Dogfight at the Ex-Gay Corral

The "ex-gays" are imploding after Exodus International President Alan Chambers' recent comments to the LA Times that sexual orientation doesn't really change and that there might not be any such thing as an "ex-gay."

Professional heterosexual Stephen Bennett jumped into the fray immediately. Here's how the Christian NewsWire puts it (I just love this language, just beautifully impartial):

HUNTINGTON, Conn., June 19 /Christian Newswire/ -- Stephen Bennett, President of Stephen Bennett Ministries, a pro-family organization advocating for the traditional family, the protection of children and proclaiming the truth about homosexuality, condemned the irresponsible and disturbing remarks attributed to and made by Alan Chambers, President of Exodus International, an organization claiming to be "The largest information and referral ministry in the world on homosexual issues."

Bennett, along with many others pro-family leaders, were shaken Monday by Chamber's remarks and are eagerly awaiting Exodus International's official response to their President's misguided statements. Sorry Exodus, Homosexuals Can COMPLETELY Change

You ought to go read that one, it is over the top, a laugh a minute.

Then you had the the "leather-loving, undercover gay fornication investigator" Peter LaBarbera (to use Pam Spaulding's inimitable description), of Concerned Women for America ... listen, somebody tell me, why are all the concerned women men? Well, anyway, he wants you to know that Alan Chambers is wrong. And here's his take on it:

There is a whole homosexual activist cottage industry, led by [Wayne] Besen and ExGayWatch, that — like the enemy of our souls — essentially gloats over failure. This decidedly evil movement heralds the latest stories of failed “ex-gays” who return to homosexual behavior, while ignoring (or ridiculing) the obvious successes and the fact that many people who’ve overcome homosexuality don’t care to talk publicly about the sins they left behind. The Question Is Not ‘Can Gays Change’ but How Many Already Have?

That cottage industry. Like, you know, when they stop traffic on Rockville Pike so the ExGayWatch motorcade can pass, with the rainbow bunting draped over their pink Cadillacs. But you must agree -- the whole homosexual activist cottage industry is just ... so ... fabulous. And the cottages, they're so nicely decorated.

Look, you guys, here's the deal. Alan Chambers said there're no "ex-gays" for a simple reason: there are no "ex-gays." He's been right in the middle of the whole thing for many years, if there was one he'd know about it, and he says he doesn't think he's ever met an "ex-gay." I'm not saying the guy's not full of it, but in this case he's just saying what everybody already knows.

PFOX sued our schools, they send home fliers in our county's schoolchildren's backpacks, telling them that "change is possible." It's not. It's possible to learn to live without love, it's possible to be celibate, it's even possible to pretend you're attracted to somebody you're not. I don't know why somebody would want to do that, but you can if you want.

I'm going to go make some popcorn and come back and see how this turns out.