December 6, 2013

The following excerpt is from the letter “To hateful ‘gays’: Please respect my choices” written by Michael Glatze and published on World Net Daily: (Historical note: Michael Glatze was the founding editor of Young Gay America magazine.) … “We are not a couple of people who are interested, per se, in being political pawns. I have never called myself an “ex-gay,” though other people have called me that. But, then again, people have called me a lot of things, on account of the fact that I left homosexuality a few years back and decided that I felt more comfortable living heterosexually. This came about as direction from God and has been the best choice God ever made in my life – continuing to bear fruit to this day! Over the past several years, I have written extensively about this decision, the ramifications of it and the various things I have learned along the way – to anyone interested. One is not required to read what I have to say.

For those who have an interest in reading what I have to say, I have a few more things to communicate here. For example, I want to make a little “shout out” to all of the angry homosexuals in our country who are currently spreading all sorts of hate and aggression on pro-homosexual blogs. Look, I am not interested in defending myself. I don’t really need to do that. I understand your plight, your point-of-view. I understand the desire to want me to be crazy, or lost in my head and mind, or confused. I understand that it would be just easier if I didn’t exist, or I would just crawl into a hole somewhere and die. But I’m not going to do that.

The only option would be to kill me, and I know that is a thought that has crossed some of your minds. So in a way, this is a plea for my own and Rebekah’s personal safety. I would like to ask that instead of desiring to plot my death, you may consider the possibility that I do have a legitimate right to life and a legitimate right to my own a) spiritual decisions, and b) life decisions – not to mention the wisdom and perspectives those decisions have given me.

I have as much right to my point-of-view as anyone else has to theirs. The beauty of America is that we all have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And, in the midst of all of that, we definitely don’t all see eye-to-eye! But we do share a common humanity.

I do believe that homosexuality is a flaw, a mistake, a distortion and something from which one can be completely restored. I do know that this viewpoint flies in the face of people’s personal decisions, as well as some popular politics in this world. And I am additionally aware that this viewpoint labels me as some kind of “right-wing fanatic” who ought to just be “wiped out.” I do pray to God for my safety every day. …