"Ex-Gay" Group Exodus In Financial Straits?

Exodus, an Orlando-based "ex-gay" and anti-gay Christian organization, claims that it is suffering from financial problems, reported Ex-Gay Watch in a Nov. 30 article.

The group recently held a secret meeting about fundraising and "how to keep Exodus International from social and financial oblivion." President Alan Chambers setup the conference where several prominent religious leaders, such as Gabe Lyons, attended. In addition, many laypeople that once supported the "ex-gay" movement but are now starting to change their views or are totally gay affirming were in attendance.

Ex-Gay Watch claims that it has noticed Exodus exhibiting signs of odd activity recently. Over the past few years, the group has cut its staff and lost important supporters.

In 2009, Exodus bought a building for around $1.1 Million. Ex-Gay Watch says that the value of the property must have significantly decreased over the last three years. The website also reports that Exodus spent $200,000 of their savings in 2010 alone.

First person accounts tell Ex-Gay Watch that the meeting held by Chambers was not to change their philosophy on gay-rights but how to make the organization more "donor accessible." Chambers says he wants to re-brand Exodus so those who have money to spare as well as the general public will donate funds to the group.

Ex-Gay Watch expects Chambers to make announcements about Exodus' financial situation and their re-branding strategies during the Exodus Leadership Conference in January.

Another reason why the website believes Exodus is enduring money woes is because of the general public's view of homosexuality. Even members from other "ex-gay" groups have announced that being gay is not a disease.

John Smid, a leader of the "ex-gay" group Love in Action, recently admitted that "curing" homosexuality will result in failure, EDGE reported in an Oct. 17, article.

Smid also admitted that he is a gay man who remains gay despite being married to a woman.

"One cannot repent of something that is unchangeable," Smid wrote in his blog.

"I also want to reiterate here that the transformation for the vast majority of homosexuals will not include a change of sexual orientation. Actually I've never met a man who experienced a change from homosexual to heterosexual," Smid added.

The LGBT media was thrilled by the announcement. Daily Kos posted an article saying, "The good news is that someone who was at the core of the ex-gay movement has changed his mind and publicly admitted what the non-Evangelical part of the nation knew from the start."