Georgia-based ex-gay activist D.L. Foster is something of a leader within Exodus Global Alliance.
In recent years, Exodus has given Foster an international soapbox from which Foster affirmed violence and imprisonment in Jamaica and Barbados as tactics to coerce local gay people to closet themselves and pretend to be heterosexual.
At his blog Gay Christian Movement Watch today, Foster berated Canadian ex-gay advocate Wendy Gritter of New Direction for a comment yesterday here at Truth Wins Out. Gritter said:
I would go to a close friend’s gay wedding and yup, I’d bring a gift. I know that all of my close friends know what I believe about sexual ethics and would not assume my beliefs had changed but that my attendance was a sign of my love and friendship. I’m sure I would get some serious flack for this decision - but at the end of the day, I believe loving people is what God asks of me.
Unlike Jesus of Nazareth, Foster disapproves of — in his words — “hanging out with sinners.” Even though Foster has exploited the Exodus global network, Foster now warns antigay clergy not to support Exodus’ North American operation, Exodus International:
Pastors should not refer people to the organization until it can solidify its message and practice into one which is faithful to the Word of God not science, polls, surveys and people like Wendy Gritter.
Foster’s demand spotlights an apparent difference in approach, between the global alliance’s support for antigay violence and imprisonment, and the North American operation’s approach of hiring professional ex-gays to distort science and create appealing soundbites at ex-gay roadshows and ex-gay support-group meetings. Unlike Exodus in North America, Foster rejects science and critical thinking outright — advocating blind obedience to his selective and brutal reinterpretations of the “Word of God.”
So long as Exodus International affiliates with Exodus Global Alliance — thereby aiding ungracious and politically correct thugs like Foster — it puzzles me that relatively gracious moderates like Gritter bother to affiliate with Exodus International.
Surely there are effective and ideologically consistent ways to draw referrals and to promote one’s message, without sacrificing individual, intellectual, and religious freedom?
Tags: D.L. Foster, Exodus Global AllianceRelated posts
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Thanks Michael!
Thankfully, it’s people like DL Foster who makes Exodus and the whole “ex-gay movement” sound totally unappealing, unethical, and just plain psychotic.
It’s hard to believe that in America, somebody can operate as a “therapist”, while shunning science, and no proof of education of any sorts. This bullshit needs to be nipped in the bud - next thing you know, you’ll have high school dropouts being so-called “experts” at dentistry popping up all over the country.
Comment by Scott — August 7, 2008 @ 3:32 pm
Wendy,
“I relay our grief and sadness over this senseless loss.”
Thank you.
Comment by Emproph — August 7, 2008 @ 4:37 pm
Foster is a total attention whore and sociopath. The fact that he applauds violence against homosexuals is real telling. He is someone without a shred of humanity in him.
Comment by adam kautz — August 7, 2008 @ 5:35 pm
Adam, I think Exodus leaders are worse sociopaths for supporting Foster.
Comment by Michael Airhart — August 7, 2008 @ 8:23 pm
If Wendy Gritter left New Directions tomorrow, the organizations politics would no longer be covert - if you look at Exodus Global Alliance and New Direction Board members they are a chummy bunch.
ND is front and centre at Exodus Global conferences. Given Canadian law, activists don’t need to be monitoring these conferences; Exodus can only manipulate and mis-educate their own and Canadians (including many evangelicals) are not going to tolerate political and theological noise from this crowd again anytime soon.
I don’t understand how New Directions can/would leave Exodus, Exodus would gladly use these churches to help make sure New Directions folded up like a cheap tent. It’s what they do.
Our conservative evangelical churches hold the New Direction purse strings same as they do other religious reparative therapy groups and are not more passive than US conservative evangelicals; they are just as bigoted, just as political, just as willing to spread lies, believe lies, be ignorant and argue they are the true biblical believers.
Most young people needing escape from the conservative evangelical sub-culture can get it free in our health system, they aren’t likely to seek it there out of fear. That leaves few choices for them, especially when their parents and ‘pastors’ call the shots.
Canada being home to an organization such as Global Exodus International is in sharp contrast to how nice Wendy Gritter is, but I can’t understand how she is not just being used to keep a white straight identifiable, educated Christian Canadian Exodus happy face on New Directions.
Who thinks they wouldn’t chew her up and spit her out when it suits them? (If she doesn’t burn out first)
Meantime Wendy Gritter is genuine in her beliefs and I hope she gains joy from helping even one young person who stumble or are pushed to her organization from these churches that would toss her to the curb as fast as they do their gay kids.
I don’t blame Wendy Gritter for the New Direction Exodus affiliation, I don’t see that she has any power or voice to disaffiliate; rather that if she wants her pay cheque she’d better sing their song. Shame really, she’s got more credentials on her wall and more education than the majority of these ministers and Exodus supporters so willing to throw stones.
