Folks, here’s a clip from my appearance June 20, 2013, on American Family Radio’s “Focus Point with Bryan Fischer,” discussing the implosion of Exodus International under Alan Chambers and the rise of Restored Hope Network in its place. Click HERE to watch it on YouTube. Beneath the video (after the jump) is Restored Hope’s response to the closure of Exodus. — Peter LaBarbera, AFTAH

Statement from Restored Hope Network:

________________________________

The institutional failure of Exodus International — under the tragically unbiblical leadership of Alan Chambers (above) — has nothing to do with God not being able to help homosexuals (like all sinners) change. A new Christian umbrella group for people overcoming homosexuality, sexual sin and gender confusion — Restored Hope Network — has risen up to take Exodus’ place. Several former Exodus ministry leaders have already joined Restored Hope.

“The point is that the language of ‘sexual orientation’ is an imposition today on much of what the Bible says about sexuality.” — Rev. Mark Creech

OKLAHOMA CITY — The following is a long excerpt from an outstanding column by Rev. Mark Creech, published June 22 by Renew America. Some of my comments on Exodus International’s stunning collapse are quoted in the piece. Exodus imploded because its Executive Director, Alan Chambers, and his staff succumbed — in a very cult-like way — to bad theology (see Prof. Rob Gagnon’s report critiquing Chambers’ “cheap grace” errors HERE). Chambers was talking and acting more and more like a pro-homosexuality activist — odd behavior for a supposed Christian leader. But what Creech’s article alludes to is that the modern semantics surrounding the “homosexuality debate” — sexual orientation, gay, homophobia, gender identity, marriage equality, etc. — are built on worldly concepts that run contrary to Scripture.

In future posts I will describe my wonderful and moving experience here in the great state of Oklahoma attending the annual conference of Restored Hope Network (RHN) — which God raised up to do the noble, life changing ministry work that Exodus once did. (Several Exodus-affiliated “ex-gay” ministries already have joined Restored Hope, and others soon will follow.) Know this: Exodus’ and Chambers’ downfall — though a momentary propaganda boon for deceitful, often vicious, homosexual militants like Wayne Besen [he “applauds” Alan HERE]– is only an institutional failure, driven by foolish pride. The timely rise in its stead of Restored Hope shows that Jesus Christ is still very much in the business of redeeming and radically transforming sinners — and of course that includes men, women and young people caught up in the sin of homosexual behavior.

May we all pray that the Lord will bless Restored Hope Network abundantly. You can find out more about them HERE and financially support RHN HERE. Rev. Creech’s full column can be found HERE. — Peter LaBarbera, AFTAH

_____________________________

Exodus International Flees the Promised Land

By Rev. Mark H. Creech

It is considered a landmark announcement, proof that the cultural winds are shifting in favor of the acceptance of homosexuality by the evangelical community. Exodus International, a ministry devoted to helping people overcome same-sex attractions is shutting down. Alan Chambers, the ministry’s president, is apologizing for much of the hurt he believes the ministry has caused the LGBT community.

Chambers, who now rejects the view that sexual orientation can be changed through the Gospel, wrote that he believes there is a sense in which his apology is for the whole church. “[I]f the church is a body, with many members being connected to the whole, then I believe that when one of us does right we all do right, and when one of us does wrong we all do wrong,” he said. “We have done wrong, and I stand with many others who now recognize the need to offer apologies and make things right.” [1]

But Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention takes umbrage with Chambers’ apology, arguing: “I think there is a tendency to see Exodus folding as a parable of Christian capitulation and ethic. That is not what is happening. Instead what you have is an organization that has some confusion about its mission and purpose…What is not happening here, is an evangelical revision of a biblical sexual ethic.” [2]

Peter LaBarbera, who leads Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, would agree with Moore. When OneNewsNow recently asked LaBarbera about Exodus shutting down, he said, “I think Alan Chambers, who basically ruined the organization, had no choice because the affiliates were leaving. All the people who support the truth that homosexuals can change and overcome this perversion through Jesus Christ were leaving Exodus.” [3]

LaBarbera, who called Exodus’ closing one of the greatest tragedies he had witnessed in the pro-family movement, also shared where he believes the ministry made its fatal mistake. He said, “Homosexuality is about behavior, and behaviors can be changed with the help of God and through Christ…That’s what Exodus used to be about. But once they started talking about so called ‘gay sexual orientation,’ as if this is the inherent state of somebody’s being, they got in trouble.” [4]

LaBarbera makes a critical point that raises a fundamental question: Is the concept of “sexual orientation” biblical? It is my contention that this expression, which finds its source in modern psychology and is so easily bandied about, doesn’t have a biblical leg to stand on.

