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God's Truth Offered as Counter to Nationwide Pro-Homosexual School Event

by Jim Brown and Jody Brown
April 13, 2005

(AgapePress) - A conservative group is urging parents to resist what it calls a "propaganda exercise" to advance the homosexual agenda in schools. Lending their support to that call is a Christian educators group, whose leader says he is "sounding the alarm" about today's pro-homosexual "Day of Silence" in schools across the country.

The Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) claims that today (Wednesday, April 13) hundreds of thousands of students representing almost 4,000 schools across the U.S. will be protesting the alleged discrimination and harassment of homosexual students. According to the event's GLSEN-sponsored website, middle schools, high schools, colleges and universities -- representing all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia -- have registered as participants.

Among religious colleges registered as participants are Chapman College in California, which is affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); Louisville Presbyterian Seminary (Presbyterian Church USA) in Kentucky; Nebraska Wesleyan University (United Methodist Church); Texas Lutheran University (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America); and Pennsylvania's Immaculata University (Catholic Church).

Illinois Group Offers Truthful Alternative
More than 100 Illinois schools are reportedly taking part in the "Day of Silence," which urges students to disrupt the schooling process through a "visible silence." Peter LaBarbera with the Illinois Family Institute (IFI) says at Homewood-Flossmoor High School south of Chicago, students are selling a T-shirt they created that reads "Gay? Fine by me." LaBarbera takes issue with that.

    [Photo compliments of Illinois Family Institute]
Peter LaBarbera
"Apparently one of the school counselors was helping the students do this, and so they were involving the whole school in a celebration atmosphere of homosexuality," the IFI spokesman explains. "They had posters across the school celebrating this pro-gay event at Homewood-Flossmoor. And it really subjects all the kids to the views of a tiny minority, which is what we think is wrong."

LaBarbera says schools should not be in the business of endorsing controversial sexual and political agendas. But some educators, he says, choose the politically correct route. "Liberal educators pat each other on the back for being 'gay'-affirming," he notes, "even as homosexuals continue to die young due to their unnatural and dangerous lifestyle."

The pro-family advocate says students "need to be told the truth: that homosexual acts are life-threatening; that homosexuality and gender confusion are not inborn but are changeable behaviors; and that this lifestyle is immoral and against God's created order."

He explains that his organization plans to counter the pro-homosexual observance by inviting Chicagoland students to hear the truth from someone who knows the dangers of the homosexual lifestyle -- and has come to know the truth through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

"We're holding an event featuring Stephen Bennett, who's a former homosexual. He's speaking in the Chicagoland area for a couple of days so that students can hear another side of the story -- that homosexuality is a behavior not an identity, and it's a behavior that can be changed with the help of God."

Bennett, who lived the homosexual lifestyle until he was 28, is now married and the father of two children. Through his worldwide Christian ministry, Bennett reaches out to others who are struggling with homosexuality and sexual brokenness. LaBarbera says he is hopeful that area students who favor diversity or are questioning their sexual identity will come and hear Bennett's presentations. He also encourages parents to call their child's school to find out if it is celebrating the "Day of Silence."

How to Respond?
An experienced Christian educator says today's pro-homosexual event is an attempt by schools to promote the homosexual lifestyle. Finn Laursen, executive director of Christian Educators Association International, disputes the supposed discrimination the event is targeting.

"I've spent by entire adult life as a public school educator, and I have never witnessed discriminatory behavior of the kind GLSEN claims is rampant," Laursen states in a press release, adding his warning that the observance is just the latest attempt to use schools as a platform to promote homosexuality. "This is the gay rights movement manipulating our children, who are a captive audience in public schools."

In order to combat participants' use of silence to disrupt the learning environment, the CEAI official suggests that teachers not give any attention to what is being done. "Go on with whatever learning experience was scheduled, and unless the 'protestors' are disruptive, ignore them," he says. And if they refuse to participate in class where participation is part of the grade? "Do not make an exception," the veteran educator offers. "Experiencing the natural consequences of behavior is a good learning moment."

Laursen also suggests that other students simply ignore participants' silence, and reminds Christian students particularly "to treat all students kindly, with the love of Christ."

The Alliance Defense Fund is promoting a counter observance on April 14, the day following the "Day of Silence." ADF's "Day of Truth" is intended to be a non-disruptive activity expressing an opposing viewpoint from the Christian perspective. That observance urges students to wear T-shirts emblazoned with the phrase "The truth cannot be silenced," and to distribute cards expressing their belief in "equal treatment for all, and not special rights for a few."

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