Day of Truth EventForeword:
Joining forces to reach more students
February 23, 2009
Orlando, FL- Two Christian organizations are teaming up to empower youth to express their views on sexuality by co-sponsoring this year's annual Day of Truth event held April 20 on high school campuses nationwide. Exodus International, a ministry that helps those affected by same-sex attraction to live a life that reflects their biblical beliefs and Alliance Defense Fund, a legal support organization, are co-sponsoring the event this year and are hoping for a record turnout that will continue ongoing dialogue on issues surrounding faith and sexuality.
Exodus International is a hate organization with the political goal to publicly define same-gender attraction as a choice, thus negating any need for equal rights for LGBT persons in regard to housing and employment discrimination, to hate crimes protections, etc. They do this by characterizing gay persons as child molesters to being responsible for the Holocaust, and vocally oppose any and all legislation that would result in the equal treatment of LGBT persons under the law.
The Alliance Defense Fund, in the context of “Day of Truth” and many other situations, exists for the opportunistic attempt to seek out incidences of resistance to any expression of (mostly) anti-gay hate messages, such as those of Exodus International, in the effort to sue on the basis of religious discrimination:
Call 1-800-TELL-ADF, and be prepared to give your name, the name of your school, and the names of officials that required you to stop. If you are under the age of 18, we will also need to talk to your parents to get their permission to help you.For more information, this is an excellent report on the anti-gay political aspirations of Exodus International.
Most importantly, all of this is in response to the Day of Silence.
What is the Day of Silence®?So in essence, we have Exodus International, teamed up with the Alliance Defense Fund, objecting to raising awareness -- via Day of Silence -- about harassment and bullying directed toward LGBT students, by further fomenting hatred for LGBT students in the name of “religious freedom.”
The Day of Silence, a project of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), is a student-led day of action when concerned students, from middle school to college, take some form of a vow of silence to bring attention to the name-calling, bullying and harassment -- in effect, the silencing -- experienced by LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) students and their allies.Lance Bass PSA for Day of Silence
On with the goods.
Their “Day of Truth” link above, then leads to the main DOT page, which leads to, among others, option #4 - Prepare - the resources you need, - which then leads to no less than 18 hyperlinked documents/articles etc., most of them PDF’s:
Day of Truth manual (.pdf)From the very first link: "Day of Truth manual (.pdf) Enclosed are many ideas and suggestions for how the Day of Truth can have the maximum impact at your school."
Enclosed are many ideas and suggestions for how the Day of Truth can have the maximum impact at your school.
Common questions about the Day of Truth (.pdf) (or visit this page)
Find answers to some of the most common questions you might have about participating in the upcoming Day of Truth.
Hostile questions about the Day of Truth (.pdf) (or visit this page)
You may encounter some hostile questions while participating in the Day of Truth. These tips will help you better address those questions.
Day of Truth PowerPoint
Use this PowerPoint presentation to promote the Day of Truth.
Day of Truth snapshot (.pdf)
A quick overview of the Day of Truth to share with friends and classmates.
Day of Truth press release (.doc)
Download this sample press release if you are interested in contacting the media about the Day of Truth.
Student Rights Handbook
This handbook is a helpful guide for Christian students around the country.
LEGAL RESOURCES
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Day of Truth legal rights memo (.pdf)
Helpful tips in understanding your legal rights.
Adult involvement in the Day of Truth (.pdf)
While the Day of Truth is meant to be a student-led, student-initiated event, there are things that parents, youth pastors, and other concerned adults can do to get involved.
Teacher involvement in the Day of Truth (.pdf)
Learn about the ways that teachers can participate in the Day of Truth.
SOCIAL, RESOURCE AND MINISTRY RESOURCES
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Tolerance, Diversity and the Freedom to to Choose
Focus on the Family examines the true meaning of tolerance.
The End of the Culture Wars (.pdf)
This resource, provided by Exodus, talks about the true meaning of tolerance.
Gender and Sexuality: Fluid or Solid? (.pdf)
Exodus' Mike Ensley shares the Truth about "fluid" sex and gender.
Homosexuality Isn't the Answer (.pdf)
Mike Ensley, with Exodus, explains how his personal experiences revealed the Truth: homesexuality isn't the answer.
Sex and Gender (.pdf)
This resource, provided by Exodus, discusses God's plan for sexuality.
What if I'm Still Struggling? (.pdf)
Exodus' Mike Ensley shatters the lies, and shares how God's plan is best.
Homosexuality FAQ sheet (.pdf)
This resource, provided by Exodus, answers some common questions about homosexuality.
The ten big myths of homosexual behavior (.pdf)
This resource, provided by Mission America, explains the truth behind common myths about homosexual behavior.
From the very first paragraph of that link:
Welcome to the Day of Truth® student manual. On behalf of the thousands of faculty and students who oppose the promotion of homosexual behavior, we’re pleased to welcome you to the team that will take a bold stand for God’s truth.“On behalf of the thousands of faculty and students who oppose the promotion of homosexual behavior”
“who oppose the promotion of homosexual behavior”
“homosexual behavior”
“behavior”
And there we have the “Day Of Truth” goal of Exodus international and the Alliance Defense Fund; to promote the notion that same-sex attraction and gender identity are nothing more than “behaviors.”
Thus promoting the notion that LGBT students are nothing more than aberrant behaviors.
From the second form:
Common questions about the Day of Truth (.pdf) (or visit this page)Question #1:
Find answers to some of the most common questions you might have about participating in the upcoming Day of Truth.
