'Thinking Straight on Gay Marriage' Added to Love Won Out Conference

May 21, 2004 03:37 PM EDT

For the first time at the June 12th Love Won Out conferences, Focus on the Family will offer a session called “Straight Thinking on Gay Marriage” in lieu of same-sex marriage licenses being granted to same-sex couples in Massachusetts.

The Love Won Out conferences usually feature testimonies from former homosexuals, lectures from experts on homosexuality and break-out sessions, all to help demystify misinformation presented from today’s culture on the issue. One of the core beliefs of FOTF is that homosexuality is not genetic and is preventable.

"The foundation of marriage, as a union between male and female, has been recognized and accepted throughout all of human history," said Glenn T. Stanton, Love Won Out conference speaker, author of Why Marriage Matters and co-author of the upcoming book Marriage on Trial: The Case Against Same-Sex Marriage and Parenting.

"But now the Massachusetts court, in its arrogance, has erased all of that - to the detriment of the rest of the nation,” said Stanton.

“Many Americans, now facing the prospect of gay marriage in their own states, want to know the truth about gay marriage -- and it is my belief that this new session will equip them to effectively advocate for traditional marriage as the bedrock of civilized society,” he said.

For the 28th Love Won Out conference at Raleigh’s Crossroad Fellowship, many of the frequent speakers will address topics such as the clinical development of homosexuality; the relationship between homosexuality and genetics; the pro-gay agenda in public schools; and homosexual recovery. Speakers include: Joseph Nicolosi, Ph.D., president of the National Association of Research and Therapy of Homosexuality, who has written A Parent's Guide to Preventing Homosexuality and has appeared on the Fox's News Channel's O'Reilly Factor; Dick Carpenter, Ph.D., a veteran teacher, principal and college professor; and Melissa Fryrear, a former lesbian and gender analyst for Focus on the Family.

Mike Haley, Love Won Out conference host and former homosexual, said the organization is encouraging the public to come with “open minds” to hear the real story behind homosexuality.

Haley was leading a homosexual life in his teens and early adulthood but was able to change after a non-homosexual man had the patience to trace back his alleged feelings of homosexuality to the unfulfilled relationship with Haley’s father. Now, Haley is the one answering questions of for those who want to understand the issue and how to respond to it more properly during the conference’s break out sessions.

"We are coming to Raleigh to inject truth into this national debate -- the truth that homosexuality is not genetic and, if you do not want to be gay, there is a way out,” he said.