Exodus President Alan Chambers will speak at the late Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. The theme of the February 12th conference is “Consequences of Same-Gender Attraction.” The description sounds familiar, with tired jargon and old assumptions:
Those struggling with same-sex attractions need understanding and hope for a life without conflict, so it is imperative to understand the implications of same-sex attraction and the broader homosexual agenda. The broader homosexual agenda has politicized radicalism of homosexuality that is aggressive and intent on trampling upon the fundamental freedoms of anyone who may disapprove.
This conference is vitally important because the conference will focus on the issues underlying same-sex attractions as well as the legal implications of same-sex relationships.
The second day will focus on the legal implications arising from the clash between the quest for homosexual rights and freedom of speech, religion and association.
The topic of “underlying issues” suggests ex-gay theories of causation, where one’s life story is contorted to fit a pseudo-Freudian reparative framework, allowing the confused and shamed to point and say, “There, that’s what caused all this,” while for years their testimonies will be honed on stages, in pulpits and on conference room floors. Chambers, gay-free and with a wife and two children, is usually brought out as a sort of proof, an ex-gay success story.
But although this is troubling, it is expected – that’s what the show is about. Chambers is not expected to stop doing that; at least I do not expect him to. But as is often the case, there is more sinister stuff here, and an almost unbelievable poor judgment by the Exodus chief, on a level not seen since last year’s Uganda Homosexuality Conference.
Readers may recall that, after intolerable delays, Exodus seemed to finally get the issue with Uganda. They issued a statement that was pretty clear (after a false start) and wrote a letter directly to the Ugandan President expressing strong disagreement with the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, legislation which we continue to believe was at least partly fueled by the March 5th, 2009 conference. Some things have happened since then, and the world has been nearly unanimous in opposition to this bill, but some have taken the opportunity to become even more shrill, even daring to claim that the Ugandans have the right idea.
Another conference contributor, Robert Knight, sounds like such a person. He recently defended Scott Lively from criticism in an earlier NYT article, saying:
I don’t know Mr. [Caleb Lee] Brundidge, but I do know Mr. Lively and Mr. Schmierer. Both are honest and courageous men who, out of Christian compassion, dare to tell the truth about homosexuality. For this, the Times brands them as hatemongers.
While Mr. Lively has written perceptively and passionately about countering the homosexual activists’ political and cultural agenda, there is no evidence of “hate.” Trying to steer someone away from destructive, immoral, changeable behavior is an act of love, not hate.
For those few who may not yet have read about him, Lively has made a life’s work of falsely denigrating GLBTs and recklessly inflaming the hatred and bigotry already present in some non-western regions of the world. He boasts that he knows more about homosexuality than almost any other person. Fancying himself a researcher and historian, he published a book called The Pink Swastika which purports to offer historical evidence that the Nazis were really radical gays and that the modern gay rights movement is an outgrowth of them.
Lively met with government leaders in Uganda just before the Anti-Homosexuality Bill there was offered up, death penalty and all. He is a major figure in this, and he has earned his hate group standing with the SPLC. For Knight to offer the passionate defense quoted above is almost unconscionable. And yet Chambers will participate in a conference where such attitudes are apparently welcome and part of the mix. This is a colossal slap in the face to those in Uganda, and here, who might actually have put some trust in his earlier actions.
Adding insult to injury, also participating is Liberty Counsel Dean Matt Barber. Barber does his best to “re-stigmatize” homosexuality (a la Peter LaBarbera). One of his recent utterances even managed to draw fire from Exodus VP Randy Thomas. A Google search will give a clear picture of Barber, but here we have a recent, personal conflict between Barber and Exodus, one that Chambers must know about.
When called out in such situations, Chambers usually has one of two reactions. He will either claim to be going to represent “the moderate voice,” a defense of “gay- identified” people if you will. Or he will appear clueless. The latter would be hard to claim here, at least credibly.
This is just another occasion when the right thing to do should be screaming out to Chambers, and yet he doesn’t do it. This is what got Exodus so deep on the wrong side of the Uganda issue, and it’s what leads others to distrust most anything Exodus says. Again, they’ve earned it, and they keep on earning it.
H/T: TWO
“The broader homosexual agenda has politicized radicalism of homosexuality that is aggressive and intent on trampling upon the fundamental freedoms of anyone who may disapprove.”
