It is difficult to believe, but Exodus International is still pouting and hung up on losing its iPhone App.
Waaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy back in March, Truth Wins Out launched a Change.org petition calling on Apple to dump the hateful “ex-gay” iPhone app. After we collected 160,000 signatures, Apple agreed that the Exodus app must go.
Amazingly, it is now August and the lead story on Exodus’ sluggish website is, “Debunking Myths about Exodus and Their iPhone Application.”
Talk about sore losers! You lost, move on and get over it already.
P.S. I wonder how former Exodus VP Randy Thomas’ exciting new art career is going? I’ve checked with my old buddies on the Orlando art scene and no one has heard of Thomas. So, it appears that he isn’t making much of a splash. Maybe he is photographing gay art-house homoerotica like Mike Ensley?
Have you noticed that for the past couple of years I have not appeared on the same television or radio shows as Exodus International’s Alan Chambers? There is a good reason for this — it is because the sniveling coward has instructed producers that they will lose access to all “ex-gays” if TWO spokespeople are interviewed.
As of today, four trusted media sources have confirmed that the strategy of the flailing “ex-gay” industry is to blacklist Truth Wins Out. We have learned that the despicable conspiracy is spearheaded by Chambers. Clearly, this is because he can’t hold his own in a real debate and wants to handpick his opponents, so he won’t look like the pathological liar and fraud that he truly is.
What terrifies these charlatans is that Truth Wins Out has institutional knowledge and can quickly challenge their blatant misinformation. They simply can’t get away with lies when we are there to debunk their phony claims. Because they cannot defeat our message, they have tried to decapitate the messenger. This speaks to the weakness of their arguments, the low character of activists such as Chambers, and a lack of confidence in fending off credible allegations of consumer fraud.
We urge all producers to act in an ethical and professional manner and not allow Chambers and his underlings to choose whom they debate. That would essentially be allowing Chambers, and other wimps like PFOX’s Greg Quinlan, to stack the deck. By letting this happen, producers are in collusion with the “ex-gay” industry and harming the LGBT movement.
The scurrilous effort at blacklisting TWO will only lead to us redoubling our efforts against these thieves who rip off innocent people and take their hard-earned money to offer “change” that will never come. Our mission has been to counter these fakes. Due to these audacious efforts at undermining our work we have recommitted ourselves to explicitly putting these cowardly SOB’s out of business as quickly as possible.
Mr. Chambers — I promise you that your sleazy, immoral, and underhanded efforts will severely backfire.
While many evangelicals once viewed conversion therapy as key way to deal with homosexuality, many of the religious movement’s leaders and organizations have cooled to the practice in recent years, as more science suggests that homosexuality may be innate and as new therapeutic approaches have emerged. “Evangelicals, in quiet ways, are shifting to this position to where there is just not a lot of support for the change paradigm,” said Warren Throckmorton, an influential voice in the world of Christian counseling, referring to so-called change therapy. “In the late 1990s, the debate was clearly, ‘Could gays change from being gay?’ and the focus was on orientation, and it was a big part of politics,” said Throckmorton, an associate professor of psychology at Grove City College, an evangelical school in Pennsylvania.
Today, we learned that Willow Creek Community Church’s formal relationship with Exodus International has ended. The information was originally obtained by Ex-Gay Watch and reported by Christianity Today. While the decision to part ways dates back to 2009, news that the South Barrington megachurch had cut ties with Exodus, the world’s largest ministry addressing homosexuality, did not surface until late June. The wise decision and move towards honesty and integrity left Exodus President Alan Chambers a little bitter:
Alan Chambers, president of Exodus, disagrees. “The choice to end our partnership is definitely something that shines a light on a disappointing trend within parts of the Christian community,” he said, “which is that there are Christians who believe like one another who aren’t willing to stand with one another, simply because they’re afraid of the backlash people will direct their way if they are seen with somebody who might not be politically correct.” Chambers said he sympathizes with Christian organizations that deal with social, political, and financial backlash, but added, “Biblical truth is unpopular, and when you’re supporting unpopular truth, you are unpopular too; which means, some days, getting upwards of 10,000 phone calls and emails, and it can be overwhelming.”
