Exodus: Live Out Loud

Man Sues Publishers Over Bible Verses

From CitizenLink:

A Michigan man is suing Zondervan Publishing and Thomas Nelson Publishing, claiming biblical references to homosexuality as a sin violate his constitutional rights and have caused him emotional pain and mental instability.

Bradley LaShawn Fowler, 39, is seeking $60 million from Zondervan and $10 million from Thomas Nelson, The Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press reported. He is representing himself in both claims.

Fowler claims the Bible has made him an outcast and contributed to physical discomfort and periods of "demoralization, chaos and bewilderment."

"As frivolous as this case may sound, it's an indicator of where the homosexual agenda is headed," said Bruce Hausknecht, judicial analyst for Focus on the Family Action. "Ten years from now, this type of case won't be humorous at all; we'll see organizations like the ACLU dedicating resources to them because such 'language' will no longer be considered protected speech.

"Sweden, Canada and the U.K. are already prosecuting religious speech as 'hate' speech, as it relates to the biblical view of homosexuality."

Survey Shows Churches Split on Homosexuality

From OneNewsNow:

A new survey finds that Americans are split almost evenly over perceptions of homosexual behavior as either sinful or acceptable to God.

LifeWay Research, an arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, surveyed 1,201 adults in April to determine their attitudes about homosexuality. Forty-eight percent responded that homosexual behavior is sinful, but 45 percent said that it is not -- basically a statistical tie when the margin of error is taken into account.

Rev. Rob Schenck of Faith and Action in Washington, DC, says the U.S. needs a spiritual awakening as it moves in the direction of what he calls "a European-like secularism."

"... [This] is a spiritual problem that requires a spiritual solution," he continues. "But there is a little bit more to it than that because we see the problem in the church, as well as outside the church."

Read the whole article >>

Pro-Gay Censorship Law Crops Up in Colorado

From WorldNetDaily:

A new Colorado law is helping homosexual activists achieve their goal of forcing Christians to teach biblical condemnation of homosexuality only behind the closed doors of their sanctuaries.

The as-yet untested state law promotes sexual identity "perception" to the level of skin color under state discrimination laws.

Some opponents are calling it a "bona fide censorship law," and top analysts for Focus on the Family, the Christian publishing and broadcast powerhouse, are expressing concern over the "mischief" they expect to follow the signing by As WND reported, Ritter, a Democrat, struck gender-specific restrooms and locker rooms statewide when he signed the plan into law in May.

The law makes it illegal to deny a person access to public accommodations, including restrooms and locker rooms, based on gender identity or the "perception" of gender identity.

"Who would have believed that the Colorado state legislature and its governor would have made it fully legal for men to enter and use women's restrooms and locker-room facilities without notice or explanation?" said James Dobson, founder of Focus.

Read the whole article >>

Canadian Pastor Fined; Christians Banned from Voicing Biblical Opposition

From WorldNetDaily:

A Canadian tribunal ordered a Christian pastor to renounce his faith and never again express moral opposition to homosexuality, according to a new report.

In a decision dated May 30 in the penalty phase of the quasi-judicial proceedings run by the Alberta Human Rights Tribunal, evangelical pastor Stephen Boisson was banned from expressing his biblical perspective of homosexuality and ordered to pay $5,000 for "damages for pain and suffering" as well as apologize to the activist who complained of being hurt...

"In this case there is no specific individual who can be compensated as there is no direct victim who has come forward," [lawyer Lori G. Andreachuk] wrote.

However, that did not stop her from ordering the payment anyway.

And as for the future, she wrote:

"Mr. Boissoin and The Concerned Christian Coalition Inc. shall cease publishing in newspapers, by e-mail, on the radio, in public speeches, or on the Internet, in future, disparaging remarks about gays and homosexuals. Further, they shall not and are prohibited from making disparaging remarks in the future about … Lund or … Lund's witnesses relating to their involvement in this complaint. Further, all disparaging remarks versus homosexuals are directed to be removed from current Web sites and publications of Mr. Boissoin and The Concerned Christian Coalition Inc..."

Read the whole article >>

Brazilian Youth Conference Promotes "Diversity"

From LifeSite:

Brazil's first national "Youth Conference", held in the capital city of Brasilia in late April, concluded with a declaration in favour of the legalization of abortion and the creation of an educational system free of “homophobia”.

The 2,280 attendees were given preliminary materials published by the government and bearing the name of President Luiz Lula, which claimed that illegal abortions were causing maternal deaths and that women never die of legal abortions...

Participants were also given government materials that defended homosexuality... "to be homosexual (gay or lesbian), bisexual, transvestite or transsexual isn't an illness, isn't illegal, isn't wrong, and isn't an option.  It's an orientation like heterosexuality, that is to say, another way of living and expressing one's love."

Read the entire article >>

Megachurches Begin to Respond

From The Christian Post:

Jay Bakker, a big supporter of a pro-gay group, met privately with Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church to talk about faith and sexuality issues and to ultimately gain the support of the megapastor.

Son of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, Jay and a group of gays and lesbians attended one of Lakewood Church's Sunday worship services in an effort to change the influential pastor's view on gays and lesbians. At the end, Osteen did not affirm homosexuality.

It was the first of six megachurch stops in a pro-gay campaign called The American Family Outing – a collaboration between Soulforce, COLAGE, National Black Justice Coalition, and the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches. Some 30 LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) persons and supporters took their national campaign to the country's largest church on Mother's Day to create dialogue around LGBT issues with members of the megachurch.

Read the entire article >>

Gay Activists Visit Mega-Churches

From CitizenLink:

They call it The American Family Outing: Families from across the country travel to six mega-churches to "create meaningful conversations" about faith and homosexuality.

The gay-activist group Soulforce kicked off its six-week initiative with a stop at Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church on Mother's Day; the effort wraps up on Father's Day. Osteen declined an invitation to meet with Soulforce.

