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News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyJune 24th, 2013
Usually congratulations are given upon marriage, not divorce. However, I want to offer congratulations to John and Anne Paulk for ending their marriage.
John and Anne were, in the 90’s, the public image of the ex-gay movement, appearing on television shows and on the cover of Newsweek. They were Exhibit A for the restorative power of Christ (and reparative therapy) to cure homosexuality. John was even president of Exodus International from 1995 to 2000, until Wayne Besen photographed him coming out of a gay bar.
But in recent years they have had increasingly differing perspectives. Anne has become involved in Restored Hope Network, the organization of militant anti-gay members of the ex-gay movement, while John has recanted his former claims and has apologized for the harm he caused.
To stay together would obviously not be healthy for either of them. A house divided against itself cannot stand as, indeed, the Paulk house could not. On Thursday their divorce became final.
I believe that a divorce – in this instance – is what is best for both John and Anne Paulk and that they will be both much happier. I wish them both congratulations and best wishes for their future apart.
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Ben in Oakland
June 25th, 2013
Anne Paulk is now officially an unrepentant sinner, and as punishment, she will of course be burning in hell forever, probably on the barbeque right next to john’s. I imagine the fire will be fed by all of the beams that she will soon be pulling out of her own eyes.
How these people–and I use those words as deliberately as I can– are able to look at themselves without bursting into either laughter or tears is simply beyond me.
Johnny
June 25th, 2013
Kincaid, you want an idea for a good post? Pick up the phone and call the editor’s desk at Newsweek. Ask them if they intend to do a follow-up story on the Paulks, considering that they put the Paulks on the cover of their magazine under the banner headline “Gay for Life?”
Then tell us what Newsweek has to say. My bet: no follow-up story.
Andrew
June 25th, 2013
Johnny – no need… Newsweek succumbed to its own irrelevancy and went out of business.
And the Poulks can go fk themselves. They should sink back into the obscurity they richly deserve, and from which they can do the least harm. I’d prefer to congratulate them not sucking as human beings. Alert the press when that happens. Or better still… don’t. We all have better things to think about.
james
June 25th, 2013
Newsweek lives on through The Daily Beast. Let’s see if they report this story.
jerry
June 25th, 2013
I hadn’t been aware that the magazine had gone out of business. I remember when they had the story on the Paulks but I didn’t read it. I gave a check to the online incarnation and there is nothing on the Paulks that I could find, but there doesn’t seem to be any option for searching any archival material.
Kent
June 26th, 2013
They didn’t call it ‘Newsweak’ for nothing! They did the world a favor when they went belly up.
Did not the Paulk’s swear to God Almighty that they were married for life, ’til death do they part? I guess they lied their asses off to God. Hmmmmm, I thought that was a sin! A big old sin to lie to God, blasphemy even. So, I guess they’ll be swimming in that big old lake of fire some day. Disgusting, sinning blasphemers who lied to God, each other, and all of us. Hope they’re proud of themselves, they have their reward already!
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