The "ex-gay" group Exodus International announced today that it will no longer participate in the anti-equality "Day of Truth," dealing the social conservative movement a small but important blow.
Founded in 2005, the Day of Truth is the right wing's way of countering the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network's Day of Silence, an annual event started in 1996 to combat anti-gay bullying and violence in schools.
Conservatives calls the Day of Silence "the promotion of homosexual behavior" and use the Day of Truth to oppose it "from a Christian perspective," which apparently includes calling homosexuality "shameful." In light of recent gay suicides, Exodus has decided that DOT's perspective has become too incendiary.
"All the recent attention to bullying helped us realize that we need to equip kids to live out biblical tolerance and grace while treating their neighbors as they'd like to be treated, whether they agree with them or not," explained Exodus president Alan Chambers to CNN's Dan Gilgoff.
"I don't think [the event is] necessary anymore," said Chambers. "We want to help the church to be respectful of all its neighbors, to help those who want help and to be compassionate toward people who may hold a different worldview from us." Regardless of the group's new approach, Exodus still claims it can "cure" people of homosexuality, a dangerous idea in and of itself.
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