voices were being invalidated.
Most active (and activist) homosexuals do not care about other people. They do not care about the feelings of others. They want to promote themselves and meet their own needs, while ignoring the needs of others. It's really quite shameful, but not surprising, all in all.
[Sean Foo:] I decided to reach out to the founder of 3:16 Church, Pastor Ian Toh, as well as a former feature of Truelove.is, Jason Lim, to better understand their perspectives.
If I’m going to be honest, the conversation did not get off to the best start.
Of course it didn't! Sean Foo wanted to silence people who want to break free of the lies of the LGBT agenda. The obtuseness is stifling.
Pastor Ian Toh was unhappy about Dear Straight People’s post, which rode on the back of many others who wanted Truelove.is to be banned. I retorted by pointing out that religious institutions in Singapore have a long history of cancelling the LGBTQ+ community.
Notice right away how Sean Foo plays victim. He is the one who started the social media by suggesting that TrueLove.Is should be cancelled. When Pastor Ian rightly called him out for wrongly attacking his ministry, Sean didn't take responsibility for his Internet temper tantrum, but then projected his failures onto the society as a whole. For all the times that the so-called "LGBT community" has been cancelled, Pastor Ian Toh and TrueLove.Is are not responsible for those outcomes. Besides, for the record, LGBT behaviors should be "cancelled". They should not be promoted to the public because they are based on lies, the inadvertently (or purposefully) seduce confused and at-rish children into those destructive behaviors, and they harm public health.
When we finally got the underlying tension out of the way, all parties came to an agreement on what this perspective piece will aim to do.
This article that you are about to read, will give Truelove.is the chance to present their perspective fairly. As such, both Ian and Jason will get ample opportunity to clarify their views and ensure that nothing they say gets taken out of context.
What this article will not be however, is a PR piece for Truelove.is. As such, neither Jason nor Ian will have any say over my own views on the matter.
This article was meant to be a PR piece for "Dear Straight People", to cover up for their bigotry.
Ultimately, the aim of this article will be to provide a conducive platform for both sides to better understand one another, which is especially important now in light of recent events.
Sure!
THE ORIGINS & AIMS OF
TRUELOVE.IS
Religion and the LGBTQ+ community have always been at loggerheads. Fundamentally, this can be attributed to religious text denouncing same-sex acts to be a sin. While there are many other sins such as adultery, the LGBTQ+ community have always attracted an exceptional amount of opposition from religious groups.
First of all, there is no "LGBT community" as properly understood. People are not born gay, and behaviors do not create a final identity. So let's cut the crap right there.
The reason why LGBT behaviors have attracted considerable outrage and attention is that the people who engage in these behaviors want to normalize them at great length, whereas people who engage in adultery or fornication do not rally for special rights or demand parades to flaunt their specific brand of sexual depravity.
Launched in 2018, Truelove.is by 3:16 Church is co-founded and run by Pastor Ian Toh. When I ask Pastor Ian why he decided to focus on the LGBTQ+ community specifically, he explains:
[Pastor Ian Toh:] The Church of Singapore is a whole body and she reaches out on many fronts, like special needs children, youth at risk, depression etc.
3:16 Church has a small role to play in the Church of Singapore and it happens to be on LGBTQ matters. Our hope is that this will play a small role in making the church a safer place for the micro-minority to come out to.
These precious Christians often offer to share their testimonies knowing full well that they may face double pressure from both activists and some well-meaning but wrong positioning Christians – they are a minority of minorities. So, it is especially important to us that their life-stories are well and excellently told.
Christians who still struggle with these sexual issues deserve to seek help and know that they can get the help that they need without further shame, reproach, or confusion. This ministry is essential to the Body of Christ to stand up to the wiles and wickedness of a fallen world.
One such member of this minority within a minority is Jason Lim.
Incidentally, Jason was actually how I came to know about Truelove.is. On 27 October 2018, Jason was featured on a Truelove.is video. In the video, Jason recounts how he first felt same-sex attraction at the age of 14 after stumbling upon some gay porn. It was also during this time that Jason was first introduced to Christianity.
I find it quite interesting that Sean Foo of "Dear Straight People" does not recognize that Jason Lim (aka Yolt) started struggling with same-sex attraction syndrome when he was introduced to gay porn, then got hooked.
[Jason Lim:] As I matured in the faith, I learned that identifying as a Christian had responsibilities as well. Despite that, I continued to “experiment” (if you know what I mean) until my “wake up call” at 24.
That ‘wake up call’ was a motorbike accident. His near death experience would go on to play a pivotal role in his life.