Ten thousand phone calls and e-mails in one day? Really, Alan? Apparently he is more popular and in-demand than Barack Obama. Who would have guessed? The fact is, people are beginning to see through the charade — which was always a slick marketing campaign disguised as legitimate science. Time has not been a friend of these fraudulent groups, due to scandals, defections and science. Honest people look at Chambers and can obviously see he is still gay. And then we have degenerates and undesirables like former coke dealers Janet Boynes and Stephen Bennett (see video below) who allegedly find Jesus, but are really just lowlife hustlers exploiting Christians by peddling their tales of change to make a quick buck. As Australia’s “ex-gay” buster Anthony Venn-Brown points out, all the “ex-gay” activists share tired stories of distant parents, sexual abuse and transformation from pathetic loser to star preacher. Where are the normal so-called “ex-gays” that don’t have a job with Exodus or lived a normal life prior to their “conversion?” Why are these creepy groups only able to dredge up freaks from the bottom of life’s barrel?
Given the situation, it was only a matter of time before the Christian intelligentsia rebelled and stopped humoring clowns like Alan Chambers, Stephen Bennett, and Janet Boynes. Chambers and others of his ilk should strongly consider to tidying up their resumes so they will be prepared to look for real jobs. Recent trends show that “ex-gay” gig is coming to an end sooner than later. ….Of course, none of these con artists succeeded in the real world, so they will likely take their ridiculous roadshow to places like Uganda where these cowards can terrorize local populations with no one to stop them. Some people will do anything for some coin.
Hong Kong’s government has hired quack psychiatrist Hong Kwai-wah to “re-wire” LGBT people through cold showers and prayer. Hong Kwai-wah is chairman of the New Creation Association, which is directly linked to North American organizations Exodus International and Exodus Global Alliance.
“Scandal-prone ‘ex-gay’ programs have become a joke in the West, so these charlatans are exporting their scientifically-bankrupt theories overseas,” said Truth Wins Out’s Executive Director Wayne Besen. “As they opportunistically look for new global markets to exploit, we will put a cold shower on these fraudulent efforts. There is not a single acre on the map in which these slippery groups can hide from our work to spotlight and expose their quack therapies.”
The link to North American groups is robust and incontrovertible. On its website, the Canadian-based Exodus Global Alliance writes:
Kelvin and Tammy are the directors of New Creation Ministries. They say, “We are thankful for the encouragement from Dr. Melvin Wong, Anita and Frank Worthen, Jenny Li, Dr. Kwai-wah Hong, and Exodus Global Alliance. Thank God! He sees the needs of the gay community in Hong Kong and He prepares the hearts of the workers. We believe God will accomplish the works that He has begun.” May God bring new hope to those who want to become free from sexual addiction and bondage.
According to news reports, the Hong Kong Social Welfare Department issued a statement saying it presents a variety of viewpoints to staff members and that it has had gay rights advocates speak to the department in the past.
“Apparently, promoting harmful therapy rejected by every mainstream medical and mental health association in the world is considered a ‘viewpoint,’” said TWO’s Wayne Besen. “In truth, the Hong Kong Social Welfare Department is disgracefully promoting anti-gay propaganda that that is harmful and ineffective.”
I knew this was going to happen. When Google Chrome launched its amazing “It Gets Better” ad, which first aired during Glee, and I saw that one of the many people telling gay kids that it gets better was Woody from Toy Story, I just knew some wingnut was going to make a stinky on the internet. And of course the winner is Alan Chambers of Pray Away the Gay Bar and Grill! Let us see what this character has to say this time, helped as he is by Dave Bozon of New American:
“You’ll be fine, partner.” That’s the advice America’s favorite cartoon cowboy, Woody from the popular movie franchise Toy Story, is giving to young people struggling with homosexual attraction.
For the bajillionth time, you can’t just substitute “struggling with homosexual attraction” for “gay.” I know it feels better in wingnut reality, where being gay is viewed as an affliction, but not in actual reality.
In fact, “It gets better,” choruses a cast of Hollywood and entertainment notables such as Anne Hathaway, Kathy Griffin, Lady Gaga, and Adam Lambert, who appear in a television ad promoting both homosexuality and Google’s Chrome web browser.
Both gayness AND easy tabbed browsing! The ad works too, because here I am sitting, both gay and using Google Chrome.
The ad begins with Savage, sitting next to another presumably homosexual male
His husband.
