The Reverend Troy D. Perry, Founder and Moderator of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, the world's largest and oldest spiritual organization with a primary affirming ministry to gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered persons, issued a statement Tuesday in response to the July 13 edition of The New York Times which carried a full-page ad offering to help homosexuals convert to heterosexuality and offering this as God's plan.

The ad was paid for by 15 far-right "religious" groups including Alliance for Traditional Marriage, American Family Association, Center for Reclaiming America, Christian Coalition, Concerned Women for America, Coral Ridge Ministries, etc.

Text of Statement by Reverend Perry:

I am today adding my voice to religious leaders and human rights activists across the US in condemning the false and misleading full page ad in the July 13 edition of The New York Times promoting so-called "ex-gay" ministries.

My 30 years of experience in ministering to gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered persons have convinced me beyond any doubt that God's creation is filled with infinite variety and diversity -- and that variety and diversity are innate parts of God's plan. This plan includes every one of God's gay and lesbian children.

The ad carries a bold headline proclaiming, "I'm living proof that Truth can set you free." As an openly gay Christian, I, too, can make that claim, as can hundreds of thousands of deeply spiritual gays and lesbians with whom I have ministered, served and worshiped over the past three decades. Ancient spiritual truths, liberated from personal bias and societal prejudice, can bring liberating freedom to all people, regardless of sexual orientation.

(l to r) Rev. Perry, Lige Clarke & GayToday's Jack Nichols, 1971 (Photo by Kay Tobin Lahusen)

The list of the ad's sponsors reads like a "Who's Who" of right-wing intolerance. We should be reminded that no group has a lock on "The Truth," and should be skeptical of any group which combines their claims of "truth" with intolerance, shame, control and political agendas.

My attention was especially was drawn at a line at the bottom of the ad which read, "If you really love someone, you'll tell them the truth."

Well, here's the truth for God's gay and lesbian children, and I'm not afraid to tell it:

God loves you as you are.

The true message of the Holy Scriptures is affirming and accepting of gays and lesbians.

Thank God that in spite of the intolerance shown by groups such as the Christian Coalition, the American Family Association, and the Family Research Council with their far right political agendas, there are also thousands of houses of worship in every faith tradition which welcome and affirm gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered persons.

As a spiritual leader, I welcome inquiries from gays and lesbians seeking to integrate their spirituality and sexuality, and who wish referrals to GLBT- friendly houses of worship. I will be glad to provide referrals to all inquirers, whether they seek accepting Christian houses of worship as in my own faith tradition, or seek other affirming faith communities. I may be reached by e-mail at info@ufmcchq.com.

/signed/
(The Rev.) Troy D. Perry
UFMCC Moderator

The American Psychological Association's View

Also on Tuesday, the American Psychological Association questioned the efficacy of so-called "conversion therapy."

"For nearly three decades, it has been known that homosexuality is not a mental illness. Medical and mental health professionals also now know that sexual orientation is not a choice and cannot be altered. Groups who try to change the sexual orientation of people through so-called `conversion therapy' are misguided and run the risk of causing a great deal of psychological harm to those they say they are trying to help," said American Psychological Association Executive Director Dr. Raymond Fowler.

In August 1997, the American Psychological Association overwhelmingly passed a resolution, at the APA convention, that asserts that there is no sound scientific evidence on the efficacy of "reparative therapy," which seeks to "cure" homosexuals. In 1973, the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from its list of mental disorders.