86 percent of Russians support bill prohibiting “gay” propaganda aimed at youth; the negative lesson of American decadence

WHAT RUSSIANS DON’T WANT: A male drag queen activist with the San Franciscio-based group “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” prepares for a local Easter Egg hunt sponsored by the anti-Christian homosexual activist outfit. (The same “Sisters” group sponsors the annual sadomasochism-celebrating “Folsom Street Fear” in San Francisco.) Russians do not want to follow America’s reckless and decadent promotion of gender confusion, sexual perversion, and anti-biblical ideologies to youth. Note: we blocked out the innocent boy’s face for his protection. Click on photos to enlarge.

Folks, I’m afraid that the lessons that the United States of America has to teach the world on homosexuality these days are mostly negative: Avoid our mistakes. Don’t become like us. Don’t foster the promotion of radical sexual and gender agendas to your young people. Don’t allow your government schools to become ‘pro-homosexuality zones’ for impressionable students. Don’t treat unhealthly sexual perversions and gender confusion as a “civil right” or “human right,” etc. [see adjoining photos]

Who can blame Russians for looking at the U.S. Homosexual Lobby’s “Overhauling of Straight America” (to quote the article and book by homosexual marketing strategists Marshall Kirk and Hunter Madsen) and saying, “No thanks!” — Peter LaBarbera, AFTAH

The following is a release by the World Congress of Families. [Read Brian Camenker’s account of the  Russian bill HERE.]

_____________________

June 11, 2013

For Immediate Release

For More Information, Contact: Don Feder at 508-405-1337, don@worldcongress.org  or

The Howard Center for Family, Religion & Society at 815-964-5819, media@worldcongress.org

World Congress of Families Provides a Pro-Family Perspective on Russian Bill Prohibiting on Homosexual Propaganda to Minors

Today [June 11], the Russian Duma gave final approval to a bill prohibiting propaganda on “non-traditional sexual relationships” aimed at the young. The bill awaits action by the upper Chamber of the Russian Parliament (the Council of Federation) and signature by the President, but these are considered formalities.

The European Union pressured the Russian government not to approve the bill, which would prohibit homosexual propaganda that encourages promiscuous sexual behavior among minors.

In January, the Duma, initially approved the bill by a vote of 388-to-1 with one abstention. A survey by The Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion showed 86% of the Russian people support the measure.

Former lesbian Anne Paulk is among the speakers at the Restored Hope Network conference in Oklahoma City June 21-22.

The following release was issued May 7, 2013 by Restored Hope Network, on Christian Newswire. RHN was formed as a biblically faithful alternative to the wayward Exodus International, which — under Alan Chambers’ failed leadership — increasingly has adopted a pro-“gay” (activist) mindset. That includes Exodus’ bizarre and gratuitious refusal to take a public position against homosexual “marriage” — as a supposed Christian organization.

Americans For Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH) urges Christians and all who believe that people can overcome destructive lifestyles to support RHN with their prayers, efforts and finances.  Furthermore, we applaud all Christian ministries that have severed their relationship with Exodus: Christianity and homosexualist ideology do not mix, which is to say: faithful Christianity and sin do not mix. — Peter LaBarbera, AFTAH

Courageous Christian Leaders Stand with Restored Hope Network

The following is Part Three of America’s Survival’s coverage of our press conference Tuesday, June 4, 2013, in front of the D.C. headquarters of Human Rights Campaign, the world’s largest and most powerful homosexual activist lobby organization. Speaking first is Patrick Mangan, president of Citizens for Community Values of Indiana, who discusses whether homosexualism is a “civil right” or a “special right.” He is followed by Eric Holmberg of The Apologetics Group, a Christian filmmaker who discusses his soon-to-be-released documentary, “Is Gay the New Black: Homosexuality and the Civil Rights Movement.” Holmberg distributed a clip from the documentary titled, “From Selma to Stonewall.”

