Year In Review: Ex-Homosexual Ministry Leader: Brokeback Mountain May Be Tip of the Iceberg
December 26, 2006
(AgapePress) - - A former homosexual who now heads an international Christian ministry to individuals affected by homosexuality says movies such as the much touted mainstream media darling Brokeback Mountain are sending the wrong message to Americans about culture and sexuality.
Alan Chambers is president of Exodus International, an organization that includes the largest evangelical network of former homosexuals and that promotes the message to people struggling with unwanted same-sex desire that change from homosexuality is possible through the power of Jesus Christ. But while Exodus is offering hope based on scriptural truth, the ministry leader contends that movies like the homosexual "romance" Brokeback Mountain are fostering confusion and desperation.
"They don't point to the truth that homosexuality is a very difficult lifestyle," Chambers says. "It's one full of desperation and devastation and heartache. And the great thing is there are men and women who have overcome that lifestyle. That's something I wish was more talked about in the mainstream media."
It comes as no surprise to Chambers that the highly publicized film about two male sheepherders who meet and carry on an adulterous homosexual affair across 20 years has received four Golden Globes and was also named the Best Picture of 2005 by the Producers Guild of America. Brokeback Mountain is also being called a likely Oscar contender, and mainstream film critics have lavished the film with praise.
The president of Exodus International expects the film -- sometimes casually dubbed the "gay cowboy movie" in the press -- will usher in similar homosexually-themed projects. He says Hollywood will doubtless continue to push the boundaries of decency, and "certainly, we'll see movies that I think will cause Brokeback Mountain to pale in comparison to what might come down the pike."
Christians can and must fight back, Chambers asserts. "We in the evangelical community, the Christian community, even the pro-family community need to come out and support the movies that are family-friendly by going to see them," he says. "And we need to tell Hollywood that we don't want the others by sending the message that we're not going to pay for this, and we're not going to support it, and we're not going to allow you to bring it into our communities."
Exodus International has been in existence for 30 years and serves more than 400,000 people who contact the ministry for help each year. As the largest evangelical organization dealing with homosexual issues in the world today, Exodus is composed of more than 125 professional mental health and church-based member agencies across North America. Its expanding worldwide network of former homosexuals is made up of individuals who are dedicated to sharing the transforming power of Jesus Christ with those affected by unwanted same-sex attractions.
Today Alan Chambers, who left the homosexual lifestyle in 1991, is married with two children. In addition to serving as president of Exodus International, he is a guest speaker for Focus on the Family's Love Won Out Conference, a seminar that travels to six major cities each year to help participants gain understanding about the roots, causes, and social and spiritual implications of homosexuality.
