Apple has pulled the Exodus International app from their iTunes App Store.
Recently, Jeff Buchanan, Exodus International’s Senior Director of Church Equipping & Student Ministries, told The Christian Post, “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.”
Katherine T. Phan reports for The Christian Post, “Over 107,477 people have petitioned Apple to remove the Exodus app from the iTunes store. The petition, launched by Truth Wins Out, a LGBT rights group, calls Exodus’ message ‘hateful’ and ‘bigoted.’ On Monday, Truth Wins Out, whose name is a play on words of Exodus’ Love Won Out conferences, urged more people to sign its petition.”
In addition to releasing a video on why Apple should remove the app, the LGBT rights group also pledged to continue pressuring Apple until the app is removed, even promising to hold a press conference featuring victims of ‘ex-gay’ programs in front of the company’s offices if their demands are not met,” Phan reports. “We are disheartened at the fact that there are activists who are rising up to silence our voice on the Exodus iTunes platform,” said Buchanan. “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.”
The non-defunct link to the app via Apple’s iTunes App Store was here.
Related articles:
Over 100,000 sign petition demanding Apple pull ‘ex-gay’ app from iTunes App Store – March 21, 2011
Petition calls for Apple to pull ‘ex-gay’ app from iTunes App Store – March 18, 2011
If gays were born gay then every identical twin of a gay would be gay. But they’re not. Ergo: it’s not genetic. It’s really that simple.
wow. Nice biology lesson. You know there is more to our makeup than genetics. There are chemical balances and hormones that make up for a TON of our instincts and behaviors.
of course. and there are such things as choices.
some people are born with a genetic dispostion to alcoholism. however, they can still choose whether or not to be an alcoholic.
men, generally, are born to with a desire to have sex with every pretty woman they see. however, they can choose whether or not to act out on that impulse.
but the issue here isn’t about choice. the issue here is one of tolerance. the homosexual community want all of their behavioural predilections tolerated by the heterosexual community but do not wish to extend the same grace to the hetersexual and the non-practicing homosexual community.
that is unacceptable in an open society that wishes to be egalitarian.
i don’t know any homosexuals who are trying to make heterosexuals give up their straight lifestyle.
What she’s saying is that the genetic argument that gay activists have been trumpeting for 20 years was completely wrong and flawed.
And by the way, when is this religious group going to release an app that offers to cure women of their PMS… that shit gets old month after month… “I’m happy! I’m angry! I’m sad! I’m crazy!” Ugh… I wish women would just choose to be normal.
Sorry Tina May, but there are identical twins that are of the opposite sex. If you can have boy, girl twins then you can have gat, straight twins.
You lose.
Gay, straight twins. You know, typing on a physical keyboard after using iOS is a pain in the butt, no pun intended.
Identical twins of the opposite sex? Do you know the difference between identical and fraternal twins? Clearly not, but I’m not going to take the time to explain it.
You clearly have no idea what “identical” means.
Then how do you explain the fact that if one identical twin is gay then the other twin is gay 50% of the time? The statistical probability of a gay child is about 5%. 50% is SLIGHTLY more than 5%, right? Just because the answer isn’t 100% doesn’t mean you can disregard the SCIENTIFIC data. Ergo: genetics play a huge role in determining sexual orientation. It’s really that simple.
David, time for you to go back to school. Gay activists have been saying that homosexuality is genetically determined. If that were the case, it would be 100%. Genetics only play a “huge” role if it were 100%. 50% means at best, inconclusive. Meaning, stop trying to make conclusions that aren’t there.
Another reason to boycott Apple, and a fascist, closed platform device
This is why I will NEVER buy an apple product. Besides being stupidly overpriced, Apple gets to play censor and promote a PC-correct agenda and quietly promote aberrant ‘lifestyles.’ So glad I left the corporate cubile way of living – no more mandatory ‘diversity’ training B.S.
microsoft actively supports gay rights with millions of dollars, as do pepsi, home depot et al.
my recommendation is to purchase the product that best suits your needs and love your neighbour to the saving grace of God.
there we go. Thanks.
