Exodus Spokesman on iPhone App: We're Not Trying to 'Cure' Gays

"Ex-gay" group Exodus International must be feeling the heat as publicity and pressure mount over a petition signed by more than 100,000 people demanding that Apple remove its app from the iPhone app store.

Jeff Buchanan, Exodus International's Senior Director of Church Equipping & Student Ministries, spoke to the Christian Post about the controversy:

"In no way shape or form is our message about trying to cure or do we try to promote that type of methodology or message. This is a label (gay cure app) that has been put forth by opponents to the application to serve as propaganda in order to stigmatize and really label the application in a false way and provoking a response such as you are seeing with the application...We are disheartened at the fact that there are activists who are rising up to silence our voice on the Exodus iTunes platform...We want to ask that there would be fair and equal representation of religious belief on this platform as is already existing. We would like the spirit of diversity and tolerance that is so valued within the LGBT community."

Added Buchanan:

"Our message is to promote the love of Jesus Christ to all those who have been impacted by unwanted same-sex attractions. Really, the point of the application is to provide the material that is also on our website in a smartphone format. Nothing more and nothing less....We are helping those who have unwanted same-sex attractions. Those who are gay or identify themselves that way, in no way, shape or form are we trying to speak to their position or trying to impose anything upon them."

The American Psychological Association has concluded, in lengthy studies, that "ex-gay" therapy does not work, and is harmful. Truth Wins Out has a load of information on Exodus' damaging misinformation campaign.


Update: Apple sends controversial ‘gay cure’ app into exodus


Exodus International made news last week with the release of its self-titled application in Apple’s App Store. The organization billed the application as a resource for those looking to help cure themselves or someone else of homosexuality. Now the app is making news again, as Apple has pulled it from the App Store. Apple has been a quiet supporter of gay rights, and during the 2008 Proposition 8 campaign in California, the company issued the following statement: “Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights — including the right to marry — should not be affected by their sexual orientation.” The statement, which was made via its website, accompanied a $100,000 donation to the campaign opposing “Prop 8.”