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US chastity speaker cancels trip to Ireland 'due to illness' after number of talks were axed

A number of talks by Jason Evert had already been cancelled amid criticism of his stance on homosexuality and other issues.

LAST UPDATE | 14 Jan 2020

jason Jason Evert Chastity Project Chastity Project

CATHOLIC AUTHOR AND public speaker Jason Evert has cancelled his Irish tour due to illness, according to a statement issued this evening.

The cancellation comes after a number of talks due to be given by Evert were cancelled amid criticism of his stance on homosexuality and other issues.

Evert has previously referred to homosexuality as “disordered” and is against the use of contraception.

A number of talks by Evert were cancelled after criticism of his stance on certain issues, as reported by TheJournal.ie last week.

Talks at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church on Merrion Road in Dublin 4 and the Holy Family Mission in Waterford were due to go ahead as planned tomorrow and on Thursday, but will now not proceed.

A statement on the Our Lady Queen of Peace Church website states that Evert is unable to travel to Ireland “due to illness”. “We were all looking forward to hearing him speak. Perhaps we’ll get a chance in the future,” the statement adds.

Earlier today, TheJournal.ie revealed that Evert was due to give a talk at an all-boys secondary school in Dublin tomorrow, according to a letter given to students yesterday.

However, parents received a text from Rockbrook Park School this afternoon saying the talk had been cancelled.

text

Evert founded the Chastity Project, an organisation that promotes chastity, and has written several books and delivered speeches all over the world on topics such as sexuality, love and marriage.

He has a master’s degree in Theology and runs the Chastity Project with his wife Crystalina Evert. The couple has eight children.

“The Catholic Church [says] you can acknowledge you have same-sex attractions, you can tell your family members or whoever it is you care to disclose that information to but to realise that your other options isn’t just to come out and make up your own rules with sexuality but you can actually lead a pure life with the grace of God. This option isn’t even proposed to people who struggle with these attractions,” Evert has previously stated.

The Chastity Project website references research on homosexuality and notes that one study states: “Sometimes the person (who is gay) experienced sexual abuse. Certainly not everyone who suffers sexual abuse develops homosexual attractions, and not everyone who has homosexual attractions was abused. But if a man abuses a girl, she may subconsciously think, ‘Men must all be like you, and no man will do that to me! I don’t want to be hurt that way again’.”

Evert is also critical of contraception, saying it is bad for women’s health and makes them feel they have to be “more sexually available“.

Talks cancelled 

Students from Rockbrook Park School, a fee-paying school located in Rathfarnham in Dublin 16 that follows the teachings of Opus Dei, were given letters by the school yesterday saying that Evert would give a talk at the school tomorrow.

One mother said some parents at the school were “up in arms” that the talk was going ahead, given the impact it could have on gay students, and complained. She welcomed the cancellation. 

The letter, seen by TheJournal.ie, stated that Evert “has agreed to visit our school informally in between his official events”.

It cited Evert’s “compassionate, down-to-earth and thought-provoking approach to speaking about relationships and chastity to teens and young adults”.

The letter stated that the title of Evert’s talk is ‘It Starts with the Heart’ and that it “will cover topics such as friendship, relationships, dating, the meaning of Christian marriage and more”.

Students from second year upwards were invited to attend the talk, as were parents once they give advance notice to the school.

The letter noted that students do not have to attend the talk if they don’t want to, once they have written consent of this from their parents.

“Naturally, as with any topic of sensitivity, it can occasionally arise that parents may not wish their son to attend. In that case simply provide a note for your son to give to his Year Head and we as always accommodate such understandable requests,” the letter stated.

It added: “Surprisingly there has been some media comment misrepresenting the visit to our school and the topic, and hopefully that has now blown over.”

“Our students have known for some time about this possible visit and today the senior students expressed great interest in the visit happening, as such visits helping and inform them as they develop their own critical world views,” the letter concluded.

