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Christian Leader With Same-Sex Attraction Has 'Mixed Feelings' on Exodus Apology
Christian Post ^ | 06/21/2013 | By Michael Gryboski

Posted on 06/21/2013 6:57:43 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

A notable Christian leader with same-sex attraction says that he holds "mixed feelings" about the recent shutting down of Exodus International and the apology issued to the LGBTQ community by its president.

Christopher Yuan, pastor and author of Out of a Far Country: A Gay Son's Journey to God, A Broken Mother's Search for Hope, provided The Christian Post with a statement on Friday regarding the news.

"I have never experienced reparative therapy, re-orientation counseling or Exodus support groups. I cannot speak personally about the effectiveness or harm of such methodologies," said Yuan.

"However, I do know of Christ's atoning love that radically changed my life. I do know of a changed life living not according to my proclivities, but according to His standard. I do know of a changed life from a drug addict to someone who has been sober for over a decade."

Earlier this week, Exodus International's board of directors voted unanimously to shut down the 37-year-old ministry that has reached out to those struggling with same-sex attraction.

"We're not negating the ways God used Exodus to positively affect thousands of people, but a new generation of Christians is looking for change – and they want to be heard," said Exodus board member Tony Moore in a statement.

The decision came the day after Alan Chambers, president of Exodus, released an apology to the LGBTQ community for the pain his organization has caused them.

"I have heard many firsthand stories from people called ex-gay survivors. Stories of people who went to Exodus affiliated ministries or ministers for help only to experience more trauma," said Chambers, who led Exodus since 2001. He specifically apologized for the "pain and hurt" many experienced and for promoting "sexual orientation change efforts and reparative theories."

The married father of two – who openly admits to still having same-sex attraction but does not identify as gay – indicated that he still holds to the biblical belief that homosexuality is a sin, but he stressed in his apology that he will exercise his beliefs "with great care and respect for those who do not share them."

"You have never been my enemy. I am very sorry that I have been yours," he stated. "I hope the changes in my own life, as well as the ones we announce tonight regarding Exodus International, will bring resolution, and show that I am serious in both my regret and my offer of friendship."

Yuan told CP that he supported the fact that Exodus International "no longer promotes orientation change." Exodus distanced itself from reparative therapy last summer, announcing that the organization would no longer employ methods aimed at "curing" same-sex attraction and instead focus more on discipleship.

"Although God does not bless homosexual sex or same-sex romantic relations, heterosexuality should not be the goal," said Yuan.

"Holiness is our standard and we all are called to be holy whether we have heterosexual or homosexual feelings. Holiness with reference to our sexuality means one of two things. If you are married, complete faithfulness to your spouse of the opposite sex. Or if you are single, complete faithfulness through abstinence."

Exodus' latest announcement was hailed by LGBT advocacy organizations, which view reparative therapy for homosexuality as "junk science."

"We hope that this will be the first of many organizations to abandon this harmful practice," said Heidi Beirich, director of the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project. "The fact is, conversion therapy is a fraud. The only things that need converting are the attitudes of those who continue to promote this junk science."

The National Association of Research & Therapy of Homosexuality, meanwhile, released a statement noting that the ministries that comprised Exodus International will remain in operation and that NARTH itself will still "meet with the many individuals seeking help for their desire to manage or diminish their unwanted homosexual attractions."

"NARTH continues to affirm that the experience of thousands of clients with unwanted homosexual attraction and the licensed therapists who serve them demonstrates that trained, experienced, and ethical professional clinicians play a vital role in successful treatment processes," reads the statement.

NARTH also noted that unlike Exodus International it is not a faith-based entity and looks toward scientific treatments for those with unwanted homosexual attraction.

Yuan believes that the ultimate message of this news should be that while human endeavors inevitably end Jesus Christ remains.

"Ministries will come and go. Local churches will come and go. People will come and go. But our hope should never be in any of these things," said Yuan.

"Our hope must be in the Rock, Jesus Christ. Something that will never change is the Good News of Jesus Christ. And it is this Good News which radically transforms death to life, darkness to light. It is this Good News that has and continues to transform me."

Here is a related video about Christopher Yuan:

CLICK ABOVE LINK FOR THE VIDEO


TOPICS: Evangelical Christian; Moral Issues; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: christian; exodus; gay; homosexualagenda; homosexuality; pastor; sin

1 posted on 06/21/2013 6:57:43 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind
Mat 18:9
And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast [it] from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

2 posted on 06/21/2013 7:01:04 PM PDT by RoosterRedux (Obama's Chechens are coming home...to roost.)
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To: SeekAndFind

I despise this disgusting use of the word “community”. Notice how whenever there’s a leftist voting bloc, it becomes a “community”. You might imagine homosexuals all living together in a rainbow munchkin village or something. Is there a necrophile “community”? I guess this would be some sort of graveyard village. Who the hell knows?

