Sunday, January 07, 2007

ExGay Watch Discovers the Truth Behind The Mission of Exodus

Once again, the superb website, ExGay Watch, shows clearly how Exodus International, the so-called exgay ministry, has completely lost its way. Now, instead of merely caring for their own, same sex attracted people who wish to figure out, for religious reasons, a way to live a hetero life, they have become a political organization designed to destroy the lives of happily out gay people living honest lives.

As I've stated many times, I think that people who live against their religious beliefs harm themselves and the people around them. If they honestly believe that being gay is "wrong," then they should either find a support group and live celibately or change religions. I studied anti-gay theology and find it to be antiquated, wrong and ridiculously misogynistic and homophobic, trapped in a first century mindset. I freed myself from this self-hating theology.

But for those who are still trapped in that theology, the worst thing they can do is get married to an opposite sex partner and then start screwing around on the side like a Ted Haggard or Michael Johnston (one of the so-called exgay ministers who was preaching against us by day and attending sex parties by night). They are a danger because closeted people rarely use protection. They are in too much denial to take precautions since they try to pretend they're not gay.

As Michael Bussee, one of the founders of Exodus says in the comments section of the above link:
Sad but true that EXODUS has lost its way. I lay the blame squarely at Alan Chamber's feet. Political action was never the intent of EXODUS. Our ONLY concerns were: (1)bringing the message of salvation to gay people and(2)helping the church to be more loving in its treatment of LGBT folks.

True,we (wrongly) believed at the time that our homosexual orientation would be changed from gay to straight if we followed Christ. But that's IT. We made special efforts to stay OUT of political arguments and refused to back political measures or candidates.

We repeatedly and strongly said NO to requests from Anita Bryant, John Briggs, Lou Sheldon and the like. We would not lend our testimonies to legislative efforts to limit the rights of gays and lesbians. This is not the EXODUS that the founders of EXODUS had in mind. This is a mutation. A sell-out. The only thing in common is the name.
Alan Chambers and Randy Thomas sold out Exodus to the political right wing. They are more interested in becoming famous and having careers in the right wing political sphere than they are in fulfilling what, to me, was a questionable mission to begin with.

And why is this? Because there's no money in a ministry that doesn't work. That's why. People don't turn from gay to straight. Statistically, the number of actual conversions is about zero. They lie about their numbers. They lie about our culture and they lie to themselves about their own mission in life.

I guess that's one way to get a paycheck. If you can't get it by being honest and in ministry, then turn to to politics and suck up to the money tit of James Dobson. He can't run his gay-hating political machine without them. And they can't make a paycheck without him.

ExGay Watch is one of the best sites on the net. Bookmark them and read their posts. These religious types always try to fly under the radar. With the Light of Truth shining on them by sites like this, they cannot play their dirty games in private.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hey Steve...

Warren Throckmorton's announcement today is worth noting. His inventory of the the DVD documentary he produced, I Do Exist, is running low and he has decided to discontinue duplicating and marketing it, explaining:

My current work does not emphasize changing sexual orientation as much as it does achieving congruence with chosen beliefs and values (which may or may not lead to change of attractions). I think the theme of developing a valued and congruent sexual identity is an aspect of the documentary but may be overwhelmed at times by other narratives woven throughout the video.

That's a message that Exodus seems not to get. They could earn my respoect by developing a message about living productive, healthy lives in sync with conservative beliefs, and dropping or de-emphasizing their insistence that change is possible.

Instead, they don't just alienate me, they make broad political enemies and give ex-gays good reason to leave them when they figure out that they've been lied to.