Donnie Davies

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Donnie Davies is a self-professed Anabaptist youth pastor, "reformed homosexual", and lead singer for the band Evening Service. Davies and the band were unkown until the release of the music video for the anti-homosexuality song "The Bible Says" on the Internet on January 24, 2007. Davies claims affiliation with the organization Love God's Way Ministries, which launched a website around the same time as the release of the video.

He is also the founder and spokesman for the C.H.O.P.s program. The anacronym stands for "Changing Homosexuals into Ordinary People". C.H.O.P.S is promoted through Love God's Way's website.

His video has been removed from Youtube.com without comment from the company and has been removed by Google.^[1]

1 Controversy
2 Evidence of Hoax
- 2.1 Identity
- 2.2 Circumstantial Evidence
3 External links
4 References

[edit] Controversy

Much of the controversy revolves around whether or not this is a real person with a real agenda, or if this is a viral marketing campaign. Gay rights advocates acknowledge that as a spoof there is humor, but claim the message behind it is still as malicious as someone who seriously possesses this opinion.^[2]^[1]^[3] Debate has quickly risen regarding the authenticity of Davies' youth ministry activities, the band Evening Service, and the organization Love God's Way ranging from entertainment publications such as Spin^[4] to thousands of personal blogs [1] Some in the blogosphere maintained that Davies was a true former homosexual seeking to convert other homosexuals to heterosexuality. Others considered Davies ministry and the video part of a carefully orchestrated hoax mocking the Christian Conservative community. Other controversy involve the claims on Donnie's website of what music "will make you gay".^[5]

Gay rights organizations such as Heartstrong[2] are addressing this as a serious threat to the gay community. The reasoning is that whether or not it is a humorous spoof, the message behind it is still malicious and being disseminated without control and in the end accomplishes what it intended through humor.^[2]^[1]^[3] Others have reasoned that, regardless of Davies' authenticity, his actions have played an important role in raising awareness of efforts to "reform" homosexuals.^[6]

[edit] Evidence of Hoax

[edit] Identity

Speculation has arisen linking Davies to several real-world personalities. Initial speculation identified Davies California-based comedian Todd Quillen.^[7] Davies was later linked to Colby Starck of the band Glass Gypsies, fronted by musician Bobby Conn.^[8] Despite reported physical similarities, Starck has denied any link to Davies through Radar Online.^[9] Starck has been quoted saying, "While I'm getting a kick out of the hoopla, I'm not Donnie Davies... I'm not as fat as he is, but it's really the love that I have in my heart for homosexuals that distinguishes us."

Later reports identified Davies as actor and comedian Joey Oglesby, a former member of the Chicken & Pickle Guys sketch comedy duo.^[10] Suggestive evidence links Davies to Joey Oglesby, including physical appearance and the content of his performances. One Chicken & Pickle Guys project, "Wizard of Awesome," is described as "comedy stew of dance, homophobic/gay experimentation, male chauvinism, obscure racism and spiritual revelation."^[1] Additionally, Oglesby reportedly appeared in a production of "Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical."^[10]

Footage of Oglesby by the production crew from previous Davies videos aired in an MTV online video segment, which concluded Oglesby and Davies are in fact the same individual.^[11] Nonetheless, the footage offered no explicit admission by Oglesby, and extended footage later linked from the Davies website continued to claim that not only is Oglesby different from Davies, but also shows footage of the two interacting.^[12]

[edit] Circumstantial Evidence

His websites create a circular link and were all founded under the same anonymous account through Go Daddy^[13]
His websites lack any reference to biblical scriptures although he uses the bible as a basis for his cause and message.^{[original research?]}
The website for Evening Service features a poster of Donnie Davies in a homo-erotic pose with an S&M clad Satan, and the catchphrase "Stroke the Power".
A line in the song "God Hates Fags" says "Read the bible and you'll be sure to enter heaven; there's no back door." An apparent refference to anal sex.
His materials all utilize cultural symbols of an effeminate gay stereotype such as pink shirts and elaborate hand gestures.^{[original research?]}
His "Love God's Way" website erroneously refers to Oscar Wilde as a "reformed homosexual" (Wilde was tried, convicted, and imprisoned by the British government toward the end of his life for the commission of homosexual acts, but never publicly renounced his homosexuality) and contains lists of "gay bands" and "safe bands" that are so idiosyncratic as to invite disbelief.^[14]