But Alan Chambers of Exodus International
Is part of the problem that leads to kids getting bullied for who they are, and has inflicted untold pain on men and women across the globe, due to the junk science and lies he sells.
asserted that the well-intentioned TV ad sends the wrong message to youth struggling with same-sex attraction. Chambers told the Christian Post that for the thousands of individuals his organization has reached out to, “it obviously didn’t get better living a gay life,” and only through leaving that lifestyle and embracing faith in God have their lives “become radically better.”
Chambers would rather indoctrinate already vulnerable people into the lie that their sexual orientation can and should be changed, and moreover he and his kind tend to prey upon gay people who have hit rock bottom in other areas, convincing them to scapegoat their sexuality for all their problems. This, of course, leads them to be worse off, as they spend thousands of dollars trying to remove something that is simply part of who they are.
While Chambers indicated that he was not surprised to see a commercial where celebrities and even Fortune 500 companies endorse homosexuality, it came as somewhat of a shock to see a beloved cartoon character co-opted for homosexual activism. “Children all over the world, including my two children, are fans of Toy Story, and to see a character like that endorsing something that at this point children have no need to know about, it’s disappointing,” he told the Christian Post.
Children all over the world, including Alan’s two children, have no need to know about reality, especially if they happen to be gay kids, he seems to be saying. God forbid a message of hope and support rise above the din of shame and hate that Alan teaches.
“I think that we have to promote the stories of people who have found an alternative to homosexuality,” he told the Post, along with doing “a better job at addressing issues related to bullying and violence and how kids have been treated at public schools.”
Yeah, Alan, you do tell those stories though. And then we tell the rest of the story, after they come back out of the closet, because they’re still gay.
Ex-Gay Watch first discovered an interesting tidbit on the Exodus International blog. The organization’s President, Alan Chambers, wrote a rosy piece announcing that he had eliminated Randy Thomas’ position as Vice President.
Thomas will now assume his reduced role as part-time blogger — which is being euphemistically called “Director of Digital Media and Development.” Whaterver.
According to Chambers:
This new role will also enable Randy to continue to support our ministry, which I know means a great deal to him, while allowing him ample time to pursue his calling and passion in the arts and pastoral care…. I am excited about this new season for Randy and would encourage you to pray for him as he trusts the Lord and steps out in faith to pursue God’s will.
How gutsy of Thomas to try his hand at “the arts” during a time of high unemployment. Does Thomas’ “artistic” side include photographing homoerotic smut? If so, former Exodus staffer Mike Ensley could help him get back on his feet.
It will be interesting to see if Thomas’ old position is filled in the near future. If not, his downsizing may actually signal that Exodus is going through a season of tough economic times.
It’s useful to point out the similarities between the fundamentalist Christian worldview and that of religion-fueled Third World societies around the world. I’ve suggested in the past that many right wing Christian leaders really ought to convert to Islam and move to Iran, seeing as the societal mores are more in line with their way of thinking. They won’t miss the “Jesus” part of their current religion, because they really pay no attention to the “Jesus” part in the first place, aside from the fact that they’re glad he’s sending them to heaven and everybody they don’t like, to hell.
Malaysian authorities have admitted sending 66 teenage boys thought to be gay to a camp to learn “masculine behaviour”.
An official from Terengganu state said the boys, aged between 13 and 17, were identified by teachers as having effeminate mannerisms.
This week, they are being sent on a four-day “self-development course” in the hope of dissuading them from being gay or transgender.
State education director Razali Daud told The Associated Press that the camp was designed “to guide them back to the right path in life before they reach a point of no return. Such effeminate behavior is unnatural and will affect their studies and their future.”
The article states that the kids weren’t compelled to go to Muslim Pray Away The Gay Camp, but were invited, which is pretty much in line with Alan Chambers’ philosophy of only destroying those who are willing to destroy themselves.
I adore this clip. Dr. Drew hosted Alan Chambers of Exodus International, who was forced to listen as KC and Larry Jansson, the married gay couple we featured who met at Love In Action in Memphis, calmly explained that everything Chambers had said was simply not true. Chambers continues to claim that Exodus doesn’t do reparative therapy, that Exodus doesn’t tell gay people that they’re disordered and/or going to hell, because on some level he knows that for him to tell the truth about who they are and what they do would damage the credibility of the “ex-gay” industry even more than it is already.