[Jason Lim:] I was given a miraculous second chance at life and had an encounter and revelation about who God is; He is unconditional love and at the same time, holy. That moved me to give up my own desires – to live in His way, not mine.
I gave up my right to self-gratification and many of my own desires that were not in alignment with God’s vision for my life. That wake-up call was my death certificate from a motorbike accident.
I am grateful for it. I found a sense of peace, joy and resolution in my life that was not there during the days when I explored my sexuality without boundaries.
Sexuality really has no joy or pleasures without those boundaries. This is a growing revelation for many people. Jason's story should be a learning experience for people who still struggle with LGBT issues/
Soon after, Jason found solace at 3:16 Church.
HOW TRUELOVE.IS SERVES THE LGBTQ+
COMMUNITY
Jason is one of many LGBTQ+ Christians who found a home in 3:16 Church. If you trawl through the many other stories on Truelove.is, you will notice a similar narrative. Truelove.is members have all found a sense of peace and community at Truelove.is after struggling with same-sex attraction. As Pastor Ian Toh explains,
[Pastor Ian Toh:] Truelove.Is focuses on Bible-believing Christians, and hopes to create a safe space for LGBTQ individuals within this group, plus those who are simply curious about what alternative there might be if they feel uncomfortable with living out their sexual attraction.
What sets Truelove.is apart from other religious institutions is that they do not condemn same-sex attraction itself. Although Truelove.is have shared stories of gay-turned-straight subjects before, Truelove.is does not coerce anyone to change their sexuality.
[Sean Foo:] Christianity generally adopts a
hardline stance against the LGBTQ+ community. By asserting itself as a safe
haven for Christians with same-sex attraction, it’s not hard to see the appeal
of Truelove.is.
Truelove.is may not condemn
experiencing same-sex attraction. But acting on that same-sex attraction is
deemed to be sinful. In other words, Truelove.is advocates that people with
same-sex attraction must strive to either become celibate, or conform by
marrying someone of the opposite sex.
Jason himself, is the living embodiment of that belief. When I ask him if he identifies as a gay man, he responds:
[Jason Lim:] My definition of a gay man is someone who is attracted to and is open to being romantically partnered with another man.
I won’t deny that I have same-sex attraction but I’ve decided that I won’t pursue a romantic relationship with one. So by that definition, I do not inhabit the identity of a gay man.
Jason then goes on to elaborate,
Right now I am committed to living a healthy and fulfilling life of singleness, while remaining open to the possibility of pursuing marriage with a woman one day.
COMMON CRITICISM AGAINST
TRUELOVE.IS
Truelove.is may have only launched in 2018. But they have already attracted a considerable amount of detractors.
That does not mean that they are doing anything wrong. On the contrary, the fact that LGBT militants are going out of their way to shut them down suggests that they are doing something right, telling the truth about inherently destructive behaviors and an entire agenda that is based on lies.
Truelove.is purports to be a safe space for LGBTQ+ Christians. But critics argue that Truelove.is cannot claim to be all-loving if members are pushed to repress their sexual desires.
There is no repression when you are rejecting thoughts and feelings which do not line up with your true identity. People may get angry, but that does not mean that they have to be a slave to their feelings, does it?
Truelove.is treats same-sex acts as a sin to resist. Succumbing to same-sex attraction is often implied to lead to emptiness or tragedy. In a recent video, Tou Chen recounts having sex with 3 to 4 men every night. In another video, Jamie Wong talks about how her pursuit of a same-sex relationship caused her to fall into depression.
Same-sex attraction syndrome is something to reject, not just resist. Such behaviors do indeed lead to great emptiness. Many of the stories shared in "Dear Straight People" confirm this sad reality.
By painting such a bleak picture of the LGBTQ+ ‘lifestyle’, Truelove.is is often accused of brainwashing its members into rejecting their sexuality. And therein lies my main concern. I couldn’t fathom why anyone would want to choose such a path when there are much healthier ways of reconciling someone’s faith with their sexuality.
There is no brainwashing when telling the truth. There is "metanoia," or repentance because one hears the truth and is set free.
Due to the formidable marketing power of Truelove.is, Christians might not be aware of alternatives to coping with unwanted same-sex attraction. For example, Free Community Church is Singapore’s only LGBTQ+ affirmative church that encourages its members to form healthy normal same-sex relationships. Oogachaga also offers affirmative counselling for the LGBTQ+ community. Pastor Ian clarifies,
[Pastor Ian Toh:] They are all aware of a church in Singapore that teaches that homosexual acts are not wrong. Why don’t they all flock there? Would not that be problem solved for them? But they would not and could not!
