Some gay-rights foes see opportunity amid furor over marriage

NEW YORK -- Even as they issue dire warnings, many longtime opponents of the gay-rights movement are welcoming the furor over same-sex marriage as a chance to expand the audience for their unfavorable views of homosexuality.

Activists in this camp -- clergy, conservative lobbyists, men and women who say they moved away from homosexuality through prayer or therapy -- have been dismayed by gay-rights advances in recent years. But they see new opportunities for their cause if, as polls indicate, a majority of Americans oppose the spreading push for gay marriage.

"People are taking us more seriously," said Joseph Nicolosi, a leading proponent of the contested concept that homosexuality is a disorder treatable by therapy.

"People were just hoping this issue would go way, and now they're forced to think about it, and make some evaluation of what homosexuality is," he said. His organization, the National Association of Research and Therapy of Homosexuality, reports an increase in inquiries and donations as the marriage debate escalates.

The Rev. Louis Sheldon, chairman of the Traditional Values Coalition, said he has been campaigning against gay activism since 1972 and has never seen an issue rouse such passions as same-sex marriage.

"America stands at a defining moment," he said. "The only comparison is our battle for independence from England."

Leading gay activists acknowledge that public opinion on same-sex marriage is deeply divided, but they hope middle-of-the-road Americans are not swayed by the messages coming from entrenched opponents of gay rights.

'Inciting fear'

"These organizations call themselves 'pro-family,"' said Joan Garry, executive director of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. "But people should see them as part of the anti-gay industry, raising lots of money by peddling factual inaccuracies about gays and lesbians, inciting fear of people who are different."

Those on the front lines of the campaign against gay activism cite diverse motives for their efforts.

Sheldon, a Presbyterian minister, traces his strong views to his background as a theology student. "When you advocate homosexual marriage, you are violating the mandate of the Creation narrative," he says.

Nicolosi said he became an activist for solely secular reasons -- he was angry at the American Psychological Association for condemning reparative therapy a decade ago as a potentially harmful practice.

Another group of staunch gay-rights opponents attribute their zeal to personal experiences as gays and lesbians.

One such campaigner is Alan Chambers, executive director of Exodus International. The Florida-based group, encompassing 100 U.S. and Canadian ministries, promotes "freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus Christ."

Chambers, who credits both therapy and religion for changing his sexual orientation, said the marriage controversy has transformed the dynamics of the gay-rights debate.

"A lot of people are thinking about this for the first time," he said. "They're forced to have an opinion, and we've seen that trend mostly in favor of the conservative position."

Another activist who describes himself as a former homosexual is Stephen Bennett, of Huntington, Conn. He considers homosexuality a sin, speaks at churches across the country, and markets a daily radio commentary called "Straight Talk Radio."

"I lived a gay lifestyle for 11 years and was involved with more than 100 men sexually, including many who died from AIDS," Bennett said in a telephone interview.

Bennett said he moved away from homosexuality "after being confronted by a Christian friend who made me look into my life." He is now married, has two children, and adamantly opposes same-sex marriage.

"We should not be enabling homosexual men and women to continue in a dysfunctional lifestyle," Bennett said. "That's not hate-filled or homophobic. We should help them move out of it."

Both sides in the debate accuse their adversaries of intolerance.

"A lot of Americans believe in 'live and let live,' but they are very uncomfortable with same-sex marriage," said Glenn Stanton, a marriage-issues analyst with the conservative Christian group Focus on the Family. "The other side is trying to bully people into believing it's just fine."

Bennett depicted gay activists as "the most hate-filled, intolerant people."

"When someone like myself comes out and says, 'I've changed,' instantly they start attacking me personally," he said. "They can't accept the fact I've changed."

Bennett said he was heartened by the possibility of a backlash against same-sex marriage.

"I thank God this is happening," he said. "They've gone way too fast, and it's giving people such as myself a real voice to explain the dangers to America."

Garry, the gay-rights activist, noted that even as President Bush recently endorsed a proposed constitutional ban on gay marriage, he urged the national debate to be conducted with "kindness and goodwill and decency."

Yet some foes of gay marriage "talk about gay people as diseased, mentally ill and prone to substance abuse," Garry said. "There's no good will there, and no kindness or decency."

On the Net:

Exodus International: http://www.exodus-international.org/

Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation: http://www.glaad.org/