Updated at 7 p.m.
Ex-Gay Watch reports that Orlando, Fla.-based Exodus International has laid off two of its ex-gay outreach workers: Exodus Youth “analyst” Mike Ensley and bookstore manager Chris Stump.

Stump had only recently replaced the outgoing Kevin White in that position. It appears the move came just days ago, made necessary due to a serious reduction of donations being received by the ex-gay referral organization.

It comes as no surprise that Exodus is having budget concerns. The current world-wide economic crisis has hurt even large, well managed non-profits like Focus on the Family. Exodus may have made things worse for themselves, however, with the addition of a million-dollar mortgage for the new building they purchased last spring — bad timing to say the least. Exodus had previously leased a modest set of offices in Orlando but claimed in a newsletter that they were cramped and needed room for new staff.

Truth Wins Out has criticized some of Ensley’s anti-youth and anti-family commentaries. But most of these commentaries occurred in official Exodus and Focus on the Family publications that are edited and approved by top management. In other words, it’s his editors — not Ensley — who should be laid off or accept salary reductions if times are difficult.

The layoffs leave Exodus with a staff a bit more heavily weighted toward fund-raising and political lobbying instead of outreach to would-be ex-gays and their families.

I soon expect to hear that Exodus is subletting its overpriced and oversized office space — if they aren’t doing so, already.

Perhaps Exodus will one day become the new Kmart-Sears: a real-estate company that pretends to be a merchant of dime-store quality merchandise and suburban pop culture.

While ex-gay activist Mike Ensley insults gay Christian singer Ray Boltz, former ex-gay Peterson Toscano points to a much more graceful and life-affirming attitude by Boltz’s ex-wife, Carol Boltz.

Carol struggled as many spouses do when their loved one realizes the necessity of sexual honesty and integrity. Their private struggle was made tougher by the need for Ray to eventually go public and be honest with his Christian fans.

Toscano says:

Recently Carol launched her own blog, My Heart Goes Out. Please take a moment to visit the blog and share with Carol a word of support, a word of encouragement, a word of affirmation. She is a courageous and beautiful woman.

Well said.

After claiming last week that the ex-gay network had stepped back from public policy, Exodus admitted otherwise this week — but without admitting the apparent deception.

President Alan Chambers acknowledged to Ex-Gay Watch that his organization will continue as an active member of the Arlington Group, a political alliance of most major religious-right organizations that coordinates members’ policy choices and priorities.

Chambers claimed last week, “There isn’t anyone on staff that has policy in their job description and we don’t plan to spend money there.” On its 2006 filing of an IRS 990 form (PDF via Guidestar), Exodus reported a $5,000 donation to the Arlington Group; Exodus donations for 2007 are yet to be disclosed.

Chambers announced last week that Exodus’ withdrawal from public policy began in “August, 2007. 2008, however, marked a complete refocus on ministry.”

But as TWO has noted since then, Exodus board member Phil Burress (pictured), youth activist Mike Ensley, and speaker Ken Hutcherson continue to actively campaign for antigay and partisan political causes.

Just two days ago, Exodus executive vice president Randy Thomas boasted of his ongoing, expenses-paid trips to Washington, D.C., to provide political “friends” with ex-gay rhetoric and support.

And on Friday, board member Burress sued to hold taxpayer-subsidized church services in an Ohio public library. Burress’ self-led Citizens for Community Values (another Arlington Group member) opposes anti-bullying, tolerance, and sex-education programs in schools, and it is largely responsible for a 1993 Cincinnati vote to overturn local antidiscrimination law. A 2004 vote reversed the earlier vote.

In reaction to Exodus’ commitment to the Arlington Group, former ex-gay Peterson Toscano finds Exodus violating Biblical values under Chambers’ leadership.

Exodus International president Alan Chambers said last week that the ex-gay network had halted its aggressive antigay political advocacy as of August 2007.

Exodus youth activist Mike Ensley, however, vows to continue using his position in the ex-gay network as a soapbox to silence gay students, withhold accurate information from heterosexual peers of those students, and deny the existence of intersexed persons.

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