And two new ex-gays associations emerge

A day prior to the announcement by Exodus International that it was folding, an announcement for the First Annual Ex-Gay Pride Month, was released.  To be launched as part of the Month are two new organizations to advocate for the rights of  former homosexuals – Voice of the Voiceless (VoV),  and Equality and Justice for All.

According to the June 17 Press release issued by Voice of the Voiceless, the Ex-Gay Pride will be a "time to recognize the unique experiences of ex-gays and former homosexuals and celebrate their existence in American culture."  The VoV further explained that the timing of the Ex-Gay Pride was strategically planned for "July, after June’s annual gay pride month, in order to draw attention to the ever-increasing phenomenon of ex-gays or former homosexuals; that is, individuals who formerly had unwanted same-sex attractions and/or lived an LGBT-identified life, but now do not. These individuals may be in heterosexual relationships, pursuing heterosexuality, or living celibate lives as former homosexuals."

The existence of ex-gays is the ultimate bad news for the Gay Lobby.  All their arguments of homosexuality feelings being akin to the colour of one’s skin fall flat in the face of tens of thousands real people who once practiced homosexuality, but have now successfully come out of it!  The VoV therefore did not think the powerful gay lobby would fold its hands and watch the Ex-Gay Pride events take place. In fact, according to press notes, one reason why organizers chose Washington DC as the venue of ”at least one event” during the Ex-Gay Pride Month, is “Because Washington, DC is the only jurisdiction that recognizes ex-gays as a protected class against discrimination in the United States” and thus likely to provide “ a safe place to gather and celebrate free from any threat of intimidation."

They were wrong!  By July 12, the VoV had to announce a change in the programmes “due to some anti-ex-gay extremism that has occurred since we first announced Ex-Gay Pride 2013.”  According to the release, “the July 31 Lobbying Day on Capitol Hill and Evening Dinner/Reception at the Family Research Council has had to be moved and postponed to an undisclosed location in September. The harassment has caused several security threats which has forced us to change plans, and that is unfortunate."

The VoV is taking a positive attitude to all the harassment from the Gay Lobby.  The announcement continued:  "On the bright side, this harassment and anti-ex-gay extremism has reminded us just how intolerant some individuals and organizations are about the existence of ex-gays and former homosexuals.”

The VoV had tried to seek the involvement of the White House in the ex-Gay Pride, via a Presidential Proclamation, as has been “issued in previous years, including this year, for June’s Gay Pride Month”.  This must certainly be some joke on the part of VoV, given Obama’s unhidden absolute support for the homosexuality lobby.  Despite its claim to represent  “tens of thousands of former homosexuals” and the fact that “former homosexuals are now recognized as a legally protected class in Washington, D.C.”, VoV efforts drew a blank from White House Officials.  In a letter written directly to President Obama on June 18, the VoV began:

"Dear Mr. President, Our office has left multiple voice messages for the White House Office of Public Engagement.”

It went on to request for discussion with relevant officials on the issue of “tolerance for the ex-gay community and how The White House can ensure equal access for ex-gays in the nation’s capital, which is the only jurisdiction that recognizes ex-gays as a legally protected class. "

The unofficial response was the series of intimidation and security threats that forced the change in date and venue of the events!  In offering its apologies to attendees for the shift, the Voice of the Voiceless emphasized the security situation:

"For all of our supporters that have made travel plans to attend the July 31 event, we sincerely apologize for having to change plans, but we thought it was in the best interest to ensure the safety and security of all participants and speakers."

Meanwhile, all that is heard on mainstream media is how homosexuals are being persecuted with no mention of the ex-homosexual minority! (For related materials, please see the Exhortation in this edition of CA!)

Exodus International Backtracks on Homosexuality!

The end times are here, and if anyone still doubts how close we are to the finish line, the ‘U turn’ recently made by Exodus international should be a clear eye-opener!  For 37years, the Exodus International has been one of the foremost organizations highlighting the unprofitableness of homosexuality, and offering to help ex-gays live not just a healthy sex-life, but a holy one.  The organization is famous for its slogan that the opposite of homosexuality is not heterosexuality, but rather holiness.

