(Alan Chambers, Left)
With New Poll Showing Exodus Has Failed To Convince Americans That Homosexuality Is A Choice, The “Ex-Gay’ Group Has Turned To Washington
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Truth Wins Out condemned Exodus International today for transforming the so-called “ex-gay” group from a ministry to a full-fledged lobbying apparatus that does the political bidding for Focus on the Family. With a new Gallup Poll showing that Exodus was unsuccessful at convincing the American people that homosexuality is a choice, the group hired a Director of Government Affairs this week, shifting its focus from prayer to passing anti-gay laws in state capitals and Washington.
The new Gallup poll revealed that 42 percent of Americans believe that homosexuality is innate, compared to 13 percent in 1977. And the percentage of Americans who believe homosexuality is due to factors such as upbringing and environment declined from 56 percent in 1977 to 35 percent today. Things have reversed so completely, that even the Southern Baptist Convention’ Albert Mohler recently suggested on his website that there is the possibility of a biological basis for homosexuality.
This seismic shift in public opinion has coincided with the founding of Exodus in 1976, suggesting that their efforts have backfired. Indeed, Exodus spokespeople have appeared on nearly every talk show in the nation, and millions of dollars have been spent promoting their outdated theories — yet the American people have rejected the notion of sexual conversion, noted Truth Wins Out.
“Exodus has monumentally failed at tricking Americans into believing that homosexuality is a malleable “lifestyle choice’,” said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of Truth Wins Out. “In desperation, they are turning to Washington, hoping to accomplish through legislative persecution what they could not achieve through religious persuasion.”
Exodus hired Amanda Banks as its Director of Government Affairs. Her experience includes serving as a federal policy analyst for Focus on the Family. Exodus also hired Dr. Mike Rosebush as their new Director of Professional Counselors, who previously served as Vice President at Focus on the Family.
“The transformation of Exodus from independent ministry to Focus on the Family’ political puppet is now complete,” said TWO’ Besen. “We no longer view Exodus as a separate entity from Focus on the Family, but merely a subsidiary that takes orders from Colorado Springs.”
In March, Exodus signed on with 20 other Christian groups to a Focus on the Family generated letter that condemned National Association of Evangelical’ lobbyist Richard Cizik for his statements expressing concern about global warming. This outrageous example highlights how thoroughly Exodus and Focus on the Family have become enmeshed, says TWO.
“I’m not sure what the issue of climate change has to do with “ex-gays’, except that Exodus and opponents of countering global warming use the same type of shoddy research to justify political positions that are bad for America,” said TWO’ Besen.
Since Alan Chambers became executive director of Exodus, the organization has increasingly turned political. In June 2006, Chambers and his deputy, Randy Thomas, were invited to the White House by President Bush to lobby for passage of the Federal Marriage Amendment. Recently, Exodus was in Washington to oppose federal hate crime legislation. The organization has also been in the frontlines opposing marriage in various states.
“Our existence as ex-gays is additional proof that homosexuality is not an immutable trait and therefore, marriage is not a civil right to be extended to any group of individuals who demand it,” Exodus’ Alan Chambers told Lifesite, Canada on July 6, 2005, offering a glimpse of his organization’ peculiar rationale for stepping up political activity.
Exodus was dealt a blow this week after The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) issued its first statement opposing “conversion therapy.” According to the new policy:
“The American Academy of Physician Assistants opposes any psychiatric treatment directed specifically at changing sexual orientation, such as “conversion’ or “reparative’ therapy which is based upon the assumption that homosexuality per se is a mental disorder or based upon the a priori assumption that the patient should change his/her sexual orientation.”
Additionally, ten years after it issued a statement on “ex-gay” therapy, the American Psychological Association announced that it had formed a task force to review current scientific research on the issue. The task force’ report is due sometime in 2008 or beyond, according to The Washington Blade.
“In the past ten years, we have seen an enormous amount of evidence that conversion therapy does not work,” remarked Besen. “During this same period of time, there has been an explosion of research that points strongly in the direction that sexual orientation is biologically determined.”
Besen added, “Now that the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality — the main proponent of “ex-gay’ therapy – has been largely discredited through lack of peer reviewed scientific data and controversial statements on race and gender, our adversaries lack the moral authority and scientific standing to legitimately oppose potential changes in APA policy.”
Truth Wins OUT is a non-profit organization that counters right wing propaganda, exposes the “ex-gay” myth and educates America about gay life. For more information, visit www.TruthWinsOut.org.
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