Voices of the Silenced

An announcement and invitation came via email on January 23. A new two-part feature documentary has been made, entitled Voices of the Silenced.

It has taken two years to make, filmed in eight countries and introducing almost forty participants. The documentary challenges the idea that men and women are victims and prisoners of their sexuality, that those who are ‘born homosexual’ can only find happiness and fulfilment in homosexual relations, while the voices of those who once had been persuaded to think like that, but subsequently have moved away from same-sex desires, have been silenced. They are ignored by the mainstream media, and increasingly marginalised and shut down by professional bodies and legislation.

So this feature documentary has been made, and the stories of experts, doctors, lawyers, theologians, therapists, and ordinary Christians are finally presented, no longer silenced. The voices of those influenced by the Judeo-Christian ethic (which has affected millions in western civilisation) are in these interviews again given an opportunity to be heard, and truth can emerge once more from the maelstrom of contemporary confusion and prejudice. Within this documentary are the stories of fifteen individuals from eight countries, delivered from homosexual practices, with more than twenty experts from various backgrounds supporting the journeys of these ordinary men and women.

The emailed announcement of Voices of the Silenced gave us further information that the premier release of the documentary would be shown at the Vue cinema complex, Piccadilly, on Thursday February 8, so we booked two tickets with some anticipation.

On the morning of February 7, we received an email informing us that the cinema chain, Vue Piccadilly, had withdrawn permission for the world premier of Voices of the Silenced to be shown. They had been approached by those lobbying for the homosexual position. Six hundred people had signed a petition calling for the screening to be cancelled. They had been threatened with boycotting the Vue Cinema chain if the premier took place. Vue stated, ‘It is in direct contradiction to Vue’s values as it advocates and promotes gay “cure” therapies.’

They wanted the silenced to remain silent.

Lots of activity then took place behind the scenes and an alternative viewing centre was initially obtained, but once again permission was withdrawn. But by mid-morning we received another email informing us that a protest was planned outside the Vue Cinema, Piccadilly from 6.00-6.30pm that evening. Then the organisers planned to travel to the Emmanuel Centre in Marsham Street to watch the documentary at 7.30pm.

So off we went on a freezing, windy night and made our way to the Emmanuel Centre. It is a magnificent building, about 90 years old. About 200 people turned up but to my surprise we did not recognise a single person in attendance. There were light refreshments and a very happy atmosphere. Then Dr. Mike Davidson introduced this feature documentary. It was done very well, rather like a Panorama programme but from a historic Christian perspective. There were no protests and the film consisted of interviews mainly in English but also in German, Hungarian, Norwegian, and Dutch. It was informative and edifying. Right towards the end of the film there were two interviews with an old friend the Baptist pastor Matthew Brennan from Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. He spoke so well about the changing situation in Ireland. The whole documentary lasted about an hour and forty minutes, quite long, and we were given a summary of the second film which we did not see, which views the homosexual issue historically from the time of Ancient Rome and Pompeii.

The evening ended with a dozen of the men and women who had taken part coming to the front and receiving the applause of the audience. The film is another tool in the long battle that lies before the church militant as it stands in an evil day, and having done all, stands.