Choices Ministry was founded by Sy Rogers during the expansion of Exodus Global Alliance, and started their reparative therapy program back in 1991 under the wings of Church Of Our Saviour (COOS) in Singapore. The church markets Choices as a way to salvation, a way to avoid the fires of hell. Their obsession with “curing a nation of homosexuality” has led some to label COOS as the most homophobic church in the Asian region. Choices is still closely affiliated with Exodus International through Exodus Asia Pacific.
COOS’s Senior Pastor is Derek Hong, while Choices’ most vocal proponent is ex-gay Shawn Tay Liam Yaw. Gerald Tsai is the director of Choices. COOS and Choices enthusiastically spread misinformation about what they consider the basics of homosexuality. However, to date neither the church nor the ministry have produced any reliable evidence or statistics of successful change in sexual orientation. Instead, controversy occurred at the end of 1999 when ex-gay survivor Patrick Lee shared the story of his turbulent years at COOS and Choices. And in 2003, the latter effectively declared war on gays in what was perhaps the first time the church actively lobbied against gay rights in Singapore.
Last year, discussions were on the way for the repeal of the old British Law Penal Code Section 377 and Section 377A, which deemed “carnal intercourse,” including anal and oral sex, illegal for Singaporeans. In April 2007, a hate e-mail was found circulating among the churches and other groups in Singapore in an attempt to gain support to lobby the government against the removal of the Section 377A (the homosexual counterpart to 377).
Subsequently, Section 377 was repealed and heterosexual anal and oral sex is now legal. Unfortunately, Section 377A was maintained, keeping the same for homosexuals illegal in what most quarters agree is a blatant act of discrimination. Hong’s involvement is still hidden behind church doors, except for a position statement released at their website. Read more…
When Bill Clinton won the presidency in 1992, he made the mistake of assuming that this meant the country, and it’s elected officials, had endorsed the gay positive position upon which he ran. This was not the case.
Upon beginning his term in 1993, Clinton began the discussion of lifting the ban of gay and lesbian servicepersons – only to find that he was almost alone in that position. The discussion quickly became one of “compromise” wherein deeply closeted gay people could theoretically serve in the military without harassment. The compromise soon came to be know by half of it’s promise: Don’t Ask – Don’t Tell (or DADT) – and don’t harass, don’t pursue dropped from the public conscience.
In recent months there has been increasing criticisms of this policy. Even those initially responsible for establishing it now say they find the restrictions to no longer be necessary.
On January 2 of this year the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1993, John Shalikashvili, wrote, “I now believe that if gay men and lesbians served openly in the United States military, they would not undermine the efficacy of the armed forces.” He was joined later that day by William Cohen who served as Defense Secretary from 1997 to 2001.
Read more…
We have commented here about the extremist anti-gay political efforts of Nigerian Anglican Arch-Bishop Akinola including his support of a bill that would criminalize reading this website.
We have also discussed how the ex-gay ministries and their leaders have in many cases shifted focus away from those who are struggling with unwanted same-sex attractions and now are primarily political activists.
Now we find reported on the virulently anti-gay conservative Anglican website, Virtue Online, that ex-gay Mario Bergner may have encouraged Akinola in his anti-gay efforts by providing to him – four years ago – ex-gay materials including Jeffrey Satinover’s Homosexuality and the Politics of Truth and Bergner’s own Setting Love In Order.
The Archbishop responded:
The position of the Church of Nigeria on the sexuality agenda of the “West” is well known. Your message to us at this time has further reinforced our position that the society does not have to pull the Church by the nose. We have a duty to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to all.
So it seems that at least some of the blame for the current chaos in the Anglican Church can be laid at the feet of the ex-gay movement.
UPDATE:
As noted by commenter Jimbo below, the original source of the emails may have been the conservative Anglican Mainstream
Soulforce responds to the arrest of Southern Baptist Convention pastor Rev. Lonnie Latham:
Robyn Murphy, Director of Public Relations and Media, for Soulforce:
“Many people are attacking Rev. Latham for his hypocrisy, but instead we should be asking ‘what informs that hypocrisy’? The answer is the SBC’s vicious and non-stop campaign of defamation against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people and same-gender families.”
