It probably won't come as any great surprise to you, but homosexuality cannot be "cured" by prayer.

What might surprise you, however, is that the president of Exodus International, a 36-year-old organization dedicated to that very idea, has finally publicly admitted that no one can simply pray the gay away.

From the Associated Press:

“I do not believe that cure is a word that is applicable to really any struggle, homosexuality included,” said [Alan] Chambers, who is married to a woman and has children, but speaks openly about his own sexual attraction to men. “For someone to put out a shingle and say, ‘I can cure homosexuality’ — that to me is as bizarre as someone saying they can cure any other common temptation or struggle that anyone faces on Planet Earth.”

Exodus International is an "Orlando-based group that boasts 260 member ministries around the U.S. and world." For years, Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family partnered with Exodus in offering Love Won Out conferences, which were meant to help gay men and women use the power of faith to overcome their sexual desires.

As Focus put it at the time:

Focus on the Family launched Love Won Out in 1998 to educate and equip Christians on how to respond to the issue of homosexuality in a biblical way, and has traveled to more than 50 cities worldwide with its message of truth and grace. The conference has always featured Exodus speakers and highlighted Exodus member ministries.

"There is no one better equipped to take over the operation of Love Won Out than Alan and his team," said Focus on the Family's Melissa Fryrear, a Love Won Out speaker and host for more than six years. "They have been with us since the beginning. They have stood alongside us in sharing the hope that, with Christ, transformation is possible for those unhappy with same-sex attractions."

Chambers himself is gay. Yet he is married to a woman. He describes this marriage to the AP as "the best marriage I know. ... It’s an amazing thing, yet I do have same-sex attractions. Those things don’t overwhelm me or my marriage; they are something that informs me like any other struggle I might bring to the table.”

• Ian Sane

Summit Ministries over in Manitou Springs believes that there just isn't enough Christ in politics.

And while that might strike you as an utterly ridiculous, dangerous claim, or one heck of an understatement, Dr. Jeff Myers, the ministry's president, sees it as a rallying cry.

From a press release:

“Misrepresentations about religion and politics, coupled with the increased complexity of the political, economic and social reality in 21st century America, almost certainly explain why many in the rising generation slink away from conservative positions and take up the rhetoric of the religious left,” Myers said. “At Summit, we start with scriptural principles to form a biblical worldview of politics. This critical task is one we undertake in all our programs, and it is all the more important as we approach both state primaries and the November elections. If the biblical worldview correctly depicts how the world works, then Christians should consider it entirely valid to study the Bible to discern the proper role of the state, the government’s relationship to other spheres of culture, and the nature of true justice.”

Starting this May, Summit will be holding "intensive two-week experiences designed to spark life purpose and leadership by helping students understand the times in which they live."

So what will these seminars be teaching the faithful about the modern political paradigm? Judging from the
"four myths" that Christians believe about politics, as according to Dr. Myers, I'm guessing that they'll learn a lot about how the national Republican platform is basically divinely inspired.

Myth 1: Politics is evil. Politics is simply the management of the affairs of the state. From a biblical viewpoint, politics is part of the cultural mandate to steward and exercise dominion over the created order. If creation made political culture prudent, the fall made it necessary; humans needed a system by which sin could be restrained. James Robison and Jay Richards explain in their new book, Indivisble, that government was also meant to foster a society with ordered liberty, pushing us toward a “freedom for excellence” and “rules that allow us to become what we’re supposed to become—to do what we’re supposed to do.”

Myth 2: Jesus didn’t deal with politics. As the creator of all things, Jesus has a lot to say when it comes to our own governance. Christ established distinctions as to where our allegiances should fall. “Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s and to God that which is God’s,” is unarguably an instructive political statement, as well as a general framework for life—everything is God’s and God cares about everything. Three present-day issues with which Jesus would certainly be concerned are: the protection of life, the biblical view of marriage and religious liberty.

