ETC: Everyday Thoughts Collected - Latest Comments in Mike Airhart blogging for Wayne Besen, Cause for Concern?

Re: Mike Airhart blogging for Wayne Besen, Cause for Concern?

mikeology — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:17:02 -0000

I created the XGW concept to be a moderate weigh station and watchdog, but I've said from time to time that my own views are fairly "liberal" Christian.
By liberal, I mean this: I was raised in the Catholic charismatic movement of the early 1970s. My church courageously opposed the Vietnam War, sheltered and supported Cesar Chavez, and strove to form what is now People of Praise (http://www.peopleofpraise.org), the network of charismatic Christian communities where "community" actually means something: People share housing, earnings, resources, and Biblical worship in common.
My calling has always been broader than ex-gay issues: It is to help people liberate themselves from political correctness and from legalisms that have long been used to suppress freedom of religion and spontaneous expression of individual faith in God.
So while I confined XGW mostly to ex-gay issues, it became time to move beyond that.
As my departure note at XGW said, I was eager to move on to other projects in 2005-2006 but circumstances prevented that. I considered writing about other issues, but other people already cover those topics well.
My writing style -- punchy presentation of facts backed by reputable sources, with an interest in the legalism and correctness of the religious right -- is well suited to TWO. I saw that TWO could benefit from a new editorial perspective; it had resources that XGW lacked; and TWO was happy to accept my volunteer services.
Just for practice, I blogged for a couple weeks prior to the scheduled public announcement that I'm TWO's blog editor. The announcement occurred March 17. Soon, writer bylines will make clear who the authors are.
Lesson to learn: Avoid paranoia. Oh -- and refrain from comparisons to Jerry Springer that might later be regretted. Though your original rant did give me a good laugh, Randy. :-)
Believe it or not, I like you, Randy, and if you're ever in New England, I hope you'll stop by my loft and say hi.

Re: Mike Airhart blogging for Wayne Besen, Cause for Concern?

mikeology — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 01:17:02 -0000

I created the XGW concept to be a moderate weigh station and watchdog, but I've said from time to time that my own views are fairly "liberal" Christian.

By liberal, I mean this: I was raised in the Catholic charismatic movement of the early 1970s. My church courageously opposed the Vietnam War, sheltered and supported Cesar Chavez, and strove to form what is now People of Praise (http://www.peopleofpraise.org), the network of charismatic Christian communities where "community" actually means something: People share housing, earnings, resources, and Biblical worship in common.

My calling has always been broader than ex-gay issues: It is to help people liberate themselves from political correctness and from legalisms that have long been used to suppress freedom of religion and spontaneous expression of individual faith in God.

So while I confined XGW mostly to ex-gay issues, it became time to move beyond that.

As my departure note at XGW said, I was eager to move on to other projects in 2005-2006 but circumstances prevented that. I considered writing about other issues, but other people already cover those topics well.

My writing style -- punchy presentation of facts backed by reputable sources, with an interest in the legalism and correctness of the religious right -- is well suited to TWO. I saw that TWO could benefit from a new editorial perspective; it had resources that XGW lacked; and TWO was happy to accept my volunteer services.

Just for practice, I blogged for a couple weeks prior to the scheduled public announcement that I'm TWO's blog editor. The announcement occurred March 17. Soon, writer bylines will make clear who the authors are.

Lesson to learn: Avoid paranoia. Oh -- and refrain from comparisons to Jerry Springer that might later be regretted. Though your original rant did give me a good laugh, Randy. :-)

Believe it or not, I like you, Randy, and if you're ever in New England, I hope you'll stop by my loft and say hi.

Re: Mike Airhart blogging for Wayne Besen, Cause for Concern?

ETC: Everyday Thoughts Collect — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 06:51:58 -0000

[...] read somewhere that Dwayne Benson?Â Or was it Mike Airhart? … dunno … they are beginning to act like one and the same destructive person, said that Focus on the Family had taken over Exodus.Â Well, I tell ya’, that’s just [...]

