Two months after he announced he was no longer Vice President of Exodus International, Randy Thomas says he is stepping down completely as a staff member at the ex-gay organization.
Randy became Exodus’s part-time Director of Digital Media and Development in April. Now he has bowed to the “increasing conviction” that his “season” as an Exodus staffer is “drawing to a close.”
In a letter addressed to “Exodus Friends and Family” (which Randy posted publicly to his blog), Exodus President Alan Chambers wrote:
I wanted you all to be the first to know that Randy Thomas will be leaving Exodus at the end of July. You all know that God has been stirring up Randy’s desire to use his gifts, talents, creativity, experience and randomness in new ways. So far God has really blessed Randy with some outlets for those expressions. Randy believes that it is time to step out in faith completely! I agree. I have been talking and praying with Randy for a few months regarding his time at Exodus coming to an end and about the new things God has for him. I am really excited for Randy all the while feeling like my left arm is being amputated. It’s seems unfathomable that Randy won’t be working here, but, again, I know this is a part of God’s good and perfect plan for Exodus and him personally.
July 28 will be Randy’s final day with Exodus, after nine years. Before that, he was Executive Director of Arlington, Texas-based ex-gay ministry Living Hope.
I’m not really buying the reasons, but separating from Exodus work may be the best single thing Randy does to improve his life. One simple verification of the motivation given will be to see whether or not a new VP is hired or promoted. If they don’t replace him, I suspect lack of funds may play a significant role in the decision.
One thing’s for sure, it’ll certainly be much easier for Randy to have sex with a man now, which I imagine he really wants to do by now. And if that IS what he really wants the people in his life should just love him and support him instead of sending him to be brainwashed.
Between this and the mayor of Harrisburg, PA fasting and praying to ease the city’s debt I can’t decide who is more out there.
I wish anti-gay activist Thomas well. May God bless him and lead him back to wholeness so that he can be the way God created him to be. May Thomas repent and renounce homophobia. We look forward to hearing from him in the future about the truth of the entire “ex-gay” deathstyle. Blessings.
Randy was my “counselor” for a while when I lived in Arlington, Tx. During that time, he never tried to push me into anything I didn’t want. He was just a friend, and a pretty decent one, at that.
While I don’t agree with Exodus’ positions on just about anything, I do hope that Randy finds fulfillment and happiness in whatever he does, and I do hope that he moves away from the whole “ex-gay” mythos.
If there is more behind this than is publicly being revealed…..I am sure it will all come out in the end……most things do.
I doubt this is the case – he’s too deeply entrenched in ex-gay propaganda. I don’t think he’s making this risky career move simply to pave a way for his next orgasm. I think Exodus is starting to get desperate financially.
One thing I wonder is why the anti-gay political organizations, like NOM and FRC, don’t contribute more to Exodus. After all, when you push them, “gays can change and don’t need equal rights” is what they tell you.
Alan Chambers said:
Seriously? Really?
Just yesterday I was reading about a 13-year-old girl with a rare genetic condition causing her to go fully blind, and she is already beyond the point where the strongest glasses can be helpful. And three days ago I read an article (with photos) about conjoined twins (also known as Siamese twins). The twins, now in high school, are joined at their heads, with no plans to ever surgically separate them due to the risks involved. Don’t you just have to marvel at “God’s good and perfect plan” for those three lives?
But the thing I marvel at the most is the arrogant delusion of people like Alan who believe that God is busy cooking up fabulous plans for their lives while simultaneously making the lives of others as miserable as possible. I assume that people like Alan are certain they are special because they are “saved,” and bestow incessant adulation on God.
My partner and I are special, too, because we don’t believe that God exists. But if He does exist, wouldn’t we be likely candidates for having our lives be made as miserable as possible? The reality, though, is that we have been together for almost thirty years, are both healthy, economically secure, and generally quite contented with our lives.
It’s easier to face down tragedy when you can claim it’s all “God’s” responsibility/fault. Moreso if you can claim it’s all part of a “good and perfect plan” (even when it seems less-than-perfect and downright bad.)
I’m with you there Richard. I’ve been working in the crime scene photography section of the LAPD for nearly twelve years. Witnessed all manner of human depravity….or heroics sometimes. My personal life has been difficult, but I try to travel through it without taking it out on others and directly interfering with people simply because I BELIEVE they are beneath me. I’ve been on the receiving end of such snobbery, for different reasons.
