Ex-gay leader George Alan Rekers has
denied he participated in “inappropriate behavior” with a
20-year-old gay escort while the pair vacationed in Europe.
“A recent article in an alternative
newspaper cleverly gave false impressions of inappropriate behavior
because of its misleading innuendo, incorrectly implying that
Professor George Rekers used the Rentboy website to hire a prostitute
to accompany him on a recent trip,” a post on Rekers' blog
ProfessorGeorge.com says.
According to the Miami New Times,
Rekers of North Miami hired the escort to accompany him on a 10-day
European vacation. Rekers found the escort – named Lucien but not
his real name – on gay escort website RentBoy.com. When confronted
with the allegation, Rekers told the paper that he hired Lucien
because “I can't lift luggage.” While both men deny having sex
on the trip, Lucien said Rekers “likes younger guys to hang out
with.”
Rekers, a Baptist minister, is a
founder of the socially conservative Family Research Council headed
by Tony Perkins and a board member of the National Association for
Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH), a group that
believes gay men and lesbians can – and should – alter their
sexuality. He was also called to testify as an expert witness in
favor of gay adoption bans in Arkansas and Florida.
Rekers has authored numerous books on
sexuality, including Growing Up Straight: What Families Should
Know About Homosexuality and Your Child's Sexual Identity.
In a Facebook posting, Rekers
elaborated on his denial, saying he hired Lucien to “share the Good
News of Jesus Christ” with him.
“Contrary to false gossip, innuendo,
and slander about me, I do not in any way 'hate' homosexuals, but I
seek to lovingly share two types of messages to them, as I did with
the young man called 'Lucien' in the news story.”
The two messages, Rekers says in a
response to gay blogger Joe
My God, are: “It is possible to cease homosexual practices to
avoid the unacceptable health risks associated with that behavior”
and “the most important decision one can make is to establish a
relationship with God for all eternity by trusting in Jesus Christ's
sacrifice on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins, including
homosexual sins.”
The story prompted gay advocates to ask
for Rekers resignation from the ex-gay group NARTH.
“Given the sordid and tawdry facts,
he should immediate step down from NARTH's board and apologize to the
LGBT community for his extreme hypocrisy and self-loathing,” said
Wayne Besen, executive director of Truth
Wins Out, a non-profit group that advocates against ex-gay
ministries.
“As of today, his entire body of work
on LGBT issues in rendered meaningless,” he added.