Dale

"An Old-Fashioned, Foot-Stompin', Holy Ghost Tent Revival!" That's what the promotional flyer said. "Hmm," I thought, "this might be kind of interesting." I'm always looking for something different to do. Besides, I thought this would be a somewhat unique religious/Christian cultural display that might be good for my partner, Bouy, to expose himself to. At least he could say he experienced it first-hand. Being a quiet, meditational Buddhist from Thailand, I figured he'd never seen anything quite like this before. So, we climbed into my truck and headed for the event... 30 miles south of Buffalo... on a not-so-known rural road. Once we drove into the general vicinity, we followed the hand-painted signs to what was being billed as an encounter with the power of God we would not soon forget.

Bouy and I both thought it strange there was no other traffic plugging up the road en route to this nexus with the power of God. In fact, we were the only vehicle on the road. We were running about 30 minutes late. Maybe that was it. I have given up hope of EVER being on time for anything if Bouy is with me. He's frickin' late for everything. He insisted... last minute, I might add... that he needed a haircut before going to the revival. Oh yeah... we also grabbed a couple of Double Whoppers from Burger King to scarf down on the way. Not the healthiest of meals, but we didn't have time for anything else.

"This doesn't feel right," I said to Bouy as we followed the signs onto a long dirt road, deep into the woods. He agreed.

Our discomfort only grew when we reached our remote destination. There were only 5 other cars in the parking area... and a small handful of people sitting under the tent.

We parked the truck, rolled down our windows, and sat there checking things out before deciding if we should attend. We never did get out of the truck.

While a banjo-picking, guitar-strumming gospel music group was performing, the tent revival's star evangelist was pacing around the outskirts of the property with one hand clutching his Bible... the other hand raised in the air... whispering, "Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Holy Spirit."

He spotted us sitting in the truck and approached us... inviting us to join the group under the tent. I politely lied and said we were waiting for someone.

About the time the small handful of attenders started clapping, dancing, and convulsing around on the floor "under the power of the Holy Spirit", Bouy and I decided to quietly and determinedly drive the heck on outta there. It all felt so cult-like to me. Disappointing.

One young man was sitting under the tent that night. I didn't know him... but he knew me and Bouy. He is part of the "Coalition Against Daem11on" ex-gay Christian group (also known as the "Daem11on Watchers") I have written so much about. They have given me MUCH trouble over the years!

Anyway, his name is Dale. The way he described it in the email he sent me the next day, he prayed so hard that Bouy and I would get out of our truck... walk under the tent... and be forever freed from our curse of homosexuality. When he saw us making our getaway, he was devastated. How could God let him down like that!? He had so much FAITH that he could pray us into that tent! Why didn't the power of God make our truck stall or something... trapping us in the woods... with nowhere to go but to our knees before the Lord in the tent?

I emailed him back... invited him to come to my place to talk... and he accepted. We had a really good conversation... about anything and everything. It's funny. The price of gas where it is right now, Bouy and I were both kind of pissed we wasted all that fuel driving 60 miles round trip for nothing the night of the revival. But now, after meeting Dale, I no longer consider the night to have been a total bust. Perhaps it was destiny that we at least showed our faces that night?

Dale is so GAY! It is so beyond me how he could have been walking around among those revival people claiming to be an "ex-gay". It's self-delusion... reinforced by culty Christian clanspeople! With his permission I tell you our first hug of greeting was so charged we could have torn each other's clothes off right then and there! The bulge in his pants got so hard. And he pushed it against me in a way that was hard to resist! He's never "been with a guy" yet. It's not like I'm so desirable or anything... it's just that he is so starved for male sexual bonding any meaningful touch from another guy sets him aflame. He's a flamer. Like I said, he's so GAY it's not even funny! He's starting to laugh at himself now... and the truth of what I am reporting. That's a good thing. He's more than half-way there already... which, ironically, is about all he is currently willing to expose of his body to the camera at this time as well. Is he beautiful, or what!?

That tent revival was so lame! I'm sure the people involved are sincere and mean well, but they have a totally different definition of what the "power of God" is than I do. For me, it's not about thrashing around on the floor in some ecstatic trance. Nor is it mustering up enough hyper-version of faith to make a truck stall... or pull someone into a place against their will. In my opinion, the power of God is all about truth and love. The truth about who we are... and loving each other in that truth. It's not complicated. And it changes/frees people for the better. One simple little get-together with Dale and he is already feeling free from his "curse of homosexuality". He is, and always will be a homosexual, but thankfully, he no longer sees it as a curse. All the hoopla of 1,000 tent revivals could not produce the power to bring him peace because the truth about God's love and acceptance of our gay orientation is not being preached there. Whatever power they may have is not based on the truth, so what actual good can it possibly produce?

Dale and I plan on getting together frequently. And I promise to continue telling him and everyone else "the truth... the whole truth... and nothing but the truth... so help me God".