Her grace, compassion, and common sense is genuine.
When she’s forced to choose, I hope she negotiates a decent dismissal package and lands on her feet as far away from Exodus as possible.
Comment by Bene D — August 9, 2008 @ 3:42 am
Re: Bene D’s comments
I have just read Bene D’s remarks and would like to offer a brief response.
I am aware that Bene D may have had some experience with Exodus and may well have good reasons to distrust and be angry with Exodus. And I don’t doubt that Exodus and related ministries have commonly been responsible for inappropriate attitudes and actions.
I write this note to express an alternate view - one from the inside - which challenges the remarks that are made about the relationship between New Direction and Exodus Global Alliance that are at the very least misleading if not blatantly false.
The claim about Exodus Global Alliance and New Direction Board members being a “chummy bunch” is without substance. I have been a member of the New Direction Board for a number of years well before Global Alliance was on the Horizon. Not only are we not a chummy bunch - but I and everyone else on the New Direction Board would have difficulty naming the members of the Board of Exodus Global Alliance and I know none of them personally.
Sweeping generalizations like the one which refers to conservative evangelicals as “bigoted” are not all that helpful - bigotry shows up in all sorts of places and evangelicalism is just one of those places - but it is excessive to use it a defining feature.
Wendy Gritter is not in the business of keeping an “Exodus Happy Face” on New Direction nor would the Board want her to be. We are clear that there are differences between New Direction and Exodus - but we are also measured in our willingness to work along side of Exodus - despite our differences as long as we deem that appropriate. What Wendy says represents the approach and values of New Direction - and is not meant to be in any way an expression of Exodus. Bene D is correct about Wendy’s genuineness of her grace compassion and common sense and it is a genuineness that we at New Direction endorse and affirm.
What appears to be difficult for Bene D is to see the good virtues of how Wendy operates and to believe there could be an organization linked with the evangelical viewpoint that would actually carry the values Wendy so well exhibits. And Bene D wishes to suggest a divide viewpoint between Executive Director and Board -but no such divide exists in New Direction.
Let me say very simply Wendy is the Executive Director of New Direction and in that sense embodies what New Direction is all about. The New Direction Board fully endorses Wendy and the grace and integrity with which she operates in our world of distrust and suspicion.
John Franklin
Chair - New Direction Board
Comment by John Franklin — August 9, 2008 @ 6:35 pm
Both Bene D and John Franklin refer to the Exodus Global Alliance board of directors.
Bene D, who are the board members? Neither the EGA website nor Guidestar disclose this information.
John, while I’m thankful that you have taken some time to discuss these issues and challenge another commenter, I’m concerned that you don’t know the identities of the EGA board members. As a chair of an Exodus International member ministry, aren’t you concerned about what is being done, directly or indirectly, in your name?
Comment by Michael Airhart — August 9, 2008 @ 9:28 pm
Michael:
Thanks for your comment. Let me respond by suggesting that knowing the identies of the EGA Board members is not a requirement for having awareness of Exodus and what is being done. I am aware of the past director EGA here in Canada and know something of the current acting director. I know little - but enough about one Board member to get a sense of the ethos of EGA. But in short the Board of New Direction confidently relies on Executive Director - Wendy Gritter to keep us informed about what is happening with both Exodus USA and EGA. So we are not in the dark on these matters.
Though affiations are important, we need to regularly review those affiliations (which we do)as part of our oversight of New Direction - our primary focus is to see that the mandate of New Direction is being effectively carried out. If affiliations become problematic we will address such matters in a way we deem appropriate and in the interest of the organization we oversee.
To be clear New Direction is not as tethered to Exodus as some remarks here on this blog suggest. Affiliation yes - but we are not under any obligations to Exodus beyond what is obvious as a member organization. The later does not entail either full agreement or being simply an echo of what Exodus says (or believes). We have a good measure of independence and will keep it that way. Perhaps it is a Canadian thing. Thanks for your inquiry.
John Franklin
Chair - New Direction
Comment by John Franklin — August 10, 2008 @ 1:49 pm
Micheal, sorry I was not clear - I meant New Directions.
As for who the EGA board members are - that is a red flag and I have never gotten a response from them.
I have no reason to question John Franklin, however when New Direction provides key speakers for the Exodus Global conference (Brian - a New Directions employee who was featured in the Global TV documentary Cure for Love and New Directions founding member Pat Lawrence) awareness is not enough.
http://www.exodusglobalalliance.org/speakersc465.php
John, you are welcome to correct me if I am wrong about Ms. Lawrence(stepped down as EGA Executive Director May 2008) and Brian Pengelly.
