David Roberts at Ex-Gay Watch reports that the first Love Won Out “ex-gay” roadshow ever has been cancelled. According to an Exodus letter sent to would-be participants who expected to be healed of their homosexuality in Albuquerque:
It is with great disappointment that we are notifying you today that the Love Won Out Conference scheduled for May 19th at Legacy Church in Albuquerque, NM has been cancelled.
First, we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you. In my seven years serving on the Exodus team, this was one of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to make. Unfortunately, due to the low number of registrations we simply were unable to justify the substantial cost of bringing the LWO Conference to the Albuquerque area.
As Truth Wins Out noted in Houston and Atlanta, attendance has tanked at these events aimed at confusing the parents and friends of LGBT teens. This is a positive development and signals the decline of this organized lie in the United States. Unfortunately, the myths perpetuated by Exodus are now rampant overseas where there is less organized opposition to “ex-gay” misinformation.
One almost has to feel sorry for the poor so-called “ex-gays.” Imagine dedicating so much of your life to an experiment that has failed? It must be painful to see the studies you revered fall one by one. It must hurt to see the “healed” leaders you looked up to admit that they still look at dudes. It must be depressing to witness the scandals that revealed the “ex-gay” myth to be nothing more than a mirage. It must be painful to know that the remaining cast of “ex-gay” activists are dead enders like Alan Chambers, or bizarre and delusional misfits like D.L. Foster, Richard Cohen, and Greg Quinlan.
I’ll leave you with a wise quote by Joe.My.God that pretty well sums up my thoughts on the “ex-gay” scheme:
As everybody here doubtlessly knows, “ex-gay” therapy is a con job, a scam, a cash-cow designed to separate self-hating homosexuals from their money. It’s sort of brilliant, really. You’re never “cured” so you just have to keep paying and paying and paying. It’s like Jenny Craig, but without the delicious cardboard aftertaste.
Congratulations to TWO for the dogged campaign to fight the ex-gay deception over many years. Your efforts are paying off!
Thank you Don. We appreciate it. And thanks for fighting the good fight in Boston. We love working with you.
“Feel sorry”? Maybe some might but I can’t find that emotion with our youth dead from suicide. More like “good ridence” feels more accurate. No sighing included.
It’s astounding that they consider 400 attendees a failed conference. That’s still pretty large if they don’t inflate their numbers.
One wonders where these fools will fulfill their annual cruising quota now.
Thank you!. Wayne and your team in stepping all over the con,delusional ex-gay..
Here is another possible indicator of how the “ex-gay” industry is, thankfully, dying. There is an Ex-Gay Discussion Board at Yahoo Groups that I have monitored occasionally over the years. If you click on the link below, then scroll to the bottom of the page, you will see a table showing the number of massage posts for every month since May, 2001 when I presume the group was started. It looks like the high point was in March 2004 when there were 906 posts. So far in 2012 there are a total of 27 posts. And I’ve often noticed that lots of posts are by the same few people – almost as if they are talking to themselves. I realize that the reason for the decline could be that the “ex-gays” are communicating in other forums, but still . . .
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/exgaydiscussionboard/
Good riddance to dangerous “ex-gay” quackery!
Watch what you say about Quinlan, Wayne Besen! Quinlan is a man of God who has vanquished the demon of homosexuality. He has already defeated and humiliated you once. Do you want a rematch? Will you be like Pharaoh and suffer humiliation and after humiliation at the hands of God and his messenger? If he is a delusional misfit then how did he defeat the mighty homosexual army of TWO?
You have not yet humbled yourself. You must humble yourself and seek forgiveness.
His divorce papers look most interesting Charles. He’s hardly a man of God.
The closet-case Quinlan hasn’t vanquished or humiliated anyone Chucky. He simply got lucky. Just wait until he inevitably says something even more outrageous.
Charles Quinlan is not a man of god in that there is no such just as there is no such thing as a man of leprechauns. Quinlan remains same sex attracted and will always be that way no matter how vehemently he screams otherwise.
You keep mentioning pharoah, but you hide from what the bible says – God hardened pharoah’s heart so he wouldn’t let the Israelites go free. Then your evil god punished the innocent egyptians and innocent pharoah for what your god made him do. Your god is unjust and immoral, why do you lie and pretend such an imaginary being is worthy of being worshipped? Your god is a monster.