How can any one claim this action is not motivated by intolerance, bigotry & christophobic hatefulness. Will the level of intolerance described in the story below find it’s way to America? With Apple leading the way, it may. “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”-George Orwell. Newspeak anyone? To give a single example – The word free still existed in Newspeak, but could only be used in such statements as “The dog is free from lice” or “This field is free from weeds.” It could not be used in its old sense of “politically free” or “intellectually free,” since political and intellectual freedom no longer existed even as concepts, and were therefore of necessity nameless. ” Irony, sweet irony.
http://www.persecution.org/2011/03/10/disappointment-after-prime-minister-of-uk-favors-ruling-against-christian-foster-care-ruling/
Don’t look now, Comscout, but you are an animal. You certainly aren’t a vegetable or a mineral. Seems to me you are more equal than the horse you ride upon.
i didn’t know that preventing Christians from curtailing the free rights of others was “Christophobia.”
@Rotten Apple
If this is the way you feel, why on Earth are you reading this site? Simply to troll?
i would just suggest that those who don’t like apple’s and the homosexuals community let apple know that they won’t be buying an iphone any time soon.
if heterosexuals are to be expected to tolerate the message / applications from homosexuals, then homosexuals should be expected to tolerate the message / applications provided by heterosexuals. one would think that would be reasonable.
Do me a favor and don’t buy the iPhone 5, so my non asshole friends and I can get ours faster.
For a non asshole you sure act and sound like an intolerant asshole.
simple enough…someone start a petition to keep it available. the way the lib society works is ‘it’ (fill in the blank) can not exist if they do not agree with it.
Its pretty crappy about Apple pulling the app. Gays are pretty sad they want us to accept there
way of life on their terms. Why are there voices
heard over everyones elses. Apple cares about
the bottomline and nothing else. Apple better wake up.
terms and to hell with the
rest of us.
gays have been excepting your way of life for centuries. Quit bitching.
damn it. *accepting
Homosexuals wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for heterosexuality. Show some respect.
Because “praying the gay away” is religious BS. Apple is under no obligation to promote anyone’s agenda… or do you think they should give the green light to apps from the KKK?
Articles of faith for the gay community …
1) We are born this way.
2) It’s genetic.
3) It can’t be changed.
4) We demand acceptance.
Go against any of these articles of faith at your own risk.
It’s more than faith, after all, we know ourselves and how we are far better than you do, quite obviously.
So, to fix your stupid comments:
1) Yes, we are born this way, which seems far more logical than that generation after generation for thousands of years people would make that choice
2) We don’t necessarily say it’s genetic, we don’t know, but we’re sure we’re born this way, however it happens
3) Can you change from being (I suppose) straight to being gay? No? Then how do you expect gay people to change? Given that they’re just as gay as you are supposedly straight.
4) We demand equality before the law. I personally don’t give a flying f… if bigots accept me or not.
So yes, go against this logic or be prepared to be shot down logically for the foolish argument you are.
An honest question: Is it possible that all the outraged folks above were (very successfully) trolled by the original poster, and the other various posters fanning the flames thereafter?
In time, there will be a group saying that sex with horses is love and that they didn’t choose to be that way. They will demand their rights and acceptance. The gays will say that marriage should only be between two human beings and the animal lovers will call them bigots and zooophobes. Time marches on. Things tend towards chaos. There will be parades with horses and people dressed up in all forms of harnesses, whips, and feathers as they show their pride.
That sounds very Gayquestrian to me.
Well, that is a horse of a different color.
Nag, nag, nag.
Slippery slope arguments are EVER SO MUCH FUN!
So we shouldn’t have allowed interracial marriage because it might lead to gay marriage 60 years later, right? One thing has absolutely nothing to do with the other. Just like your lame analogy.
Evidently Apple is responding to a revelation about Exodus.
Apple is responding to gay political agendas.
So does any group that tries to secure equal rights for themselves have an “agenda” for the right to oppose?
Here is what God says…about the issue of Sodomy…our views don’t really matter. This also applies to so-called “christian homosexuals” [sic] as well…
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. ” (Romans 1:18–32, KJV 1900)
Here is what [my opinion about a translation of an ancient text, with context lost and words no longer understood] God [is purported by me to] say…
There, fixed that for you.
Incidentally, other people equally strong in their Christian faith, if not in fact stronger faith than yours, disagree with you. Who are we supposed to believe?
Ron,
ancient text? context lost?words no longer understood?
Are you serious with that? that is the lamest, most childish thing(though not that uncommon)Ii have ever heard to try and stick your head in the sand, and hope it all goes away. last time i checked, mortality rates were at 100% ,and your gambling big time.