Jeff Buchanan, director of church equipping at Exodus International, said each church needs to assess whether a meeting would be helpful.

"I would be completely open to having a meaningful conversation, if both parties were humbly submitted in that conversation," he said. "I would not enter into a conversation if I knew there was not a sincere openness to the truth."

One of the goals of the initiative, according to Soulforce, is to enlist churches in the battle to end "the physical and spiritual violence perpetuated by some religious voices against LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered) people and their families."

Buchanan said he is concerned by the stereotype that all churches are party to that violence.

He recommended churches — and all Christians — embrace the issue "with compassion, not compromise."

Read the entire article >>

UK Amendment Retains Protections of Free Speech... Just Barely

From LifeSite:

MPs at Westminster voted on Tuesday night to remove protections for freedom of speech from a "hate crimes" bill, but a vote in the House of Lords retained the wording. In a vote of 338 to 136, the House of Commons agreed with homosexual activists who wanted wording removed that would have allowed Christians and others who objected to homosexual behaviour to preach Christian sexual morality in public without fear of prosecution.

Peers in the House of Lords, however, voted today to retain an amendment that allows religious people to claim freedom of religious expression when charged with "inciting hatred". The House of Commons was forced to let the wording remain in the bill due to time constraints.

The amendment says, "For the avoidance of doubt, the discussion or criticism of sexual conduct or practices or the urging of persons to refrain from or modify such conduct or practices shall not be taken of itself to be threatening or intended to stir up hatred."

Read the entire article >>

Judge Rules Georgia Tech's "Safe Space" Program May Not Label Faiths "Anti-Gay"

From Southern Voice:

Georgia Tech’s Safe Space initiative, a faculty training program funded by student activity fees, cannot include information in its training materials and website that labels certain religions in a negative context because of their views on homosexuality, a federal judge ruled last week.

Ruling in a lawsuit filed by two Georgia Tech students in 2006, U.S. District Judge J. Owen Forrester said, “It is puzzling to the court that the promotion of tolerance would take the appearance of such intolerance as is contained in the religious materials distributed with the Safe Space program.”

“The handouts [included in Safe Space training] clearly take the position that churches that condemn homosexuality do so on theologically flawed grounds,” Forrester wrote April 29.

Characterizing some religions as welcoming of homosexuals while labeling others as “anti-gay” represents a “clear preference of one religion over another” and violates the First Amendment prohibition against the establishment of a religion, Forrester ruled.

Read the entire article >>

Methodists Reject Changes to Gay Stance--Oppose Homophobia

From The Christian Post:

After a lengthy debate, United Methodists voted Wednesday to reject changes to its constitution that would have liberalized the church's stance on homosexuality.

Delegates to the 2008 General Conference, the denomination's highest governing body, voted against a proposed "majority report" which would have acknowledged that members of the United Methodist Church "deeply disagree with one another" on the issue of homosexuality.

Such an acknowledgment would have been a "mature way forward" and "an honest, yet humble approach to how we are to view one another," said Frederick Brewington, a layman in the New York Annual (regional) Conference, according to the United Methodist News Service.

"We can make the determination to move forward, and stop the hurt," he told delegates during a long and emotional debate, urging change to the church's policy to end more than 35 years of struggle over the issue.

The petition for changes would have also deleted the current statement in UMC's Book of Discipline that describes homosexual practice as "incompatible with Christian teaching" and bans noncelibate gay pastors.

However, the Rev. Eddie Fox argued that any United Methodist statement on human sexuality needs to be "clear, concise and faithful to biblical teaching."

Read the whole article >>

Hundreds Protest Methodist Conference

From Dallas Morning News:

About 300 people took the floor of the United Methodist Church's General Conference Thursday morning, protesting the denomination's persistence in saying the practice of homosexuality is "incompatible" with Christian teaching.

Legislative action at the Fort Worth Convention Center was stopped for 15 minutes to allow the demonstration, which included singing of the spiritual "Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)?"

The action went peacefully. At the General Conference eight years ago in Cleveland, about 200 gay-rights supporters were arrested.

Still, progressives were clearly disappointed that efforts to change the church's stance on homosexuality failed Wednesday in voting by General Conference delegates.

Read the entire article >>

Gay-Identified Bishop Refuses to "Lend Credibility" to Symposium

From Warren Throckmorton:

Today, the Washington Blade reported that Bishop Gene Robinson backed out of his scheduled presentation at the American Psychiatric Association conference. He was scheduled to present about “A Pastoral Approach for Gay & Lesbian People Troubled by Homosexuality.”

Bishop Robinson provided the following explanation:

“Conservatives, particularly Focus on the Family, were going to use this event to draw credibility to the so-called reparative therapy movement,” Robinson told the Blade. “It became clear to me in the last couple of weeks that just my showing up and letting this event happen … lends credibility to that so-called therapy.”

This is quite troubling and not at all accurate. Since no one on the panel planned to speak about reparative therapy, it is clear to me that the Bishop was misinformed. The symposium was approved by the APA in October of 2007 and nothing has changed in the descriptions, personnel or intent of the symposium since then. The meeting is not going to endorse reparative approaches, or advocate for any change in APA policy.

UMC Hopes for Unity at Conference

From Dallas Morning News:

For more than 30 years, the United Methodist Church has been trying to show that a denomination divided against itself on homosexuality can still stand.

The latest test begins today in Fort Worth.

Nearly 1,000 lay and clergy delegates – mainly from the U.S., but with a strong African contingent – will gather at the Convention Center for a General Conference, a term that covers the denomination's top legislative body and the body's quadrennial meeting.

This epic exercise in church democracy lasts nine days, during which about 1,600 proposed resolutions and changes to church law and policy – everything from revising the denomination's hymnal to boycotting companies with questionable labor practices – will at least get looked at by a committee.

And there will almost certainly be another round of heated debate and contentious votes over whether the UMC should change its official position that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching and withdraw its ban on noncelibate gay pastors.

