Montel Williams show to feature Ex-facts?

"Christian Post" reports that Alan Chambers, the president of Exodus International, a so-called "ex-gay" group, will soon be appearing on the Montel Williams Show, and that he's an "ex-gay" person himself.

(*Yawn*) This man is the President of Exodus International. He's professionally "ex-gay". You'll have to forgive me for questioning the legitimacy of his claim (Was he ever actually gay? Is he really straight?) given that the way he makes his living, he can't say otherwise without losing his job. But let's take his claim that he was gay at face value for a moment. The truth is, he won't, when asked in detail, say that he has actually rid himself of desire for men. (Doesn't sound very ex-gay to me.) I guess I should feel sad for him.

Exodus also doesn't seem like the most trustworthy organization to me. While they claim that gay and lesbian people should not be treated unkindly or with harsh language while Exodus tries to tell them they're sinners and must be changed (which seems an oxymoron in itself to me, but nevertheless), Mr. Chambers participates in anti-gay events in which the harshest language is used.

Further, Exodus's web site doesn't seem to be entirely forthcoming. It claims:

Exodus is a nonprofit, interdenominational Christian organization promoting the message of Freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus Christ.

Since 1976, Exodus has grown to include over 120 local ministries in the USA and Canada. We are also linked with other Exodus world regions outside of North America, totaling over 150 ministries in 17 countries.

Really? How interesting. I notice that they don't mention that in 1979, one of Exodus's founders, Michael Bussee, quit the group and held a "life commitment ceremony" with his boyfriend Gary Cooper, or that he now states his belief that Exodus doesn't work.

Some remarks from the Chairman of the Board of Exodus:

Exodus International spokesman John Paulk said that in the 21-year history of the organization, they have not come to a definitive statement about what they consider success to be. "That's something Exodus at large is wrestling with," said Paulk. "In the next couple of years we want to develop a uniform definition for what we consider to be change." Paulk, a former drag queen married to a former lesbian, is quick to add that he feels the goal should be heterosexuality, not just celibacy. "At the onset, Exodus did not know whether orientation change was even possible," says Paulk. "But what we've seen in the latter 10 years is that more and more and more people - their orientation is changing and they are marrying."

Wait a minute - After over two decades, Exodus hadn't even defined what it means to be ex-gay, yet they're going around telling people that they can be changed from gay to straight by the power of Christ? It sure sounds to me like they're trying to avoid admitting to a low (or nonexistant?) success rate by refusing to define what constitutes success.

But of course, in 2000 Paulk was seen and photographed in a Washington, DC area gay bar trying to chat up the patrons. (Interestingly, Wikipedia states that he was fired by Focus on the Family. Does this mean that Exodus is really just a puppet of FOTF? And why wouldn't they want to keep him on and help him and give him therapy in a spirit of Christian kindness if they really believe people can change their sexual orientation?) Oh yes, and his "ex-lesbian" wife admitted that she never actually partipated in any actual lesbianism, she just thought about it for a few months during college and that was it.

But back to the Christian Post article...

The subject matter has received much attention more recently following statements from former National Association of Evangelical (NAE) head Ted Haggard affirming that he was “completely heterosexual.” Haggard had resigned after a former male prostitute alleged the pastor paid him for sex and methamphetamines for three years.

Funny how they don't mention that ex-gay ministries have always said that transforming from gay to straight is a long process that usually takes years, but that Haggard supposedly did it in two weeks. I guess he had a lot of incentive, seeing how he makes his living as a right wing fundamentalist Christian minister, that after so many years in the ministry he probably doesn't have other job skills, and that he has a family to support who would no doubt sue him into the ground in divorce court if he didn't "convert". But maybe I'm just being cynical for imagining that there are financial reasons behind his claim to heterosexuality.

Many non-Christians argue that gays do not just become heterosexual. They say that attempts at eliminating gay tendencies are harmful to individuals and simply not effective.

Many Christians agree with them.

However, Christians, including groups such as Exodus International, testify that there is possibility for change.

The Christian Post's Mr. Jackson should speak for himself. I personally know a lot of Christians who would say that gay people are as God made them and that trying to become straight goes against God's will.

On to yet another "ex-gay":

"People are already heterosexual - physiologically, anatomically and biologically," Tim Wilkins, a former homosexual, explained to The Christian Post.

Of course, the article fails to mention that Mr. Wilkins is a professional "ex-gay" minister. It also fails to mention that Mr. Wilkins has admitted that he has not "cured" himself of homosexuality, and that he still lives with gay desires and is merely acting out the part of heterosexuality.

Mr. Wilkins's remarks continue:

"My point being that same-sex attraction is a temptation. We are not exempt from temptation in this life."

Gentle heterosexual readers, I ask you: how often do you feel "tempted" to have sex with someone of your own gender? Never? I thought so.

Other guests on the Montel Williams show include former homosexuals Tom and Donna Cole, who also work with ministry to help Christians struggling with sexual and relational issues.

Yup, that's right... the rest of the "ex-gay" people who will appear are professionally "ex-gay" too.

You know, there's a word for a person who enjoys sex with people of their own gender, and later decides that they want to exclusively be heterosexual and is happy that way... They're called "bisexual".