Focus on the Family has apparently gained the ability to travel into the future and, once there, report on events which have not happened yet for the rest of us. Early yesterday they reported the following via their political mouthpiece CitizenLink:
The meeting, which began Tuesday and wraps up Sunday, has drawn close to 1,000 people — and no protesters so far. Across town, a counter-conference drew about 100 people.
The meeting referred to is the (32nd) Exodus Freedom Conference and the “counter-conference” is the (1st) Ex-Gay Survivor Conference, which starts today but does not end until tomorrow night (the bulk of that conference is actually scheduled for Saturday). Between walk-ins and on-site registrations, even Soulforce doesn’t know how many will end up attending.
None of this stopped Focus from speaking about the Survivor’s Conference in the past tense, supplying attendance figures seemingly out of thin air. One wonders how long ago this “news” item was actually written.
Soulforce notified Focus earlier about the error, but so far it remains unchanged. No reply yet on my request for lottery numbers either.
Hat Tip: Daniel
Update: Official response from BeyondExGay.com
They musta stepped inta that “Imagination Station “thingie” from Adventures in Odyssey.
By any chance the author of the piece named Whit?
(It’s a FotF radio show for the uninitiated)
I noticed something else that didn’t quite sit right with me. In the “article” was the following:
I was under the impression that the good folks over at the “counter conference” were the ones who had invited Exodus leaders to a private sit-down. I was also under the impression that Thomas smacked that one down. Did I miss something?
j.
BeyondExGay.com has posted an official response to Focus on the Family’s disinformation.
Ummm, let’s see. Most people anyway at the Exodus conference have very little to do with gay issues anyhow (parents, religious leaders, etc.)–I think the audience is more targeted at the Soulforce conference.
Is anyone REALLY surprised that FotF would actually try to downplay or distort the numbers at the counter-conference? Their “values” apparently don’t include being fair and balanced!
I’m not surprised about the spin, but I am somewhat so about their posting it a day before the conference even started, and two days before anyone will know how many attended. It’s hard to find any explanation that doesn’t end up with them having simply lied.
Focus lied?
I’m shocked, I tell you, shocked!
I wonder if there will be more ex-ex-gays at the Survivors’ Conference than there will be actual ex-gays at the Exodus conference.
By choosing to deliberately distort the facts, Focus demonstrates moral bankruptcy. And this is not a one-time event but a continuing pattern. This is a serious moral failing for a Christian organization and should be unacceptable within the Christian community. I suggest with all seriousness that along with any dialogue that Mr. Toscano and Ms. Bakke have with Focus, that Mr. Chambers and Mr. Thomas should tell their ally that lying, misrepresentation and disinformation are completely unacceptable. Exodus says they are about truth, well it’s about time for Exodus to hold Focus (and itself for that matter) to the truth. And in case they can’t define the problem, here are the points to make with Focus:
A. Focus’ claims about attendance at the Survivors’ Conference are false considering they were made before the conference got into full swing.
B. Focus’ comment about protesters is unwarranted because obviously no protest was organized against Exodus’ conference. And in any case, the Survivors’ Conference isn’t about protest.
C. Focus’ use of the term counter-conference is deliberately provocative rather than accurate.
D. Focus’ method of phrasing the actions of Mr. Chambers and Mr. Thomas regarding a dialogue suggest that it is Exodus who initiated the dialogue, which is patently false.
E. Focus should post a retraction that corrects the misnomers it communicated.
How about it, Mr. Chambers, Mr. Thomas? How about both of you having the fortitude to stand up to your ally? You say you are interested in helping gays and lesbians, well then tell Focus to stop lying.
After the prior article of 22 Jun 2007, quoting Randy Thomas, I don’t doubt that the entire recent article is a lie.
– A god is not at work at the 32nd annual Exodus International Conference
– There has been a less than amazing turnout, less than amazing response, & less than amazing speakers.
– The conference has drawn about 100 people.
– The counter-conference drew close to 1,000 people
– Exodus President Alan Chambers are working to set up talks with the other conference leaders because they have egg on their faces over Thomas’ cackling over a lack of hope and his lie of trying “to project their experience onto all of us, when in fact thousands of people, myself included, have overcome homosexuality.”
– And “We are always in ongoing communication with people who disagree with us, people with similar testimonies,” Thomas said. “We definitely will be in communication with them.”
After your previous statemenets why would anyone take your word with any truth, Mr Thomas?
The entire article is a lie.
The survivors’ conference didn’t attract 1,000 (though it attracted more than 100). Nor was the intent of the conference to outperform Exodus, nor merely to “counter” Exodus, though obviously Exodus wishes for its supporters to believe that.
The survivors’ conference strove to bring together former ex-gays for the first time, to share journeys and recovery stories, to affirm one another, and to benefit from one another’s experience with maturing faith and relationships.
Given these objectives, I believe it was overwhelmingly successful. I’m not at liberty to share some of the personal testimonies that have been shared in a safe semi-private setting here in Irvine, but you can bet I’ll be writing more about the journeys of former ex-gays in the near future.