Recent General Conferences have seen protests by gay-rights supporters. Eight years ago in Cleveland, some 200 demonstrators, including two bishops, were arrested for disrupting proceedings.

Read the whole article >>

Children's Hospital Launches Sex Change Program

From WorldNetDaily:

A doctor at the renowned Children's Hospital Boston has launched a new program to drug children to delay puberty so they can decide whether they want a male or a female body, according to a report today in the Boston Globe.

Pediatric endocrinologist Norman Spack, 64, says he started the Gender Management Service Clinic because he found himself encountering 20-somethings who were "transgendered" and in good shape socially, "but they were having trouble getting their physique to conform to their identity.

"I knew the 20-somethings could have better chances of passing if they were treated earlier," he said.

Read the whole article >>

South FL High School Doesn't Have to Allow GSA on Campus

Okeechobiee, FL:

Okeechobee High School no longer needs to allow the Gay-Straight Alliance to meet on campus while the club’s lawsuit is pending, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Recent court filings in the federal case have revealed the club no longer has any more members at the school and a judge recently agreed to take the club’s name off the lawsuit. The suit still continues in the name of former president Yasmin Gonzalez, though the school district is trying to have her removed from the case because she already graduated.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed the suit on behalf of Gonzalez and the club in November 2006 under the Equal Access Act, saying their rights were violated by not allowing them to meet on campus. The school district has argued the school’s principal had the authority to ban the club because it conflicted with the school’s abstinence-only teaching policy and also raised concerns about sexual discussions occurring at club meetings.

Read the whole article >>

Exodus Representatives Participate in Documentary Screening

"For the Bible Tells Me So," a documentary about Christian families who were faced with a homosexual child, and ultimately grew to embrace their homosexuality, was presented at an open screening at Stetson University last week. The screening was followed by a discussion panel featuring the film's director, Daniel Karslake. Among the other panelists were Mike Ensley of Exodus Youth and Dr. Julie Hamilton, a professional counselor affiliated with Exodus.

From the Daytona Beach News-Journal Online:

Overall, the movie won praise from both the conservative and liberal panel members.

"I loved that the core of it was families' stories," said Mike Ensley, a counselor with Exodus Ministries, which helps youth wanting to overcome homosexuality.

The documentary focuses on five Christian families coming to terms with a gay son or daughter. Just released on DVD, it's becoming a popular movie for church screenings, said filmmaker Daniel Karslake...

...Dissenting about some of the movie's science was Julie Harren Hamilton, a Palm Beach psychologist and president-elect of the National Association for the Research and Therapy of Homosexuality, which helps clients change their sexual orientation.

She disputed the suggestion that homosexuality is simply genetic, arguing that the causes are more complicated.

Karslake, the filmmaker, defended his research but agreed with Hamilton that everyone should study the issues for themselves and draw their own conclusions.

UK Couple Told they are "Unsuitable" Foster Parents

From Daily Mail:

They are devoted foster parents with an unblemished record of caring for almost 20 vulnerable children.

But Eunice and Owen Johns have been forced to abandon their good work because they refuse to tell children as young as ten that homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle.

To do so, they say, would go against their Christian beliefs.

The devastated couple withdrew an application to their council to continue as foster carers after being told they must condone homosexuality to adhere to gay rights laws.

Read the whole article >>

Christian Students May be Leaving CA Schools in Droves

From The Conservative Voice:

A broad coalition of Christian grassroots organizations have joined forces to call for California families and churches to rescue their children from California's public schools. 600,000 students may leave the California schools this year alone through their efforts. The growing coalition includes Eagle Forum, the Campaign for Children and Families, Exodus Mandate, and ten more sponsors, five of which are based in California. These organizations will be providing information to California parents and pastors concerning the new school legislation, how it mainstreams sexual deviancy, and what they can do about it. (Christiannewswire)

What SB 777 Means for Your Children With the passage of SB 777, homosexual activists now have state approval and a wide open door to promote their corrupting agenda.  SB 777 forces schoolchildren to support all aspects of transexuality, bisexuality, and homosexuality, mandating changes to all textbooks, instructional materials, and school activities.

Read the entire article >>

**NOTE** Exodus Mandate has no affiliation with Exodus International.

'Liberation:' Exodus in WORLD Magazine

From WORLD:

A couple of days ago, Tony Woodlief’s WoW post, “Anti-homosexual Christianity,” stirred quite a conversation. Tony looked at a piece of the book UnChristian, whose authors observe of the church that “outsiders say our hostility toward gays - not just opposition to homosexual politics and behaviors but disdain for gay individuals - has become virtually synonymous with the Christian faith.”

The post interested me greatly because I spent quite a bit of time this week talking with former homosexuals, and with Catholic, Jewish, evangelical, and secular counselors and psychologists who help people walk away from unwanted same-sex attraction. Two trends emerged:

First, it appears that the cultural liberation of homosexuality is also liberating those seeking to escape it.

Second, the cultural mainstreaming of homosexuality is awakening some churches to more compassionate ways of dealing with homosexuality — without endorsing the behavior.

Read the whole article >>

Boy Scouts to be Evicted -- Unless they Renounce Policy on Homosexuality

From LifeSite:

The Philadelphia council of the Boy Scouts of America will lose the lease on its historic premises for its refusal to bow to pressure from the homosexual lobby to accept homosexual members and leaders. The city has told the Scouts they will be evicted if they cannot come up with US $200,000 a year "market value" rent for the land on which their building sits. Until now, the Scouts had paid a nominal $1 per year lease fee although the youth organisation had originally owned the premises in 1929.

The famous Beaux Arts style building was built and paid for by the Scouts, and turned over to the city with the understanding that the Scouts would be allowed to remain in it rent-free "in perpetuity."

City solicitor Romulo L. Diaz Jr. gave Philadelphia's "Cradle of Liberty Council" of the Scouts until Monday this week to renounce their policy.

