Ex-Gay Edmund Smith speaks in Singapore

Befriending and Helping the Homosexuals

Do you know of a loved one or friend who is gay?
Are you helping or working with someone who is struggling with his sexual orientation?
Are you interested to find out more about the topic of homosexuality?

If any of these descriptions fit you, you will not want to miss this workshop.

Outline of Workshop:

• An introduction to the homosexual community
• Sexual orientation and the sexual Lifestyle (the ex gay lifestyle)
• How does one become a homosexual?
• The self issue
• The vacuum issue
• The barrier issue
• How does a homosexual recover?
• What can you do for the ex-gay community?

About the Speaker

Edmund Smith was a former homosexual who lived a homosexual lifestyle from 1983 until 1994 when he decided to walk away from it.
He started the Real Love Ministry in Malaysia - a ministry that reaches out to the marginalised communities such as the deaf, people with AIDS and the homosexual community.

Edmund is also a professional performing and recording artiste who has released two albums titled "Wake Up" & "Homosexuality and the Ex-Gay Lifestyle". He is now happily married to Amanda and is blessed with two children, Angelica and Ethan Smith

Venue: Oriental Plaza Oriental One, Level 4, 291 New Bridge Road
(Free Admission but Registration is Required.)

Date: 22 September Saturday
Time: 2pm - 5pm

Contact person for registration/ enquiries: Paul Teo
Tel: 63235393
Email: learning@alivecommunity.net

TimeOut Singapore: Report (May 10)

On 10 May, about 250 people crowded into a ballroom at the Amara Hotel. They weren’t waiting for a celebrity appearance or even donuts; they were there for a forum titled ‘Christian Perspectives on Homosexuality and Pastoral Care’.

On the drawing board since before Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew’s comments about decriminalising homosexuality, the talk was organised by Safehaven, a ministry of the Free Community Church. ‘I wanted to put theologians together to present the “for” and “against” perspectives in one setting,’ says Alphonsus Lee, one of the organisers. But as moderator Augustine Anthuvan of MediaCorp Radio reiterated several times, the event was not intended to be a debate, but rather an opportunity to open a dialogue.

Dr Tan Kim Huat, a professor of the New Testament at Trinity Theological College, addressed the varied interpretations of Biblical passages on the issue. Anthony Yeo, consultant therapist for the Counselling and Care Centre, discussed the social and religious challenges he’s seen his patients face, concluding that gays and bisexuals ‘don’t need persecution from the Church; they have enough struggles of their own’.

The panelist who got the most [fb02] ack from the largely partisan audience was Edmund Smith, pastor of Real Love Ministry in Malaysia. Mr Smith describes himself as an ‘ex-gay’. Several times throughout the night, he emphasised that although he gave up the ‘gay lifestyle’ and considers homosexuality a sin, neither he nor his ministry is anti-gay. Nevertheless, many of the audience’s questions were aimed his way, which led him to comment: ‘I was gay from age 13 to 24 and I was never gay-bashed. But I’ve been bashed the most as an ex-gay – by the pro-gays.’

On the other end of the popularity spectrum was Rev Dr Yap Kim Hao, who earned applause when he pointed out: ‘Jesus Christ forbids divorce, but many Christians have divorced. What makes one so much a greater sin that the other? Especially when Jesus Christ never mentioned homosexuality but explicitly condemns divorce?’ He also got the most laughs, after arguing against the idea that one makes a conscious decision to become homosexual. ‘Who in their right mind would choose to be gay, when they’d be relegated to a small, despised minority?’

As Mr Anthusan predicted, attendees on both sides of the issue probably left with more questions than answers. But there were at least two conclusions reached by the panelists that night: [fb01] rst, that it is important not to lose sight of the fact that this discussion is about people more than issues; secondly, that dialogue is an end in itself, and a positive one at that. In fact, organiser Lee is already considering holding another discussion. More info at www.oursafehaven.com.

by Billie Cohen