One reason is that they do not believe that Free Community Church’s teaching square with their sincere understanding of the Bible.
Jason goes on to elaborate,
[Jason Lim:] I have a friend who attends Free Community Church… My gay affirming friends and I are clear about the differences in our life choices; like having boyfriends or clubbing at Tanjong Pagar… or in my case, not choosing those.
We respect each others decisions and connect, complain and bond over many other things.
[Sean Foo:]By rejecting his sexuality, Jason has inadvertently committed himself to a life of celibacy and solitude. Jason has never had a relationship before. And he probably never will. Although he hopes to marry a woman one day, he acknowledges that he rarely feels attraction to the opposite sex.
Notice the false premise. "Dear Straight People" insists that Jason is rejecting "his sexuality" because he doesn't want to engage in homosexuality. The truth is that Jason is restoring his sexuality!
[Jason Lim:] In all honesty, having same sex desires and seeing my gay friends attached does have me feeling some level of FOMO.
But every time I come to that crossroad between having a boyfriend or not, I find myself more eager to have an intimate relationship with God. This comes from my own experience of dating guys – I find it satisfies my emotional need but no more than that.
In the end, I don’t really feel
I’m “missing out” that much after all!
Whatever men need emotionally, they will not find in a false sexualized relationship with another man. Men were not designed to fulfill such a need in that fashion for other men.
[Sean Foo:] It’s a fair point. And the more I talk to them, the less rebuttals I have. Truelove.is members consciously choose not to act on their same-sex attraction. That is their choice and their religious freedom. And we should respect it.
Then "Dear Straight People" gets into a confused tirade about religious freedom v. religious extremism:
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IS NOT THE SAME
AS RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM.
After talking to both Pastor Ian and Jason Lim, I believe that they are genuine in wanting to help LGBTQ+ Christians.
Again with the gaslighting and misleading comments. There are no "LGBT Christians." There are Christians, that is all. No person is defined their personal feelings or preferences. Let's stop with this nonsense.
The overarching principle of Truelove.is is that homosexual practices is a sin to be resisted. Consequently, Truelove.is views Christian LGBTQ+ people as precious souls that need care and understanding. That is why they always profess to come from a place of love.
However, Jaime Wong’s example suggests that these ex-gay members are not merely practicing religious freedom. They may harbour highly radicalised beliefs. And religious extremism should have no place in a secular society.
This is a disgusting smear against TrueLove.Is. This line of thinking is becoming more prevalent in so-called free societies, in which anyone who opposes homosexuality and transgenderism, or embraces Christian, conservative views is listed, defamed, maligned as an "extremist." This is outrageous behavior.
A distinction must be made between religious extremism and someone being extremely religious. Radicalised religious beliefs are dangerous. A simple google search will show you why.
As if Sean "I was born this way" Foo has any business defining one or the other. Frankly, LGBT militants are more Pharisaical and extremist than Christians are by and large. They fight and demean people repeatedly who simply speak the truth and recognize that sexually deviant behaviors are inherently destructive.
If someone wants to turn their back on their sexuality because of religious reasons, that is their religious right. And the LGBTQ+ community should respect their choice.
Similarly, backlash to radical beliefs shouldn’t be misconstrued as an assault on religion. Nor should it be dismissed as cancel culture from the left. If your religious beliefs are radical enough to elicit such a strong response, perhaps there’s a possibility that your religion is being exploited for right-wing extremism.
The belief that marriage is for one man and one woman is not an extreme view. The notion that homosexuality is wrong and should note b promoted, that is not extremism, nor should such views be marginalized or criminalized.
Ultimately, there is no clear evidence that Truelove.is or 3:16 Church perpetuate radical beliefs. In my interviews with both Pastor Ian and Jason Lim, they seem like reasonable people.
Well, TrueLove.Is does share one very important radical view:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
But I think it’s important for LGBTQ+ Christians to know what they are signing up for should they choose to join Truelove.is and its affiliates. In the pursuit of religious approval, you may ultimately be committing yourself to a life of solitude and celibacy.
Just be careful that those
religious beliefs don’t cross the line into becoming religious radicalisation.
Again, the only real radicalization is the perverse push to normalize sexual perversion. Full Stop.
In summary: Dear Gay People, stop telling Straight People that you are victims. Stop acting like you are victims, start taking responsibility for your lives, and give up the mental illnesses that induce you to think that sexual fantasies with the same-sex will complete you.
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