Now Exodus international ( current Board membership, that is), is saying it has been making a mistake all along in condemning homosexuality, and that homosexuals should just go ahead with their lifestyle!  On his blog, on 19th June, President of Exodus International, Alan Chambers, profusely apologized to homosexuals for the past activities of the Organization, and recanting, said though he still considers the practice of homosexuality as wrong, he has come to realize there is nothing wrong with having same-sex attraction.  Chambers said he was sorry for so many things.  Basically he was sorry and ashamed of the Gospel.  For instance he said: “I am sorry that when I celebrated a person coming to Christ and surrendering their sexuality to Him that I callously celebrated the end of relationships that broke your heart.”  In short, Mr Chambers is apologizing for causing godly sorrows which indeed led to repentance and positive change in people!  Henceforth, rather than try to help people change their sexual orientation, Mr Chambers said the new organization they are starting will seek to help people “manage” it one way or another

In a statement posted on its website, Exodus International's board of directors said the decision to close the doors of the ministry came "after a year of dialogue and prayer about the organization's place in a changing culture."  Many observers noted that Exodus International had been losing big funding partners  in recent years, and Mr Alan Chambers had become increasingly inconsistent and confused. 

Speaking on the development, Russel Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention said: "I think there's a tendency to see Exodus folding as a parable of Christian capitulation and ethic, that is not what's 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."  http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jun/21/local/la-me-0621-exodus-international-gays-20130621.

One of the lively comments on the closing up of Exodus International, as reported by Christianity Today,  was from one James Aist.  Mr Aist wrote:  “My initial withdrawal of support for Exodus came last year when Chambers embraced a re-worked, gay version of an ancient heresy called ‘antinomianism.’ The gay version, called the "gay gospel", holds that one can be a Christian, never turn away from the sin of homosexual behavior, and still enjoy eternity in heaven with Jesus. Satan is using the “gay gospel” to get Christians who are homosexual to continue to practice homosexuality, feel good about it, and end up in hell, rather than repent of it. Read more about the "gay gospel" at http://rethinkingtheology.com/2012/12/16/the-gay-gospel/  that there are still hundreds of ministries and therapists who adhere to a Bible-based approach to providing help for dissatisfied homosexual people. You can link to them at http://rethinkingtheology.com/2012/07/11/homosexuality-good-news/”  

Unfortunately, this turn around by Exodus is only the latest of key conservative groups caving in to the intense pressure from by the antichrist’s new world order goons. The other time, it was Dr James Dobson being forced out of Focus on the Family, largely due to his unwillingness to soft-pedal on homosexuality ( http://churcharise.blogspot.com/2010/03/james-dobson-forced-out-from-focus-on.html ).  To continue with the work God had called him into, Dr Dobson had to leave the organization he had started and ran for 33 years to start a brand new one; while the old Focus on the Family turned into a shadow of itself – chiefly with respect to view on homosexuality and abortion.

Let nobody think it a child play, the enormous pressure being asserted by new sexuality people on organizations opposed to their evil agenda!  Months earlier, some Board members of Exodus International, seeing the handwriting on the wall as their president began to make ambivalent statements concerning homosexuality, began to  quietly jump ship.  For instance, John Warren the former treasurer, in resigning on  September 6, 2012  said as sad and disappointed as he was, he still understood the enormous pressure that brought down his president.  In his words: "I believe that Alan Chambers is a good man with good intentions. It is his messaging that concerned me recently and prompted me to resign….Alan is in an extremely difficult position, and I don't want to disparage him”  A few days earlier, Jeff Buchanan also had  resigned his position as executive vice president .

 (http://www.christianpost.com/news/exodus-board-member-resigns-cites-concerns-over-chambers-comments-81305/#EXeVDYaQ0vi4B7Po.99)

We can identify two major weaknesses exploited by the enemy to bring down Exodus International. First was its resolve to use man-made solution, the so-called reparative therapy, as the principal means of securing deliverance from homosexuality. Other prominent organizations helping ex-homosexuals who see the problem as more of a spiritual problem are having far better results than the now defunct Exodus International.  Indeed, according to John Warren, several other ministries under the Exodus Global Alliance are producing excellent results in the work in helping ex-homosexuals to exit a  destructive lifestyle

The weakness of Exodus’ proffered solution for dealing with homosexuality, with the resulting failures and disappointments, contributed to the frustration of Mr Chambers, who in admitting to the failure of reparative therapy, unfortunately concluded that there is no hope of (and consequently no need for) dropping the homosexual lifestyle. He consequently adjusted his theology to fit in this position.  Stoking this sad belief was Chamber’s close interaction and sympathy for Justin Lee, founder of the Gay Christian Network.  It was on account of Alan Chamber’s comments on  Mr Lee, that John Warren felt he had to resign his Board position on Exodus.  In an interview with Janet Mefferd, Chambers had insisted that Lee, a celibate but foremost advocate for homosexuality, is a fellow Christ follower, and will be with him in heaven.  An incredulous Janet Mefferd demanded of Chambers: "If you believe that you have to turn from your sin and turn to Christ ... how can you simultaneously hold that somebody who is an unrepentant homosexual can go to heaven?"

