Exodus International Shuts Down

[garbon]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/20/exodus-international-shuts-down_n_3470911.html

Exodus International, a large Christian ministry that claimed to offer a "cure" for homosexuality, plans to shut down.

In a press release posted on the ministry's website Wednesday night, the board of directors announced the decision to close after nearly four decades.

"We're not negating the ways God used Exodus to positively affect thousands of people, but a new generation of Christians is looking for change -- and they want to be heard," Exodus board member Tony Moore said.

The closure comes less than a day after Exodus released a statement apologizing to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community for years of undue judgment, by the organization and from the Christian Church as a whole.

"Exodus is an institution in the conservative Christian world, but we've ceased to be a living, breathing organism. For quite some time we've been imprisoned in a worldview that's neither honoring toward our fellow human beings, nor biblical," said Alan Chambers, president of Exodus.

The apology coincided with the ministry's annual conference in Irvine, Calif., and the planned broadcast of a "Gods & Gays" report on "Our America With Lisa Ling," which is slated to air on OWN tonight.

Last year, Chambers decided to stop endorsing the widely denounced practice of gay "reparative therapy." The full text of his personal apology is available here.

Chambers isn't the only Exodus member who is sorry. In April, John Paulk, former chairman of Exodus and the co-author of "Love Won Out: How God's Love Helped Two People Leave Homosexuality and Find Each Other," renounced his past involvement in the "ex-gay movement," and expressed remorse for his actions.

"For the better part of 10 years, I was an advocate and spokesman for what's known as the 'ex-gay movement,' where we declared that sexual orientation could be changed through a close-knit relationship with God, intensive therapy and strong determination," Paulk said. "At the time, I truly believed that it would happen. And while many things in my life did change as a Christian, my sexual orientation did not."

He added: "Today, I do not consider myself 'ex-gay,' and I no longer support or promote the movement. Please allow me to be clear: I do not believe that reparative therapy changes sexual orientation; in fact, it does great harm to many people."

Exodus plans to launch a separate ministry that aims to be more welcoming.

[Tamas]

"For the better part of 10 years, I was an advocate and spokesman for what's known as the 'ex-gay movement,' where we declared that sexual orientation could be changed through a close-knit relationship with God, intensive therapy and strong determination," Paulk said. "At the time, I truly believed that it would happen. And while many things in my life did change as a Christian, my sexual orientation did not."

oops! 


But he deserves some respect for admitting he was seriously wrong. That's a rare commodity nowadays.

[Valmy]

Wahoo!  A Culture war victory!

[Valmy]

But he deserves some respect for admitting he was seriously wrong. That's a rare commodity nowadays.

Yep. 

[The Brain]

So cure doesn't work. We'll have to stick to containment. Let's hope that one works.

[Neil]

I always figured that a religious cure was ridiculous.  It would make far more sense to identify the genetic disorder that causes homosexuality, repair it, and then allow the poisonous gay culture to wither away.

[Razgovory]

I always figured that a religious cure was ridiculous.  It would make far more sense to identify the genetic disorder that causes homosexuality, repair it, and then allow the poisonous gay culture to wither away.

Hormonal disorder is more likely.  I suspect that one day the root cause will be discovered and the choice of child being gay or straight  will be up to the parents. Then gays will wither away.

[Valmy]

Hormonal disorder is more likely.  I suspect that one day the root cause will be discovered and the choice of child being gay or straight  will be up to the parents. Then gays will wither away.

Actually then gays will have the means to make more gays.

[Eddie Teach]

Hormonal disorder is more likely.  I suspect that one day the root cause will be discovered and the choice of child being gay or straight  will be up to the parents. Then gays will wither away.

Actually then gays will have the means to make more gays.

And there'll be a strong uptick in the number of patricides.

[Razgovory]

Hormonal disorder is more likely.  I suspect that one day the root cause will be discovered and the choice of child being gay or straight  will be up to the parents. Then gays will wither away.

Actually then gays will have the means to make more gays.

Unless they start giving birth, probably not.  Parents are going to want to children that are like them, and most parents are going to be straight.

[merithyn]

Hormonal disorder is more likely.  I suspect that one day the root cause will be discovered and the choice of child being gay or straight  will be up to the parents. Then gays will wither away.

Actually then gays will have the means to make more gays.

Unless they start giving birth, probably not.  Parents are going to want to children that are like them, and most parents are going to be straight.

So you've never heard of surrogacy?

[Razgovory]

Hormonal disorder is more likely.  I suspect that one day the root cause will be discovered and the choice of child being gay or straight  will be up to the parents. Then gays will wither away.

Actually then gays will have the means to make more gays.

Unless they start giving birth, probably not.  Parents are going to want to children that are like them, and most parents are going to be straight.

So you've never heard of surrogacy?

Yeah, and how common is that? What do you suppose the ratio of surrogacy to ordinary births?  I'd imagine pretty low.  I imagine the number of gays with the money and interest in creating gay children through surrogacy isn't very high.  Doing a quick google check (which sadly ended with the daily mail) there was 1,600  surrogate births in the US in 2010.  Maybe 5,000 in the world.

[garbon]

I'd imagine pretty low.  I imagine the number of gays with the money and interest in creating gay children through surrogacy isn't very high.

Well you can't currently select to have a gay child.

[Razgovory]

I'd imagine pretty low.  I imagine the number of gays with the money and interest in creating gay children through surrogacy isn't very high.

Well you can't currently select to have a gay child.

In the future, I suspect you will be able to.  If homosexuality is indeed inborn, then it logically it can be altered.  If it can be altered, then there were will drastically fewer gays in the future.

[Barrister]

Hormonal disorder is more likely.  I suspect that one day the root cause will be discovered and the choice of child being gay or straight  will be up to the parents. Then gays will wither away.

Actually then gays will have the means to make more gays.

Unless they start giving birth, probably not.  Parents are going to want to children that are like them, and most parents are going to be straight.

So you've never heard of surrogacy?

Or lesbians?  I know several gays who have given birth.