Read the whole article >>

APA: Don't Ban Ex-Gay Support

From LifeSite:

Debbie Thurman was shocked when she was told by homosexual activists that, as she defined herself as a former sufferer of same-sex attraction disorder, she could not possibly exist. In a very personal self-disclosure, Thurman has written urging the American Psychiatric Association (APA) not to carry out its threat to ban therapy intended to correct the underlying psychological causes of homosexuality.

Thurman writes that "gay activists" tried to deny her own experience of having overcome same-sex attraction, so entrenched is the doctrine of "sexual orientation" as an indelible characteristic.

Read the article >>

Bible/Homosexuality Film Stirs Debate

From Baptist Press:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Few issues are as controversial as the Bible and homosexuality, and a new documentary on that subject is receiving thumbs down from orthodox Christians -- and garnering its own controversy in the process.

"For the Bible Tells Me So" is a 90-minute, one-sided film focusing on five families who profess to be Christians and who have a homosexual family member. For the most part the families' stories reflect the documentary's message: The Bible has been misinterpreted over the centuries and homosexuality is not a sin.

"There's nothing wrong with a fifth-grade understanding of God, as long as you're in the fifth grade," one liberal pastor says in the movie.

Director Daniel Karslake and his film crew interviewed such notables as former Democratic House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt -- who is promoting the film and who has a lesbian daughter -- and Gene Robinson, the first openly homosexual Episcopal bishop. Not surprisingly, the documentary throws in a few scenes showing Fred Phelps' infamous church of "God Hates Fags" fame, picketing.

It has won a handful of awards, including the Audience Winner for best documentary at the Seattle International Film Festival, and it has the backing of the homosexual group Soulforce, which promotes so-called "pro-gay" interpretations of Scripture and which has posted the trailer on its website. The film is not being distributed widely, but media critics nonetheless are raving about it and essentially urging readers to support it. That has become part of the controversy, too.

The Seattle Times' Moira Macdonald called it an "inspiring" film about "acceptance" that "may well leave you blinking away a few tears." The documentary, she said in her Oct. 26 review, shows clergy and religious scholars "calmly rebutting literalist interpretations of Scripture."

Not to be outdone, The Tennessean's Bill Friskics-Warren wrote a 1,400-word review of the movie for page one of the Nov. 18 Issues section, asserting that "nowhere ... does the Bible say anything, much less condemn, loving and committed partnerships between same-sex adults." Scholars, he argued, "tell us that these passages have nothing to do with sexual orientation as we've come to understand it." Friskics-Warren even listed a few Bible verses he said are misinterpreted.

"The use of Scripture to justify discrimination began long before the current dispute about what the Bible does or doesn't say about homosexuality," he wrote.

Both reviews included information on when and where to watch the film.

The Tennessean's one-sided review received so much reaction that a week later it published three columns by Christians from the opposing viewpoint.

"While there may be a few idiots like Fred Phelps among us, most Christians oppose homosexuality with a degree of humility," wrote Kevin Shrum, pastor of Inglewood Baptist Church in Nashville. "... Someone asked me one time, 'Pastor, what would you do if you had a homosexual family member?' My answer is that I do. And when I see her, I hug her, love her, pray for her, talk to her, laugh with her, listen to her and long to see her 'come out' of a lifestyle that appears to be miserable, abnormal and destructive."

Read the rest of the article >>

Middle School Cancels 'Gender-Switch' Day

From NewsBusters:

If a middle school in Northern California had on its events schedule a cross-dressing, gender-shift day encouraging children to attire themselves as a member of the opposite sex, wouldn't you expect liberal media members across the fruited plain to be all over the story?

Yet, according to Google News and LexisNexis searches, not one press outlet, including those near the situation in California, thought this matter was at all newsworthy.

   

Fortunately, as announced Tuesday by the Pacific Justice Institute, the event was canceled...

Read the whole article >>

UK Sociologist Tries to Spin "Athlete" Study

From Science Daily:

A study of former high-school American Football players has found that more than a third said they had had sexual relations with other men.

In his study of homosexuality among sportsmen in the US, sociologist Dr Eric Anderson found that 19 in a sample of 47 had taken part in acts intended to sexually arouse other men...

...“The evidence supports my assertion that homophobia is on the rapid decline among male teamsport athletes in North America at all levels of play,” he writes in his study, entitled ‘Being masculine is not about whom you sleep with…Heterosexual athletes contesting masculinity and the one-time rule of homosexuality’. It will be published in the journal Sex Roles in January.

Dr. Anderson seems adamant that this is a revolutionary new look at American athletes (and that sex between men must signify a decline in 'homophobia'), but the sample in question may be a little less representative of American sportsmen than suggested.

The 47 men, aged 18-23, were all American Football players who previously played at the high school (secondary school) level but had failed to be picked for their university’s team and were now cheerleaders instead.

Not to be stereotypical, but this isn't exactly an objective pool to draw from. Dr. Anderson did make one interesting observation, though, that we ought to pay attention to:

He believes the positive portrayal of homosexuality on television, the ease with which homosexuals could gradually ‘come out’ by using the internet, the ability for straight men to talk with gay men on the internet, and the decline of religious fundamentalism has made homosexuality and homosexual acts considerably less controversial for university-aged men.

How Will You Respond to Homosexuality?

by Alan Chambers

One night while she was co-hosting The 700 Club, Sheila Walsh felt led to pray for homosexuals. Honoring the Holy Spirit’s prompting, she thanked God for His love for homosexuals and His desire for a relationship with them. She then invited all homosexual viewers to pray with her for salvation. When Sheila finished praying she encouraged those who had prayed with her to go to a church in their area, tell the pastor that they had asked Jesus into their heart, and say, “Sheila Walsh sent me.”

Sheila later received a letter from a gay man who had been watching the broadcast. He had asked Jesus into his heart, gone to a local church, met with the pastor, shared that he was gay and about the broadcast he saw. The pastor responded, “We don’t have room for fags in this church.” In his letter, the man shared that he was grateful to her, but that being a part of “The Church” was just not possible.

