This past November 16th, Alan Chambers the devout non-gay President of ex-gay group Exodus International held a secret meeting to figure out how to keep the group financially afloat. Can we look forward to bidding one of the world’s largest anti-gay groups goodbye?
An attendee of the secret meeting spoke with Ex-Gay Watch’s David Roberts, who then double-checked the attendee’s claims to provide this insider’s look as just how hard up Chambers and Exodus are for funds:
The past couple of years have seen Exodus cut it’s staff, lose key alliances, and suffer from a general moderation in American views toward homosexuality. So… they have increased efforts abroad where there exists less formal opposition to their message — that living a gay affirming life is sinful, wrong and unhealthy, and change is the only way to truly please God.
Three years ago, Exodus purchased a building for a little over $1.1 Million… and it’s value must have decreased significantly since… [plus,] debt service for that building must be a great draw on their meager resources. According to IRS documents, they burned through $200,000 of their savings in 2010 alone… If they continue on their current trajectory, there seems little doubt that Exodus will fold in the near future.
… [At the meeting] Chambers… posed the question, “how can we save Exodus?”… [but] this plea does not seem to be based on any deep, inner change of heart or ideology… The emphasis was on how to make Exodus more “donor accessible.”…
Chamber’s apparently wishes to “re-brand” Exodus into something more palatable to those with funds to give, and the general public alike… Chambers said that “everything is on the table… [including] the possibility of his resignation… This… is their last resort, their “Hail Mary” so to speak—they’ve tried everything else. Indeed, it seems certain that Chambers would have made pleas to anyone he knew with money before taking this drastic action… Exodus is an organization fumbling for a solution.
Exodus has long been strapped for cash and struggling to remain culturally relevant—New Zealand revoked their charity status, Apple yanked their iPhone app and we doubt their youth marketing campaign has gone very well either; especially since one of Exodus’ founders said not too long ago that ex-gay therapy just plain out doesn’t work.
Roberts says that the group will undoubtedly have to make some statement about its future at the Exodus Leadership Conference in January 2012. Expect to hear about their “kinder, friendlier” brand of medically discredited mental abuse.
bagooka
Who would donate anything to this nasty old hate group?
DJ Veno
Not our gay ass *Snap* Hope they fall apart, hateful ass people.
FreddyMertz
Nope..spent it all on Vodka.
Cam
A bigoted organization struggling not to die. They need to take a look at the KKK. Their attempts to call themselves a charity a few decades ago didn’t fool anybody either.
I won't grow up
Maybe they will apply for a government bail-out like GM and Chrysler.
Chad
If the are doing god’s work, then maybe god should help them out….
xander
Perhaps NOM will be next in line to be shuttered?
When Exodus closes, I’d love to to get my hands on their computers to see what’s on the hard-drives.
Hyhybt
If only we could donate extra debt!
B
No. 6 · Chad wrote, “If the are doing god’s work, then maybe god should help them out….”
Reminds me of a cartoon I saw – a hapless guy talking to “God” hidden in the clouds:
“Is it true that a million years to you is like a second?”
“Yes”
“And a million dollars like a penny?”
“Yes”
“Could I have a penny?”
“Wait a second.”
LandStander
@B: LOL
B
No. 7 · xander said, “When Exodus closes, I’d love to to get my hands on their computers to see what’s on the hard-drives.”
Names of sex-starved guys or the gay porn the Exodus people are probably looking at all day long? Or just email rants as they go from the exoneration of the guilty to the punishment of the innocent?