News :: GLBT
Former "Ex-Gay" Leaders Issue Apologyby Kilian MelloyThursday Jun 28, 2007 Exodus International is reputed to be the biggest "ex-gay" ministry, and has long claimed that prayer would "cure" homosexuals. Psychiatrists and other professionals have repeatedly expressed concerns that so-called "conversion" therapies offered little or no benefit, and could even be harmful to those subjected to them. Now, three former Exodus leaders, including Exodus co-founder Michael Bussee, have issued a public apology, saying that Exodus has harmed gays and lesbians.
In a written statement, the three said that "Some who heard our message were compelled to try to change an integral part of themselves, bringing harm to themselves and their families."
The statement continued, "Although we acted in good faith, we have since witnessed the isolation, shame, fear and loss of faith that this message creates."
Joining Bussee in the statement were Jeremy Marks, who once served as the president of Exodus International Europe, and Darlene Bogle, who was the founder and served as the director for Paraklete Ministries, a referral agency for Exodus.
In a story posted today by the LA Times online site latimes.com, the former Exodus leaders said that their intentions in working with the ministry had been sincere, but that they had since become concerned about the effects of so-called "conversion" therapies such as the prayer-based approach Exodus promotes.
The three related having known people whose attempts to "convert" to heterosexuality led to depression, with some failed would-be "converts" becoming suicidal.
The three spoke at a press conference located at the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center. The conference was scheduled to take place even as the annual conference for Exodus was beginning at Concordia University, which is located in Irvine.
An "ex-gay survivor" conference is also scheduled to begin in Irvine, at the University of California, on Friday.
"Exodus is here for people who want an alternative to homosexuality," Alan Chambers, president of Exodus, said in the latimes.com story.
Continued Chambers, "There are thousands of people like me who have overcome this. I think there’s room for more than one opinion on this subject, and giving people options isn’t dangerous."
Chambers recently made a statement to the effect that prayer by itself is not likely to change a person’s sexual orientation. According to the latimes.com story today, Chambers said that those who come to Exodus seeking a shift in their sexuality are cautioned that the process is difficult; Chambers said that sexual preference "isn’t a light switch that you can switch on and off."
Bussee, who in 1979 left Exodus after falling in love with another male "ex-gay" counselor, is still an evangelical Christian, but remains opposed to so-called "conversion" therapies. Said Bussee, "God’s love and forgiveness does indeed change people. It changed me. It just didn’t make me straight."
Added Marks, "We are committed Christians, but we’re still gay."
Marks leads a pro-gay ministry called Courage UK, which is based in England.
Rev. Mel White, who ghost-wrote Jerry Falwell’s autobiography and is now the founder and president of the faith-based GLBT organization Soulforce, also attended the press conference.
Said White of the message being offered by the former Exodus leaders, "It’s a major moment, a paradigm shift."
Continued White, "They’re saying this doesn’t work, and that’s incredibly important."
Kilian Melloy reviews media, conducts interviews, and writes commentary for EDGEBoston, where he also serves as Assistant Arts Editor.
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