Read the rest of Alan's article for the Ethic's and Religious Liberty Commission >>

Hypocrisy of Hating Homosexuality, While Ignoring Cohabitation and Adultery

From ChristianNewsWire.com:

Statistics show that 25% of unmarried "born again" Christians are living together. This reveals an apparent hypocrisy in condemning homosexuality, while not condemning heterosexual immorality. Sad to say, co-habitation is on the increase and its participants also include the Catholic and Christian community.

BFA believes there is also a need to condemn not only adultery in its blatant form of cheating on a spouse, but its camouflaged form by easy divorce to pursue second and third marriages. This has been done by those who describe themselves either as Catholic, Evangelical and even more startling the born again Christian.

"There is no doubt that homosexuality is immoral before God, we see that in the scriptures, but the very same scriptures hate the immorality of unbiblical divorces and cohabitations. God does not wink at sin just because it's a heterosexual committing it" says Phil Magnan, Director of Biblical Family Advocates. "Apparently heterosexuals are setting the example for the homosexual community thinking that if you are 'loving and monogamous,' it must be acceptable before God."

Read the rest >>

The Day of Silence

Tomorrow is the Day of Silence. Many high school students across the nation will experience the silent demonstration by their peers all day, and possibly receive materials produced by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) through their local GSA club. It's quite possible that many school administrators and teachers will also partake in the demonstration, lecturing students about GLBT issues.

It's important that GLSEN, for the most part, be opposed and not allowed to take free reign with the educational system. I'm not talking about opposing the goal of safer schools—but that isn't GLSEN's only goal, or even their primary one.

GLSEN is all about promoting the mistaken belief that homosexuality, bisexuality and transgenderism are innate, unchangeable, and should be unconditionally celebrated by all. Furthermore, they encourage young people to make unhealthy and often dangerous lifestyle choices. It's all over their programs and materials.

For instance, take a look at their "recommended reading" for 7^th through 12^th graders: books like Rainbow Boys, a fictional narrative in which a teen boy has an anonymous sexual encounter with an older man. Or Revolutionary Voices, which calls prostitution an "empowering experience." The book Free Your Mind urges young people to leave their churches and cut family members out of their lives if they aren't gay-affirming, telling them they can make more "meaningful relationships" via gay and lesbian chat rooms.

Massachusetts parents were outraged when GLSEN, using state funds, hosted a workshop for hundreds of students in which they promoted dangerous sexual activities that I can't even describe to you without this being an X-rated post. Despite the fall-out from the first time this happened, the workshop returned the next year, minus a few endorsements.    

GLSEN knows its real agenda is extremely controversial, which is why they work so hard to bar other points of view from the school system, create hostility against opposing beliefs, and keep parents out of the loop.

But your average student participating in the Day of Silence has no idea what GLSEN is all about. This organization works hard to make its image all about tolerance, safer schools, ending harassment, etc. These are admirable goals, and that's what draws students to buy into their events and programs.   

While the Day of Silence is part of an agenda that's nothing like real tolerance, for most of the speechless students you'll encounter on Wednesday, it is just about creating a safe environment. Which makes their goal and yours pretty similar.

The Day of Truth isn't about politically defeating gay-identified people, and it certainly isn't about defending bullying or true bigotry. We're proclaiming the fact that God has created us with a beautiful design, and that those who struggle with their sexuality and don't want to be gay (and there's lots of them) don't have to be. And we are saying that true tolerance means we can get along even when we disagree.

Day of Truth events from coast to coast, tomorrow night:

Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Tulare, CA

School Allows Day of Truth - After Legal Pressure

A Danbury, CT high school, which fully endorsed the pro-gay Day of Silence, initially refused one student's right to express her own beliefs through the Day of Truth. That's when Alliance Defense Fund stepped in. From Inside Tennessee:

After receiving a letter from attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund, the principal of Danbury High School agreed Wednesday to allow a student to promote and participate in the Day of Truth after first having prohibited the student from doing so.  The school officially endorses the Day of Silence, an event promoting the homosexual agenda, but had thwarted student Rosemary Shakro’s attempts to promote the Day of Truth by inviting a speaker to a club meeting and posting signs announcing the event.

“Christian students should be allowed to express their viewpoint just like any other student,” said ADF Legal Counsel Matt Bowman.  “The Day of Truth is an opportunity for Christian students to respectfully present a different viewpoint than students participating in the Day of Silence.  Allowing students to have a Day of Silence without allowing students to have a Day of Truth limits free speech and the free exchange of ideas.”

“We are pleased that we had the opportunity to explain the law so that the school could do the right thing and respect the First Amendment rights of this student and any other students that wish to observe the Day of Truth.  We hope other schools will follow this example for their students,” Bowman added.

Shakro wished to invite a guest speaker to her “Youth Alive” after-school club meeting this Thursday as part of activities leading up to the Day of Truth.  The school has allowed other clubs, such as the Gay-Straight Alliance, to have outside guests speak at school assemblies and club meetings.  However, the school’s principal, who prohibited a speaker for last year’s Day of Truth, prohibited this year’s speaker as well, saying that the Day of Truth is too “controversial” and “counteractive.”  The principal had also claimed that “anti-homosexual” speech is prohibited at the school and that the presentation could cause contention among students.

“In addition, the principal had prohibited the posting of signs in school hallways announcing the club meeting, nonsensically suggesting that the ‘All are welcome’ message on the sign was an invitation to the general public to trespass on school property,” Bowman noted.

Bowman sent a letter to the principal explaining the law, and the school now says that Shakro will be allowed to invite the speaker and to post signs announcing the meeting.

“According to the law, a school cannot allow students to promote one viewpoint and then prohibit promotion of another viewpoint.  School officials also cannot ban speech just because they think it’s unpopular or controversial.  We are very pleased that Rosemary’s constitutional rights will be respected,” said Bowman.