‘Up in arms’

One mother whose child attends the school said some of Evert’s comments about gay people are “horrifying”. She said there had been no mention of the talk prior to the letter being sent home with students.

“My son came home with the note yesterday. I had never heard of this man before,” the woman said. 

She told TheJournal.ie she and her son looked Evert up online and listened to a number of his previous comments. She described some of Evert’s remarks about homosexuality as “horrifying” and “absolutely awful”. 

The woman said “a lot of the parents” were “up in arms”, noting that a number of pupils in the school are gay, prior to the talk being cancelled. 

She said the fact students had been given the option not to attend is “not the point” and put them “under pressure that isn’t necessary”. 

Prior to the talk’s cancellation, the woman said her son and a number of his friends would not be attending, adding that she was “100% supportive of that”. 

“Each to their own, it just doesn’t sit well with my family,” the mother said. 

Attempts to contact Rockbrook Park School today and last week were successful at the time of publication.

TheJournal.ie also contacted the Chastity Project today and last Friday to enquire about the Irish events but did not receive a response.

Cancelled events

A number of talks Evert was due to give in Dublin and Waterford this week were previously listed on the Chastity Project website but the entire list was removed last week.

jason unav Chastity.com Chastity.com

A video where he discussed his upcoming trip to Ireland also appeared to have been removed from his YouTube channel amid criticism of the visit.

Prior to the entire tour being cancelled, the axed events included talks at Blackrock College in Dublin, UCD and the Tower Hotel in Waterford, as previously reported by TheJournal.ie

Speaking last week, Ian Power, CEO of youth organisation SpunOut, said telling any young person they are disordered could do “untold damage”.

“For anybody, but particularly for somebody who is struggling with their identity, to be told that they are in some way disordered or wrong is extremely harmful to hear.

“This could have really serious consequences for the mental health of young people coming to terms with their sexuality – as you struggle with that, you’re so much more vulnerable to the things other people say, particularly for younger people.

“Untold damage could be done if someone like this is allowed unfettered access to a young, captive audience,” Power told us, adding: “It’s not okay for somebody to address students with anything under than objective facts.”

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    Mute Paul Dolan
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    Aug 30th 2020, 8:37 AM

    Donnelly way out of his depth

    308
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    Mute Karl Mc Cauley
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    Aug 30th 2020, 9:40 AM

    @Paul Dolan: bring back Harris.

    60
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    Mute M J Flynn
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    Aug 30th 2020, 10:03 AM

    @Paul Dolan:
    Questions were always being asked of NPHET but under Harris they were ignored and the Press did not report it. It’s better for democracy that questions be regularly asked and answered to ensure community wide understanding and buy in.

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    Mute Dave Hammond
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    Aug 30th 2020, 1:44 PM

    @Karl Mc Cauley: yep Irelands HSE was going swimmingly well until this year…….well if you ignore the nurses pay , the 10 year trolley crisis , the cancer screening scandals , the…. …….. ……… , ffs

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    Mute Tom Jones
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    Aug 30th 2020, 3:26 PM

    @Karl Mc Cauley: Jesus no.

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    Mute paul gurney
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    Aug 30th 2020, 6:39 PM

    @Karl Mc Cauley: no….he was also way out of his depth but lucky for him all decisions were made by Tony Holohan so he just had to read the script…he actually admitted this.Bringing him back is not an option…remember it was he that caused the collapse of govt as there was no way he would have survived a vote of confidence.Donnelly is bad and so is Harris…is it not possible we could have somebody that actually knows what they’re doing??

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    Mute Geoff Collins
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    Aug 30th 2020, 8:26 AM

    The question that needs to be asked is why we are basing decision on a PCR test that does not identify live Covid-19 but trace elements of the many strains of coronavirus including the common cold. Forcing masks on ppl and banning gatherings is more about shutting down debate maybe?

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    Mute Tom Bombdadil
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    Aug 30th 2020, 8:28 AM

    @Geoff Collins: or the fact that they haven’t a clue what they are doing.

