Back in 1978 i went out to Melodyland and interviewed Michael Bussee regarding Exodus. i planned to write an article for a Milwaukee paper.

At the time of the interview i was already a “saved” and born again Christian. i was also unappologetically gay.

i guess something i want to interject after more than thirty years of intense study of comparative religions is that i have come to the conclusion that all religion is a mass delusion that leads to hatred and destruction. My suggestion is that rather allowing yourself to be continuously endrenched in beliefs that lead to both self-hatred and the prejudicial hatred of others you go beyond the narrow mythologic tales and study real life, devoid of these mythic delusions. It’s much more enriching than the narrow scope we often allow ourselves to be entrapped in.

Now, after all that hassle and all the “re-writes” is says:

“1976 Frank Worthen is one of the people who organize (sic) conference of ex-gay ministries in the USA.” They couldn’t even get the grammar correct.

If they didn’t want to mention me or Gary, I had suggested to Alan Chambers that they might just say “EXODUS was formed as a loose-knit coalition of ministries in 1976.”

That would have been both historically and grammatically correct. Why are they so BENT on trying to make it sound Like Frank Worthen started it?

She said that she always thought of EXODUS as a “group project” — she remmided me of all work she (and others) put into organizing the first conference — even the menu! — pounds and pounds of home-made potato salad, sandwiches, coffee and blueberry cobbler.

She agreed that Frank Worthen should not be considered THE “organizer” of the first EXODUS conference — repeating her memory that the staff at Melodyland Hotline Center (Gary Cooper included) worked hard on the project — and were the real “organizers” — not Frank Worthen.

Frank certainly helped get all of the young “ministires” in touch with each other — otherwise, EXODUS would not have happened. I am not trrying to discredit Frank. We all looked up to him and admired his work with Love In Action.

Ann has met Frank many times and states that even Frank does not think he should be called “the” founder or “the” organizer.

IN all honesty, even She didn’t remember Gary doing much publically. I reminded her that this was because Gary was trying to keep “low-profile” because of his three kids.

I also reminded her that Gary and I worked on details and organizational details of the conference itself, while she and her volunteers focussed on the food, registration and welcome.

So, hopefully, folks will finally quit quabbling (me incluided) about who strated the whole thing. It HAPPENED. Many of us helped. That’s the truth.

The EXODUS Global Alliance webpage (under “About us” and “Our History”) says Frank Worthen was “one of the people who organize conference (sic) of ex-gay ministries…”

No one but Frank Worthen is mentioned (no mention of me, Gary Cooper or any of the other original co-founders) — and they still use the term “ex-gay” — even though Alan Chambers says the term is “more negative than anything, should be done away with and never used again.”

Close. Better. But still no cigar.

From: Alan Chambers [mailto:achambers@exodus.to]
Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2006 1:26 PM
To: Micheal Bussee
Subject: RE: Hi friend

“I am currently looking through the rewrites that Exodus Global Alliance has sent me regarding your objections. Know this is in process—they didn’t mean to lie, they just didn’t know what the truth was. As soon as I look over what they wrote they will change their site. Sit tight”

OK, Alan. I am sitting.

Michael

Here are the FACTS:

Gary was PAID staff as I was. We both BEGAN working at Melodyland Hotline Center in the mid 1970’s as volunteers, but worked our way up to paid staff.

Each volunteer could join the staff if they came up with their own group of “prayer partners” who promised to make a small donation on our behalf each month. Then, the Hotline would supplement these “love offerings” with a VERY small stipend — about $200 if I remember. We also both worked part-time jobs to support ourselves in the ministry. It is not FAIR or ACCURATE to try to discredit Gary by dismissing him as a mere “volunteer”. You try raising a family of four on less than $1000 a month. WE did not have Focus on the Family to support us.

The Alliance web page states that Frank Worthen organized the 1976 conference. This is NOT true. Warren agrees it was a group effort, not solely Frank’s baby. Many posts have branded Gary and me as liars for claiming we were even “two of the original co-founders”. (I NEVER said the ONLY founders….)

Alan Chambers assured me he would speak to the Alliance about this and that Frank did not want all the credit (or as I seee it, blame) for starting EXODUS. So far, the mis-information remains and EXODUS does not seem inclined to tell the TRUTH about its history.

Truth is, Jim Kaspar, Gary Cooper and I organized the first conference in Anaheim. Frank was very involved (by phone) giving us ideas on who else to invite, how to contact them, etc. But the actual conference (all the planning, mailings, set-up, audio/visual system, printing, registration, lodging, transportation, food etc.) were arranged by those of us at EXIT, NOT Frank Worthen. Frank and others from Love In Action were GUESTS, not organizers.

Frank organized the 2nd conference in Oakland, not the first conference.

I am NOT a member of any “gay church”. Actually,I’m a Southern Baptist turned Presbyterian. I am not part of MCC. I came to this conclusion through a lot of study, thought, prayer, tears and careful reflection. I have spent 53 years of my life coming to this position — just as I am sure you have not taken your position lightly.

Yes, I MAY be wrong — just as YOU may be wrong. Genuine born-again Christisns (like us) can (and do) disagree on this and still believe that Christ is Lord.

Because many–perhaps most–of the Exodus agencies have charismatic or fundamentalist roots, they share a belief that the behavior is sin. This is based on their interpretation of the Bible. While I suppose that many also believe that it’s a direct ticket to hell, individual theologies do differ on that issue and just how they present that message.

To use an analogy: Say you got word on the Internet that there’s a city-wide curfew at 10PM. All violators will be arrested and jailed. Some would be motivated to hit the streets at 9:30PM warning everyone that they were at risk of going to jail. Others would likely go out shouting “Nyah, nyah, you’re all going to jail!” Still others would read the same words and think, “they can’t get away with that; that law is unfair.” Others would say “that isn’t really what they meant.” And there would be still others who think, despite what it says, ”I’m connected. I know the judge. He’ll let me slide.”

To some extent, you’ll find each of these attitudes within Exodus. Some prevail more than others but it is unfair to assume that the entire organization holds to just the one view. And giving their interpretation of what they believe the laws to be isn’t the same thing as judging.

By extension, the individual biblical interpretations determine their psychological viewpoint. If it’s sin, then at some level it is dysfunctional, it is a disorder. Lying is sin; lying is dysfunctional. The compulsion to lie would be regarded as a disorder.

The refusal to recognize strongly held biblical beliefs in this discussion will always result in misunderstanding. These beliefs are at the heart of the things that Exodus says and does. A caring person within Exodus will always have a concern for the eternal welfare of someone who they perceive to be ‘in sin’; conversely, a person from the ‘pro-gay’ church, will always have a belief that the Exodus person is deluded and setting themselves up for failure. These are some pretty serious differences. The only common ground is that both have a genuine love and concern for the gay individual.