A copy of the letter sent to Danbury High School is  available at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/ShakroLetter.pdf. 

The Fluidity of Gender and Sexuality

From the January 2007 issue of the EY Voice

A lot of people lately are talking about a complete overhaul in the way our society thinks about sexuality and gender. One of the biggest concepts being promoted is “fluid” gender and sexuality. It’s coming to our attention more and more that people are having a wide range of experiences in their sexual attractions and responses. Some take this to mean that our sexuality is meant for whatever it may respond to, and people should experiment to try to find their “true” sexuality. Straight, gay, bi and trans can’t even cover all of what’s out there, some are saying.

This same idea of fluidity is being applied to gender. Many are considering that perhaps the binary (two-part) concept of male and female is too rigid. After all, there are so many people who grow up never feeling like they fit into either of the stereotypical gender roles presented to them by society. Some believe that this is evidence that there are other sexes besides male and female, and society should recognize and promote them.

But is this concept of fluid gender and sexuality for real? The thoughts, emotions and urges we experience are certainly real, but are we coming to the right conclusions about them? One thing that we can all agree on is that gender and sexuality are a beautiful and very important part of who we are.

Whenever an idea gets revolutionized in our culture, I think there’s always something good behind it; some wrong that needs to be made right. However, people have a bad habit of swinging the pendulum too far in the opposite direction, and ending up with a mistake that’s as bad as or worse than what they were trying to change in the first place.

I think there’s something to this “fluidity” thing. We should all carefully consider what’s true and beneficial—and what’s going too far.

Read the rest of this article >>

Exodus President to Discuss New Book on Christian Broadcasting Network

Alan Chambers, President of Exodus International, will be a guest this Friday on the Christian Broadcasting Network's Newswatch, hosted by Lee Webb. Chambers will discuss his new book God's Grace & the Homosexual Next Door. This new resource is a comprehensive guide to dealing with the often-confusing topic of homosexuality as well practical ways the church can reach hurting individuals affected by this issue. Information on local CBN Newswatch listings

Read an excerpt from God's Grace & the Homosexual Next Door

Boston Herald Reporter Chuckles Over Change

***Welcome PJ Media Readers***

Yesterday I was taking notes at the press conference for the Liberty Sunday Simulcast.  As fortune would have it, I sat behind a reporter and a photographer for The Boston Herald.  She was leafing through the biographies of all the speakers, I noticed that she stopped on the biography for Exodus President Alan Chambers.  She leaned over to the photographer, pointed to his biography, said with a slight grin, "ex-gays..." and they both had a slight chuckle that made it appear they thought Exodus was a joke.

After the press conference, David Fountain ( Exodus Conference Director ), not having known what I had witnessed went up and offered the reporter our information piece and she quickly said "no thank you."

Given the chuckling I witnessed earlier ... one might think that she doesn't have much respect for our beliefs and the truth behind our testimony.

If I am going to be held accountable to practice what I preach, which I do not mind, I would hope reporters would be held  accountable for their actions as well.  The Society of Professional Journalists* say, "Seek Truth and Report It."  Here is the preamble to their Code of Ethics:

Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty. Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist's credibility. Members of the Society share a dedication to ethical behavior and adopt this code to declare the Society's principles and standards of practice.

Whether the above mentioned reporter believed we were truly "ex-gay" or worthy of being laughed at really isn't the point.  The Exodus message was a major element of the press conference yesterday and this reporter laughed at our presence and refused our information.  This dismissal of our message was not fair, comprehensive or truthful to the entirety of the event.

People like Alan, including myself, are not gay whether the Boston Herald tolerates that fact or not.  Diversity and tolerance includes people like us.  If that fact is denied, then true diversity and/or tolerance is not displayed.  We have a place in the public square whether media outlets choose to pay attention and be coscientious to report the whole story or not.

I have invited this reporter to read this post and will let you know if I get any feedback.  It is my genuine hope that my observations of her actions are wrong.

---
* I don't know if this reporter belongs to, or ascribes to the same beliefs as the SPJ or not.

Liberty Sunday Press Conference

Who: Tony Perkins (Family Research Council), Alan Chambers (Exodus), Pastor Pendleton (Tremont Temple Baptist Church), David Parker, Robert Wirthlin, Kris Mineau (Massachusetts Family Institute), Bishop Harry Jackson (Hope Christian Church).

What: Press conference concerning Liberty Sunday Simulcast

When: 3:00 pm EDT, October 15, 2006

Where: Tremont Temple Baptist Church

Disclaimer: The following is simply notes and paraphrasing I (Randy) wrote down during the press conference.  Direct quotes are properly noted within the text.  Everything else is paraphrased and spring from my understanding of what the presenters said.

First up Tony Perkins with the Family Research Council.  Tony shares that he was very excited about tonight's simulcast.  the reason they chose Boston is because same sex marriage started in this state and what we see in its wake is the loss of religious freedom.  As they have condoned same sex marriage, the state condemns Christian expression in the public square.  He said that this press conference and the simulcast won't be just about organizational spokespersons.  The message will be brought by the people who have been detrimentally affected by the decision of four judges in Massachusetts.  A decision that is setting a dangerous precedent and conflict around the country.

Dr. Ray Pendleton Pastor at Tremont Temple Baptist Church stated, "We think it is important to uphold what is best for the culture and the country.  We want to speak what is truth, in love."

Kris Mineau, heads up Massachusetts Family Institute said something to the effect of tonight's events will help emphasize the point for the Mass legislature should finally allow the people of Massachusetts to speak for themselves instead of unelected judges ignoring the will of the people and speaking for them.

David Parker was up next.  His son, when  in kindergarten was given a diversity book-bag that indoctrinates children with beliefs about homosexuality that are  contrary to the beliefs of the parents and the welfare of these five year olds.  The rights of parents are being trampled for the rights of a rampant gay agenda.