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    Mute D Mems
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    Aug 30th 2020, 8:31 AM

    @Geoff Collins: can you provide a source to that? As far as I was aware the PCR test is specific to Covid-19, and only responds to live virus. Perhaps you are thinking of the antibody test?

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    Mute Macca Attack
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    Aug 30th 2020, 8:40 AM

    @Tom Bombdadil: I’d rather listen to the experts instead of gemma’s thank you.

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    Mute Kevin Hill
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    Aug 30th 2020, 9:14 AM

    @Geoff Collins: that rumour has been debunked, test is Covid specific
    https://www.thejournal.ie/can-a-cold-or-flu-give-positive-test-for-covid-19-5155807-Jul2020/

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    Mute Thornto84
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    Aug 30th 2020, 9:32 AM

    @Kevin Hill: PCR test is way to sensitive and picks up only trace amounts of the virus, most people aren’t even contagious. In some places up to 90% tested didn’t even have enough virus to be contagious. Have to wonder what the real numbers are? They just seem to be inflating the cases. Just Google “New York Times PCR test”.
    (Sorry journal won’t let me post links)

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    Mute Macca Attack
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    Aug 30th 2020, 9:34 AM

    @Thornto84: back that up with fact.

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    Mute Thornto84
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    Aug 30th 2020, 9:40 AM

    @Macca Attack: did you miss the part I said Google “New York Times PCR TEST”

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    Mute Isabel Oliveira
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    Aug 30th 2020, 9:50 AM

    @Kevin Hill: it is indeed true that the test gives many false positives ( rather than the false negatives all governments were concentrating on on) . It depends on how many amplification cycles a specific lab chooses to set. Anything over 30 cycles is very likely to give you a false positive. The question now is, since the cycles have been calibrated so high in many labs why the suspicion put on negatives rather than positives . Peculiar.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/29/health/coronavirus-testing.html

    https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.26.20080911v3.full.pdf

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    Mute Geoff Collins
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    Aug 30th 2020, 1:51 PM

    @D Mems: https://bpa-pathology.com/covid19-pcr-tests-are-scientifically-meaningless/
    We have about 3000 positive cases in last 30 days and a dozen deaths. Either the test is too sensitive or this virus has petered out in severity. Either way talking of being on the tipping point of another lockdown based on cases is insane.

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    Mute Geoff Collins
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    Aug 30th 2020, 2:00 PM
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    Mute Geoff Collins
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    Aug 30th 2020, 2:05 PM
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    Mute dmcardle
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    Aug 30th 2020, 9:01 AM

    With respect, I think this group are on a hiding to nothing short term regarding Dept. of Health, HSE, NPHET or anyone else saying that larger groups may now congregate. Whether it is for arts, opera, concerts, mass, weddings, GAA or any other sport etc.

    However, they do say, if you read between the lines, that they’re looking for more detailed scientific reasoning behind the current guidelines.

    We need more groups like this and the excellent work Michael McNamara is doing as chair of the Covid Committee to shutdown this nonsensical approach to trying to get our country back up and running again.

    Donnelly & Glynn are still holding the threat of lockdown over our heads and tomorrow as hundreds of thousands of kids go back to school, some who have the sniffles in schools which haven’t been properly equipped will be asked to go outside to some cold, leaky garden sheds to self-isolate.

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    Mute Seamus Hughes
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    Aug 30th 2020, 10:06 AM

    @dmcardle:

    It’s good to see at least one elected representative asking the obvious questions. Political courage in a hysterical world should be applauded

    https://youtu.be/CqTKaVBGcNU

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    Mute Garry Coll
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    Aug 30th 2020, 10:03 AM

    I’m not sure this group will get very far.
    The arrogant and dismissive response from NPHET to a similar request from the GAA shows how little respect they have for the citizens of Ireland.
    One of its members, Prof Nolan went so far last week as to apparently mislead the Dail committee hearing by saying that Irelands approach is different to other European countries because we have a higher population density.
    He said that a look at a map showing the population densities of the countries of Europe would prove this.
    In the link below, Ireland is 43rd out of 54 European countries listed by population density. 80% of the countries of Europe have a higher population density than Ireland.
    We’re being conned.

    https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/european-countries-by-population-density.html

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    Mute Isabel Oliveira
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    Aug 30th 2020, 10:33 AM

    @Garry Coll: isn’t he at least embarrassed to display such ignorance ?