In the novel Piercing the Darkness, Frank Perretti, graphically demonstrated the enormous societal pressure on American Christians who are forbidden to identify demon possession among people.  Without a correct diagnosis, how can the appropriate remedy, deliverance in the name of the Lord Jesus, be applied?  The Bible explicitly says that intense demon possession will characterize the end times, just like it happened in the days of Noah, when demonic entities came down to copulate with human beings. Numerous evidences from both victims of homosexuality, desperately seeking a way out, and the Pastors who ministered to them, make it abundantly clear that homosexuality falls squarely within the realm of this phenomenon.

Founded in 1976, Exodus was an umbrella organization which grew to include over 120 local ministries in the United States and Canada and over 150 ministries in 17 other countries.^[7] While local affiliated ministries can continue to operate, they cannot use the Exodus name, according to a statement from the group.   http://abcnews.go.com/US/exodus-international-gay-cure-group-leader-shutting-ministry/story?id=19446752

Sensational Soccer Scorelines in Nigeria: 79 – 0; 67 – 0!

While a suspect was being arrested in Milan on allegations of Soccer Match-fixing  (http://www.voanews.com/content/soccer-matchfixing-suspect-arrested-in-milan/1607824.html) authorities in Nigeria were completely perplexed as to who to arrest or punish when results of two soccer matches played produced outrageous scorelines of 79 – 0 and 67 – 0, respectively!  The last two games that would determine which team moves into the fifth tier o the Nigerian football league were played simultaneously at two different centres, to prevent the outcomes from influencing one another.  However, the team managers from the two teams competing for elevation monitored match progress at the other venue by phone, and the result was a shameful, all-decorum-dumped race to outscore the other team, producing those record-breaking scorelines! (see an account here: htt;://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/11/sport/football/football-nigeria-scandalous-scorelines).  Ironically, one of the teams represents the Nigerian Police!

The same principle of doing all that is necessary, damning decency, to outscore the opponent was also shamefully displayed in the Rivers State legislature where honorable members resulted to a free-for-all fight that was televised nationally. (see some details and video at http://www.toksdam.com/20013/07/09/video-rivers-state-house-of-assembly-legislators-in-gang-fighting-jumping-each-other/ )

Worst of all is the on-going repetition of this same principle in the lives of multitudes of individuals who continue to pursue certain passions of life as if the Maker of Heavens and Earth is either non-existent or fast asleep.  According to the Scriptures, all who live such lives are fools and they can look forward to shame as the promotion they seek (Proverbs 3:35 )

Shakings in the US Military

         The unique character of the United States today, is its unparalleled military base. That, and not the economy for instance, is what makes her the superpower.  We know the US must lose that status before a global dictator, the antichrist, can become fully manifest (see our article US versus UN, vol 6 No 2).  Hence developments in the US military are always relevant to end-times discussion.  Moreover, developments in the US military institution, the most visible of the strength of the US, might as well provide indications of things to come in the other, less visible sectors of that country.  We here present a few recent happenings,  and leave you to judge the implications.

         First is the news report that it would appear that the US military is now ready to embrace eastern religion.  See details at http://www.thebereancall.org/content/us-military-embrace-eastern-religion.  This is coming up  at a time that Bible-based Christianity is increasingly coming under attack in that country, particularly within the military.

      The in route that homosexuality has made in the US military since President Barack Obama repealed the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Acts is simply incredible and is better discussed elsewhere. 

But much more surprising is the recently released figure on the number of men (and probably women also)  who had survived the tough external battle of bullets, bayonets and various deprivations, only to now start quietly succumbing to the battle within - depression. In an extensive study conducted by the US government itself, it has been established that 22 military veterans (ex-service men) are killing themselves every day.  That amounts to one suicide every 65 minutes. That figure covers only data between 1999 and 2010, and is expected to be more today.

    Even among currently serving personnel, data from the US military showed that suicides hit a record in 2012 with more soldiers committing suicide than getting killed in battle.  The actual figure for the year was 349 active-duty suicides, almost one per day!   (See Military suicides hit record in 2012, outpace combat deaths)

      Meanwhile, while the US has begun the slow but steady moves to take guns from the American people, (see Firearms manufacturer ends sales to New York in wake of new gun law) a report by the respected Christian news site World Net Daily indicates that Federal non-military agencies in charge of domestic operations in the US are stocking up an incredible amount of ammunition. By comparing the total number of ammunition (2 billion rounds) recently acquired by the Department of Homeland Security with the 5.5 million rounds being fired per month at the peak of Iraq War, analysts claim that these agencies now have enough ammunition “to ...shoot every American five times” and also “engage in a prolonged, domestic war.”  (www.wnd.com/2013/02/feds-buying-enough-bullets-for-24-year-war/)