Myth 3: It is easy to discern a biblical view of politics. Some biblical positions, such as the value of human life, are easy to discern. Others aren’t quite so clear. Some say that the term biblical has been applied to some policies too broadly. For example, determining what Jesus would cut from the budget over-simplifies complex quandaries and extracts from Scripture what is not there. Religious conservatives can be tempted to do that as well. True, there is no tax policy spelled out in the Bible, but there are scriptural ideals that we should follow when creating policies—and in defending them.

Myth 4: Government is the primary way to exercise biblical compassion. Some of our problems are so big that many assume only a big government could adequately solve them. Take poverty elimination, for example. Scripture does advocate compassion toward the impoverished, yet it delineates no strict public policy mandate for governments. Christians must carefully discern which policies are most grounded in truth revealed in Scripture. Regarding the poverty debate in particular, political parties often argue over which entitlements get increased budget allotments and how to shrink the growing gap between the richest U.S. citizens and the poorest. If God designed us to order and create culture, shouldn’t our public policy reflect that? Do policies geared toward helping the poor affirm the imago Dei and encourage citizens to be producers of culture, not mere consumers waiting for a handout? And what policies will propel a society toward the prosperity and culture creation alluded to in Scripture? The fact is virtually all federal and state poverty programs treat the problem as merely financial, they regard humans simply as consumers. Poverty in the U.S. , where access to necessities is rarely the root problem, is typically caused by broken relational and vocational habits — not merely financial.

During a coffee break today, we ran into some rough-looking characters. If we were living 2,000 years ago, we'd be shaking in our boots.

Instead, we grabbed our camera and snapped a shot of a couple of guys wearing some pretty realistic costumes of Roman guards. At first we thought they might be part of Mayor Steve Bach's new security force to keep pesky reporters and gripy citizens away from City Hall.

In truth, they were downtown to promote The Thorn, New Life Church's enactment of Jesus Christ's condemnation and execution.

The show is being staged at the World Arena for the first time in its many-year history. Dates are March 30 and 31, and April 1. Go here for ticket info.

In case you thought this state and country were growing more civil, here's a wake-up call.

The Anti-Defamation League reports that an audit shows the number of anti-Semitic incidents in the nation increased slightly in 2010 over the previous year, with a total of 1,239 incidents of assaults, vandalism and harassment reported during the calendar year. In 2009, 1,211 incidents were reported.

• ADL website

"This was the first increase reported since the numbers hit a record high in 2004, when the United States experienced 1,821 incidents of anti-Semitism," the league said in a press release. "Since 2004, the numbers have declined incrementally each year."

But in Colorado, the increase from 2009 to 2010 was remarkable. The number of incidents rose from 14 in 2009 to 38 in 2010, 35 of which were acts of anti-Semitic harassment and three acts of anti-Semitic vandalism.

From the press release:

Among the incidents in Colorado was the hacking of the websites of three Boulder Jewish communal organizations where the perpetrators posted language that included, “Jews are terrorists,” “Child Organ Smugglers,” “F—- The Jews!” and “F—- Israel.” In another incident, a student in a Colorado high school was reportedly bullied with anti-Semitic text messages, one which allegedly read, “Jews are really hot when they’re on fire.”

Scott Levin, ADL’s Mountain States Regional Director, released the following statement: “The sharp regional increase in anti-Semitic incidents is extremely troubling and reinforces the harsh reality that anti-Semitism, like all forms of hatred, remains a problem in the Mountain States region. Every member of our community deserves to feel safe and welcome.”

Stuart Pack, ADL’s Mountain States Regional Board Chair, said, “We will not be satisfied until anti-Semitism and hatred in all its forms are eradicated. ADL will continue to lead the fight ‘to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.’ The Mountain States region is no place for hate.”

The ADL Audit tracks incidents of vandalism, harassment and physical assaults against Jewish individuals, pr operty and community institutions across the U.S., using reports and data gathered by the League’s 30 regional offices and law enforcement.

“While we have come a long way in society as Jews have been accepted into the mainstream, America is still not immune to anti-Semitism and bigotry,” said Levin. “The bad news is that for all our efforts to educate, to raise awareness and to legislate, anti-Jewish incidents remain a disturbing part of the American Jewish experience.”