Great job, guys.
UPDATE: Hi, Wayne here adding to what Evan said. Alan Chambers denies that his organization participates or endorses reparative therapy. However, when one goes to Exodus Books on Chambers’ website, there are books about reparative therapy prominently listed. In the picture below, one can see two such therapy books sold on the Exodus website.
Clearly, Chambers speaks out of both sides of his mouth and dissembles when in front of secular audiences. To say that Chambers is truth challenged is not a matter of opinion. It is an indisputable, well-established fact.
Also shown on this page is the book Out of Egypt: One Woman’ Journey Out of Lesbianism by Jeanette Howard. In this book she writes, “Choosing to leave the lesbian life brings us into direct conflict with the satanic realm….only when we understand and implement spiritual warfare can our walk into wholeness be successful.”
If Chambers does not think Exodus condemns people to Hell, then why is he promoting and profiting off of books such as this one?
Finally, Chambers likes to say that Exodus does not “change” people. (at least in front of secular audiences) Which is interesting, because as Larry Jansson eloquently pointed out, Exodus recruits new clients with promises of, you guessed it, “change” which is sold to desperate people on slick billboards. Clearly, Exodus either works to “change” people from gay to straight, or the group should be sued for false advertising. The billboards do not lie, but apparently, Alan Chambers does with remarkable ease.
Is it just me or does lying come to Alan Chambers as easily and naturally as breathing air? Clearly, Chambers has severe character issues that he must deal with.
Update: I thought Lisa Ling did a better job last night — and it was good to see a reporter follow-up on the “ex-gay” myth. If she continues to check-in on the “ex-gay” subjects she featured, it will not bode well for Exodus, as people rarely complete the dead-end curriculum of this fraudulent program.
In terms of the segment, the utter misery of the poor “ex-gay” man named Christan shone brightly through Exodus’ propaganda. Ling successfully showed how he was going through trapeze-artist-like contortions to be something that he is not.
After scrapping his beloved art, practically living in the gym (yeah, that’s so straight) and avoiding gay bars — Christian still came across as queer as a three dollar bill stuck in Perez Hilton’s leopard skin g-string. It is obvious to all but the most brainwashed fundamentalists how unsuccessful and strained the entire de-gaying process truly is.
Ex-Gay minister Janet Boynes also came across as a control freak, hovering ominously in the background over her struggling “poster boy” to make sure he did not fall off the hetero-wagon. It was apparent that she would destroy Christian’s life without blinking to justify her self-serving religious delusions. I hope the ever-enterprising Boynes sells enough books to make undermining Christian’s life worth her while.
Finally, there was a gigantic contrast between the sorrowful and hopeless life led by Christian and the genuine hopefulness and happiness exhibited in another segment about a person who transitioned from female to male. This individual looked completely fulfilled (and very attractive) and headed towards a new, bright future. Meanwhile, the tunnel seemed to only get darker for the sad “ex-gay” who was eliminating every trace of individuality to conform to Janet Boynes twisted view of heterosexuality and manhood.
In my view, Ling should strongly consider doing another show from the perspective of “ex-gay” survivors. What is it like to be a teenager and be bombarded by negative images of your sexual orientation? How does propaganda from the “ex-gay” industry affect these teenagers? What are the motivations that would cause a person to enter an “ex-gay” program? What are the psychological effects of going through these sham ministries? Are “ex-gay” programs making false promises and misleading clients with deceptive advertising? Why do they talk so much about demons in their books and other products they peddle to desperate people? Would Exodus activists be willing to take No Lie MRI’s, polygraphs or penile plesymographs to back up their fanciful tales with hard (no pun intended) facts?
It is clear that Ling has learned a bit from her initial story — and is more attuned to the nuances of this explosive issue. There is so much more for her to explore on this topic, and I hope she will take the opportunity to do so responsibly, using all the research and resources at her disposal.
Peter LaBarbera apparently hasn’t noticed that he’s gaining no traction with his “I know you are but what am I?” approach to having his organization labeled as a hate group, because in his response to the Exodus iPhone app controversy, he gives Truth Wins Out an entire bolded sub-section where he again asserts that we are the real haters and that Wayne is mean. The “I know you are but what am I” starts way before that though:
[T]he Homosexual Lobby’s hardball strategy is built on lies, intimidation and even bullying of well-meaning, compassionate Christians and religious people who simply disagree with the practice of homosexuality.