David Parker quotes Robert Scutch,  the author of pro-gay children's book, "Who's a Family?" put in the "diversity book-bag":  Scutch states, "I wrote the book for children before they know that there is any other way." 

David Parker continues, that the gay agenda is being promoted non-stop in many ways;  Day of Silence, Coming Out Day, High School students going to lower grades to talk about coming out and resources being made available to grade school and beyond.  Mr. Parker simply wants parents to be notified and given their right to opt out.  The Lexington school system will not notify parents.  Mr. Parker's conclusion is that where Religious liberty is compromised all liberties are compromised.  Parents need to take a stand for children around the country.  The ACLU is trampling on religious freedom and parents by helping the school system against the parents.

Rob Wirthlin is the father of a seven year old who, without Mr. Wirthlin's knowledge or consent, was read a book by his second grade teacher called King and King which is about romantic love between two princes who eventually marry. The Wirthlin's asked the teacher for a meeting but the night before that meeting, the principal called and intimated that the Wirthlin's had ulterior motives and she was gong to be there whether they wanted her to be there or not.  The Principal said that the Teacher said she chose the book specifically because she felt it was something that the little boys could relate too.    Mr. Wirthlin says, "I am standing for parents rights. Parents should be the ones who decide when where and how to approach these subjects with their very own children."

Tony Perkins announces Freedom Watch.  As long as liberty is in danger... FRC will keep watch and fight for liberty.

Alan Chambers was next.  Tony said that Alan was, "the most controversial speaker."  He said Exodus takes a message of hope across the country. There is a message of hope for the homosexual who wants to find freedom from homosexuality.   Tony said, "Those who are the trumpeters of tolerance have little tolerance for Alan's message."  Alan shared about how religious liberty is in danger as evidenced by the huge protest at last year's Love Won Out Conference at Tremont Temple Baptist church.  Close to two thousand people screamed, among other things, "Shut down Focus On The Family!" "Shut down Dr. Dobson!" "Shut down ex-gays!" "Shut down Tremont Temple!" no call for tolerance, just a desire to impose silence against those that disagree with the gay activists.  While it is important to fight for the preservation of religious liberties and important social issues, we must also have grace and compassion.  We must provide hope and help for those seeking freedom from homosexuality.

Tony Perkins says that the opponents say that religious conservatives use gay issues as wedge issues but Tony calls them a bridge issue.  There is no other issue (gay agenda) that has brought modern Christians together so well.  One of the side benefits of this unnecessary battle is an increasingly colorblind church.

Bishop Harry Jackson is the senior pastor of Hope Christian Church.  He gave a stirring history of black community struggling and leading the way to liberty. He states that the black pulpit in America has actually been the engine for the black community.  Black Pastors deserve to be heard and to have their voices count.  In the mid-term election you are going to see a growing union in the church and that is going to change the tide and turn back the gay agenda.  More than ever before you are going to see Values Voters show up and make a difference in America.

Afterward, the media questions were basic fact finding and not much else to report except one incident that deserves it's very own post.

Before closing this post however, I wanted to say that all the presenters were very calm, humble and eloquent.  My notes do not do them justice.  I also met Mr. Parker and Mr. Wirthlin after the press conference and I have to tell you, they are two very protective, humble and loving Dad's.  They were not activists before the Lexington School Board decided to usurp their parental rights but now that this school board has forced the fight... they will do whatever it takes to protect their children.  I genuinely enjoyed meeting these two men.

Also at the press conference, I met John Schroeder with Blogotional and Joe Carter with Evangelical Outpost.  These guys are serious bloggers and you really should check out their blogs on a regular basis. I truly enjoyed meeting them and discussing Christians, politics and blogging!  They were a lot of fun to meet.

On The Radio - J.T. Foxx Show

***Scroll Down For Update***

I will be on the J.T. Foxx Show Sunday (tomorrow).  It's on News-Talk WIND 560 AM station in Chicago.  You can listen live here.  I will be listening in around 8:30-ish am EDT CDT and will be on sometime in the 9 o'clock hour 8:45 CDT (it's only and hour long show.)  The first part of the show will have Shirley Phelps-Roper and a local politician who had a gay son who died of AIDS.

I have a feeling my heart is going to be broken on so many levels before I ever actually get on the show.

However, I am very excited that during the time that I am on there will also be a VERY popular gay blogger on as well.  I won't mention who it is until after the show.

***After the Show Update***

Well, Mrs. Phelps-Roper was still screaming whenever they called and plugged me in.  I was originally slated to be in the last 20 minutes of the show.  Her segment ran over for 10 minutes so when I finally got on it was very quick and brief.  The host was very gracious and basically described Exodus for the audience and asked me what I thought of the Phelps message.  I say what I usually say and think is important:  the Phelps crew and I do NOT serve the same God and it is obvious that they do not know the Christ I serve. 

Gary Bauer on "Foley Fiasco" and Call for Congress to "wake up."

Update:  Alan Chambers and I, Randy, also offer first impressions on their personal blogs.

Gary Bauer, a steadfast voice of the pro-family movement gives a passionate plea for both political parties to "wake up."  From Gary's End of Day Report

To:     Friends and Supporters
From:   Gary L. Bauer, Chairman - Campaign for Working Families
Date:   Monday, October 2, 2006
...
Foley Fiasco

By now I’m sure you have heard about the latest Washington scandal. Republican Congressman Mark Foley of Florida, long rumored to be a homosexual, suddenly resigned his seat in Congress late Friday afternoon after news outlets reported that he had been sending sexually explicit messages to teenage male pages.  This morning, Foley’s attorney announced that he has entered an alcoholic rehabilitation center.

The instant messages Foley sent were obscene and disgusting.  Resignation was the only appropriate response for someone who had so abused the public trust.  It is unconscionable that any person would attempt to sexually seduce a child, but given Foley’s position as co-chairman of the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children’s Caucus, this scandal is even more outrageous.  Ironically, the FBI has been called in to investigate Foley for possible criminal charges against Internet sexual predators based on a law he helped to write!

