Gay Community Protests 'Love in Action'

By David Brody
CWNews

July 29, 2005


CBN.com – Can parents change their children's sexual orientation? One Memphis, Tennessee father says, ‘Yes.’ That's just what he's trying to do for his own son. But, that city's gay community is lining the streets to protest father Joe Stark’s actions, though his son is still a minor.

Joe Stark did what he believes any responsible Christian parent would do. In late May, Stark's 16-year-old son, Zach, told his parents he was gay.

The Starks—devout Christians—enlisted the help of Love In Action International.

Love In Action is a Memphis-based ministry that provides prevention and treatment for behaviors like homosexuality and drug addiction.

Little did the Starks know that their actions would create a firestorm among local homosexuals. In an exclusive interview with CBN News, Joe Stark talked to us about his decision to enroll Zach in the Love In Action program, and the controversy that has followed.

Stark said, “We felt very good about Zach coming here, to let him see for himself the destructive lifestyle, and what he has to face in the future, and to give him some options that society doesn't give him today. Knowing that your son...statistics say that by the age of 30 he could either have AIDS or be dead.”

The Starks' story took on a life of its own when Zach began posting his thoughts on an internet weblog.

He wrote, "My mother, father, and I had a very long 'talk…they let me know I am to apply for a fundamentalist Christian program for gays…I'm a big screw up to them, who isn't on the path God wants me to be on. So I'm sitting here in tears."

Joe Stark said, “Zack has a mind of his own, and that's a God-given gift. And Zack will have to make those choices, when he is an adult, as to what exactly he’s going to do with his life. But until he turns 18, and he's an adult in the state of Tennessee, I'm responsible for him. And I'm going to see to it that he has all options available to him.“

It wasn't long after Zach's blog appeared online that protestors began lining the streets outside Love In Action. They say homosexuality isn't a choice but something that comes naturally—and that Zach is being deceived by his parents and Love In Action.

A protestor commented, “When you ask someone to live in a lie, it's a dangerous, dangerous slope that you're running down.”

But according to Reverend John Smid, homosexuals do have a choice—and his life is a perfect example. Smid is Love In Action's Executive Director.

Smid left the homosexual lifestyle in 1984. He's been happily married since 1988, and wants others, like him who have struggled with homosexual feelings, to know that they don't have to act on their same-sex attractions.

John Smid said, “I just see so many people who want to discount my life. And my story, my life, and my experience, counts. I have found tremendous freedom from homosexuality, and a deep level of change in my life that would’ve never occurred had I never been given the opportunity to leave homosexuality.”

Smid credits his faith in Jesus Christ for giving him the courage to leave homosexuality behind. But his stance is anything but popular among gays and their allies. Since the Zach Stark controversy began, Love In Action has been investigated by the State of Tennessee over allegations of child abuse. Although they were cleared of all charges, the stigma remains. Those who have followed the case closely say, “That's unfair.”

Mike Fleming is a local radio host, on WREC. He commented, “The child services of the state dismissed the charges, there was no finding of this thing. [This thing] in my opinion also, was set up to intimidate them and to cause great pain for Love in Action. And I frankly think that the bottom line of this is that homosexuals are afraid this does work, and they’ve set out to destroy Love in Action. I don't think there can be any doubt about that.”

The child abuse charges may be history, but the State of Tennessee is now also investigating whether Love In Action is using unlicensed personnel to provide counseling to its clients, mixing therapy with ministry.

Gay groups have criticized Love In Action's techniques as heavy-handed— clients are forbidden from listening to secular music, using the internet, or wearing sexually suggestive clothing. But Joe Stark says that's one of the program's strengths [because those things alienated Zach from his family].

Joe Stark said, “A lot of things that Zach spent a lot of his time doing were taken away. I can see why they do it now. It's because, if you're not doing those things, then what are you doing? Sometime or other, you have to learn to communicate with your family. That's a big thing that has happened in our family—Zach is communicating a lot more with us.”

Visit the Love In Action Web site.

But critics say Love In Action doesn't work for everyone. According to one former client, the program actually helped him embrace his homosexuality. He calls the program "unrealistic."

Brandon Tidwell is a former client of Love In Action. He said, “Rarely in life will you ever live that closed off from the world. And it's very, I think, deceiving, or misleading, or creates a false hope for people, to help them to create change in that very isolated environment, and then move out into the real world and try to continue to, um, understand themselves in a whole different way.”

John Smid points out that all of Love In Action's clients—Including Brandon Tidwell—have grown closer to their parents as a result of the program. Many came away with a better understanding of Jesus Christ, as well. As for Zach Stark, the jury is still out. But Joe Stark remains steadfast that he made the right decision for his son.

Joe Stark said further, “To me it's not what's right and what's left—it's what's right and what's wrong. And my wife and I will stand by that 'til the day we die. As far as homosexuality, it is not in God's plan—it's wrong.”

Christian World News -- Memphis Gay Community Protests Love in Action