Have you ever heard of the ‘smokers community’ or the ‘autistic community’ or the ‘yoga community’? Why don’t we all just divide ourselves into nice little communities and then lobby for crap we want, which in the homosexual “community”’s case is access to schools and forced compliance from the general population.


3 posted on 06/21/2013 7:17:58 PM PDT by Viennacon
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To: SeekAndFind

**A notable Christian leader with same-sex attraction **

cymoron alert!

How can a notable Christian be attracted to homosexuality?


4 posted on 06/21/2013 7:23:20 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation
cymoron oxymoron alert!
5 posted on 06/21/2013 7:25:10 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation

I beg to differ. I would simply state “MORON ALERT”


6 posted on 06/21/2013 7:29:50 PM PDT by RightWingNut
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To: RightWingNut

This guy is haunted.

He sounds very caring, and it sounds like his compassion has been used against him.

Better to shut down than continue.


7 posted on 06/21/2013 8:00:47 PM PDT by KittenClaws ( You may have to fight a battle more than once in order to win it." - Margaret Thatcher)
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To: Salvation

Just what is a cymoron?

Half robot, half moron?

(cyborg = cybernetic organism)


8 posted on 06/21/2013 8:32:41 PM PDT by scrabblehack
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To: Salvation

The temptation isn’t the sin.

Even Christ was tempted.


9 posted on 06/21/2013 8:33:49 PM PDT by chesley (Vast deserts of political ignorance makes liberalism possible - James Lewis)
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To: chesley

Thank you.


10 posted on 06/21/2013 8:42:19 PM PDT by rabidralph (http://www.cafepress.com/westernwis)
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To: RightWingNut

I’ve actually met Christopher Yuan and his mother when they visited our church. And as KittenClaws remarked, he is indeed very caring, and I would add, an outstanding individual. He was deeply involved in the gay lifestyle for many years, and spent time in prison for drug dealing. His mother never gave up praying for him, and while in prison, miraculously, he became a follower of Christ. His life was transformed, that is, he has been able to resist the gay lifestyle, however he never lost his attraction to men. It’s an amazing story but very sad as well.


11 posted on 06/21/2013 9:22:26 PM PDT by Corpus_Delicious
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To: Salvation
How can a notable Christian be attracted to homosexuality?

He simply struggles with sin...just like the rest of us.

12 posted on 06/21/2013 9:51:08 PM PDT by randog (Tap into America!)
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To: randog; Salvation

Exactly so - why would anyone be confused that a human is tempted by sin?


13 posted on 06/21/2013 9:57:40 PM PDT by Hegewisch Dupa
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To: Corpus_Delicious

Jesus said those who commit adultery were not to marry again. I guess it’s like being an alcoholic. Also, sexual predators are never “cured” either. Jesus becomes all.


14 posted on 06/21/2013 10:46:21 PM PDT by huldah1776
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To: Viennacon

Yes, so by implication, there is a “burglar community,” and a “pedophile community.”

Don’t we all feel better now?


15 posted on 06/22/2013 4:35:43 AM PDT by fwdude ( You cannot compromise with that which you must defeat.)
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To: Salvation
Of course a Christian --- even a Christian leader --- can experience same-sex attraction. It constitutes to them a temptation and a trial. Just like your disordered appetites of one kind or another are a cross to you, Salvation.

And I can say that without fear of being found in the wrong, because we all have disordered appetites. That's a universal condition called concupiscence. Follow that keyword in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

I could tell you about MY disordered appetites, but it would take too long. :o|

16 posted on 06/22/2013 7:51:40 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("In Christ we form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." Romans 12:5)
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To: rabidralph; RightWingNut; KittenClaws; chesley
You may be interested in this at #16.
17 posted on 06/22/2013 7:55:50 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("In Christ we form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." Romans 12:5)
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To: KittenClaws

Valid therapy or not, the very existence of the organization was a thorn in the side of progressives. I somehow suspect Mr. Chambers may have been “persuaded” to shut down out of fear for his own reputation, that he wasn’t exactly walking his own talk. That is the way progressives operate, even more aggressively emboldened under the Obama administration.

If so a public confession is in order, not retreating from the public eye.


18 posted on 06/22/2013 8:03:32 AM PDT by RegulatorCountry
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To: SeekAndFind

Homo and lib activists are having a field day with this announcement. They’re going to milk it for all it’s worth to convince people they “can’t change” and push for more special rights.


19 posted on 06/22/2013 12:09:17 PM PDT by oohebo
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