I often wonder whether or not Peter is truly a fool. Because see, this is the thing: it is beyond question that radical anti-gay extremists lie constantly about gay people, demonize gay people, bully gay people [sometimes to death! We still are the only side with a bodycount, of course.], etc. This is not a “point of view.” It is a verifiable fact. Fundamentalist Christians whine about the same four or five sob stories constantly — did you hear about the time the wedding photographer in New Mexico had to abide by state law? — but that’s just a bunch of crybaby whimpering compared to gay teenagers killing themselves. And please either drop the adjectives “well-meaning” and “compassionate,” or add “brainwashed” to the list. Either way would be more accurate.
Incredibly, a tiny Sexual Sin Lobby
Always labeling things with words he can’t prove are accurate.
presumes to dictate to the rest of us what is and is not acceptable speech, ideas, and conduct with regard to homosexuality and same-sex “marriage.”
Why don’t you just use the word “uppity” and get on with it, Pete?
(They even claim to be the arbiter of what is ”love” and “hate.”)
Nah, we’re just not brainwashed by the Fundamentalist definitions of those words and thus use them as the English language intends.
The failure of the national media — stuck in “gays-as-victims” mode – to question the growing pro-LGBT intolerance, demonization, and oppression of adherents to Judeo-Christian moral teachings, itself contributes greatly to the persecution of people of faith.
If you were an alien and the first thing you read on Planet Earth was a screed from an anti-gay wingnut, you would get the oppression, I mean impression that gay people are hauling fundamentalists off to concentration camps, wouldn’t you? Such is the anguish they feel over living in a country which is finally starting to chip away at the pedestal they have put themselves on ever since their/our ancestors landed and started massacring Native Americans.
Even more ridiculous is the idea of affixing a ”civil rights” label to homosexual militants like ”Truth Wins Out” (TWO) who are devoted to crushing the civil rights and voice of opposing pro-family advocates.
What “civil rights” are being taken away from extremist Christians, Peter? Please use the accepted definition of “civil rights,” as opposed to the “whatever wingnuts want to do” definition. And please do it quietly, as we are trying to crush your voice by quoting your word salad verbatim, again, as we frequently do.
The next section is Peter complaining that Exodus is too nice to gays, which is to be expected coming from a hate group leader. This is humorous:
Christians and moral-minded Americans MUST actively defend truth on this issue against the many “gay” lies (even the activist term “gay” is a lie…)
Did you know that “gay” was an “activist term”? I had no idea. Since the great majority of Americans refer to gay people as, um, gay people, I guess the great majority of Americans are gay activists now. Win!
Aggressive homo-fascism hates dissent, religious or otherwise.
Totally true, as I reported at Wonkette the other day.
For goodness sake, 31 out of 31 states provided the opportunity have voted down “same-sex marriage,” and yet opposition to same sex marriage is now widely derided as “hate” by all major homosexualist organizations!
Now that we’re reaching the tipping point [of no return] with public acceptance of gay people, it’s going to be really fun when they can’t use that line anymore. Enjoy it while it lasts!
What Exodus’ well-intentioned leaders — and millions of “ministry-minded” Christians — do not understand regarding this cultural debate is that no matter how “nice” you are to the likes of TWO, the only thing that counts is that you oppose homosexual behavior.
Um, yeah, because grown-ups understand that hate, dressed up all sweet-like with Bible words, is still hate.
The expanding list of victimized Christians [click HERE and HERE] makes clear…
Link one is about a bed and breakfast owner who doesn’t want to comply with the laws of the state where he lives. Link two is about a counseling student who is unqualified to enter the profession she seeks to enter because she’s not enough of an adult to maintain the standards of that profession, and instead wants a standing hall pass to give inferior, harmful care any time there’s a gay client involved. These are their “victims.” Get back to me about “victimhood” when one of them commits suicide, or is murdered for being a wingnut, or has to endure years of psychological care because of the scars left by Militant Homosexual Activists, or whatever.
No need to quote the rest of that passage, because the “expanding list of victimized Christians” only makes clear that these people will whine about anything at all, to anyone who will listen, at any time.
