Surprise Outing?

[ajyouthguy]

this may not be newsworthy to some of you, but in the chance it is, i thought i would post it anyways, from today's Christianity Today music updates/scoop/newsletter...

Ray Boltz, a Christian pop singer best known for the heartfelt '80s hit "Thank You," came out of the closet September 12 via an in-depth feature article published in The Washington Blade, a gay and lesbian publication. According to the story, Boltz, 55, admitted his homosexuality to his wife and family in 2004, quietly retiring from music in the process and beginning to live "a normal gay life." As to why he choose to go public at this time, Bolz told The Blade: "I'd denied it ever since I was a kid. I became a Christian, I thought that was the way to deal with this and I prayed hard and tried for 30-some years and then at the end, I was just going, 'I'm still gay. I know I am.' And I just got to the place where I couldn't take it anymore … when I was going through all this darkness, I thought, 'Just end this.'" Care to comment? CT has posted a blog about the news

http://www.washingtonblade.com/2008/9-12/arts/feature/13258.cfm
http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctliveblog/archives/2008/09/ray_boltz_comes.html

[Josh]

A sad story-- I can't imagine what his ex-wife and his kids must be thinking.

[murlough23]

I was just about to post about that. Does this mean that TBN will no longer play "Thank You" to guilt trip viewers during every single frickin' pledge drive?

In all seriousness, though, it's probably a good thing that Boltz "quietly retired" from the CCM scene before coming out. Can you imagine the furor if he was still a CCM heavyweight with massive hits currently on the radio?

I admire Boltz for having the guts to publicly say, "Here's what I'm dealing with." Obviously the fact that he's just accepted that he's gay and is making no effort to change it is controversial... there are many different camps regarding that issue. Personally, wherever the chips fall regarding your beliefs (is homosexual attraction a sin, or just acting on it? Are people born gay or does culture make them that way? Etc.), I think it's a damn shame that, rather than showing compassion and being willing to walk alongside those who are dealing with these kinds of struggles, we ostracize them and treat them like total shit.

There are probably tons of Bible Belt churches organizing Ray Boltz CD-bulldozing parties as we speak. Why? The message of those recordings hasn't changed; we've just become more aware that God spoke the message through an imperfect vessel. This, to me, is not a news flash. (It may be worthy of bulldozing because it's bland adult contemporary pabulum... but that's another story. Even despite that, "The Anchor Holds" still moves me after all these years.)

[murlough23]

A sad story-- I can't imagine what his ex-wife and his kids must be thinking.

They already knew about it, and from what I understand, he and his wife divorced amicably - well as amicably as a divorce can be, anyway - after he came out to his family a few years back. They are still friends.

[bloop]

It may be worthy of bulldozing because it's bland adult contemporary pabulum

QFT.

I'll pray for him and his family, but it's no great loss to music.

[Ian]

Obviously the fact that he's just accepted that he's gay and is making no effort to change it is controversial... there are many different camps regarding that issue.

He said he made an effort for over 30 years.  I don't know anything about being gay, but I suspect I would have given up far sooner than that.

[murlough23]

He said he made an effort for over 30 years.  I don't know anything about being gay, but I suspect I would have given up far sooner than that.

I meant "just" in the sense that he's simply accepted it, not that he accepted it just now. Sorry, the word "just" is kinda vague.

From what little I know of Christians who have struggled with this, there does seem to be a point where most of them end up feeling like, "This must be something about me that I can't change", and then from there they have to figure out whether to be celibate or whether to embrace it and find other Christians who are affirming about it, and so forth. I'm sure it's not a decision that one arrives at easily. The only thing I've seen that I can say with any certainty is that most of this "ex-gay ministry" stuff is a load of crap.

NP: "Hologram", Katie Herzig

[NewDimension]

Does this mean that TBN will no longer play "Thank You" to guilt trip viewers during every single frickin' pledge drive?

Actually, I don't think they've played "Thank You" on TBN during a pledge drive in years.
 I like the song, 'cause it reminds me how things that may not seem very meaningful in the present, have eternal rewards, and lives (you may never know about on earth) can be impacted forever...

There are probably tons of Bible Belt churches organizing Ray Boltz CD-bulldozing parties as we speak. Why? The message of those recordings hasn't changed; we've just become more aware that God spoke the message through an imperfect vessel. This, to me, is not a news flash.

Exactly.

From what little I know of Christians who have struggled with this, there does seem to be a point where most of them end up feeling like, "This must be something about me that I can't change"

Well, that's exactly true. It is something they can not change, in themselves, no matter how hard they try. Only God, can truly change them, from the inside out.  That's pretty much how it is for everyone bound by sin in some way; no matter what the sin is, not just homosexuality alone.  Because, we've all sinned; and at times (even progressed amounts of time) stuggle with sin, thus a war is raging inside ourselves (A.K.A our mind - the ultimate battlefield.). Only through complete surrender to God on a momentary basis, (no matter how tempting the sin is, or the oppression on your mind to stray from God's way and just give up and/or give in) and by the power of the Holy Spirit, can anyone break free from the destructive paths of sin and truly become a victor over it.

Whether, Ray Boltz's situation is because of some genetic defect, psychological imbalance, oppression from powers of darkness, influenced by society, or just allured by his own desire towards homesexuality, or a mixture of all those possibilities and more, only God knows. It'd be good to pray for him though, and his (ex-)family.

[murlough23]

Actually, I don't think they've played "Thank You" on TBN during a pledge drive in years.

I suppose you would know...

I like the song, 'cause it reminds me how things that may not seem very meaningful in the present, have eternal rewards, and lives (you may never know about on earth) can be impacted forever...

It's not a bad song; it just grew stale after its constant association with guilt tripping people into putting money in the offering plate. I'm sure that wasn't Boltz's intention when he wrote it.

Well, that's exactly true. It is something they can not change, in themselves, no matter how hard they try.

Semantics! What I meant to say is that they felt it was something about them that could not be changed at all. You can chalk that up to a lack of faith or whatever, but I'd be hesitant to pass such sweeping judgments until I've walked a mile in their shoes (which, being irreversibly straight, I can't do).

It'd be good to pray for him though, and his (ex-)family.

They're all still related. Kids' genes don't change when their parents divorce.