Read more…
San Diego’s very own and extra special ex-gay, James Hartline threw a press conference / tour of local adult businesses he claims violate city zoning laws. Hartline contends adult businesses on the tour are located within 1,000 ft of residences, churches, schools, parks, or public-service facilities. Hartline even invited the SDPD’s vice unit which didn’t show up:
Read more…
Exodus President Alan Chambers doesn’t say what the proper sentence for a teen-age consensual sex offender should be.
But — given Exodus’ past support for sodomy laws — one may reasonably suspect that Chambers’ opposition to unequal prison sentences for homosexuals might coincide with support for tougher prison terms for all sex offenders.
And at least two liberal bloggers support such a crackdown.
But are these Big Government, law-and-order taxpayers willing to pay higher taxes to support ever-growing prisons — or will they continue to borrow trillions from future generations to build the prisons of today?
Today at Ex-Gay Watch, Exodus President Alan Chambers agreed with me that homosexual and heterosexual sex crimes deserve equal punishment, and that the Kansas Supreme Court was right to overturn laws to the contrary.
As it happens, that position is shared by the American Civil Liberties Union, which has a long history of upholding both religious and personal freedom.
My compliments to Chambers on his support for some degree of equality under the law.
Whether we agree on a reasonable prison sentence for teen-age sex in general remains to be seen….
At age 18, Matthew Limon — a developmentally disabled young man — engaged in voluntary sexual activity with a 14-year-old male. This followed two prior cases where Limon was prosecuted as a juvenile for having sex with someone younger than 16.
A heterosexual Kansan of his age would have been sentenced — at most — to just 15 months for crossing the line of age of consent with a fellow post-pubescent teen-ager. But because the sex was same-gender, Limon was sentenced in 2000 to more than 17 years in prison.
Focus on the Family reacted with glee last year when the 17-year sentence was upheld. In doing so, Focus withheld from its readers key facts: that Limon was just four years older than his counterpart; that Limon was developmentally disabled and functioning as someone younger than 18; that the sex was voluntary; and that heterosexuals would have faced little or no punishment for the same offense.
Today, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled that the state may not punish homosexual conduct more harshly than heterosexual conduct. “The statute inflicts immediate, continuing and real injuries that outrun and belie any legitimate justification that may be claimed for it,” Justice Marla Luckert wrote. “Moral disapproval of a group cannot be a legitimate state interest.”
After at least three and a half years of unjust imprisonment, Limon may finally have his sentence reduced.
XGW would be pleasantly surprised if Exodus and Focus experience a change of heart, and join civilized society in treating gay offenses as equal to heterosexual offenses.
(Previous XGW coverage.)
An interesting snippet from Peter Sprigg of FRC talking about the upcoming hearing on Roberts’ nomination to the Supreme Court. Peter Sprigg is the man whom PFOX wishes to see on the Montgomery County School Board helping to decide on the new (new) sexuality curriculum.
Still, he added, “I would say that we would not want a candidate to say they considered Lawrence vs. Texas to be settled law or beyond the scope of review on constitutional grounds.” [*]
A few other interesting little snippets from the usual suspects (CWFA etc) that also show a disturbing intention to re-criminalize homosexuality, if they can.
-Grant & Dale
Dan’s Addendum: “Justice” Sunday II made repeated mention of the gross indignity of Lawrence vs. Texas[*] as though the American public actively seeks to re-criminalize homosexuality and would do so if it weren’t for those pesky judges.
Tonight’s highlights (lowlights?) at the GOP convention:
- Bishop Keith Butler, Southfield, Mich. Outspoken opponent of marriage and civil unions for gay people (Google search)
- Ex-gay gospel singer Donnie McClurkin. Previous XGW coverage
- Christian singer Michael W. Smith, whose admirable talent is tarnished by dirty GOP politics
- Three retired Olympic athletes and a retired football player
Read more…
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