Brace yourselves for one of the most offensive tracts in current distribution. It's not as tasteless and insensitive as the Fellowship Tract League's 9/11-themed What If You Had Been Here?, but it makes up for that lack with ignorance and bigotry.
This tract takes the form of a fictional (I hope!) letter to Robert from his loving Aunt Darlene. In it, Darlene expresses concern that her nephew is thinking of deciding that he is gay. Apparently Robert's mother found some 'homosexual magazines' in his bedroom. I didn't know magazines could have a sexual preference, but that's a topic for another blog.
Darlene reveals that she was once gay, until she "asked Jesus to control my life." Jesus did the ol' sexual orientation switcheroo, and "restored me with natural desires." Her aim in telling Robert this is so she can tell him "how it really is behind the sensationalism."
Hoo-boy. Already I can feel my blood boiling, and this letter's barely begun.
"It's lonely. It's hard. It's not God's plan. It's a lie."
Bold statements, Darlene, but can you back them up? "It's lonely because my gay friends were out for self-gratification, and I was an object toward that end." Okay, so you made bad choices in friends. That's hardly the fault of the gay community. Darlene says her gay friends told her they "were fighting for my sexual freedom," when really they just "exploited me physically to satisfy their desires." "The gaiety is a mirage. The older I became, the more I noticed the tired, empty faces."
Still sounds to me like the problem lay with you, Darlene. Say, can you tell us what the Bible says? "Our bodies are not our own... they are bought with the price of Jesus dying on the cross for our freedom."
Okay, so that's what you believe, and you are welcome to believe what you wish. How 'bout you say something completely nutty now? "Homosexuality is an unending cycle of bondage that repeats itself in recruiting others."
Riiight. So gay people are out there trying to recruit people, huh? Can't say any of them have tried to convert me, although I have been approached for recruitment purposes several times by Christians.
Darlene goes on to say that "the statistics from studies about the gay community reveal high rates of suicide, alcoholism, and drug addiction." Well, that must be true! There are statistics! From studies! And those studies are...? Hmm? Anytime now, Darlene. No? Do those studies and statistics even exist, Darlene, or are you making them up? And here's a point - if they do exist, do you think it's possible those high rates of suicide, alcoholism and drug addiction might be the result of all the people telling them their lifestyle is, how did you put it, an unending cycle of bondage? Hmm?
This tract offers no hard data to support its claims. In fact, only one biblical source is noted (Romans 1:26), a verse that supposedly says "that homosexuality is an abomination to God." I thought the 'abomination' line came from Leviticus. Not that it matters.
"Being gay isn't a right," Darlene concludes, "it's a sin." This is the conclusion she came to after finding Jesus, and looking back on the gay life she'd lived. She had bad experiences, therefore all gay experiences are bad. They must be! The Bible says so. And the really sad thing is, Darlene thinks she's helping, when in reality she's just spreading fear and hate. Poor Darlene. If only someone would write you a letter to warn you of the dangers of fundamentalist religion.
Likely to Convert - 3
Artwork - 1
Ability to Hold Interest - 7
Unintentional Hilarity - 2
Level of Disturbing or Offensive Content - 10
