It's Not A Choice - While I admit the use of a pro-lifer slogan was clever, I disapprove of the homos who recently vandalized a sign advertising Baptist ex-gay ministries in Norfolk. The libertarian in me feels strongly that people who are unhappy with their homosexuality should have the personal freedom to look into changing it -- even if that effort is incredibly unlikely to succeed.

I can also appreciate the sensitivity with which the Virginian-Pilot approached the issue, for surely young Mr. Stoy has had a hard go of it in life. Far be it for me to snicker at statements like "I grew up longing for an older male to just love me, father me" or "There was this huge void inside of me, just longing for something to fill it." How can I belittle the fact that his latest God encounter -- that spasm of spiritual remorse when he most recently forswore gay life -- came after he contracted gonorrhea? If this distraught 23-year-old is truly happier struggling to discover his inner, "immutable" heterosexual nature, even though he is attracted to the same sex, then more power to him. Onward, Christian soldier!

But I then wonder what would would happen if we performed the following experiment: We could take a few happy, well-adjusted homos and sit in on one of his church meetings. Maybe even bring along some committed couples. Not to argue, just to set an example. If these ministries weren't overwhelmingly populated by deeply miserable, self-loathing people -- if their members had a fair chance to see that being gay can live up to the name -- then perhaps Stoy and his brethren might achieve a different kind of self-redemption altogether.