Church screens ‘gay cure’ film premiere

Church screens ‘gay cure’ film premiere

14 March 2018

A CONTROVERSIAL film about the possibility of curing homosexuality was screened for the first time in Ballynahinch Baptist Church last night.

Voices of the Silenced, a documentary by Christian group Core Issues Trust, claims to “challenge gender confusion”.

Organisers secured the Ballynahinch venue for the event after being refused permission to screen the movie at cinemas in Belfast and London.

Mike Davidson, director of the Core Issues Trust and a member of Ballynahinch Baptist Church, said the film told the stories of 15 individuals from eight countries who were “turning away from homosexual practices or transgender issues.”

Mr Davidson, who has been married to his wife for 38 years, has undergone counselling for homosexuality in the past.

The 63 year-old father-of-two believes that he had a choice around his homosexual feelings.

“The film is saying some people can choose not to live out their homosexuality and can deal with their feelings to the point that they can have a viable relationship with the opposite sex,” he said.

“They can find ways of living that are consistent with their values.”

Conscious that there will be opposition to the screening, Mr Davidson said he believed people should “be allowed to picket if they want to picket”.

“This film is being condemned without it being seen,” he said. “It is important to engage in dialogue and be open to discussion about this issue.

“This is about the human right individuals have to identify and assume an identity they are comfortable with. It is a human right to have a sexual identity and if people choose to be ex-gay or post-gay and do not want to identify as gay that should be all right.”

Pastor Rodney Stout, of Ballynahinch Baptist Church, said there had been an “outrageous” reaction against the church’s decision to permit the screening, but added that the film does not “claim to present a gay cure as there is no such thing”. 

He said it was the story of people who wanted to come away from a homosexual lifestyle because it gave them a feeling of “unworthiness, low self-esteem and self-harm”.

“This is about people who say they do not want the world to tell them how to express their sexual orientation,” he said.

“I have gay friends, there are gay people in my family, there are gay people in my church. There are people who have feelings towards same sex attraction who do not want to follow through with their natural inclination.

“I believe we are created male and female and the natural order of things in the Bible is a monogamous marriage between a man and a woman.

“People have the right to disagree with us. The only reason we have agreed to screen this is because Mike was denied the right to do it in a public space.”

Rory Rafferty, who represents the LGBTQI community locally through the Rainbow Project, said the suggestion that homosexuality was a choice for some people, or that it could be cured, was “dangerous”.

“There is no alternative choice for someone who is homosexual. Any psychiatrist will tell you this is not a choice and suggesting there is causes harm. This film is unscrupulous and homophobic,” he said.

“We advocate positive reinforcement with young people. Homosexuality is nothing to be ashamed of. It is positive and normal.”