AFTAH President Peter LaBarbera briefly explains the stalling of a homosexual “marriage” bill in Illinois despite super-majority Democratic control of both the Illinois House and Senate. (There is also a revealing question by homosexual journalist Chris Geidner of Buzzfeed, who mentions [at 10:00 in the video] his conversation with a top advisor to Mitt Romney who told him, based on polling and electoral data, “that there is no reversing the trend of support for LGBT rights, and he woud challenge anybody to make the case that there is a way to reverse that trend.”)

The last half of the video is made up of Q & A, and includes discusses by Matt Barber and Magnan on their response as Christians to homosexuals — one not of “hate” but reaching out to people in the love of Christ. Mangan explains why “Love the sinner, hate the sin” still encapsulates the proper Christian response to homosexuals:

The following is Part Two of America’s Survival’s coverage of our press conference Tuesday, June 4, 2013, in front of the D.C. headquarters of Human Rights Campaign, the world’s largest and most powerful homosexual activist lobby organization. Speaking first is Linda Harvey, founder and president of Mission America, discussing the homosexualist agenda and youth. She is followed by Diane Gramley, president of American Family Association of Pennsylvania, who discusses homosexual-related health risks. The text of both Harvey’s and Gramley’s speeches follow the video, after the jump:

Text of speech by Linda Harvey:

Remarks by Linda Harvey, President, Mission America, www.missionamerica.com , June 4, 2013

Press conference at Human Rights Campaign, Washington, DC:

Is homosexuality a human right? No, it’s not. This sexual preference is not intrinsic to human beings, is far from positive conduct for any person and certainly not for children, but the organization in the building behind me believes it is. And they intend to keep using smoke and mirrors to prevent America from a careful analysis, from a respectful debate, about what they are demanding.

Starting with its deceptive name, the Human Rights Campaign is spreading sweeping lies throughout America. And they are, of course, not alone.  From the misnomer of “gay pride” as deviant displays in our major cities, to the ungodly idea of two men or two women as marriage, HRC joins other untrustworthy groups to arm-twist and bully our country into embracing high-risk immorality, behavior that no one ever needs to do in the first place. People aren’t born homosexual, so objecting to this conduct is not a violation of anyone’s “rights.”

But how does HRC deal with challenges? By “agreeing to disagree”? By welcoming a reasonable debate? No, if you disagree, you become the target of smear campaigns, where truth is noticeably absent. If you stand up for man/woman marriage, HRC calls you a hateful bigot.

Barber calls for investigation into HRC’s role in IRS-Gate…

Folks, our press conference yesterday directly in front of the world’s most powerful homosexual lobby organization, Human Rights Campaign, was a success (despite the lack of “mainstream” media present). I was touched to see that HRC had put up a “Welcome Peter” sign on their swank headquarters building on Rhode Island Avenue in Washington, D.C. (see video below). But that was just a stunt as a spokesman for the “gay” pressure group quickly reverted to the usual HRC tactic of smearing our pro-family representatives: “Fringe is too polite a term for them.” HRC spokesman Fred Sainz told the Washington Blade, a newspaper for homosexuals. (Other homosexual websites‘ coverage was more hateful.) Perhaps truth is “fringe” to an aggressive Sin Lobby. Watch Cliff Kincaid’s video coverage of the event and decide who the real extremists are. Thanks to all who participated in this event. — Peter LaBarbera, AFTAH

Kincaid’s footage is in three parts, which we will post separately: Part One is below, featuring Matt Barber’s and my presentations; after the jump is a non-verbatim text of my speech:

Speech by Peter LaBarbera at HRC press conference, June 4, 2013

Good morning, and thank you for coming.

