Friday, September 12, 2008

Gay Christian music duo coming to Dallas

By Daniel A. Kusner of Dallas Voice

GAY LOVERS FOR CHRIST: Jason, left, & deMarco recently celebrated their seventh anniversary. - Scott Ashton

In July 2004, musical duo Jason & deMarco graced the cover of The Advocate and instantly became poster boys for Gay Christianity. With an album and sound called “Spirit Pop,” their squeaky-clean image would have made Jewel look like a slut.

But Jason & deMarco are lovers — not celibate priests.

That immaculate image fit because most of Jason & deMarco’s gigs were booked on the church circuit — like their first Dallas performance at Cathedral of Hope in 2006. And on Wednesday, they return to Oak Lawn for a performance at Bethany Presbyterian Church.

Sometimes their music is like a glowing light that brings two seemingly opposed groups closer together. But not always.

In 2004, they were originally booked for a Gay Days at Disney gig, but when Jason & deMarco became synonymous with Christianity, Gay Days organizers dropped them, fearing the duo would start proselytizing from the stage. And, of course, they are no strangers to God Hates Fags picket signs.

“And the Westboro Baptist Church can protest our performances anytime. When they do, they end up packing the house,” deMarco says during a recent phone interview from the Los Angeles home he shares with Jason Warner.

Thirtysomething Toronto native deMarco was born Marco deCiccio, the oldest son of two Italian immigrants. Raised Catholic, deMarco received the sacraments like a good little boy: baptism, confession, communion, confirmation … He says he never officially broke ties with the Vatican. But working through the Catholic guilt and shame of being gay has been an ongoing process.

“It’s easy to blame God and lose faith over the resistance our community faces,” deMarco says —while I can hear Jason angrily snapping his fingers at deMarco.

“Will you hold on a sec?” deMarco says, then covers the phone to shout-whisper at Jason, who is eavesdropping, “What? We’re playing at a church — praise and worship. Let me answers his questions, and I’ll get to that.”

It’s obvious that Jason & deMarco don’t want to be confined to the “contemporary Christianity” music bin. But since deMarco knows this interview previews a Dallas church gig, it’s only fitting that we’re going to focus on queer spirituality.

Gay sex + faith politics

During this current political Christmas, same-sex marriage is hot-topic — and one that Obama and McCain agree on. The candidates’ religious beliefs are the only reason they don’t support full, equal marriage rights for same-sex couples.

And if gays can’t get legally hitched, only two sexual options remain: abstinence or pre-martial sex, which is considered sinful.

Married heterosexual Christians can proudly enjoy their sex lives — with God’s blessing.

What about gays?

Smart and totally hot, deMarco is also one helluva sport. Since he and Jason are the poster couple for Gay Christianity, I grilled him on the details regarding his proud gay sex life.

Are you and Jason monogamous? Yes.

Do y’all have ManHunt accounts? We don’t.

Is that because you are good Christian role models, and you feel that you can’t cruise other guys? Jason and I are young men. We love to flirt, and we certainly enjoy the beauty of our community. But that’s the extent of it. We’ve done a lot of work on this relationship, and the big thing we learned is to be honest. I think things like ManHunt and porn can affect a relationship when dishonesty and dark secrecy are attached to it. As long as we’re on the same page and honest, there’s nothing wrong with that any of that stuff. And at the end of the night, we crawl into bed with each other, and we are our partners in every way.

Do y’all have any erotica in your house? I’m looking around our house right now, and there’s really nothing erotic here.

As a gay Catholic kid growing up in Toronto, did you ever pick up some porn? Of course.

When did you eradicate porn from your life? When I realized that, to a certain extent, it was unfulfilling.

When was that? It was a gradual process. The more I was secure with whom I was and fulfilled by my relationship, there was less and less porn.

When was the last time you checked out porn? I don’t know. It’s been years.

When you and Jason are having sex, do you also believe that you are worshiping God? Growing up the way I did, sex wasn’t something we talked about. Sex was very secretive and private. When Jason and I were ready to be fully authentic, sexually, it took many years for me just to not have to deal with the Catholic guilt — to just celebrate and understand lovemaking on a deeper, more physical level.

Sometimes sex is recreational and just for the simple pleasure of it. And that’s the beauty of being in a relationship. Sometimes it can be fun and sometimes it can have a different dynamic to it. As often as it’s spiritually connecting, it’s just completely joyful and erotic.

Have you had sex with a woman? I have.

When was the last time that happened? About eight years ago.

Are both you guys versatile? Jason is more than I am.

What about you? [laughs] You are really pushing it, mister.

What? You already threw Jason under the “versatile bus.” Now you can’t cough up the goods? [Laughs] I’m less versatile than Jason, and I top more.

When you read the Bible, do you think Jesus and the apostles were kinda gay? It sounds like they had a lot of fun. I don’t really think about their sexuality.

What about when Judas kissed Jesus or when you hear about John the Beloved’s devotion to Christ? I think there’s a lot of same-sex love. I wish there were a little more attention paid to that instead of all the male-on-male rape going on in the Bible.

What do you and Jason disagree on when it comes to matters of spirituality and faith? What we struggle with is really loving unconditionally and not judging people for where they are on their spiritual path. We’re all about loving people for where they are. That’s something that we are constantly learning to do better every day and every time we meet people.

Pegasus News content partner - Dallas Voice
The community newspaper for gay & lesbian Dallas.

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• Arts > Popular Music > Christian

Comments

snowboard9 Anonymous

Bizarre, but I suppose it's all good. It seems like a new religion to me. The "God loves gays and we love him" religion. I like it.

1 year, 1 month ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Rick Yost Verified

Gay Christianity...an oxymoron?

1 year, 1 month ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Jason Rice Verified

Rick - whatever sells a record, man.

But can we draw the line at parachute pants?

Please?

1 year, 1 month ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

DC Anonymous

Oh, everything is ok with the right justification.

http://www.sexinchrist.com/threesome....

I'd like to see someone interview some straight artists / politicians with the same degree of intimacy reagrding their sexual practices.

1 year, 1 month ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )