FOCUS on the Family, one of the US’s most virulent anti-gay outfits, is facing a cash crisis and is ceding its contentious “Love Won Out” conferences about homosexuality to another religious organisation.
According to this report, a “serious budget shortfall” at Focus has prompted the barmy Christian group to issue a special fundraising plea.
Creepy fundie James Dobson
Founded by child psychologist and 24-carat fruitcake James Dobson, the organisation is facing a $6 million shortfall in its $138 million budget for the fiscal year that began last October, spokesman Gary Schneeberger said.
Jim Daly, president and CEO of the Colorado Springs-based evangelical ministry, explained the challenges in a letter to approximately 800,000 donors.
Right now we’re facing a serious budget shortfall that threatens our ability to reach out to parents, families and married couples who count on our help. Income is down nearly $6 million from what we expected and planned for this year. I want to assure you that we’re committed to good stewardship AND living within our means, just as so many families are today.
Focus on the Family also announced that it would no longer stage “Love Won Out” conferences across the country. The events drew both participants and picketers for their promise to:
Help men and women dissatisfied with living homosexually understand that same-sex attractions can be overcome.
The bad news is that the events will go on, staged by the equally barmy, Orlando-based Exodus International, a network of ministries whose core message is:
Freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus Christ.
Schneeberger said it made strategic sense for Exodus, which is expanding its work with churches, to take over the conferences starting in November.
Financial realities played a role in the decision. Exodus is really the one who should be running ‘Love Won Out’ anyway. It makes sense independent of economic realities.
Gay rights groups have long criticised such initiatives as harmful. The American Psychological Association last week said mental health professionals should not tell gay clients they can become straight through therapy or other treatments. But the group foolishly also endorsed treatments:
That integrate concepts from the psychology of religion and the modern psychology of sexual orientation.
Schneeberger said that one staff position will be eliminated and that other financial steps are under discussion. Last fall, budget problems prompted Focus on the Family to axe more than 200 jobs.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
August 12th, 2009 at 8:12 am
God must be laughing her ass off!!
August 12th, 2009 at 8:39 am
…..$138 million budget…. axe 200 jobs…. All that money and effort wasted just to persecute gays; just think what they could do for millions of poor people if these religious twats lived in the real world. FOTF is nothing more than a morally corrupt big business.
August 12th, 2009 at 8:50 am
They just cannot be praying enough. 2,000 years of their religion and they and the planet are still in a mess. Should they try something else?
August 12th, 2009 at 9:59 am
LOL!
Never thought of it that way round – would be a good way of keeping them off the streets – they should form round-the-clock 24/7 pray-ins! That would at least occupy them enough to stop them from poking their stupid bastard noses into other people's business where they don't belong.
Maybe once a year they can stick their heads outside and see what their god has accomplished…
August 12th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
off topic but – http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wor.....196…
"A group of rabbis and Jewish mystics have taken to the skies over Israel, praying and blowing ceremonial horns in a plane to ward off swine flu."
that's going to work! hahaha
August 12th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
LOL.
August 12th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Son claimed to be ‘God’ before slaying parents
http://www.suntimes.com/news/2.....09.article
Geraldine Simmons then called her son a “fool,†which prompted him to say, “death to the non-believers. Mom and dad are non believers,†according to prosecutors.
August 12th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Yes, it really makes sense for Exodus to be running 'Love Won Out' when their biggest poster-boy for that campaign (even down to his autobiography having the same title*) was unmasked as a lying, deluded glove puppet.
* And boy, are the Amazon.com reviews a giggle
http://www.amazon.com/Love-Won.....pro…
August 13th, 2009 at 1:51 am
Maybe if they actually focused on building families instead of destroying them things would be different. For example, donating their millions to help prevent divorce and to support low-income families instead of using it to demonize and eradicate the rights of LGBT people would be a start.
But when you're a professional gang of haters bent on defining "family" and "marriage" for the entire nation (if not the entire world), your schtick and reign of terror can last only so long. People eventually get tired of being told only one model is acceptable for everyone.
August 13th, 2009 at 7:18 am
I couldn't beleive those reviews, Stuart! I sometimes think that practically the whole of the American nation inhabit la-la-land. Apparently I'm not gay, I just have "same-sex issues"!! Where do they get it from?
BTW Is there any truth in the rumour that the sequel to this tome is going to be entitled Glad To Be Out? hahaha!!!