The escalation of homosexual activist power is bad for America, and American liberty. Our bottom line here today at the beginning of so-called “Gay Pride” Month — as the banner says — is not about “hate” but that Homosexuality Is Nothing to Be Proud of, but overcoming it is. The deviant sexual revolution represented by the Human Rights Campaign headquarters behind us is built on a foundation of lies. Consider two of the “Founding Fathers” of the “Gay” revolution, Alfred Kinsey and Harry Hay.

Left-wing Chicago homosexual activist Andy Thayer (at left) of Gay Liberation Network (GLN) unfurls pro-homosexual “rainbow flag” in the gallery of the Illinois House May 30. Photo: Dave Smith of Illinois Family Institute — who led the successful grassroots effort to stop passage of a homosexuality-based “marriage” bill before the legislative session ended May 31. Click on photo to enlarge.

UPDATE: June 1, 2013 — in what is a stunning setback to the Homosexual Lobby in Illinois, openly homosexual St. Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago) announced on the last day of the legislative session yesterday that he did NOT have the votes to call SB 10, the same-sex “marriage” bill. Harris and his high-powered liberal allies were not able to peel off enough Chicago Democrats or wavering Republicans — in a General Assembly that has veto-proof Democratic super-majorities in both houses — to pass the bill. A strong grassroots coalition of black, white and latino Christians across the state formed the backbone of the opposition.

Congratulations are well deserved to: first and foremost to my good friend and Illinois Family Institute (IFI) leader Dave Smith, who worked his tail off up and down the state to stop SB 10; and Laurie Higgins, Kathy Valente, Dave Norck and the entire IFI team; Paul Caprio of Family-PAC, who led the Coalition to Protect Children & Marriage (of which AFTAH is a member) and did yeoman’s work in thwarting SB 10; Bob Gilligan of the Catholic Conference; former Sen. Rev. James Meeks, who played a huge role; veteran Springfield lobbyists Ralph Rivera and Rev. Bob Vanden Bosch; Penny Pulen; Peter Breen; Scott Phelps (Abstinence & Marriage Partnership); Bishop Lance Davis; AFTAH Board Member John McCartney; John Zahm; John Biver; Jack Roeser; Nick Costello; Rev. Larry Rogers; Hiram Crawford; Tom Brejcha (Thomas More Society); Mary Anne Hackett; Elise Bouc; Rev. Bill Owens (Coalition of African American Pastors); Brian Brown and National Organization for Marriage; Jim Finnegan; Cardinal Francis George (see his letter on homosexual “marriage” HERE); and all the pro-family advocates who helped secure this unlikely victory. (There are so many more I could name.)

We must realize that this is only a temporary win. Now homosexual activists will redouble their efforts to homosexualize marriage in our state — so we must redouble our efforts to stop them.

Also, immediately after the defeat, the powerful homosexual lawyers group Lambda Legal began touting its lawsuit — before openly lesbian judge Sophia Hall — as another avenue towards legalizing homosexuality-based “marriage” in Illinois. Self-styled “queer” activists, filled with “pride” and considerable arrogance, believe they are entitled to homosexual “marriage” as a supposed constitutional “civil right.” They are wrong. (And, yes, Judge Hall should recuse herself from this case due to her obvious conflict of interest; see biased homosexual Advocate article HERE and “Think Progress” piece slamming AFTAH HERE.)

This hard-won victory, after a string of “marriage” defeats in other states, will encourage and energize pro-family advocates across the nation because it shows — despite the frequent boasts of our adversaries — that homosexuality-based “marriage” is NOT “inevitable,” even in Democratic-dominated Illinois. AFTAH has been defending real marriage here for a long time, so we will savor this triumph of common sense over social leftism. But only for a moment, and then it’s back to work.

This was about “We the People” winning out over homosexual and liberal special interest groups. God bless all of you who got involved in this battle: YOUR calls and contacts with legislators and fellow citizens made the difference!  Let’s keep on fighting for Truth! — Peter LaBarbera, Americans For Truth About Homosexuality

___________________

Previous AFTAH “Alert” May 31: