Exodus International, the largest ex-gay organization and increasingly active anti-gay rights lobby, is now making a rather bold claim. Without any explanation, support or fanfare, they have released two radio spots as part of a media campaign to promote their upcoming Freedom Conference in Irvine, California.

Revolution – a sudden, radical, complete change – through Christ – freedom is possible for those who struggle with same-gender attraction…”

Both audio clips use the same script with different background music to fit the various radio programming formats. The page contains no information or support concerning the claim, and as far as one can tell it would only be heard by someone listening to the radio or happening across that particular page. A web search would not find it.

In the past, Exodus president Alan Chambers has denied this kind of immediate transformation, and certainly no proof exists to support it. When confronted by Anderson Cooper about Ted Haggard’s claim to have become heterosexual after three weeks of therapy, Chambers said:

Well, the truth is that’s not my story, and it’s not the story of anyone I’ve ever met. I don’t know Ted Haggard’s journey over the last three weeks, but like Mark, I would say that it’s something that — it doesn’t seem like something that is really the case.

Others, such as Melissa Fryrear of Focus on the Family, have made the claim, again without any substantiation, that it is possible for one to be instantaneously changed from homosexual to heterosexual:

I know some people that God and it’s their testimony that god did an instantaneous work and they never have had homosexual thought or temptation or idea again in their lives and moved on to heterosexuality, that identity, marriage, children and it was an instantaneous moment for them.

These conferences attract not only parents, but a large youth contingent as well. Gay youth are obviously particularly targeted. It is disturbing that Exodus has placed this dubious message, one that does not even match Exodus’ own past official stance, on the radio with no explanation whatsoever. At the very least this will confuse many, and at worst – well we deal daily with what the worst can be.

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