The Democrat leadership in Congress, leftwing blogs, and their media allies, not surprisingly, are taking the Foley scandal and attempting to use it to attack Republicans generally.  Democrat campaign committees are suggesting that the Republican leadership, including Speaker Hastert, knew
about this mess and didn’t do anything about it.  Speaker Hastert denies that.

All we know for sure is that some earlier e-mails judged to be “overly friendly” were known to some in Congress.  But the worst material, which was obscene and sexually explicit, was not discovered until last week.  It was that material which resulted in Foley’s immediate resignation.

Speaker Hastert sent a letter yesterday to the Department of Justice demanding a formal investigation of “any and all individuals who may have been aware of this matter—be they Members of Congress, employees of the House of Representatives, or anyone outside the Congress.”  We join him in that demand.  That investigation should examine anyone of any party since there are rumors today that some Democrat leaders also knew and chose to wait five weeks before an election for their own advantage.

Hypocrisy?

As I have written before, neither party has a monopoly on virtue or vice. As an evangelical Christian, I believe one of the central tenets of my faith is that all men are sinners, which is why we require the saving grace of the Son of God.  For those charging hypocrisy in the Republican Party, I would only remind them that Mark Foley has been forced out of the House, as he should have been.  In contrast, former Democrat Congressman Gerry Studds of Massachusetts remained in the House after admitting to homosexual conduct with a teenage page, and won reelection numerous times.  Rep. Barney Frank was implicated in a homosexual prostitution scandal run out of his house and continues to be a leader in the Democrat Party today.

One other point.  The national Democrat Party is strongly supported by the radical homosexual rights movement and organizations like the ACLU, both of which have consistently argued that age of consent laws should be dramatically liberalized so that what Rep. Foley was apparently trying to do would no longer be against the law or even considered shameful.  So, who is really engaged in hypocrisy in this controversy?

Bigger Picture

Let’s put politics aside for a second and look at what is happening to our country.  Our popular culture has for years been making children the objects of sexual desire.  Britney Spears dresses provocatively and within months countless ten year-old girls are running around dressed the same way.  Hollywood routinely exploits young children sexually, as does Madison Avenue.

Groups like NAMBLA, the North American Man-Boy Love Association, continue to be given positions in “gay rights” parades and, without shame, continue to promote their governing slogan, “Sex by eight or it’s too late.”  In addition, the entire culture, as well as many of our schools and universities, teaches the notion that there are no things such as right or wrong – that all these things are merely choices in the “lifestyle cafeteria.”  At the end of the day, our virtue deficit is going to lay us low long before our budget deficit does.

Bottom Line

This latest scandal in Washington is just further evidence that the pro-family agenda is desperately needed for the country.  We are the ones who have argued that human sexuality should be channeled through marriage.  We are the ones who have argued that marriage is between one man and one woman.  We are the ones who have argued that schools should teach kids how to read and write and stop handing out condoms and birth control pills.  We are the ones who say that all our children should be welcomed into the world under law.  We are the ones who say there are reliable standards of right and wrong.  And we are the ones who have led the charge against the sexualization of our children.

If the Foley scandal wakes up both parties to a need to rediscover the values of family and faith, then maybe something good can come out of this mess.

Please feel free to pass on this "End of Day" update to interested friends
and family members.

If you would like to receive this update by e-mail, you can sign up online
at http://www.cwfpac.com/cwf_eod_request.htm

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Values Voters Summit

Exodus brought a redemptive view of homosexuality to this years The Washington Briefing: Values Voters Summit.  At our booth we handed out plenty of informative material including general information about Exodus, testimonies and newsletters.  Person after person came up to us seeking prayer and ministry concerning their own struggles or their family member who identifies as gay.

The Washington Briefing is mainly about public policy concerning a broad spectrum of issues.  However, since the issue of redefining marriage into a gay worldview is of such importance (along with other gay-centric efforts in public policy), many leaders at The Washington Briefing have gone out of their way to welcome the Exodus message and bring a very important perspective to the table.  Our perspective includes preserving marriage, an extremely important social institution,  while reaching out with compassion.   Wherever, public policy affects the people we are ministering too, we will be there to offer a personal and redemptive view.

Included in the "continue reading" reading link below will be a couple of articles covering the summit and excerpts as they pertain to the battle over marriage.

New Zealand Deals With "Hate Speech"

From the article http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3795142a10,00.html

           

Church in uproar over gay hate slur

13 September 2006 By ANNA CHALMERS

A slur campaign warning that "gays are a cancer" in the Presbyterian Church has sickened members as they prepare to vote on a ruling banning homosexual ministers.

Bumper stickers have been sent to the Presbyterian Assembly's 500 members nationwide, inflaming an issue that already threatens to split the Church.

The assembly sets the Church's policy and direction.

Members vote later this month on a ruling to exclude homosexuals  and anyone in a sexual relationship outside marriage  from becoming ministers or Church elders.

The bumper stickers, which were sent out anonymously, say "Gays aren't welcome in our church, help us let New Zealand know" and "Gays are a cancer in our church, let's keep them out of leadership".

The Human Rights Commission says the bumper stickers constitute hate speech  but under current laws little can be done.

I highlighted the word anonymously because whoever sent these stickers out obviously doesn't have the courage to be accountable for their inflammatory rhetoric.  Within this context we don't know who made up these stickers.  For all we know it could be along the same lines as clever gay identified activists who made up "heterosexuals only" stickers and applied them to public amenities in Boise Idaho.

Chances are though that these were sent out by someone very frustrated with the increased focus on condoning unbiblical sexuality in the Presbyterian Church.  The Church, as a whole, is supposed to be founded by Christ and His revelation to us through His Life and scriptures.  The frustration is very apparent in the soundbyte messages on these stickers.  The problem is