What is the Day of Truth?Thus, the LGBT, or perceived to be LGBT students who are being harassed and bullied, are now part of the infamous “homosexual agenda.” That same one that’s bent on destroying civilization as we know it. Thus, the LGBT victims are now the real threat.
The Day of Truth was established to counter the promotion of the homosexual agenda and express an opposing viewpoint from a Christian perspective.
And finally (at least as far as this post goes)…
The End of the Culture Wars (.pdf) This resource, provided by Exodus, talks about the true meaning of tolerance.It starts…
For too long, issues like homosexuality and abortion have gotten so divisive that healthy, honest debate has gone out the window and people feel pressured to choose between one of two polar opposites--neither of which seems quite right. In the end, people end up misunderstanding, hating and attacking one another.Oh be still my beating heart, that sounds so reasonable. But what if that belief you don’t agree with is the definition of hatred?
[and:]
“It doesn't mean labeling a belief you don't agree with as hatred so you don't have to deal with it.”
“Tolerance means we can respectfully express our differences, but then put them aside and cooperate on the things we can agree on, like safety, fair treatment, and kindness.”
But as shown above, we don’t agree on safety, fair treatment, and kindness.
“agree on safety”
Exodus Urges Congress to Stop Hate Crime LegislationA bald faced lie. Visible on their very website - as though you can prosecute a belief.
Alan Chambers, President of Exodus International, said, “Hate crimes legislation does not prosecute illegal actions that harm others, it prosecutes beliefs about homosexuality that for many Americans, is consistent with their faith.”
They don’t seem to have any problem with hate crime legislation itself, just when sexual orientation is about to be added to it. In fact, hate crime legislation already provides for religious belief.
Hate crimes legislation deals with physical violence, and if you, Exodus International, are against any deterrent to that, then there’s no “agree on safety” to speak of.
“fair treatment”
From the ACLU:
From Exodus:
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) offers Congress the opportunity to ensure workplace equality by protecting LGBT workers from employment discrimination. ENDA…would ban employment discrimination based on an individual's sexual orientation [or gender identity]. The bill protects workers from discriminatory hiring, firing, promotion or compensation practices, as well as retaliation for reporting such practices.
Exodus has been on record as opposing the redefinition of marriage, the use of hate crimes legislation to suppress freedom of conscience and religious liberty as well as ENDA, the corporate version of hate crimes. ENDA is another example of the state forcing a state sanctioned sexual morality at the expense of religious liberty.And…
Randy Thomas [VP of Exodus]: To pass ENDA, and create a protected class – and I’m not black, and I’m not a woman, and I’ve never been a woman – but I do respect civil rights. I do respect Dr. King, and for ENDA and hate crimes legislation, to create–a special class, or a protected class, undercuts civil rights–to the core.So to hell with “fair treatment” too, Exodus International considers their religious liberties to include “discriminatory hiring, firing, promotion or compensation practices, as well as retaliation for reporting such practices.”
Now is there an issue of homosexuality in the workplace? Sure, let’s talk about that. Let’s have a dialogue about homosexuality in the workplace. And the dynamics that that causes inside the workplace. Valid concerns, absolutely. And where there is a problem, like I experienced, we should take care of it. But as a former gay identified man, and I say former, because I am no longer gay. I did experience a change in my identity, as well as my sexuality. But as a former gay man, I see this perspective. (Crowd applauds) Thank you. I see this from the perspective of knowing what it’s like to be a gay man–in the workplace, but I also see it from the perspective of, I want my religious liberties protected.
“and kindness”
What's your "success rate" in changing gays into straights?“Abstinence,” suppression of “homosexual temptations,” feeling more “masculine or feminine,” even “marriage.” That’s how they get to the 30-50% “success rates.”
No one is saying that change is easy. It requires strong motivation, hard work, and perseverance. But we find hundreds of former homosexuals who have found a large degree of change--attaining abstinence from homosexual behaviors, lessening of homosexual temptations, strengthening their sense of masculine or feminine identity, correcting distorted styles of relating with members of the same and opposite gender. Some former homosexuals marry and some don't, but marriage is not the measuring stick; spiritual growth and obedience are.
On the statistical side, careful reviews of research studies on sexual orientation change suggest that real change is indeed possible. Studies suggesting change rates in the range of 30-50% are not unusual, although "success rates" vary considerably and the measurement of change is problematic. For details and review of several studies, see the link below.
It’s no accident that they use the ambiguity of the word “change” so often.
The false implication that sexual attraction is what “changes” is what is meant to be conveyed.
It’s horribly dishonest. And the study they link to has been debunked at length:
Ex-Gays? A Longitudinal Study of Religiously Mediated Change in Sexual Orientation
Stanton Jones and Mark Yarhouse conducted this “study.” On page 15 we find “The Controversy,” and the goal of the study:
(1) …is it ever possible for an individual who has a homosexual orientation to change that orientation via religious means? (2) Is the attempt to change harmful, as so many today claim.They literally set the bar for success as low as conceptually possible -- Is it EVER possible to go straight, and is attempting to go straight EVER harmful?
Exodus would seem to want to keep use of the concept of sexual fluidity, but only if it flows in one direction.
Is it ever "harmful?" Beyond Ex-gay is one resource that can heartily testify to that.
Day of Truth: False hope for political purposes, the demonization of LGBT students via accusation of nefarious "agenda," and trivialization of the LGBT and those perceived to be LGBT, victims of taunting, bullying, and physical violence.
Day of Truth, coming to infect a school near you.