Chuck, Chuck, Chuck:
Why so angry? Why so haughty?
Your support of the ex-gay movement is an errand of a fool. However There is an ex-jackwad movement–you should join.
Where is this “mighty homosexual army” I keep hearing about? Do they have any army bases nearby? Where have they been deployed? Sheesh.
Look around you, Magrathean. The forces of bigotry are making error after error. They are making their true intentions known, and are paying the price. Their plans are crumbling before their very eyes. Perhaps you do see this, and your fear is driving you here, to bluster and strut as a facade.
You know I’m beginning to think that Charles B. doesn’t really exist. I think he might the figment of someone’s over active imagination of what Christian Fundamentalists are supposed to sound like. He’s just too over the top, too much of a characature. I find it so difficult to believe that he actually believes what he says.
But then again, I could be wrong. If Charles does indeed exist, I will pray to God that He will open his mind and heart to His true love and give Charles B. the courage to get out of that cult like church he belongs to. There are so many decent, loving, and LGBT accepting Christians out there. He really should try to find them. Maybe they can help cure him of his hate.
Charles B.
Why is it you are so behind Quinlan? Is it that you see yourself in him?
Are you yourself an ‘Ex-Gay’? If so, I recommend you see a professional psychotherapist as soon as possible in an effort to come to terms with your true sexual orientation.
I promise, you will be worlds happier.
Greg Quinlan has a liar look on his face until he comes to grip with himself he will continue to lie just like all those self-loothing ex-gays do. when are they going to learn that you can’t change your sexual orientation? they wont because their eyes are so closed to reality!
@Wayne Besen:
Divorce is Biblically permitted under certain circumstances. 1 Cor. 7:15; Matt. 19:9. Sodomy is never permitted!
@Priya Linn:
I will not be provoked by your words because I know that you have been touched by the Roman Catholics. They have hurt you, Priya Linn, and made you think that you are a girl. They are an abomination before God and will surely be judged harshly before the throne. Rev. 20. Find a true church and they will help restore your manhood.
@Peter Hargmier:
I am not ex-gay. I have NEVER been gay or EVER wanted to be with any man! This is distasteful to me and to any normal male. I am married to a woman. Yes, we have a real marriage, not some union or whatever you call your “marriages”.
I accept as a brother in Christ those like Quinlan who have cast off the yoke of perversion. Quinlan has humiliated Wayne Besen as no other man has! For this, he should become a hero in Christendom.
Divorce is only allowed in cases of adultery Chucky. Are you accusing Quinlan’s ex-wife of cheating on him? Or perhaps you’re acknowledging the obvious that Quinlan was still sneaking around with men behind his wife’s back. As for sodomy, if you actually read your precious bible, you would know that sodomy has nothing to do with being gay. You fit the real description much better than we do.
Also, your beloved Quinlan has neither cast off anything or humiliated anyone save himself. He is a tool in self-denial who got lucky on a legal loophole. That won’t repeat itself when he inevitably says something even more outrageous.
The Magrathean shifts the goalposts. Typical Christian tactic.
I see, you are pro-divorce. Hypocrite.
And, besides, it depends what is in the divorce files at the Hamilton County Courthouse…in Cincinnati. It’s a nice town.
You have these papers, Wayne Besen? Let’s see them! You only show legal papers that support your side. I am sure that if the papers show that the woman was at fault, you would not show them.
To RainbowPhoenix, the Bible permits divorce for adultery and abandonment, which includes spiritual abandonment. For example, if the woman abandons her salvation and refuses to submit Biblically to her husband, divorce is permitted with the approval of the church leadership. I don’t know what happened with Quinlan, but you cannot say just because he divorced that he is not a Bible-believing Christian! By his fruits shall ye know him and his fruit is to devastate the army of TWO.
Charles B, you are entirely insane. I can only assume that they allow you out of the quiet room occasionally to access a computer & then they feed you your meds & send you back to bed for a nap.
Charles said “I will not be provoked by your words because I know that you have been touched by the Roman Catholics.”.
False. You won’t respond to my words because you know you can’t debate the truth of them. Your god hardened Pharoah’s heart so he wouldn’t let the Israelites go and then unjustly punished him and the Egyptians for your god’s own actions – your god is a monster and none can dispute that.