Yes, I’m serious with that. Unlike you, I have actually studied this. The meaning of words of changed so substantially since these texts were supposedly written that it’s an entire study just to determine what THEY meant at the time. Also, you do realize most of what is being translated, was written hundreds of years AFTER the events supposedly took place.
Just because people die does not make the bible true, or the word of god, or that there is a god, or any other lame non-sequitur. Talk about a lame, childish argument! I would have understood the error of your argument at 5 years old.
True Christians follow the actual scriptures. The fact that some that call themselves Christians but still disagree with the actual scriptures says more about those sort being wrong and misinformed.
Yep. And isn’t it wonderful that God does the convicting and judging so that you don’t have to? It’s such a relief that I don’t have to try to “save” everyone because the only thing Christ asked us to do is love one another. And thank God for that.
God has judged homosexuality as a sin and an abomination. Are you sure you are a Christian. God also stated that his followers were to judge righteously. God also said that we should be wise and informed on manners of judgement. And God said that his followers would even judge angels.
But **I DON’T BELIEVE THAT.** And that belief is not fixed in our Constitution. We have freedom of religion, which means that if I want to follow atheistic precepts, I can. It also means that laws should not be passed which curtail the rights of any particular group for religious reasons. So until you can go found Jesusland somewhere, as long as you’re in America, you’ll just have to put up with freedom…even for the people you don’t like.
If the app isn’t spewing hate, I don’t see what the problem is. If I was hateful anti-gay it definitely should be pulled, no question. As far as the cure thing goes, no more than you can “cure” a heterosexual to be gay, you can’t do the reverse either. So just ignore the app. as silly and worthless.
There goes someones First Amendment Rights to those who scream the loudest. I am non religious and in fact anti religious. I know a lot of Gay people and really do not care what your sexual orientation is. I am also a Republican and a Conservative. But shutting people up who you do not agree with (I do not agree with them either) is just wrong and unconstitutional. Its pathetic that Apple caved.
All of this is very interesting, but beside the point. Why on earth can’t gay or straight people purchase whatever apps they want?
When I heard about “Grindr” I was appalled, but I didn’t petition Apple to remove it from their store. People should be able to buy it if they chose to do so. The same is true for the Exodus International app. If you disagree with their views, don’t buy the app. If there is a market for it and no laws are violated, the app should stay on the market.
The way I see it, Apple has every right to sell it or sell it, or not sell it. If they feel that any this product violates any of their corporate values, I have no problem with them pulling it, but it’s disappointing to see them limit the freedom of their customers to purchase whatever apps they chose to.
The big contradiction here is that the LGBT community seems to be all for limiting people’s freedom in this case… as long as the freedom their limiting is not their own. Does that honestly make any sense at all?
And MDN generates lots of clicks which will help its advertising income which was the purpose of this article.
MDN regularly removes posts of which it doesn’t approve.
Apple is doing the same thing.
If the app was free, Apple was effectively paying for someone to host an app that was at opposites to their own policies, given that the COO is gay. If they were making money from it, it would just about be understandable to continue hosting the app (although I would be disappointed); but they’re not.
if Exodus want to spread their message, they can write an app for other less discerning platforms or deliver the content as an HTML5 site.
There is no constitutional right to have our app hosted on Apple’s dime.
Of course, these protesters will then attempt to pressure Exodus’ ISP to shut down their site. Or perhaps go to other ISPs to get *them* to block Exodus’ domain name. Heck, they could also go to Google and ask them to not index the Exodus site, China-style, so nobody can find it.
Give an inch to anyone with strong anti-free-speech inclinations, and they’ll go the whole nine yards to shut up anyone who disagrees with them.
And lest you think I’m picking sides, I detest this kind of behavior from all sides, regardless of who it’s coming from. Why do you think there’s so much pressure to set up a national domain blocking system? Because all the anti-free-speech extremists are hoping they can get an “in” with those in power, and have some say in what gets blocked – in whose speech they get to stifle.
If you truly believe in free speech, you have to defend even the speech of those you vehemently disagree with. Otherwise, the “free” speech you believe in is about as “free” as Google is “open”. 😉
Oh, what a tragedy. Where will gays go now to
learn how to be straight.
A note to the mentally challenged : this is sarcasm 🙂
The only problem is that the gay community wants their freedom of speech. Well so does the anti-gay community. Why stifle one to satisfy the other. Let the app be freely available and let users decide if they want it. The gay community should try to be a little more tolerant of heterosexuals.