Would you be able to explain how New Directions is tethered to Exodus…
From Exodus Global Alliance:
…Each Member Ministry meets Exodus’ criteria for membership and Exodus’ standards for the services they provide…
Exodus Global Alliance lists their founding board members - some would be well known to US ex-gays. They have the aggressive agenda known to US readers. Many of their current regional directors are mentioned on their site, but not their board.
Joseph Vijayam is the board chairman, Alan Chambers signed the search letter.
I respectfully disagree with Mr. Franklin, given the nature of Exodus who is on the board matters.
http://www.exodusglobalalliance.org/ourhistoryc87.php
I feel for Wendy Gritter, balancing on a razor blade with Exodus and answering to a board willing to affiliate with Exodus leads me to wonder that when she gets cut and wounded that it will not be from the people she helps.
I am ashamed Exodus Global Alliance operates freely from and in Canada, pretending they are benevolent and merely political in other countries is deceptive.
We do know Focus on the Family Canada has a controversial US visiting fellow at their Institute of Marriage and Family Canada which is a lobby group. He is quite happy to twist research and when questioned Fotf Canada does not bother answering.
Exodus Global Alliance is listed as a Canadian Charity under category 47 - Missionary Organizations and Propagation of Gospel.
The 2006 tax return lists 3 trustees, and a bank account with just over 4 thousand dollars, 3 employees, revenues and expenditures around 154 thousand.
The tax return indicts 70% of EGA claims the work is missionary and evangelism; 10 percent places of worship, congregations, parishes, dioceses, etc. and 10% Social outreach, religious fellowship, & auxiliary orgs.
I apologize for not backing up this information with links, my computer is broken and most of the pages will not load.
Comment by Bene D — August 11, 2008 @ 7:07 am
I am grateful for your further clarifying comments Bene D. Let me try to clarify things a bit more.
You are quite right that a New Direction staff person -Brian was a speaker at Exodus Global Alliance. Moreover Wendy Gritter did a keynote address at a recent Exodus conference in the USA. New Direction has no problem with this sort of participation. To speak in these situations does not imply full agreement. If the invitation comes to allow one to be a voice in a setting with which you have some differences those differences need not be an obstacle to inhibit participation - I have no question that Brian spoke at the EGA conference with the same integrity he would anywhere else and likewise for Wendy(whose talk is available on the internet).
As for Pat Lawrence it is certainly true that she was the founding Executive Director of New Direction - but she has never been a Board member. But Pat left New Direction well over a decade ago and has since that time had no influence, input or organizational link with New Direction.
I would fully agree with you Bene that who is on the Board of an organization matters. My point was simply that being informed about the activity of the organization does not require knowledge of Board members.
It is evident that we live in a messy world and a disposition toward purity where everything lines up in a neat orderly and harmonious way and where there is homogeneous agreement on things is a pleasant ideal but not the real world. At New Direction we operate in a way that assumes there will be differnces and diverse viewpoints. We do not advocate an isolationist approach at either end of the spectrum. We look for common ground not full agreement. The separationist style you seem to advocate is what characterizes fundamentalism.
You mention that Wendy is answering to a Board that is willing to affiliate with Exodus - your comment suggests a tension between what the Board wishes and what Wendy wishes - Be assured we have conversations about these things and Wendy’s viewpoint is vital to that conversation - there is no tension between us.
As for how New Direction is “tethered” to Exodus it is as I have suggested in my previous post - simply the obligations that any member has - as you note we meet criteria for membership and standards for service. It does not necessarily mean compliance on all matters of belief and practice. Let me repeat we - at New Direction operate with a full measure of independence.
Thanks again for your response - I trust these remarks help clarify things a little more.
John Franklin
Board of New Direction - Canada
Comment by John Franklin — August 11, 2008 @ 12:04 pm
I offer here just a brief additional comment… I have noted in the earlier post by Bene D. this statement….
“If Wendy Gritter left New Directions tomorrow, the organizations politics would no longer be covert -”
There no “covert” political agenda at New Direction - it has not been present in the past and will not be in the future - we have no interest in the political side of things… There are lots of organizations that do the politics - but it is neither on the agenda nor in the mandate of New Direction… USA is perhaps a more politicalized climate that we are here in Canada.
John Franklin
Chair - New Direction Canada
Comment by John Franklin — August 11, 2008 @ 12:58 pm
I listened to Wendy’s speech and my first thought was, how long before the backpeddling starts?
Not long.
It’s well documented.
“The separationist style you seem to advocate is what characterizes fundamentalism.”
That is exactly what I’m advocating.
“…your comment suggests a tension between what the Board wishes and what Wendy wishes - Be assured we have conversations about these things and Wendy’s viewpoint is vital to that conversation - there is no tension between us.”
That seems to be what you’ve heard.
Thank you for clarifying why New Direction remains a active Exodus member.
Comment by Bene D — August 11, 2008 @ 3:39 pm