The 2010 ADL Audit identified:
— 22 physical assaults on Jewish individuals (down from 29 in 2009);
— 900 cases of anti-Semitic harassment, threats and events (up from 760 in 2009);
— 317 cases of anti-Semitic vandalism (down from 422 in 2009).

The 2010 Audit comprises data from 45 states and the District of Columbia, including official crime statistics as well as information provided to ADL’s regional offices by victims, law enforcement officers and community leaders and members. The Audit encompasses criminal acts, such as vandalism, violence and threats of violence, as well as non-criminal incidents of harassment and intimidation.

The news release noted that the highest totals came in California, with 297 incidents in 2010, up from 275 in 2009; New York, with 205 incidents, down from 209; New Jersey, with 130 incidents, down from 132; and Florida, with 116 incidents, up from 90.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world’s leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.

Last summer, the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs became part of President Obama's Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge. Since then, the school has set up a slate of events, and they start tomorrow.

Hosting the first event, a panel discussion, is the UCCS Center for Religious Diversity and Public Life, with help from sponsors Campus Crusade for Christ, Colorado Secularist, Free Thinkers and Skeptics and the Coloradan Buddhist Society.

The public is invited. For more information, go here.

Here's the press release:

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Helping University of Colorado Colorado Springs students who come from different religious traditions or who have no religious commitment find common ground will be the subject of the first event of the White House Interfaith and Community Service Challenge.

The inaugural event, featuring a local pastor and a panel discussion of campus and community leaders, is scheduled from 3 p.m. to 4:20 p.m. Sept. 27 in the University Center Theater.

Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak will introduce Benjamin Broadbent, pastor, First Congregational Church, Colorado Springs, who will speak on the issue of religion in a diverse community. Jeff Scholes, instructor, Department of Philosophy and director of the Center for Religious Diversity and Public Life, will lead a panel discussion of how to address concerns involving religion on the campus. The discussion is a planned kick off of a year-long series of efforts designed to explore how people of differing faiths, as well as those who do not consider themselves religious, can work together toward a common goal.

In June, UCCS was accepted into President Barack Obama’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge for the upcoming academic year. In August, Scholes and Peg Bacon, provost, traveled to Washington, D.C., to discuss UCCS efforts for the coming year. Throughout the fall semester, there will be weekly lunch meetings for students interested in a continuing dialogue around these issues. Students will also be invited at the event to participate in the Give! Campaign sponsored by the Colorado Springs Independent this fall and to help with the local parks services this spring.

“We know we have many students at UCCS who have deeply felt beliefs,” Scholes said “We also know that we have many students who believe equally strongly that organized religion or even spirituality is not for them. How do we honor these commitments while attempting to bridge this gap in order to effect real change in our community?”

Panel members will include
Peg Bacon, provost
Kee Warner, associate vice chancellor for diversity and inclusiveness, Academic Affairs.
Benjamin Broadbent, pastor, First Congregational Church, Colorado Springs
Kristy Milligan, director, Citizens Project
Jeff Scholes, instructor, Philosophy Department

The Resurgence blog is interesting, as always, if you like to follow the conversations going on in the world of evangelical Christians.

Yesterday, Harvey Turner, a pastor in the Acts 29 church-planting network who oversees a church in Reno, posted an essay on Matthew 11:19 that fits into the general conversation raised by this week's cover story.

I’ve heard many Christians say, “Oh, we're trying to remain holy.” Jesus was holy. His holiness caused him to reach out to people whom the culture deemed sinners, criminals, adulterers, fornicators, offenders, outlaws, and materialistic. Jesus was known to hang out with these types of crowds, so much so they accused him of being a drunkard and a glutton.

Turner lays out the Biblical argument for loving the sinner, and the criminal, etc. Of course, the criminal is a lot more flexible of a concept — as is clear in the realm of undocumented immigrants — than the sinner.