But it’s ugly and doesn’t serve anything good.
So, when people like Peter LaBarbera, Matt Barber, Maggie Gallagher, Tony Perkins or any number of people who center their lives and livelihoods from libeling and interfering with gay people, I’d think they exceptionally ridiculous in their pursuit at BEST.
And patently without morals at worst.
I’ve literally had the anti gay try to lecture ME on how evil gay people are after I’ve spent hours attending to a terrible gang or domestic violence, or child abuse or neglect incident. Which NEVER are committed BY gay people.
If there ARE any issues involving gay perps, they typically are non violent or minor…NOTHING to the level of a felony.
And I work with gay and lesbian peace officers and detectives who themselves are parents and former military, VERY patriotic and committed to protecting the greater community.
I would laugh at these miserly, WIMPS if their purpose wasn’t so harmful and they weren’t getting away with the libel and slander they perpetuate. Most of them consider themselves ‘warriors’ facing a terrible trial by fire and ‘persecution’ from gays who advocate for their own freedoms and equal treatment under the law.
I don’t think I’ve seen MORE cowardice, intellectual AND moral, when it comes to this issue and what endangers society and who is persecuting who.
But I sure can’t get the aforementioned to direct their energies towards fighting gangs, or domestic violence or other horrible social ills that need attention.
But they LOVE conflating homosexuality with addiction or mental illness or betrayal or assault on another human being (non exclusive to a GROUP).
But reject roundly that homosexuality has anything in common with heterosexuality as an ORIENTATION.
When I’m out in the field with an officer, some of them know me as the equality activist they’ve met in that arena. Some of those officers are straight allies, like myself. Some are gay.
But we are ALL there to help our community. To lend our service. EX gays like to think of themselves as doing the same thing. That there is a greater purpose to what they do, so therefore anti gay public policy is warranted.
No one who is morally grounded would want to punish THE INNOCENT for simply showing up and expecting to be treated the same as any OTHER innocent person.
Once anyone treats someone as a SUSPECT, to NEVER be trusted or that however exemplary their work or relationships are, they do such things for a sinister reason, is an insanity that no reasonable person SHOULD pursue.
My profession demands that I have the ethical and moral qualities to understand this. The same is true of those who claim professional ministry and counseling. Especially without any professional certification to do so.
That makes a person like ex gay ministers MORE dangerous. There is no scrutiny against or in the prevention of mental and emotional damage to who they counsel.
But of course, the damage can be quite bad and widespread.
They are literally skirting a REASON to curtail their religious freedom, simply because they abuse others WITH that freedom.
Of which no one has the right.
I wish people in orgs like NOM and NAFTAH did commit to reporting and helping law enforcers with gang intervention. The failures of families this represents IS a danger to society, where two gay men or women, who marry and adopt needy children CERTAINLY do not.
But of course, Brian Brown of NOM, didn’t WANT to hear me say that. Or tell anyone ELSE about that either.
@Richard Rush
Richard, I have been to more funerals and Celebration Of Life services than I care to remember, but one thing has always stayed in my mind. For those who didn’t have a relationship with Jesus I found the service was filled with gloom and darkness. On the other hand, all the Christian services were filled with tears of joy. My husband and I have been together for 43 years, but have only known Jesus for 22. We count the years before as lost. One should never rely on self to get through the hardships and grief of this world. He gives us the peace that passes all understanding.
Hi Lloyd, thanks for joining the discussion. At XGW we sometimes have to walk a fine line since the ex-gay equation brings a particularly messing mixture of faiths and non-faith to the table. Above all, we want this to be an honest and safe place to hash it all out. That’s where the fine line comes in.
Commenters should feel free to express how their beliefs have affected their lives and experience, and how they see the relationship to ex-gay issues. In doing so, however, we must be careful to be respectful of others beliefs or lack thereof — doubly so because, due to the nature of this issue, matters of faith may be a source of much historical, personal pain and anguish.
Your comment may cross that line just a bit, especially with:
That can reasonably be construed as denigrating Richard’s perceived lack of faith (I do not know what he does or doesn’t believe) or indeed that of anyone here who may have a different faith. In short, I think it crosses into proselytizing just a bit and that’s a hard and fast boundary here.
I don’t want you to feel unwelcome at all, but I thought I would take the time to explain — both for your benefit as you hopefully continue to comment here and others who are new. I’m sure we are imperfect in our application of this policy, but we try hard to get it right. Thanks.