Charles said “The [catholic church has] hurt you, Priya Linn, and made you think that you are a girl. They are an abomination before God and will surely be judged harshly before the throne. “.
Your evil church would have hurt me in exactly the same way as would every christian church on the planet. If there were a god the Catholic church would be the only one true church – your’s is a cult.
I have breasts and a vagina, not a penis. Your denial of the reality of me being a woman won’t change it. You Charles however are not a man. You are a petulant little boy wrapped up in revenge fantasies carried out by your imaginary friend.
Finally Charles, if you want me to go to your church, how much are you going to pay me to do so?
Charles said “To RainbowPhoenix, the Bible permits divorce for adultery and abandonment, which includes spiritual abandonment.”.
False. The bible does not recognize abandonement as adulty – only having sex with someone else is biblical adultery. Quinlan sinned against his own god by abandoning his wife and secretly having sex with men during his marriage.
@Nick
Sadly, there are many Charles B.s in the world – for people who are either atheists or who have a somewhat more mainstream religious background – even if a harmful one – the idea that there are people who sound like Charles B seems surreal and it seems like there can’t really be such people.
Unfortunately there are. I know of a parish locally where at least some of their boys were led 10 to 15 years ago to make pacts with one another as early as 8 or 9 that if one of them “turned gay” the other would kill him. (No I’m not kidding). Ejections from the home for suspected homosexuality is common among evangelicals here — and this is NOT a conservative area. Fred Phelps, repudiated by thousands when he comes here – still gets the support of a small number from a couple of small churches.
It’s the nature of the beast.
Doubting Charles’ sincerity is like doubting Phelps’ – and there are people from the more mainstream end of the evangelical movement who think Phelps is a plant — his history and the history of his family strongly indicates otherwise however. We don’t know Charles’ history, but even if he were a fraud, his fraudulent behavior would represent a genuine minority within the religious world.
Kind thoughts,
Reyn
The army of TWO? Good to know. I’ll have to order our new shirts in camouflage.
Army of TWO…isn’t that a video game?
Charles, sir-
Does Mr Quinlan know one of his fans is here LGBT baiting in the name of the Lord? I doubt it, since he has not insisted on celebrating his ‘victory over TWO’ the one you keep insisting happened on his site.
Have you thought he might want to leave it be, and not give Mr Besen or TWO any more ammunition to serve another suit?
Also, suppose someone reading your words is tempted to try out church and they attend and hear a sermon on how only adultery is cause for divorce and then they compare with what you say.
Of course, if you’re a new Christian I’m sure you’ll be let off this one time.
I’m not being silly. I thought bringing people to Jesus was all important. Scripture twisting to make them say what they don’t just to defend someone you admire is just going to leave any seeker more confused and lost.
Jessica – Quinlan did not celebrate publicly because a true Christian is modest and would not boast. I can boast because it was Quinlan’s victory and God’s victory, not mine.
Do you remember Quinlan telling Wayne Besen to “bring it on little boy”? Quinlan was never afraid of Wayne Besen because he knew that he was protected by the Holy Spirit at all times! Poor Wayne Besen has now learned that his lawsuit was doomed from the start!
What I say about divorce comes straight from the Holy Bible, which is God’s Word. If someone goes to a church that teaches different standards, that church is going against the Bible and is a false church. It is as simple as that. Do not judge Quinlan for being divorced. No Christian male is required to be unequally yoked.
A true christian wouldn’t lie either Chucky. Therefor neither you nor the closet-case Quinlan are true christians.
Do you remember telling us that the lawsuit wouldn’t even be filed Chucky? Why do you keep running from that lie? Do you also remember where the closet-case Quinlan tried to defend himself with a version of the story that was very different than what he said on video? Why are you defending a liar?
What you said about divorce is not in the bible. Divorce is only allowed in cases of adultery. So either you’re accusing the former Mrs. Quinlan of cheating, or you’re acknowledging the obvious that Quinlan was continuing to sleep with men even as he was married. Neither of those are godly.
Lies are Christianity’s stock in trade, unfortunately. This is why the Magrathean is so comfortable with the double standard he presented us, Phoenix. The thing about their bible is that it is ever malleable, could be cherry picked to suit their desires. The funny thing about it is they attempt to tell everyone else it is eternal, and must be adhered to at all times. This is a major example, along with their many failed attempts at rewriting history to make them out as anything other than the complete monsters they are, leaving genocide, oppression, and abysmal living conditions in their wake.
