Thursday, August 04, 2005
The research continues...
This look backwards is interesting to say the least.
For example, there are conflicting reports on the internet about when Jack McIntyre committed suicide. One source says 1975 and the best sources say 1977. I have found a death notice that places his death in early 1977 and can find nothing in 1975. This is relevant to the story for a variety of reasons, one of which is the frequent claim that John Evans left Love in Action after his friend Jack McIntyre's suicide. A corollary to that claim is the one that Jack McIntyre spent 4 years in Love in Action and was driven to suicide by that group.
I continue to look for contact information for John Evans to get his perspective on these matters. Without that, there is reason to doubt these claims. According to a note by Rembert Truluck on his webpage, the first Evangelicals Concerned chapter was started in Marin county with Ralph Blair making a trip to see John Evans. This is consistent with Frank Worthen's recollections that John Evans and Jack McIntyre and several other people left Love in Action about three months after the name Love in Action was adopted to join with Ralph Blair. This would have been late 1974 or early 1975, which is also given on the EC website as the founding year of EC. Since Jack McIntyre committed suicide in 1977, he would have been away from LIA and with EC for about two years. Also, John Evans would have left LIA before the suicide, not after as has been claimed. He may waited until after McIntyre's death to denounce the ministry but he and McIntyre seem to have left LIA long before the suicide.
Most of these claims about LIA and Exodus seems to come from a common source but the claims are never sourced. I continue to explore and talk to people...
For example, there are conflicting reports on the internet about when Jack McIntyre committed suicide. One source says 1975 and the best sources say 1977. I have found a death notice that places his death in early 1977 and can find nothing in 1975. This is relevant to the story for a variety of reasons, one of which is the frequent claim that John Evans left Love in Action after his friend Jack McIntyre's suicide. A corollary to that claim is the one that Jack McIntyre spent 4 years in Love in Action and was driven to suicide by that group.
I continue to look for contact information for John Evans to get his perspective on these matters. Without that, there is reason to doubt these claims. According to a note by Rembert Truluck on his webpage, the first Evangelicals Concerned chapter was started in Marin county with Ralph Blair making a trip to see John Evans. This is consistent with Frank Worthen's recollections that John Evans and Jack McIntyre and several other people left Love in Action about three months after the name Love in Action was adopted to join with Ralph Blair. This would have been late 1974 or early 1975, which is also given on the EC website as the founding year of EC. Since Jack McIntyre committed suicide in 1977, he would have been away from LIA and with EC for about two years. Also, John Evans would have left LIA before the suicide, not after as has been claimed. He may waited until after McIntyre's death to denounce the ministry but he and McIntyre seem to have left LIA long before the suicide.
Most of these claims about LIA and Exodus seems to come from a common source but the claims are never sourced. I continue to explore and talk to people...
# posted by W. Throckmorton @ Thursday, August 04, 2005 
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Warren, this is torturous just watching!
While searching I'd suggest you CAREFULLY distinguish between when someone leaves a group and when they publically denounce it. It may make more sense that way. K?
(And I do hope you're going to do a little better than "one source" and "the best sources" in the final draft...)
While searching I'd suggest you CAREFULLY distinguish between when someone leaves a group and when they publically denounce it. It may make more sense that way. K?
(And I do hope you're going to do a little better than "one source" and "the best sources" in the final draft...)
You are watching a process. Of course if I write anything formally there will be full sourcing; unlike most of the stuff used by critics.
All I can tell you is that Frank Evans gave me a photocopy of Jack's suicide note. It was clear that Jack felt he couldn't stop being gay and that it was better to die than continue in sin. I had type out the letter, and probably have the original photocopy someplace. But the context of his letter did NOT make it sound as if was involved with Evangelicals Concerned. There was, however, another person who was involved with EC, who did not commit suicide who was named Jack, but his last name started with a P.
I will see if I can at least find the text. I remember the beginning was. He addressed to all his friends and family saying they would want to know why. He described how he loved life and he loved his little house but that try as he might he couldn't stop being tempted and felt it was easier to explain to God that he killed himself to avoid sin and would be forgiven. The attitude in the letter was consistent with LIA and not EC.
I will see if I can at least find the text. I remember the beginning was. He addressed to all his friends and family saying they would want to know why. He described how he loved life and he loved his little house but that try as he might he couldn't stop being tempted and felt it was easier to explain to God that he killed himself to avoid sin and would be forgiven. The attitude in the letter was consistent with LIA and not EC.
# posted by 
: Thursday, May 02, 2013 9:04:00 PM
: Thursday, May 02, 2013 9:04:00 PM
Here is the text to Jack's suicide note.
"TO: Those left with the question, why did he do it?
"I loved life and all that it had to offer to me each day.
"I loved my job and my clients.
"I loved my friends and thank God for each one of them.
"I loved my little house and would not have wanted to live anywhere else.
"All this looks like the perfect life. Yet, I must not let this shadow the problem that I have in my life. At one time, not to long ago, that was all that really mattered in my life. What pleased me and how it affected me. Now that I have turned my life over to the Lord and the changes came one by one, the above statements mean much more to me. I am pleased that I can say those statements with all the truth and honesty that is within me.
