Evangelical Group’s ‘You Can Pray the Gay Away’ Viral Video

By Derek Welch --
09 Jan 2018 --

By rt69 on flickr.com (Queereaster) (www.flickr.com) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Anchored North is a conservative organization trying to prove being gay is unnatural.

Anchored North, the evangelical Christian group known for its ultra-conservative views, have used, and continued to use, social media to promote the lethal and scientifically disproved idea that bisexual, lesbian, or gay individuals could change sexual orientation if they pray in a consistent manner. The organization, which ominously claims to be some kind of media company catering to “next generation” evangelists has made its mission to reach out to the young via social media and also video.

Evangelical Group’s ‘You Can Pray the Gay Away’ Viral Video [/tweetthis]

Anchored North’s latest video has requested members of the LGBTQ community to stop being ‘converted’ and just live life as a heterosexual.[/tweetit] If they do so, the conservative organization said, they will follow what Jesus preached and 'deny sin.' The video explicitly states that it may not be possible to get away from one's gayness, but that person can select to live as a straight person.

This anti-gay video has become extremely popular and has garnered almost 1.9 million views on Facebook. It, however, appropriates the imagery and language of the gay rainbow flag. The title of Love is Love is also reminiscent of gayness. The message conveyed within the flashy packaging, however, is as anti-gay as it possibly can be. The message is the camera following Emily Thomes, an 'ex' lesbian.

The Independent highlighting the harm videos like the Love is Love video on the Anchored North FB page can cause. https://t.co/cAngtDVIyI
— Gill Cain (@tujoli) January 8, 2018

The video packs a lot within five minutes. Thomes reminiscences her multiple relationships with a number of women. The girl in her 20s says that a former female fiancée has 'slowed down' the life she actually wanted to lead. Things changed after Thomes went to a Bible study. She questioned herself after hearing the sermons. She then took the decision to let go of her sins and marry a man. To put it succinctly, the video says that a gay person must choose to live straight.

The Anchored North video clearly peddles the lie that there is something called conversion therapy. The latter has proven to be ineffective and even harmful. People have reported to suffer from depression and considering the idea of committing suicide after undergoing these kinds of courses. A few states have even prohibited these kinds of courses being forced on minors. People who run these courses cannot do anything as being gay is natural and not any disorder. The practice has been opposed by American Psychological Association.