Concern is rising about violent antigay mob violence in Jamaica — violence that has been supported by some of the island nation’s antigay Christian pastors.
As a result of authorities’ and churches’ refusal to take action against the violence, the gay-affirming Metropolitan Community Church has called for a possible tourism boycott against that island nation.
While claiming to offer compassion and a cure for homosexuality, Exodus Global Alliance — a worldwide network of ex-gay activists — has offered no public condemnation of the violence.
Indeed, the organization appears to support criminalization of homosexuality in the region.
Consider the following Exodus Global Alliance flier for a 2006 conference in Barbados — click the banner to view the full flier.
The Exodus-Project Probe slogan, “Some say decriminalise homosexuality …… we say lets offer solutions” (sic), markets fraudulent ex-gay therapy as an alternative to decriminalization.
Throughout recent media coverage of violence in Jamaica, Exodus Global Alliance has declined to announce an unambiguous public policy opposing antigay violence or reversing its nod to criminalization.
This should not be a tremendous surprise: The organization’s newsletters claim, in country after country, that “sexual freedom” is unilaterally harmful and must be stamped out in places as far-flung as Barbados, Brazil, China and Ethiopia — where Exodus blames sexual freedom for AIDS.
Exodus Global Alliance apparently believes that, even with proper education, people cannot be trusted to manage their own lives — that they need the harsh hand of authoritarian law to control their sexuality. And when Exodus responds to mob violence with silence, it joins Jamaica’s local police in offering a cold shoulder to gay people as mobs bash gay residents and loot their homes.
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[…] Airhart at Truth Wins Out asks a very good question. They did in 2006. That’s when Exodus Global Alliance sponsored a conference in Barbados. […]
Pingback by Box Turtle Bulletin » Does Exodus Global Alliance Support Criminalization of Homosexuality? — April 8, 2008 @ 8:55 am
Last year, Exodus International President Alan Chambers issued a statement proudly supporting International Day Against Homophobia. In the comments of his blog, I asked if he also supported IDAHO’s goal of decriminalizing homosexuality. His response:
“No, I do not support the criminalization of homosexuality. If we criminalize homosexuality we need to criminalize a whole lot of other things, which would pretty much level the playing field. We’d all be in jail….”
Exodus International is somehow related to Exodus Global Alliance, but obviously there seems to be a conflict as to their position on the legality of consentual sex. Like all ex-gay groups, Exodus is sending mixed messages. To the public, it tries to refute the perception that it is a gay-bashing organization by claiming tolerance and Christian love. However, to its political/religious supporters, it supports maintaining anti-gay laws.
Comment by Norm! — April 8, 2008 @ 10:56 am
Thanks for the info, Norm.
It’s worth noting that Alan Chambers was voicing his personal opinions on his personal blog. He was not speaking for Exodus International North America nor for Exodus Global Alliance.
Exodus International is a member/partner of Exodus Global Alliance. See page 3 of this 2006 newsletter in which EGA welcomed EI back to the global network.
Comment by Michael Airhart — April 8, 2008 @ 12:38 pm
On that same trip, DL did also swing past Jamaica.
You can imagine why.
Actually, you don’t need to imagine: they told us.
Roger Marshall, splashed all over that newsletter, was a local lead figure against decriminalisation. He asked, they came.
Comment by grantdale — April 10, 2008 @ 12:14 am
[…] Mike Airhart of Truth Wins Out discusses Exodus Global Alliance and their support for the criminalization of homosexuality. […]
Pingback by Ex-Gay Watch Digest: April 10, 2008 | Ex-Gay Watch — April 10, 2008 @ 10:25 pm
[…] “Exodus Global Alliance is selling false hope that will ultimately shatter families and ruin lives,” said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of New York City-based TruthWinsOut.org. “It is important that people realize that attempts to change sexual orientation can be dangerous and are rejected by every mainstream medical and mental health association in the world.” […]
Pingback by Truth Wins Out - TWO EXPRESSES CONCERN THAT ‘EX-GAY’ CONFERENCE NEAR TORONTO IS SPREADING INTOLERANCE AND MISINFORMATION — May 8, 2008 @ 10:14 am
[…] have commented many times on the atrocious human-rights record of the global ex-gay network Exodus Global Alliance: It supports imprisonment of homosexual […]
Pingback by Truth Wins Out - Exodus Global Alliance Tolerates Latest Antigay Killing — June 1, 2008 @ 1:00 am
Hello.
I have you have agood program that assist people who are being leglaed in this world,I here by requesting you to extend it here in Kenya so that we may help the people in this part of the world.
Here i work with orphans whose parent died of being gay and some were killed of beimg gay.
Ca you do that?
Comment by ISAYA OUMA OWAK — June 2, 2008 @ 1:57 am