Focus on the Family gave a loving interview with Alan Chambers relating to his book God’s Grace and the Homosexual Next Door. We’ve discussed the book before here, and I don’t wish to linger there. But in the question and answer format, Chambers did make two comments that I believe go to the heart of how Exodus sees it’s purpose for existence.
At the suggestion of motivating Focus’ readers to dig deeper in the book, Chambers said
I think the biggest motivator is that homosexuality affects everyone. Whether we like it or not, it absolutely goes into every segment of our society — from our personal lives where our families are concerned, to the schools where our children go, to the communities where we live, to our church, to our pastors — and then when it comes to our religious freedoms.
And when discussing why people doubt his claims of “thousands of men and women who have left homosexuality”,
And then in the gay community, I don’t know that the entire gay community would doubt that change is possible, but the mantra that comes out from those who lead the gay community is that people can’t change. Because if we can, that really invalidates their story, it invalidates the special-rights status they’re seeking.
Exodus has long since given up on any but the most fragile pretenses of providing support services to ex-gay strugglers. The “information” provided on their website is factually incorrect, outdated, and full of “missing” footnotes. Exodus has long since put networking between ex-gay groups a far distant priority behind speaking at church rallies designed for heterosexuals.
What then is the purpose that justifies their existence?
I believe the above two brief comments serve to illustrate what has become the primary function and purpose of Exodus International: to fight against civil equality for gay citizens.
Chambers sees the intersection of Christians and gays to be a political one and when challenged to speak directly to Christians his response is to pose their fellow gay citizens as a threat in society. A threat to families, children, schools, communities, churches and pastors.
And Chambers views the purpose of his testimony as a political action, an invalidation of gay citizens’ requests for equal treatment under the law.
Amidst all his talk about the church being careful to select appealing language, and not to view homosexuality as a sin greater than others, lies Chambers’ primary purpose and goals: to fight against the physical lives, freedoms, and equalities of those gay persons who do not accede to his religious demands.
And this, my friends, is the very definition of oppression.
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
— C. S. Lewis, writer of the Chronicles Of Narnia and The Screwtape Letters.
Autumn,
What a powerful quote, particularly considering the source. If only Exodus would take it to heart, and renounce their tyranny.
Thanks.
Thanks for the post Timothy. For those interested in reading more about political nature of ex-gay organizations, you can download a copy of an older but still relevant Task Force Policy Institute publication, “Calculated Compassion: How the ex-gay movement serves the right’s attack on democracy” here: http://www.thetaskforce.org/reports_and_research/calculated_compassion
It was written in collaboration with the folks at Political Research Associates, who do excellent work tracking and analyzing the broader activities of the political and religious right.
Wow. Thanks for posting Chambers’ comments.
To a casual conservative Christian reader, Chambers’ message sounds polished, sincere, and even loving. However, I found his response in this Q&A a little odd:
“[Q.] There are thousands of men and women who have left homosexuality — you among them. Tell me about that.
[A.] That’s something in our culture that doesn’t get talked about enough — the men and women who really are heroes. The people who have given up literally everything — what absolutely came naturally to them, feelings that they have had for years, leaving a community of people behind that they love and who love them unconditionally.” [underline added]
Surprisingly, he seems to concede that homosexuality is natural and that the ‘far-left fringe’ is guilty of loving unconditionally. A more competent interviewer may have asked why should ‘ex-gays’ choose to leave people who love them unconditionally.
This wasn’t an interview, it was a book promotion. FOTF never asks anything critical or in depth of it’s “associates.”
Great post Timothy – and I agree 100%. And the C.S. Lewis quote Autumn used is perfect, and powerful. I have to remember that one. I can’t think of a better companion quote.
The point at which Exodus’ actions become my business is when they attempt to curtail my rights and privileges as an American citizen who happens to be gay. And since it is fashionable these days to ask “What would Jesus do?”, try as I might I can’t imagine Jesus becoming involved in a fight to deny anyone civil rights in this manner. He was concerned with the heart and soul of a person, that they be reconciled to God and treat one another with love. There is not a doubt in my mind that Alan is out of line scripturally by essentially lobbying against those rights.
And what of those who are not Christians? What about those who have no faith at all? Does Exodus have a right to deny their rights based on scripture which they do not even recognize in their lives? And what does this say of Christian faith if they do? This is the whole point behind a separation of the civil government from religious control.
I’m all for someone promoting their book. Really. It’s when that “promotion” calls for the continued repression of GLBT people across the country that outrages me. It’s even more outrageous when we consider the fact that this is a “Christian” organization that’s calling for that repression.
Alas, it’s not rare, or even unusual for that kind of Christian “love.” We simply MUST continue pressing forward with accurate information in order to respond appropriately. Sadly, most even in the media still don’t realize the level of maturity and scholarship that exists on the ‘gay Christian’ issue.
If you’re Christian and gay, we need you to speak out in the love of Christ. We’ve got to stand together in this.
Thanks again, Timothy, for a great piece.
One indicator of Exodus’ focus is the fact that on their blog, the Category with the most entries is “Marriage/Civil Union/Partner Benefits”. If their focus is about supporting people who want to change, one would think that the other categories on the list that are germane to that goal would have more entries.
I keep saying it, and will not stop until Exodus is dismantled.
They are kapos. Nothing less. Perhaps more; because they truly believe in the final solution to the LGBT problem: marginalization, criminalization, incarceration– removal from public and civic life in all it’s forms. “Oppression” is too kind a word to describe their vision for us. They wish to take away our respect, our livelihood, our loves, our families, our safety– our lives. And they wish the award of public acclaim for their efforts to take these things from us, and to enrich themselves while they impoverish us.
