Matthew Grech

Matthew Grech (29 wrt. 2018) is a Maltese singer, a vocal teacher, who used to live as a gay man until he became a Christian.^[1] When he, as a contestant^[2], shared in his audition video for a famous national television talent competition “The X-Factor” that he had been inspired by his Christian faith to give up homosexuality^[3], this made some LGBT activists and allies who were viewing the show very angry. The news spread from Malta to the gay press in Italy and to Pink News in London. LGBT activists and their allies managed to get the video clip of the interview taken off Facebook and YouTube within minutes. They also slammed the judges of X Factor Malta for not criticizing Matthew Grech's comments about homosexuality and God's pattern for marriage.^[1] After a firestorm of controversy, the alarmed Maltese government stated confusingly, in line with Dialectical unity of self-contradictions, that “Sexual orientation is not a lifestyle but is present in all people and manifests itself in affectionate and sexual attraction.” Despite embarrassing emotions stirred up among LGBT activists, this was by far not the first time Grech has brought his story of metanoia to Maltese television. He had appeared on primetime talk show Xarabank, Skjetti, and other mainstream shows. He has also appeared on his pastor's programme on a minor TV station.^[3]

Grech was brought up as a Catholic. Aged 19, he moved to London to find a breakthrough for his musical career. That was his turning point, as he was led to an encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ after being exposed to the Gospel. Consequently, he became a member of what is now the KingsGate Community Church in London, and when he moved back to Malta in 2012, he joined the River of Love Christian Fellowship in Zebbug^[3] that angry homo-fascists now misrepresent as "the anti-gay Christian group".^[4] Grech has been on TV many times, he spoke about gay ‘marriage,’ and exposed the sins of the nation with what he perceives as the authority of the Word of God and the power of the Spirit.^[3]

According to Grech, LGBT activists made up a fabrication that he was promoting the "Gay conversion therapy" in his self-introduction to “The X-Factor” reality TV show as a way for them to start silencing ex-gays and Christians.^[3] Following the criticism levelled at Grech as X Factor Malta contestant, Ivan Grech Mintoff has made clear his political party's intention to seek the court's help in reviewing this matter. Details of the concerns he raised were explored in the “Exodus” programmes which he presented on Maltese TV. Exodus Programme 6 has looked at this issue in the context of freedom of speech, conscience, and expression. The programme asked invited guests incl. Mike Davidson of Core Issues Trust to comment on the X Factor case.^[5]

• ABC Theory of Emotion
• Homo-fascism
• Ideomotor effect
• Metanoia
• "Sexual revolutionaries • push freedom of “choosing sex or sexual identity” but deny the possibility of change from “homosexual sexual orientation” into heterosexual one and are fighting against such possibility" in Sexual revolution

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} X Factor Malta silences Christian testimony of ex-gay man. Core Issues Trust (4 Nov 2018). Retrieved on 7 Dec 2018.
2. ↑ X Factor Malta - Auditions - Day 3 - Matthew Grech. X Factor Malta (30 Oct 2018). Retrieved on 9 Dec 2018. “Local singer Matthew Grech sings in front of the judges, but little did he know that a surprise awaits...”
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4} Dorothy Cummings McLean (29 Oct 2018). Ex-gay Christian singer tells ‘X-factor’ audience gay acts are a ‘sin’, Govt. gets involved. LifeSiteNews. Retrieved on 7 Dec 2018.
4. ↑ Johnathan Cilia. X Factor Malta Contestant's Audition Pulled From Facebook And Youtube After 'Gay Conversion' Backlash. Lovin Malta. Retrieved on 8 Dec 2018.
5. ↑ The Real Purpose of Therapy Bans: Maltese Christians Speak Out. IFTCC. Retrieved on 8 Dec 2018.