It seems that Exodus International doesn’t like the attention it’s receiving lately. They were under the impression that they were going to coast through a poorly researched special on the Oprah Winfrey Network, as they grasp for relevance in a society that increasingly rejects their “work” for the junk science it is and the harm it causes. Instead, they have come under increased scrutiny as Truth Wins Out has led the effort to expose the shoddy reporting of Lisa Ling’s special, and now with our project demanding that Apple remove Exodus’s bigoted iPhone app:
Truth Wins Out today urged people to continue signing its Change.org petition to demand that Apple remove an offensive and scientifically bankrupt “ex-gay” iPhone app that was created by Exodus International, a group that believes people can and should “pray away the gay”. Truth Wins Out also released a new video today highlighting why Apple should be socially responsible and remove the app.
Truth Wins Out has reached out to Apple several times and the company has not yet responded. If Apple continues to bury its head in the sand, we will hold a press conference in front of their offices featuring sexual and spiritual abuse victims of “ex-gay” programs.
[…]
“Apple doesn’t allow racist or anti-Semitic apps in its store, yet it gives the green light to an app written by an anti-gay extremist group that targets vulnerable sexual-minority youth with the message that they are ‘sinful’ and ‘perverse,’” said Truth Wins Out’s Director of Communications and Development John Becker. “This is a double standard that should not stand.”
Now, Alan Chambers and Randy Thomas are pulling out the tiny violins, claiming on Facebook that they are “under attack.” Seasoned watchers of the Religious Right will recognize this language as a plea for sympathy, and also money. Randy is very upset that people are saying mean, terrible things to them on their blog and on Facebook. [In all likelihood, people are simply robustly telling them how wrong they are, about everything.]
As most of you are probably aware, especially if you have been on facebook or twitter, the protest against the Exodus iPhone app is escalating. As of this email the petition to have Apple remove it has grown to over 48,000 signatures. http://www.change.org/petitions/demand-that-apple-remove-ex-gay-iphone-app#?opt_new=t&opt_fb=t For some context,Thursday it was around 7,000.
This weekend we are getting slammed with terrible, truly nasty emails, tweets, facebook and blog comments. I allowed some difficult ones through on the blog and could use your help in responding to some of those. http://exodusinternational.org/2011/03/exodus-releases-new-smartphone-application/
Don’t worry, I will not let any ugliness develop. On the blog I catch them before anyone else sees them. That said, if your comment doesn’t immediately go through it is because I have to approve it. I can also toggle trusted friends to be automatically approved in the future. The comments I have let through that oppose our app, might be difficult but they do not represent the many more that were very hostile toward Exodus. I am hoping that a direct but loving response to these comments will be informative to all the people (literally thousands and thousands) who are being directed toward that page.
We could also use your help on the facebook page http://facebook.com/exodusinternational and our Twitter account at http://twitter.com/exodusintl. I can’t stop facebook comments before they come in and we obviously can’t stop someone from tweeting about us. Leah and I have been all over the hateful Facebook comments when they do come in so they don’t stay on the page long. Even so, ANY supportive comments and encouragement would be welcome on Facebook and Twitter as well.
Of course, Truth Wins Out readers are free to visit any of those links above. Please do not be cruel, as most of the cogs in the Exodus machine are professional victims, but feel free to robustly explain to them why they are getting this attention right now. A bit later, Randy’s whine gets really good:
Please pray for Exodus, Exodus Member Ministries, Counselors and Churches. We need your prayers for wisdom as we seek a way to answer this baseless all-out assault on our lives and beliefs. It’s much more than just an iPhone app. God’s work through Exodus is being mocked, ridiculed and stigmatized. And while we do not fight as the world fights, we can speak up lovingly and redemptively in the face of persecution. Truth never comes back void and God’s love and grace abound much greater than anything the world has to offer.
“As we seek a way to answer this baseless all-out assault on our lives and beliefs.”
Gee golly, Randall, isn’t that what the Religious Right, and their willing tools in Exodus, have been doing to LGBT people for decades? The projection here is simply unreal. Moreover, any human with Google and a brain can do a little research and see that this project to have the iPhone app removed is anything but a “baseless all-out assault.” When scientists are coming forward and asking that an app be removed [your app], because it blatantly misrepresents their work, and when that is only the icing on the cake, you’ve got a problem. The entire mission of Exodus International is based on lies, verifiable harm, and unrepentant bigotry against an entire class of people. And now you’re going to take to your computer and whine about being “attacked”? Please.
Also participating in the whining is Alan Chambers himself, who posted the following status on Facebook:
With some of the hate messages I am getting I am about ready to move my family to a gated community. Feeling a bit unsafe at the moment.
6 hours ago
OH GIVE ME A BREAK. Nobody is going to hurt you or your family, Alan! You are the one who hurts families. NOT US.
Later on, Alan asks what I find to be a very simple question, for which there is a very simple answer:
Alan Manning Chambers Do these people not listen to our message? UGH!
2 hours ago
YES. And that is why this is happening, because people are truly listening to the two-faced, dishonest bile that comes out of the spokesmouths of your organization.
Period.
At the moment, there are 96,514 signatures on our petition to have the Exodus iPhone app removed. Go here to add your name to the list if you haven’t already.
