Ex-gay programs dropped for now.....NO MONEY!

Focus on the Family, the powerful evangelical Christian group founded by James Dobson, is being forced by budget problems to do away with its controversial “Love Won Out” ex-gay ministry conferences.

A “serious budget shortfall” at Focus on the Family has prompted the conservative Christian group to issue a special fundraising plea, and contributed to a decision to cede control of its contentious “Love Won Out” conferences about homosexuality to another religious organization, a spokesman said Tuesday…

Focus on the Family also announced Tuesday it would no longer stage “Love Won Out” conferences across the country. The events drew both participants and picketers for their promise to “help men and women dissatisfied with living homosexually understand that same-sex attractions can be overcome.”

The events will go on, instead staged by Florida-based Exodus International, a network of ministries whose core message is “Freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus Christ.”

Just last week, the American Psychological Association released a study that found that gay reversion therapy was both ineffective and psychologically damaging to many who attempt to change their sexual orientation.

Related Stories:

Love in Action (homosexual to heterosexual).

Love in Action's "Refuge" shutdown by the State.

Minister found guilty in gay "therapy" case

Isn't this sick (and typical) of people who think homosexuality can be "cured."

A minister and former Christian college instructor has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a young man who sought counselling after he feared he was homosexual.

A jury returned with the guilty verdict early last night after only a few hours of deliberations. Terrance Lewis, 60, will be sentenced at a later date.

In earlier testimony, the alleged victim, now 29, told court he started meeting Lewis for counselling sessions in early 2000 after his parents caught him viewing gay pornography on the family computer.

Lewis — a family friend and minister — confided he had his own sexual identity issues and the two embarked on weekly counselling sessions designed to “assist me to be straight and to live a straight life,” the man said.

The man said Lewis started a program of “touch therapy,” which included the two kissing and fondling each other and engaging in sexual roleplaying.

Love in Action's "Refuge" shutdown.

In 2005, 16-year-old "Zach's" MySpace blog revealed that he was about to be involuntarily committed to Love In Action’s youth live-in program “Refuge.” He was committed to a two-month stay in the residential program, and his plight spawned international outrage along with unprecedented protests in Memphis. (more)

The State of Tennessee investigated Refuge last year after learning that clients were being dispensed medications by unlicensed personnel. Finally, after two years of scrutiny, it’s over. Refuge is no more.

It also inspired filmmaker Morgan Fox to begin filming the documentary, “This Is What Love In Action Looks Like,” set for release in January 2008.

Congratulations to the Tennessee's Queer Action Coalition ("QAC") for all their fine and careful activism. Special thanks also to Brandi Walker, Kentucky Equality Federation's Awareness Coordinator for bringing the original story to our attention!

Love in Action (homosexual to heterosexual).

From: Brandi Walker, Awareness Representative, Kentucky Equality Federation

Tenessee based religious Christian organization Love in Action has received national attention for it's efforts in tying to turn gay youth to "straight youth."

This organization makes claims that homosexual behavior is immoral and links it to therapy treatment alongside pornography and promiscuity. Parents of gay youth, especially conservative Christians, are inclined to believe their child is mentally ill and is in need of mental and religious counseling, because they are not walking the path their "God" has chosen for them. The false hope parents grasp to in programs like those managed by Love in Action, are not only unethical, but can cause extreme psychological abuse to an individual, which can contribute to emotional and mental stress in a child. These stressors and detrimental therapy can lead a child to thinking something about he/she is wrong, immoral, out of the ordinary, and/or evil.

For children to be programmed by both their parents, religious leaders, and counselors in a setting like Love in Action's 5 acres of seclusion, can cause a child to have an emotional and mental break down. A child who instead of being accepted for who he/she is, is taught discrimination, denial of one's feelings, and identity rejection. These factors are all labeled "therapy" and the children are fed religious and social standards of "morals" of acceptance, through techniques such as "group think", shame, peer pressure, religious pressure, and guilt. Programs like Love in Action MUST be stopped. These children can grow up doubting and suppressing their emotions and ideas of themselves in matters of opinion, interests, and beliefs, because Love in Action has taught them to reject their inner feelings of truth and identity.

Please, contact corporate supporters of Love in Action and let them know you will not purchase their products/services of their company because of their support of this program.

The Wingate Hotel (http://www.wingateinns.com/Wingate) offers discounts to travels who mention "Love in Action." This is ridiculous, irresponsible, and morally unjustifiable.

Tell them of your disapproval at the following link: http://www.wingateinns.com/Wingate/control/contact_us_form.

- Daniel Newell