“Ex-Gay” minister John Westcott resigned from his ministry position at Exchange following a divorce from his wife of 17 years, Dena. They were a high-profile “ex-gay” couple that were spokespeople for Exodus International. The divorce left a broken home for their three sons, Joseph (15), Jason (12) and Jacob (7).
“My divorce just happened this year and I am still walking through the process of that,” Westcott told me in an e-mail. “My divorce has nothing to do with my or my ex-wife past it is the unfortunate reality of the brokenness that affects all of humanity.”
True, but most of humanity does not parade around using “God’s Word” as club to mug people over the head with. Jesus said nothing about homosexuality, but was very clear that he was no fan of divorce. Given this reality of their new “sinful” lifestyles and the harm of divorce on families, how do John and Dena justify preaching to gay people?
Marriage means forever, John and Dena. It does not mean doing what feels good or what is convenient when the marriage gets tough. If you are going to be preachy fundamentalist scolds and tell other people how to live, the least you can do is show some Family Values and keep your vows. Either you are Bible-believing literalists or you are hypocrites. You can’t have it both ways.
Westcott is not the first “ex-gay” to abandon the Bible and get divorced when it felt good. PFOX president Greg Quinlan also ignored the Lord’s admonitions against divorce and took the easy way out. Yet, despite his sinful lifestyle, he continues his anti-gay teachings.
Wescott is best known for making a fool of himself in comedian Bill Maher’s documentary Religulous. Prior to his “ex-gay” conversion, Westcott worked at the gay bar Parliament House in Orlando.