The essence of the very banality of evil is that it comes in robes of compassion, fresh faced and earnest; carrying a cross, but meaning it for others.
Norm!, that really stood out to me too. If homosexuality comes naturally to some, they are acting outside of their nature (but I guess that is a common theme in Christianity anyhow).
Sad but true that EXODUS has lost its way. I lay the blame squarely at Alan Chamber’s feet. Political action was never the intent of EXODUS. Our ONLY concerns were: (1)bringing the message of salvation to gay people and(2)helping the church to be more loving in its treatment of LGBT folks.
True,we (wrongly) believed at the time that our homosexual orientation would be changed from gay to straight if we followed Christ. But that’s IT. We made special efforts to stay OUT of political arguments and refused to back political measures or candidates.
We repeatedly and strongly said NO to requests from Anita Bryant, John Briggs, Lou Sheldon and the like. We would not lend our testimonies to legislative efforts to limit the rights of gays and lesbians. This is not the EXODUS that the founders of EXODUS had in mind. This is a mutation. A sell-out. The only thing in common is the name.
Wow, Tim and Autumn…!
We’ve known all along, but this certainly gives fodder to the precedent I’m taking to the Williams Project.
Excellent quote, Autumn!
Aha…the purpose of Exodus, or the ‘family’ advocates.
For all their expense, marketing and claims, I’d expect to see widespread societal success in the absence of gay people and what gay people do.
We could point to an institution like Jim Crow and see it’s detriment on all of society.
We can also see similar laws constrain gay people in the same way.
So….as the destruction of Jim Crow and Anti Semitism improved lives, one can assume that the same freedom bestowed on gay people has and will do the same.
So, if Exodus is more in the business of maintaining Jim Crow like institutions on gay persons, which is anathema to the creed of the nation REGARDLESS of what an individual’s religion is, no…Exodus can’t engage in their activity.
Not for any reason.
The Klan might still exist, and they still have rallies and information to pass along to the public.
But our nation’s laws don’t go along with THEIR beliefs.
Exodus doesn’t want the public to judge their activity on it’s own merits, they want to stack the deck with government approval and social pressure to have their way-and their way isn’t even coherent or logical.
And it damn well should be considering.
Quote: “…but the mantra that comes out from those who lead the gay community…”
Can someone answer once and for all exactly WHO is it that leads The Gay Community? Is it Larry Kramer? Or Harvey Fierstein, Rosie, Gore Vidal, Ellen, Elton, or someone else entirely?
We are no more organized under a common office than they are.
Unless there’s some shadowy gay cabal of which I am unaware? Err… Forget I said anything! O.O
Exodus has become an extension of a political movement. From what I see, there appears to be very little if any religious aspect to it at all. It also seems to be directed more to the straight evangelical people rather than towards gay people.
Two things in the interview that I found interesting were having the interviewer mention the “thousands” who have come out of homosexuality, and the way that Alan Chambers kept referring to “we” when talking about straight evangelical America.
By the way the interviewer asks the question, it comes off as undisputed fact, and Alan doesn’t even have to address the issue. He has taken lots of hits on his claims of “thousands” who have overcome homosexuality, and I am sure that this was planned on the part of the interviewer and Alan as a way to repeat that claim without Alan having to make it himself. It is all so obviously orchestrated.
And the way he keeps having to insinuate himself as part of heterosexual evangelical America, just made me want to laugh. He goes on and on about how “we” can’t even imagine the things that gay people do. Give me a break. Alan Chambers is no more heterosexual than I am.
Exodus and their religious right allies are not about helping people. They are about social control and power. I wonder when the IRS is going to start questioning just what percentage of their work and expenditures are for political work rather than truely dedicated toward religion. Perhaps it will take a new administration in the White House to raise the question.
From reading Exodus’ site and a few affiliated publications, it seems to me that all they want is a few high-profile gay-to-straight cases so as to serve their purpose to justify evangelical political opposition to gay rights.
Once you sow the seed that conversion is possible, well, all the gays that stay in their “fallen way” are clearly just moral reprobates in need of discipline or moral busybodying. Why, denying them rights to perversion is a moral necessity!
This is done through guilt-by-association too, as a lot of the higher-profile exgays (Joe Dallas comes to mind especially) advertise how promiscuous, unfaithful, and generally miserable they were pre-conversion, and how the “lifestyle” was all about sex, sex, sex. (None of these things directly relate to homosexuality per se but simply painting homosexuals with such a coarse brush is necessary to condemn them as a group.)
This makes it more palatable to the right-wing mainstream to view gay men and women as sick-in-the-head perverts that are clearly incapable of determining their own life choices and thus need moral parenting, moral parenting that conveniently includes denial of equal civil rights
(And, as we all know, gay marriage, for example, will destroy all marriage as we know it. How so? Beats me. I’m still waiting for my latest Homosexual Agenda Quarterly to determine how we are to achieve this where homosexuals in Europe have clearly failed to achieve this objective.)
It’s time we call this what it is:
heterosupremacy
It’s morally indistinguishable from white supremacy, and should be treated as such. It’s also an attitude that is common amongst our heterosexual “friends” who deign to “accept” us.
Let us call all of these people by a single, simple name that truly fits.
I am moved to make the same comment that General McAuliffe, the commander of the troops at Bastogne, gave to a German demand to surrender…..
NUTS!!!
Thank you for taking the time to watch Alan. It can’t be easy. I blogged this entry and made a few comments.