Homophobic Christian pretends to be gay for a year, writes book about experiment

[lizmarie1975]

A self-described homophobic Christian posed as a gay man for an entire year, even “coming out” to family and friends in the process, all to reform his beliefs.

“[I wanted] to see if there was any justification in the fear I had,” Timothy Kurek, of Nashville, told MSNBC.

Kurek, who says his religious upbringing taught him that homosexuality was a sin, launched the experiment after a close female friend broke down in tears and admitted she was gay.

“She had just come out to her family and been brutally disowned,” Kurek said. “She had been excommunicated from her entire life and two words changed it all. Two simple words. I’m gay.”

His friend’s plight caused Kurek to question his faith, and so he began his journey as a fictitious homosexual, beginning by telling his family members he was gay.

“My family was very supportive initially,” he told MSNBC. “They treated me with the love and respect I expected. I don’t think they quite knew how to react to having a gay family member, but, you know, that was the religious barrier there that we are all kind of captive to.”

Kurek began to spend less time with his religious circles and hang out in Nashville’s “gayborhood,” mingling with the LGBT community at bars, coffee shops and bookstores.

All the while, he was writing a book about his experience, “Jesus in Drag,” to be released in October.

Kurek admits his less-than-authentic journey cannot match that of an honestly gay man.

“I will be the first one to say that my experience is severely limited,” he told MSNBC. “There is no way I could possibly understand what it’s like to be actually gay.

“And the book itself is not at all about what it is like to be gay, but only about how the label of gay impacted my external life and how those things kind of altered my faith and challenged my beliefs.”

[TCgirlatheart]

Sounds like an interesting read. Thanks for sharing!!

[MommaLehr]

I agree. Lying to family and friends? Dude exceeds pinhead and steps into asshat territory.

It may be an interesting read, but I can talk to my dear gay friends if I have any question on how truly being gay impacts their lives.

Quoting toomanypoodles:

 

Quoting muslimahpj:

Quoting toomanypoodles:

 

Quoting lizmarie1975:

 

Quoting toomanypoodles:

 

Quoting lizmarie1975:

 

Quoting toomanypoodles:

 "Homophobic Christian".  That's enough for me to see the article is trash and not worth reading.  When will these people learn. 

BACK button!

 

LOL...I didn't make up the title. YOu should have read the article...the first line says he describes himself as a homophobic Christian. He labelled himself that way.

 People that use that lame word are pinheads.  I don't nead to read something by a pinhead.  lol

So why enter the post at all? It's the first word of the title...you just felt the need to say that the article was not worth reading...even though you have no idea what it is about? Ok.

 Ah, I just entered the post to tell people that use the pinheaded word "homophobe" that they are pinheads.

I can do that if I want, right?  ;)

 

You should read the OP, it isnt what you think it is. :-)

I know you like the word pinhead. :P

 Oh, I do, I do!  :)

I skimmed the article.  The guy's a pinhead.  he lied and deceived people. 

[la_bella_vita]

 Interesting

[LindaClement]

I think you can't, actually, talk to your gay friends and find out 'what it's like.'

For them, being actually gay, it is their lives. And, like the rest of us, they lack the objectivity of 'what my life is like compared to another's' because we only live one life at a time --while this guy (and the Black Like Me book from the '60s) had an objective viewpoint.

He didn't 'struggle' with the truth, or slowly discover, or have to confront the lies he'd been telling all along. He just made up a character and lived it for a year.

On the other hand, I think that your declaration 'lying to family and friends' says more than you want it to about this issue:

I don't care at all who you feel like sleeping with this week, as long as the victim is in a legal position to consent. It is no more important to me than the height of my children's love interests... they currently prefer men who are taller than themselves. They could change their minds next week. Or yesterday, I haven't checked lately.

Because I don't care.

Because it is NONE of my business. It ain't gonna be me, and that's 100% of my involvement in the subject.

Quoting MommaLehr:

I agree. Lying to family and friends? Dude exceeds pinhead and steps into asshat territory.

It may be an interesting read, but I can talk to my dear gay friends if I have any question on how truly being gay impacts their lives.

Quoting toomanypoodles:

 

Quoting muslimahpj:

Quoting toomanypoodles:

 

Quoting lizmarie1975:

Quoting toomanypoodles:

 

Quoting lizmarie1975:

Quoting toomanypoodles:

 "Homophobic Christian".  That's enough for me to see the article is trash and not worth reading.  When will these people learn. 

BACK button!

 

LOL...I didn't make up the title. YOu should have read the article...the first line says he describes himself as a homophobic Christian. He labelled himself that way.

 People that use that lame word are pinheads.  I don't nead to read something by a pinhead.  lol

So why enter the post at all? It's the first word of the title...you just felt the need to say that the article was not worth reading...even though you have no idea what it is about? Ok.

 Ah, I just entered the post to tell people that use the pinheaded word "homophobe" that they are pinheads.

I can do that if I want, right?  ;)

 

You should read the OP, it isnt what you think it is. :-)

I know you like the word pinhead. :P

 Oh, I do, I do!  :)

I skimmed the article.  The guy's a pinhead.  he lied and deceived people. 

