Know who you're getting information from!

[Cromm]

Recently I was searching for information on sexual orientation, and I came across a site called 'freetobeme (http://www.freetobeme.com/)'. The name sounds inocuous, even supportive, but delve into the site deeper and you'll find it's anything but.

At first glance it appears to be a helpfull informational site for sexually confused young people. The more you read, however, the more you see it's clear they have an agenda... little hints that they disapprove.

Clues to their real motivations begin appearing in subtle uses of language. Phrases like "don't feel..." instead of "you have no need to feel..." start betraying the fact that these people are more interested in telling you what to do and how to feel, than in giving you the information you need to figure it out on your own.

The clincher came when I found this page (http://www.freetobeme.com/content.xjp?id=375), which ever so subtly suggests you can change your sexuallity with willpower; and this page (http://www.freetobeme.com/content.xjp?id=386), which flat out states that same-sex sexual experimentation will make it more difficult for you to be hetrosexual as an adult!

In case you haven't guessed, this is bullshit.

I appologize for the use of crude language, but this needs some emphisis here: These. Are. LIES! BS! Popopycock! Balderdash! Other assorted synomyms! (...someone find me a thesaurus...)

"But why?" is what I asked myself. "Why the deliborate misinformation?" Then I did what I should have done when I found the site in the first place: I clicked on 'About Us'.

Here's what I found:

This site is produced by New Direction for Life Ministries, Inc.,
as a resource for young people of any or no faith.

Translation: this is a 'soft-touch approach' Christian site designed to sell young people on the idea that they can choose their sexuallity.

Now maybe I'm a bit jaded in my opinon of the site, but when the owner (Life Ministries) isn't even mentioned at the bottom of the page... when you hide who and what you really are back in the 'about' section rather than right on the front page... well, you can't deny it's disingenous at best; a deception at worse.


I'm not suggesting that Christians can't deliver fair and balenced information, but I am saying this specific site sure doesn't! Even though it seems to pretend to.


I emplore all of you -- especially those of you struggling with hard life questions -- to know who you're taking advice from! If they have an agenda, you should take whatever they have to say with a rather large grain of salt.

When searching for information, get facts, not opinions. When searching for advice, look for what it means to you, and not someone else.


Be free to be yourself, for real.


~ CC

[orangecounty]

Well you can not condemn others for having different opinions on sexuality and how it is shaped. There have been no biological connections that prove why people are homosexual and why they are heterosexual. Everyone has their own ideas on what sexuality is, and since there is no science to verify it, you just have to take it all with a grain of salt. I don't think you should put down others, however, for sharing their opinions on sexuality...everyone is entitled to their opinion. I have heard plenty of people on here say things that seem totally outrageous...it is just a fact of life.

[YourFriend]

it's obvious they're homophobic

[Cromm]

Well you can not condemn others for having different opinions on sexuality and how it is shaped. [...] I don't think you should put down others, however, for sharing their opinions on sexuality

I DON'T! I respect people's opinons and their right to have them!

I condem individuals and organizations that LIE about their motives, or who offer faith-based ideologies or personal opinions and present them as facts! That's what that site does, and that's what I want people to recognize.

Everyone is free to their own opinion. But young people looking for advice need to know that those offering it might not have -your- best interests in mind.

Know who you're getting you're information from.

That's all I'm saying.

~CC

[James18]

Tbh, I don't see what the big fuss is about. Who they are is clearly labeled in the "about us" section. Reading through it, I see no real indication of homophobia, hate speech, etc. The Christian faith by and large opposes homosexuality, so I really don't know what the big deal is about. Additionally I wouldn't say the idea of people changing their sexual orientation is "bullshit." I've seen it happen (both ways) several times.

[Cromm]

Who they are is clearly labeled in the "about us" section. That's like saying the terms of a contract are 'clearly labeled' in the fine print. Yeah, it's there, but you have to look for it.


Reading through it, I see no real indication of homophobia, hate speech, etc. The Christian faith by and large opposes homosexuality, so I really don't know what the big deal is about. Never claimed there was any, only that their 'information' is heavily biased by their reliigious views, and that they don't make these views obvious to readers of the site.


Additionally I wouldn't say the idea of people changing their sexual orientation is "bullshit." I've seen it happen (both ways) several times.... and here is where we have to 'agree to disagree'. I've known several people who thought they were gay, and then discovered they were wrong (and vice-versa); that's not the same as changing your sexuality. This, simply, can't be done. You are who you are, and maybe it takes your whole adolessence or longer to figure it out, but you can't change who you are.

It's like trying to change from being introverted to being extroverted. An introverted personality can learn to talk to groups, be actively social, chat up strangers, whatever... but at the end of the day, they still prefer to be alone to relax.

All that is beside the point though.

Regardless of what Christians belive, regardless of what this particular site says. I'm only using it as an example; it's not meant to be the focus of this thread.

I think some people are missing the point. :(:confused:

Let me put this another way: would you ask a drug company if you needed medication, or would you ask a doctor? If you did ask a doctor, don't you think it would be important to know if he was recieving gifts from a drug company?

Would you ask a car salesmen what kind of vehicle you should buy? If he were paid solely on commision, do you think that would effect his answer, and wouldn't you want to know if he was on commision before you took his advice?

If you were looking for information on contraceptives, would you goto a church, a pharmacist, or a secular famliy planing non-profit group? Who do you think would be the most likely to offer fair and balenced information?


Agian, all I'm saying is that people should be aware of who they're really talking to when they're looking for information or advice.

~CC

[CestDan]

That site must be homophobic, I reject it. I think every one has the right to be whatever they want to be. I respect them and sometimes I share opinions with them. We have to be respectful with other people, this is a big world and there aren't bad or good opinions, there are DIFFERENT opinions and we have to respect them.

[Donkey]

So much misinformation and opinions where there should be facts. Absolute bullshit.

[Raize]

Yeah, I've seen sites like that. And ones where they say if you masturbate, you go to hell.

I don't like religious nuts. They're hateful and full of ignorance. There's no way to "cure" homosexuality, you can suppress it and not show it, but that is not healthy.

[Cromm]

Yeah, I've seen sites like that. And ones where they say if you masturbate, you go to hell. It's more insidious than that! A site that in-your-face could easliy be dismissed as religious retortic; but this site uses the 'soft touch' approch. They don't try to convince you being gay is bad, but rather that you can change if you really wanted to.

It'd a horrible lie because young peopole who are already struggling may feel obligated to try to change, if they they it's something that can be changed.


Regardless, the point I'm making here is that if you really knew where these people were comming from, if you knew what they presented was opinion and not fact, you'd probably weigh it differently. By consealing, even openly, their affilation with a religious group, they're being dishonest.


Basically, the queistion you really have to ask yourself when taking advice or information from ANYONE is: Are they trying to influance my decision?

Whether the reason behind that attempt at influance is religious, or greed, or whatever, if they're trying to sway your decision, whatever they tell you will be biased.

Watch out for that.

~CC

[YourFriend]

Yeah, I've seen sites like that. And ones where they say if you masturbate, you go to hell.

I don't like religious nuts. They're hateful and full of ignorance. There's no way to "cure" homosexuality, you can suppress it and not show it, but that is not healthy.

if you wank you go to hell!?!!!!? aaaa i am gonna deny myself from pleasure just because homophobic religious idiots say i am going to hell....

[Caliginous]

I must agree that the site is somewhat biased. The people reading the site would be confused and easily led. It slowly 'nudges' the reader into thinking that being homosexual is wrong, and heterosexual is right.

You know, this is a pretty interesting thread!