Oh yeah. Being gay is immoral depending on who you ask. Why is one person’s opinion more valid than another’s?
If God created two males and two females and the two males hooked up and the two females hooked up, the human race wouldn’t exist. So really, as far as continuing our species goes, homosexuality is ineffective and goes against nature. But if we’re evolving into a race of depraved loud mouths, I’m happy that homosexuals can’t reproduce. Eventually the world will go back to normal when the homosexual populace dies out. Not that I’m hoping for that or anything. Some of my best friends are gay. =)
It sounds as if Apple and LGBT engaged in an effort to deprive, select individuals first amendment rights. I find the extreme left and right in this country, very intolerant.
The app is a resource app that pulled in many of our online resources including blog posts, announcements, event information and even a powerful article against bullying.
Also, we do not label ourselves “ex-gay” but identify as Christians who have had or have same sex attractions. Our goal is to live out our lives congruent with our faith. Exodus is here to help those with similar beliefs to do the same.
It’s a shame that Apple caved but rest assured, the reality of our lives, beliefs and message will continue to boldly and lovingly go forward.
Same sex attractions? You make it sound like you’ve got a crush on the 6th grade math teacher. Homosexuality is a sexual orientation. You cannot change it. You cannot pray it away. Telling teens to push aside their sexual feelings until they have no sexual feeling for anyone is mentally damaging and abusive. You shouldn’t have to destroy your life just to please your chosen God. I thought God made everything, and doesn’t make mistakes? That would include gay people.
Just because a whole bunch of people repeat the statement that “sexual orientation can’t be changed” over and over again for twenty odd years doesn’t actually make it true.
Everyone is missing the point entirely. Everyone talks around in circles but never gets at the heart of the problem.The bible says homosexuality is a sin, amongst many other sins. Therefore Christians….as followers of Jesus Christ…proclaim what the bible says. They are not our words, they are Gods. If you have any question about it, ask God. He made it extraordinarily clear in his Word. Having said that, homosexuality is just one sin among many that are committed everyday , ie anger, rage malice, slander, hatred, envy, lust, greed…and the list goes on. Sin as sin. He hates sin….all of it, and commands all of us to turn away from it(meaning to stop doing it…). Its real easy to compare yourself to what others are doing. Compare yourself to the perfect righteousness and holiness of God. As with any other sin, Christians are called to love people wherever they are and encourage Gods truth to be lived in out their lives…and this is the same with homosexuality. It is very simple. Because we are helpless to turn away from sin on our own, we need Jesus Christ to be our payment for sin. Only then can we stand before God and be judged not guilty.
May I, as a nonbeliever, choose to engage in legal and non-coercive sex with anyone who chooses to do the same with me, without the Government stepping in and barring that or punishing it? This is AMERICA, not Jesusland.
We don’t do “ex-gay therapy.” The app is a resource app that pulled in many of our online resources including blog posts, announcements, event information and even a powerful article against bullying.
Also, we do not label ourselves “ex-gay” but identify as Christians who have had or have same sex attractions. Our goal is to live out our lives congruent with our faith. Exodus is here to help those with similar beliefs to do the same.
It’s a shame that Apple caved but rest assured, the reality of our lives, beliefs and message will continue to boldly and lovingly go forward.
There are no apps on the AppStore that convinces Christians to feel they belong to a sick religion and that they should repent or give up their religion. Any such app would be rejected. Same case with the Exodus Int’l app. I looked at its content and it says (in videos) that homosexuals are sick in the heart and need to change their ways. That’s why this app has been taken down.
Shameful for the people of Exodus to have opinions about things. I disagree with them! Burn them at the stake!
There are many left leaning news and blog apps that often bash Christian beliefs.
Which ones?
Wow! Talk about bullying!
Wow! GLBT’s intolerance is just as ugly as everybody else’s.
So much for “open-mindedness”.
Give me a break. If there were an app that told you that you were immoral because of your sexual orientation, and that you needed to pretend to be gay in order to please your God, how would that make you feel? Do you think that would be good advice for teens to hear?
How about an app that tells teens to place leeches on their eyes to help their vision. Does that get a thumbs up from Apple? Or is it only intolerance if you don’t accept everyone’s religious beliefs?
Oh, the poor teens! We can’t expose them to anything but the prevailing notions on sexuality from the LBGTQ because anything else that what they say would be hateful and intolerant. Not that the average teenager is smart enough to make up his or her own mind.
Duh, winning!