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    Mute great gael of Eire
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    Aug 30th 2020, 10:41 AM

    @Isabel Oliveira: he works in a University. He is used to being top dog and lecture to people firmly believing that he is better that everyone else. He’s not embarrassed.

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    Mute Garry Coll
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    Aug 30th 2020, 11:22 AM

    @Isabel Oliveira:
    He may or he may not Isabel, does that really matter.
    The real question is whether anyone is going to call him out on it.
    I wouldn’t expect RTE or any other national media outlet to do so, they gave up all journalistic functions in relation to Covid long ago. Now they are merely stenographers, repeating and regurgitating government policy and commentary in a way that would make Pravda blush.
    I think the Dail committee is meeting again next week, that is probably the most appropriate place.
    But I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for it to happen.

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    Mute Isabel Oliveira
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    Aug 30th 2020, 11:30 AM

    @Garry Coll: i think that both government & NPHET deliberately incited the population against each other blaming specific demographics or sectors for the cases. As a result a petrified percentage of the population of many angry informant, curtain twitching types surfaced. It’s very difficult to make any kind of point that goes against this mentality without being fiercely attacked being it the media or just people. The creation or incitement of this mentality was not an accident, it was very deliberate.

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    Mute Isabel Oliveira
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    Aug 30th 2020, 10:09 AM

    Circa 1500 cases have been confirmed as linked to meat processing. We don’t even have the figures for fruit & vegetable processing or the total figure for meat processing.

    To date August registered 2,241 cases totally. If we take only the 1500 figure ( which is higher), we get a result of 741 cases , subtract another 160 healthcare staff infected and we get 581 cases.

    Next time they blame pubs, tourists, those travelling, the arts, young people , next time they give the police more powers or quarantine healthy people or lockdown counties, next time they try to turn people into informants or curtail rights & freedoms : do remember these numbers that are due to pure inaction as the trend was happening in Europe as early as June and mass screening should have been in place then.

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    Mute a
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    Aug 30th 2020, 10:36 AM

    It’s so strange because they are allowing theatres to have 50 people indoors, but outdoor performances of the same show l, by the same company only allows 15. I don’t understand that.

    Many theatre companies who had arranged outdoor performances for when it was 200 people, are now struggling to get back in doors to perform to a quarter of that audience. Indoors. Where it is less safe??!!

    They are right to seek the scientific basis
    for this decision.

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    Mute Anne Kyle
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    Aug 30th 2020, 11:28 AM

    @a: Exactly. I asked the same question. It just doesn’t make any sense. If NPHET will actually engage properly with the sector (who are WELL used to risk management procedures) then maybe there’s a way forward.

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    Mute Anne Marie Kearney
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    Aug 30th 2020, 12:58 PM

    Nothing but mixed messages since this so-called government took over. Confusing figures and being told to wait for the scientific evidence and the only thing that is clear is that they are not communicating with each other either. Such a shame that it could be detrimental to our culture and the livelihoods of genuine artists!

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    Mute Peter Bell
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    Aug 30th 2020, 10:25 AM

    Inept ,should resign

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    Mute Tony Humphreys
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    Aug 30th 2020, 5:15 PM

    I don’t recall anyone voting for members of nphet? Are they not running the country?

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    Mute Declan Brennan
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    Aug 30th 2020, 10:50 PM

    I blame the trampolines!!

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    Mute Kevin Arnold
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    Aug 30th 2020, 9:43 AM

    Turnip.

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    Mute Brian Brennan
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    Aug 30th 2020, 9:40 AM

    Donnelly is out of his depth with his new position as health minister.

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