[glitterteaz]

Alert me for the movie or documentary

Quoting ButterMeUp:

Let me know when the book is on audio. i hate reading -.-

[glitterteaz]

seeking clarity... which is offending you the fact that a guy admits he is a homophobe (afraid of or leary of gays) and he is christian. Or the fact he lied to try and get the full impact of people's reactions to a person coming out as gay. 

I do not understand where there is offense to be taken it was a social experiment...walking a mile in another man's shoes if you will. If you asked someone "hey what would you say if I told you that I am gay?" the typical answer is " I don't know" OR " I wouldn't care so long as you were happy". Then if told flat out I am gay... poof whole new senario.

This guy by doing this experiment I would assume taught him more about having compassion which is far from being a pinhead. 

SCYSFA

Quoting toomanypoodles:

 and...

Don't post something if you only want responses that agree with ya. Ya put something out there in an open forum, you're gonna get all sorts of replies. Don't question why someone chooses to open something or not. 

[toomanypoodles]

 

Quoting glitterteaz:

seeking clarity... which is offending you the fact that a guy admits he is a homophobe (afraid of or leary of gays) and he is christian. Or the fact he lied to try and get the full impact of people's reactions to a person coming out as gay. 

I do not understand where there is offense to be taken it was a social experiment...walking a mile in another man's shoes if you will. If you asked someone "hey what would you say if I told you that I am gay?" the typical answer is " I don't know" OR " I wouldn't care so long as you were happy". Then if told flat out I am gay... poof whole new senario.

This guy by doing this experiment I would assume taught him more about having compassion which is far from being a pinhead. 

SCYSFA

Quoting toomanypoodles:

 and...

Don't post something if you only want responses that agree with ya. Ya put something out there in an open forum, you're gonna get all sorts of replies. Don't question why someone chooses to open something or not. 

 He lied and deceived people...that alone is enough.  I just hate the word "homophobe" and I hate being called one because I am a Christian who believes homosexuality is wrong. 

I have no fear of gays, I love them and accept them as they are. 

[glitterteaz]

Do you ALWAYS tell the truth? ALWAYS even no lil white lies?  He was doing research for the greater good.  Oh never mind... I know I am talking to a wall at this point. Carry on.

Quoting toomanypoodles:

 

Quoting glitterteaz:

seeking clarity... which is offending you the fact that a guy admits he is a homophobe (afraid of or leary of gays) and he is christian. Or the fact he lied to try and get the full impact of people's reactions to a person coming out as gay. 

I do not understand where there is offense to be taken it was a social experiment...walking a mile in another man's shoes if you will. If you asked someone "hey what would you say if I told you that I am gay?" the typical answer is " I don't know" OR " I wouldn't care so long as you were happy". Then if told flat out I am gay... poof whole new senario.

This guy by doing this experiment I would assume taught him more about having compassion which is far from being a pinhead. 

SCYSFA

Quoting toomanypoodles:

 and...

Don't post something if you only want responses that agree with ya. Ya put something out there in an open forum, you're gonna get all sorts of replies. Don't question why someone chooses to open something or not. 

 He lied and deceived people...that alone is enough.  I just hate the word "homophobe" and I hate being called one because I am a Christian who believes homosexuality is wrong. 

I have no fear of gays, I love them and accept them as they are. 

[toomanypoodles]

 

Quoting glitterteaz:

Do you ALWAYS tell the truth? ALWAYS even no lil white lies?  He was doing research for the greater good.  Oh never mind... I know I am talking to a wall at this point. Carry on.

Quoting toomanypoodles:

 

Quoting glitterteaz:

seeking clarity... which is offending you the fact that a guy admits he is a homophobe (afraid of or leary of gays) and he is christian. Or the fact he lied to try and get the full impact of people's reactions to a person coming out as gay. 

I do not understand where there is offense to be taken it was a social experiment...walking a mile in another man's shoes if you will. If you asked someone "hey what would you say if I told you that I am gay?" the typical answer is " I don't know" OR " I wouldn't care so long as you were happy". Then if told flat out I am gay... poof whole new senario.

This guy by doing this experiment I would assume taught him more about having compassion which is far from being a pinhead. 

SCYSFA

Quoting toomanypoodles:

 and...

Don't post something if you only want responses that agree with ya. Ya put something out there in an open forum, you're gonna get all sorts of replies. Don't question why someone chooses to open something or not. 

 He lied and deceived people...that alone is enough.  I just hate the word "homophobe" and I hate being called one because I am a Christian who believes homosexuality is wrong. 

I have no fear of gays, I love them and accept them as they are. 

 No...I don't lie...not even little "white" lies.  Wrong is wrong. 

[Piskie]

I disagree.... I travelled in America for about a year with my ex gf... Many people cared.
Some people cared enough to beat us up just because we were gay.
He never had to go through the fear, he was never worried about holding his partners hand in some places.

It's an interesting experiment on personal relationships... But he misses the biggest problems that most gay people face with unsupportive families and social circles

Quoting wenchmommy381:

Kind of like the book "Black Like Me" from the early 1960s. Hooray for the social experiment!

I think it proves that when you get right down to it, nobody cares what you're doing behind closed doors. Lord knows I don't wanna know, regardless of what a person's sexuality is. And it's really easy to hate "those gays," but it's a lot harder when it's your friend or relative that you've loved your whole life.