August 13th, 2009 at 7:23 am
They ought to be careful blowing those horns – some of their city walls might just collapse!
August 13th, 2009 at 7:27 am
,i>Focus On The Family is one of the biggest misnomers ever dreamed up. These jerks aren't focussed on the family at all!
August 13th, 2009 at 7:27 am
Focus On The Family is one of the biggest misnomers ever dreamed up. These jerks aren't focussed on the family at all!
August 13th, 2009 at 9:16 am
No, it was called Not Afraid to Change. Yes, really, and that also attracted a lot of scorn on Amazon, plus a couple of glowing reviews Paulk's relatives.
http://www.amazon.com/Not-Afra.....abl…
August 13th, 2009 at 9:43 am
This sounds just like the Ted Haggard story all over again! I mean to say, "probationary status: period of restoration: required to meet a series of criteria: appropriate accountability and support"! What's all that supposed to mean then? If he can pretend to be "straight" for a long enough period we'll have him back again? It's bullshit – he's gay and he ain't gonna change!!
August 13th, 2009 at 10:05 am
BTW One thing that I'm finding hilariously funny about this story is the fact that one of gay porn producer Bel Ami's biggest stars (no pun intended!) – who now works as a director for them – goes by the name of Johann Paulik!! As they might put it in Private Eye, could he and John Paulk be in any way related?
August 13th, 2009 at 11:00 am
Hey, Barrie, you just reminded me that I was once asked to give Bel Ami's Paulik a tour of Brighton, but he was unable to visit due to a bout of 'flu. I had to entertain his co-star Sebastian Bonnet instead!
August 13th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Christ, Barry: the words jammy and bastard come to mind! Some people have all the luck!! And what do you mean by "I had to entertain his co-star instead", as if that was some kind of penance? I never understood the popularity of Johann Paulik in the first place, but Sebastian Bonnet is a different kettle of fish entirely (though I've never really got over the retirement of Ion Davidov, myself!).
August 13th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Sebastian was part of a package, as it were, Barrie. He was accompanied by Marc Vidal, Tommy Hansen and Brandon Manilow and they were on a promotional visit which I was required to help chaperone. Not as much fun as it sounds as none of them had much English, and, with the exception of Seb, all seemed to have undergone a personality bypass. The only porn star I've met who blew me away with his personality was Matt Rush, who is an absolute honey! I shall forever cherish the memory of him taking me in his arms and waltzing me around the room. And yes, I too regret the disappearance of the lovely Ion …
August 13th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
I saw Matthew Rush on stage at Heaven years back when they had an entire night devoted to the beauty of the male arse (not as South Park as it sounds). Several underwear-less porn stars including Jason Adonis took turns dropping their jeans on stage to show off their golden globes. Rush went last as he was Attitude cover boy that month.
August 13th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
You guys are just winding us up, aren't you? It's spending the day with FOUR young porn stars now ("not as much fun as it sounds", indeed!): being embraced by Matthew Rush; and viewing his perfect arse at Heaven!! I think I'd better take a cold shower now!!!
PS I wasn't surprised to hear about the lack of personality in the East Europeans – I've come across that complaint before.
August 13th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
Do you notice that absolutely enormous Bible that James Dobson is waving about in the photo? All evangelicals do this, as if somewhere in all its 31,102 verses they are going to be able to find the precise answer to every possible question that anyone brings up. I remember when Luis Palau had his "crusade" in London (he was going to be "the new Billy Graham" I remember!), and he was interviewed on TV. Right in front of him on the table, judiciously placed in full view of the camera, was the ubiquitous BIG BIBLE. "It's not what I say – it's what this book says", he intoned. In that case, why bother flying all the way from South America, and wasting further money on massive rallies, if people could just pick up a copy and read it all for themselves?
August 20th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Well, if you bothered to do any research, the author of the article would know that there are homosexual people out there dissatisfied and wanting to change. They have as much right to explore their options as anyone else. For supporters of homosexuality to deny this is prejudiced and does not support the "tolerance" they claim to promote. Studies have shown that those individuals who have chosen to turn from the homosexual lifestyle have not suffered undue psychological damage in any way. This is a country that spouts freedom of religion and freedom of speech. Christains have as much right to say they don't agree with homosexuality and think it is nothing more than a sin as non-Christains have to say that Christains are off their rocker. Groups may disagree, but in the end the truth never changes and in the end we will all know what the truth is.