Leave me alone=intent on trampling upon the fundamental freedoms of others.
Aggressive=your standing up to my bigotry. aren’t you supposed to be a sissy?
Do these people EVER do a reality check?
Silly goose, I wouldn´t trample on anyones individual right to despise, fear and loath me (throw in abominate, abuse and persecute too)…it´s the MURDERING of people like me that gets my goat! Crimes of hate directed against LGBT people are initiate by the puffed up preach of you, you hypocrit! My lovedone was murdered by the likes of YOU and other self-righteous liars who were incapable of being honest with themselves (never mind LGBT people or anyone else)…keep talking, round and round you go until the final ARROGANCE and your ignorance will FALL!
Alan Chambers is utterly amoral.
Absolutely horrible, and to think that I’ll be visiting friends in Lynchburg just a few weeks later. I would love to be able to be there during the conference and meet him and give him a piece of my mind.
If you gave him a piece of your mind, then he would actually have to think.
Would Alan really say his ex-gay life is without conflict?! At what point does nuance and doublespeak become lies?
Ben is absolutely right…they would have to think. Having come from their ranks myself, there is no objective research into issues. There’s simply to figure out what they think the Bible says about something, assume inerrancy, and then go from there and interpret everything in that light. The evangelical/fundamentalists don’t have any interest in dialogue, but only to blindly follow their understanding of the Bible and they believe, because they possess “God’s truth” that they are justified in saying these thing, because REGARDLESS of what the social science data shows, these other so called “facts” line up with their theology and since the Bible can’t be wrong, then they simply go with that, ignore the rest, and believe they’re “telling the truth in love” regardless of how shamefully destructive the disinformation they spread really is. After all, “God said, I believe it, that settles it” right? How blinding such a belief about one’s sacred book can really be! Not to mention, dangerous.
There is NO objective attempt to determine the nature of reality with these people, simply a theological assumption followed by what we in psychology call the confirmation bias – seeking out evidence simply to justify your preconceived ideas. It’s sad that thousands of young people, many of whom have a desire to make an impact in government, are being trained at this school. Truly the blind leading the blind.
When are you going to believe that Chambers and Exodus have no morals, no sense of decency and no honesty. They exist solely for the purpose of hurting gays who live openly and courageously in this world. That is the only tru goal of Alan Chambers: to cause as much pain as possible.
When are you going to believe that there is no bridges to be built here. Thay will happily make sure that you fall off the bridge to the abyss.
I disagree strongly with Alan on many things, and with Exodus’ mission in general, but I think your description goes too far. It may be easier to paint some people with a brush of abject evil than to view their beliefs and actions with a little perspective, but the former is apt to cause a lot of collateral damage and little understanding. Just look at how GLBTs have been treated by much of the Church and you will find an excellent example of just that.
I have no doubts about the damage done by Exodus or their usefulness to a lot of worse people as a “proof of concept.” And I realize they probably won’t listen unless their image is in danger. But I don’t think Alan is amoral or purposely trying to hurt gays — certainly not for the sake of doing so. And saying that he is or does just causes those who do see the difference to tune us out as extremists.
Alan Chambers seems to me to be supremely self interested. He will do whatever he thinks will improve his own position as well as that of Exodus (politically, financially, by reputtation, etc.)
He has alliances and can only get money from right wing religious groups, so he will most certainly speak at their conferences and play the role of good little gay who has seen the light, playing heterosexual for the public. He has also managed so far to avoid any embarrassing sexual scandals, which is quite the achievement given his position and Exodus’ history.
His position requires him to be dishonest, which he is willing to do. He will occaisionally act honorably, if pushed into a corner and given no other real choice.
I don’t think that he hates gay people, but I don’t think he is at all fond of those of us who call him on his dishonesty, and his double-speak. If not for the necessity to continue to draw in donations, I am not convinced that Alan Chambers would bother with much of his anti-gay political schtick. But he knows that if he gave up his anti-gay political activities, he and Exodus would become irrelevant. There would be no donations. There would be no organization. There would be no exalted title. There would be no radio or TV appearances. There would be no job. Nobody would care about Alan Chambers.
Being President of Exodus is extremely important to Alan Chambers, and he will do whatever he can to keep this train going.