"However, to make this short, I must confess that there were things in my life that I could not gain control, no matter how much I prayed and tried to avoid the temptation, I continually failed.
"It is this constant failure that has made me make the decision to terminate my life here on earth. I do this with the complete understanding that life is not mine to take. I know that it is against the teachings of our Creator. No man is without sin, this I realise. I will cleanse myself of all sin as taught to me by His word. Yet, I must face my Lord with the sin of murder. I believe that Jesus died and paid the price for that sin too. I know that I shall have everlasting life with Him by departing this world now, no matter how much I love it, my friends, my family. If I remain it could possibly allow the devil the opportunity to lead me away from the Lord. I love life, but my love for the Lord is so much greater, the choice is simple.
"I am not asking you to sanction my actions. That is not the purpose of my writing this at all. It is for the express purpose of allowing each one who will read this to know how I weighed things in my own mind. I don't want you to think that, 'I alone,' should have been the perfect person, without sin. That would be ridiculous! It is the continuing lack of strength and/or obedience and/or will power to cast aside certain sins. To continually go before God and ask forgiveness and make promises you know you can't keep is more than I can take. I feel it is making a mockery of God and all He stands for in my life.
"Please know that I am extremely happy to be going to the Lord. He knows my heart and knows how much I love life and and all that it has to offer. But, He knows that I love Him more. That is why I believe that I will be with Him in Paradise.
"I regret if I bring sorrow to those that are left behind. If you get your hearts in tune with the word of God you will be as happy about my 'transfer' as I am. I also hope that this answers sufficiently the question, why?
"May God Have Mercy On My Soul.
"A Brother & A Friend."
I see from my notes that I had given a lecture in San Francisco on the exgay movement. That meeting was held at a church in the Castro, probably around 1980 from what I remember. I am pretty sure it was UFMCC church on Eureka Street. Shortly after I wrote that the suicide was "actually defended by members of Love in Action at a meeting in San Francisco where I gave a lecture on the 'exgay' movement. These Love in Action members compared the suicide of this young may to the martyrdom of St. Stephen." I did have those Love in Action trying to defend the suicide. They never tried to point the finger in any other direction. If Jack had been away from them for years, I would have thought they would mention that as opposed to trying to justify the death.
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"TO: Those left with the question, why did he do it?
"I loved life and all that it had to offer to me each day.
"I loved my job and my clients.
"I loved my friends and thank God for each one of them.
"I loved my little house and would not have wanted to live anywhere else.
"All this looks like the perfect life. Yet, I must not let this shadow the problem that I have in my life. At one time, not to long ago, that was all that really mattered in my life. What pleased me and how it affected me. Now that I have turned my life over to the Lord and the changes came one by one, the above statements mean much more to me. I am pleased that I can say those statements with all the truth and honesty that is within me.
"However, to make this short, I must confess that there were things in my life that I could not gain control, no matter how much I prayed and tried to avoid the temptation, I continually failed.
"It is this constant failure that has made me make the decision to terminate my life here on earth. I do this with the complete understanding that life is not mine to take. I know that it is against the teachings of our Creator. No man is without sin, this I realise. I will cleanse myself of all sin as taught to me by His word. Yet, I must face my Lord with the sin of murder. I believe that Jesus died and paid the price for that sin too. I know that I shall have everlasting life with Him by departing this world now, no matter how much I love it, my friends, my family. If I remain it could possibly allow the devil the opportunity to lead me away from the Lord. I love life, but my love for the Lord is so much greater, the choice is simple.
"I am not asking you to sanction my actions. That is not the purpose of my writing this at all. It is for the express purpose of allowing each one who will read this to know how I weighed things in my own mind. I don't want you to think that, 'I alone,' should have been the perfect person, without sin. That would be ridiculous! It is the continuing lack of strength and/or obedience and/or will power to cast aside certain sins. To continually go before God and ask forgiveness and make promises you know you can't keep is more than I can take. I feel it is making a mockery of God and all He stands for in my life.
"Please know that I am extremely happy to be going to the Lord. He knows my heart and knows how much I love life and and all that it has to offer. But, He knows that I love Him more. That is why I believe that I will be with Him in Paradise.
"I regret if I bring sorrow to those that are left behind. If you get your hearts in tune with the word of God you will be as happy about my 'transfer' as I am. I also hope that this answers sufficiently the question, why?
"May God Have Mercy On My Soul.
"A Brother & A Friend."
I see from my notes that I had given a lecture in San Francisco on the exgay movement. That meeting was held at a church in the Castro, probably around 1980 from what I remember. I am pretty sure it was UFMCC church on Eureka Street. Shortly after I wrote that the suicide was "actually defended by members of Love in Action at a meeting in San Francisco where I gave a lecture on the 'exgay' movement. These Love in Action members compared the suicide of this young may to the martyrdom of St. Stephen." I did have those Love in Action trying to defend the suicide. They never tried to point the finger in any other direction. If Jack had been away from them for years, I would have thought they would mention that as opposed to trying to justify the death.
# posted by : Thursday, May 02, 2013 9:30:00 PM
: Thursday, May 02, 2013 9:30:00 PM << Home