Lies are fundamentalism’s stock in trade. Applying that to christianity as a whole is no different than fundamentalists trying to paint us all as hedonists who have hundreds of sex partners in one lifetime.
“No Christian male is required to be unequally yoked.”
What are you saying about his ex-wife?
They have more than earned such criticism through their actions. It is not just us they have attacked throughout their history. They have proven time and again that they lack mercy. I know firsthand that the ones who aren’t obvious fundamentalists are simply better at hiding what they think not just of us, but of everyone else. We owe it to all of humanity to expose them for what they are.
As for the unequal yoke comment, how much more obvious can one get at blaming women for one’s problems?
And I know first-hand that there are plenty the kind, loving people they claim to be. They just don’t feel the need to point it out unbidden. The fallacy of composition doesn’t suddenly become valid when you point it at people you don’t like.
Is this story true? what is a love wons out?
The validity of this “fallacy” is in history itself, Phoenix.
Phoenix– google the Pauline exception Paul frequently changed what Jesus had to say.
You want to trick me into saying something about Quinlan’s wife, Wayne Besen? Maybe create strife between Christians? No, I will not fall for your tricks!
I say nothing about his wife. I don’t know this woman. I was saying that when divorce strikes a Christian home in modern America, the reason is usually that the wife will not accept her Biblical role. She listens to the modern culture and puts it over and above what God says. It is not always the reason, but it is the most frequent reason for Christian divorce.
Now, why don’t you answer my question about showing the divorce papers? It is because you know that these papers will show that Quinlan is blameless. Otherwise, you would have shown them here already!
Hello Charles (not man enough to admit he was wrong) B.
Always happy to see your ramblings….they remind me of WHY we are winning the hearts and minds of people. Truth wins over fanaticism…self honestly about ones self and others wins over a “I just wont face what I do not like” attitude, and people who just sound looney like you are GOLDEN….
I wish we could clone you and have EVERY
ONE read your words :) We would have full gay equality in a week.
THANKS Charles from the heretical fundy nut job ‘church’! Helpful AND good for a laugh…hard to beat that combo!
That’s why I allow, for now, Charles to comment. He proves my point that fundies need serious help and have nothing to say but incoherent drivel.
Just to let you all know, I’ve informed Mr Quinlan of Charles B’s undignified behaviour, Scripture twisting and speculating on why he was divorced, which is no one’s business but his and the former Mrs Quinlan’s. I used the comment section of the PFOX blog to do so.
Unlike here, comment to the PFOX blog have to wait for approval. I don’t care if it’s published or not, someone will read it, and I can’t see someone like Mr Quinlan being happy that someone who doesn’t know him is bringing up the past, which he wants to forget, and speculating about events in his private life, without his knowledge or consent.
Charles B, you seem to have zeal but very little knowledge of real life. I know, I’ve been there. It is possible for a Christian to be so heavenly minded they are no earthly good.
good to know Wayne. Personally, I find him kind of inspirational. He is never right (but does not seem to realize that). He has changed NO ones opinion fro pro to anti gay here that I can even imagine, and just makes his side look foolish and even clownish. More than anything, I find such fanaticism and loathing of others sad….but, his presence does serve his purpose…
Keep on Posting Charles (not man enough to admit he was wrong) B!
Charles said “What I say about divorce comes straight from the Holy Bible, which is God’s Word. If someone goes to a church that teaches different standards, that church is going against the Bible and is a false church. It is as simple as that. Do not judge Quinlan for being divorced. No Christian male is required to be unequally yoked.”.
You’re lying Charles. The bible only allows divorce in the case of adultery.
And speaking of lies, why did you lie and say your god wouldn’t allow Wayne to file the lawsuit?
Jessica- Thank you for letting Quinlan know that a fellow Christian is out there standing up for him. But you should also tell him who brought up this divorce issue. It was Wayne Besen. Please go and tell him that the homosexual, married to a male wife who just lost his lawsuit is the one bringing up divorce.
Chucky, if the closet-case Quinlan wants to enforce his standards on others, than he needs to expect others to bring up his own ability to meet those standards. And his divorce shows he can’t. Why should we follow the dictates of someone who can’t even do the things he wants to force others to do?