Re: Mike Airhart blogging for Wayne Besen, Cause for Concern?

Brady — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 19:40:11 -0000

Ok, good. I was worried I came off that way somehow.
"apparently Mike and Wayne donâ€™t want the same level of scrutiny they dish out."
Exactly what came to my mind also, and one of the main reasons I found it so odd.

Re: Mike Airhart blogging for Wayne Besen, Cause for Concern?

RThomasETC — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 10:12:40 -0000

rude or snide didn't even cross my mind at all.
That makes sense to me. As I have thought further on it ... they will make up stuff to report about supposedly to keep us "transparent" and accountable but... apparently Mike and Wayne don't want the same level of scrutiny they dish out.
Well, I won't return the favor of making up reasons for them and claiming it as fact (something they do all the time.)
but anyway....

Re: Mike Airhart blogging for Wayne Besen, Cause for Concern?

Brady — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 09:40:11 -0000

Ok, good. I was worried I came off that way somehow.

"apparently Mike and Wayne don’t want the same level of scrutiny they dish out."
Exactly what came to my mind also, and one of the main reasons I found it so odd.

Re: Mike Airhart blogging for Wayne Besen, Cause for Concern?

RThomasETC — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:12:40 -0000

rude or snide didn't even cross my mind at all.

That makes sense to me. As I have thought further on it ... they will make up stuff to report about supposedly to keep us "transparent" and accountable but... apparently Mike and Wayne don't want the same level of scrutiny they dish out.

Well, I won't return the favor of making up reasons for them and claiming it as fact (something they do all the time.)

but anyway....

Re: Mike Airhart blogging for Wayne Besen, Cause for Concern?

Brady — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 22:26:58 -0000

Randy... I honestly didn't mean that to come off as rude or snide.
I'm intrigued because I read Mike's old blog (I'm sure you knew that), and knew he was leaving for some unspecified new projects. It strikes me as really odd that he would not have posted on his old blog that he was working for/with someone like Wayne Besen. So, I too honestly want to know why all the secrecy and why he'd leave his old place to do something seemingly very similar (although more high-profile, but that begs the question again about the secrecy).
Does that make sense? Anyway, I was being honest by saying that I too was intrigued, and I think for similar reasons you are. It just all sounds kind of weird to me.

Re: Mike Airhart blogging for Wayne Besen, Cause for Concern?

Brady — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:26:58 -0000

Randy... I honestly didn't mean that to come off as rude or snide.

I'm intrigued because I read Mike's old blog (I'm sure you knew that), and knew he was leaving for some unspecified new projects. It strikes me as really odd that he would not have posted on his old blog that he was working for/with someone like Wayne Besen. So, I too honestly want to know why all the secrecy and why he'd leave his old place to do something seemingly very similar (although more high-profile, but that begs the question again about the secrecy).

Does that make sense? Anyway, I was being honest by saying that I too was intrigued, and I think for similar reasons you are. It just all sounds kind of weird to me.

Re: Mike Airhart blogging for Wayne Besen, Cause for Concern?

RThomasETC — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:23:39 -0000

Hi Brady.
I am seriously curious...what makes this intriguing to you? Why are you curious about the answers to my questions?
I don't keep up with that realm of blogs. I only take a passing interest in them maybe once every other week.

Re: Mike Airhart blogging for Wayne Besen, Cause for Concern?

Brady — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 04:43:18 -0000

Interested in them or not...this is very intriguing. Nice find. I'd like to know the answers to those questions too.

Re: Mike Airhart blogging for Wayne Besen, Cause for Concern?

RThomasETC — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 22:23:39 -0000

Hi Brady.

I am seriously curious...what makes this intriguing to you? Why are you curious about the answers to my questions?

I don't keep up with that realm of blogs. I only take a passing interest in them maybe once every other week.

Re: Mike Airhart blogging for Wayne Besen, Cause for Concern?

Brady — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 18:43:18 -0000

Interested in them or not...this is very intriguing. Nice find. I'd like to know the answers to those questions too.