Justin Lee

Infobox Christian biography
name = Justin Lee


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birth_date = September 7, 1977
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nationality = USA
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known for = founder of Gay Christian Network
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education = Wake Forest University
occupation = LGBT Christian activist, website director and much more
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website = http://www.gaychristian.net

Justin Lee (born September 7, 1977) is the founder of The Gay Christian Network (GayChristian.net, or GCN), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides resources and support to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Christians. According to the GCN website, "We also work with churches and other Christian organizations to help educate the Christian community about sexual orientation issues from a Biblical standpoint." Lee founded GCN in August, 2001 to "build a supportive community to support fellow gay Christians in their Christian walks." [ [http://www.gaychristian.net/aboutgcn.php "About GCN"] , GayChristian.net. Accessed February 11, 2008.] In an interview for CNN, Lee explained the purpose of the site:

"We're just trying to get people together who experience attraction to the same sex, however they have handled that, and who love Jesus and say, OK, you are welcome here, and then let's pray together and figure out where God wants us to take it." [ [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0612/18/acd.02.html Transcript] of 18 December 2006 episode of "Anderson Cooper 360"]

Lee has publicly commented on the usefulness of online communities in helping minister to the gay Christian community:

"The Internet has made a huge difference in creating a movement [...] . What at first might have seemed a little fringe group is then able to gain momentum as people meet others and discover they’re not alone." [Jeff McMillan, [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/living/2003727929_webvirginity31.html "Gays, lesbians join the chastity movement"] , Associated Press, 31 May 2007]

Lee stresses that the site is not a dating site, and that many gays are willing to wait until they are in a committed relationship before they are sexually active. [Joe Crea, [http://www.aegis.com/news/wb/2004/WB040711.html "Gays left out of abstinence messages: Some choose to wait for "committed relationship"] , "Washington Blade" 16 July 2004]

Lee was raised in a Southern Baptist home and graduated from Wake Forest University in 2000, where he was an active member of the campus InterVarsity Christian Fellowship as well as the Gay-Straight Alliance. In 2006, Lee was a part of the "Gay-to-Straight Debate" on the Dr. Phil Show, and was featured in the New York Times an article titled "Gay and Seeking a Place Among Evangelicals." [Neela Banerjee, [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/12/us/12evangelical.html?scp=2&sq=%22justin+lee%22+gay&st=nyt "Gay and Evangelical, Seeking Paths of Acceptance"] , "The New York Times", December 12, 2006. Accessed February 11, 2008.] He has also been a featured guest at conferences on Christianity and homosexuality, such as the Institute for Progressive Christianity's 2007 Symposium. [Chuck Colbert, [http://www.innewsweekly.com/innews/?class_code=Ne&article_code=3531 "Progressive Christians see hope for gay marriage"] , InNewsweekly.com, 1 March 2007]

Notes

ee also

*Religion and homosexuality
*History of Christianity and homosexuality
*Queer Theology
*

External links

* [http://www.gaychristian.net The Gay Christian Network]
* [http://drphil.com/shows/show/601/ Dr. Phil episode "I'm Gay, OK?"]