Worldwide Network of Former Homosexuals Says to John Stossel: 'Give Us a Break'; Journalist's Book Says Change for Homosexuals is a Myth
5/11/2006 5:49:00 PM
To: National Desk, TV Producers
Contact: Julie Neils of Exodus International, 407-599-6872 or [email protected]
ORLANDO, Fla., May 11 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The largest network of former homosexuals in the world is challenging an ABC news correspondent's claim that change for homosexuals is a myth. Alan Chambers, President of Exodus International, says John Stossel's new book, "Myths, Lies & Downright Stupidity" is an ignorant and callous dismissal of the lives of thousands of former homosexuals.
Featured last night on Fox's O'Reilly Factor, Stossel further commented on his book, "One of the myths is that you can change homosexuality. There are these groups like Exodus International that says, 'We can fix you. If you just pray, if you turn your life over to Jesus, we can make you straight.' And I've talked to lots of people who supposedly were cured and they were not."
Chambers, himself a former homosexual who was interviewed by John Stossel for a segment on this topic, responded, "John Stossel's assertion that homosexuals cannot change is an affront to the thousands of individuals, like me, who have experienced it."
"In addition, his mischaracterization of our views and oversimplification of this issue devalues the unique personal stories behind it," said Chambers. "In its 30 year history, Exodus International has seen tremendous growth in the ex-gay moment at large and has helped thousands of conflicted homosexuals seeking change, to find it. It is unfortunate that Mr. Stossel did not accurately or adequately research this side of such an important social issue."
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Exodus International is a resource and referral organization with over 130 member ministries across North America. The organization has been in existence for 30 years and offers help to the over 400,000 people who contact the ministry each year. To learn more about Exodus, go to: http://www.exodus.to.
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"The California State Senate passed a law Thursday that would require public schools to teach homosexual, bisexual, and transgender history, prompting immediate criticism from pro-family groups across the nation.
“This is just another example of how radical the State Senate has become,” said Karen England, Executive Director of Capitol Resource Institute, whose group said the legislation “seeks to indoctrinate innocent children caught in the tug-of-war between traditional families and the outrageous homosexual agenda.”
Senate Bill 1437, sponsored by democratic senator Sheila Kuehl, modifies current law to prohibit the state Board of Education or any public school body from adopting texts that contain information that reflects negatively on race, ethnicity, gender, disability, nationality, religion, or sexual orientation. "
"A new law may force nations in the European Union to accept same-sex unions from other nations. The European Free Movement Directive entered into legal force last week and it requires EU member states to grant residency to homosexuals who are not citizens if their partner is a citizen of an EU country.The directive grants family reunification rights to same-sex partners when one of the partners resides in an EU country that gives legal recognition to same-sex unions. But EU countries without same-sex marriage or partnership laws are not let off the hook. Though not automatically required to give legal recognition to same-sex unions such nations are obligated under the new law to perform an investigation into the stability of same-sex couples seeking reunification rights. If a relationship is deemed "real and durable," then national authorities are required to facilitate entry and residence for the gay partner who is a non-citizen."
Read More: New EU Law Forces Homosexual 'Marriage' on All Member States
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"A conservative group is criticizing CBS Television for airing a pro-homosexual public service announcement during a daytime soap opera. The network was to air the PSA at the end of today's episode of As the World Turns, which featured a teen character who tells his parents he is homosexual.
The PSA urges viewers to "take a stand against the discrimination and prejudice faced by gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people." The spot is all part of a campaign by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) called "Be an ally and a friend."
Andrea Lafferty, executive director of the Traditional Values Coalition (TVC), says her group is unhappy with CBS's decision to use daytime television to promote homosexuality among teens. "Traditional Values Coalition thinks this is wrong," she says. "They also think it's unfair."
Read More: TVC Blasts GLAAD's Pro-Homosexual Ad Campaign, CBS-TV's Complicity
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"Syphilis rates in blacks, women and babies declined significantly between 1999 and 2004 but continued to rise overall, driven by a dramatic jump in infections among gay and bisexual men, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday.
About 64% of all the new syphilis cases in 2004 were in men who had engaged in homosexual activity, according to the CDC. That group made up 5% of the syphilis cases in 1999.
Overall, the syphilis rates nationwide rose from 2.4 cases per 100,000 in 1999 to 2.7 per 100,000 in 2004.
"Increases in gay and bisexual men are overshadowing the decreases," Dr. Kevin Fenton, director of the CDC's National Center for HIV, Sexually Transmitted Disease and Tuberculosis Prevention, said at a national conference on sexually transmitted diseases in Jacksonville, Fla."
"An unusually virulent form of chlamydia has emerged in the United States, primarily among gay men, after an outbreak in Europe two years ago, federal researchers said Wednesday.
There are about 80 confirmed cases in the U.S., but infectious-disease experts fear the actual number is substantially larger because this form of chlamydia is difficult to diagnose and many physicians are not aware of its existence.Officials are concerned because the disease, like many other sexually transmitted diseases, can accelerate the spread of HIV infections and perhaps enhance replication of HIV in people who are co-infected."
"Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean has angered supporters in the gay and lesbian community by stating that his party opposes gay marriage.
Appearing on the Christian Broadcasting Network’s program "The 700 Club” on Wednesday, Dean declared: "The Democratic Party platform from 2004 says that marriage is between a man and a woman. That's what it says. I think where we may take exception with some religious leaders is that we believe in inclusion, that everybody deserves to live with dignity and respect, and that equal rights under the law are important.”
Dean, however, "misrepresented” the party platform, according to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, which has returned a $5,000 contribution from the Democratic Party in a protest over Dean’s remarks."
Read More: Dean: We Oppose Gay Marriage Too
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