(Of course, LGBT activists claim to support religious freedom, but what good is liberty if we cannot publicly proclaim and act upon our historic biblical beliefs about sex, marriage and family?)
You have all the right to proclaim whatever you want. No one is taking that away from you. When you say “act upon,” though, I’d prefer that you have your fundamentalist Christian, within-the-bonds-of-marriage Not Sex as far away from Public as possible, but that’s just me. Seriously, on what planet do these people live wherein “acting upon” their beliefs about marriage and sex and family includes encroaching on other peoples’ lives (people who don’t even want to KNOW them!), and other peoples’ abilities to have whatever beliefs about sex, marriage and family that they want? Really. What planet?
Far from being victims, the best way to think of name-calling homosexual activists like TWO’s Wayne Besen is as bullies.
You are SO MEAN, Wayne. Why do you upset Peter so?
Take special note of “Truth Wins Out’s” preposterous characterization of Exodus as “hateful and bigoted.”
Um, well, they defame gay people on a daily basis by lying about us, misrepresenting scientific research regarding gays [and doing so knowingly], lying to the people who come to them for “counseling,” lying to the world about their own success rate, saying one thing to the world about how they don’t actually try to “change” anyone’s sexuality [because they know smart people will laugh] but telling their clients something altogether different, and just generally by being snakes. Sounds like “hateful and bigoted” to me, but then again, I’m not warped by fundamentalist Christianity.
Any rational observer who compares TWO’s and Exodus’ rhetoric will see who the real “haters” are
Exodus, because a rational observer would, by definition, be an adult, and would be able to see through the “freedom from homosexuality through Jesus Christ” pablum to uncover the hatred and bigotry [and also the lies] underneath. TWO, on the other hand, doesn’t mince words and doesn’t feel the need to treat people like toddlers. Also, we don’t lie. And we fight for actual victims. And our work doesn’t lead to people suffering lifelong depression or taking their own lives because of what we’ve taught. Yeah. Keeping trying this “I know you are but what am I?” thing, though. It wins more people to our side every time you say it.
TWO regularly engages in extreme, ad hominem, and blatantly anti-Christian rhetoric. (Wayne Besen proudly came up with the ugly “Porno Pete” smear to tar this writer.)
It had nothing to do with all the leather sex photography Peter posts. Man, that’s a good nickname, though. Gays who don’t pay that much attention to the news don’t know the name “Peter LaBarbera,” but lots of people know “Porno Pete.” Warms my black militant homo-fascist heart, it does.
Substituting “gay” ideology for reality
[I know you are but what am I?]
they simply deny the existence of former homosexuals
Because they all end up back out of the closet/on Craigslist looking for gay sex! Alan Chambers, tell us about how you’re still into dudes again.
TWO actively demonizes anyone who goes public about overcoming homosexuality in their life – and especially mocks those who claim to have done so with the divine help of Christ.
Remember that time the “ex-gay” leader got caught knowingly giving guys HIV? That was quite a moment for the industry. Remember the time the poster-boy for the “ex-gay” industry got caught cruising guys in a DC gay bar, by THAT MEAN OLD WAYNE BESEN? But you’re right, Peter, we should focus on whichever “ex-gays” are currently getting paid to spread fundamentalist propaganda, and then forget about them the second they get caught in a New Orleans bathhouse doing lines of coke out of a twink’s belly button.
(Besen’s snarky attack-slogan for Christian, ex-homosexual overcomers is “Pray Away the Gay.”)
Maybe we should retire that one since Exodus now admits they don’t change anyone’s sexuality. Haha, nah. They’re only doing that right now because the spotlight’s on ‘em.
Precious few journalists are willing to call out the Homosexual Lobby on its totalitarian-like, censorious approach to ideas and biblical/religious truths that it does not like, so we must.
Well, let’s be fair. The shrinking group of Americans wingnutty enough to think that Peter LaBarbera makes sense are the only ones who actually see this “totalitarian homosexualist” thing going on, so, by definition, they HAVE to be the ones to call it out. They’re also the only ones who think their air conditioning vents are talking to them, most likely. You know who IS calling out the media, though? Victoria Jackson, that paragon of sanity.
Fellow advocate of godly morality, please understand this: militants on the homosexual-bisexual-transgender Left hate you enough to shut down your voice anywhere they can.
