Idol finalist Mandisa is big fan of antigay writer

Is an American Idol finalist a proponent of the "ex-gay" movement?

That's what some viewers are asking following Mandisa's performance and on-camera comments during Tuesday's live show. For the episode's “Songs of the 21st Century” theme, Mandisa chose the Mary Mary gospel belter “Wanna Praise You,” preceding the song with the following introduction: "This song goes out to everybody that wants to be free. Your addiction, lifestyle, or situation may be big, but God is bigger!" In the taped segment beforehand, Mandisa said the song "means a lot to me because it's a testimony that there's nothing too hard for God."

On the American Idol Web site, the 29-year-old Mandisa, a native of Antioch, Tenn., lists author and lecturer Beth Moore as her personal American idol. Mandisa writes on the site that Moore “inspires me to live more like Jesus, and I want to do the same.”

Moore is the author of such books as Breaking Free: Making Liberty in Christ a Reality inLife, which contains the following passage: "A young Christian girl has a harsh abusive father. She grows up with a fear and distaste for men. Satan supplies a slightly older woman who seems tender and caring. The comforting relationship turns into a physical relationship, so the young woman assumes she must be homosexual. In her heart she knows what she is doing is wrong, but she feels helpless without her new comforter. Soon she starts socializing with other women who are practicing homosexuality, because they will support her new habit with the lies she needs to continue. She avoids the Bible and chooses books that advocate homosexuality. She drops all relationships except those that support the fraudulent attachment with lies.... Scary, isn't it?"

According to Moore's Web site, she founded the Living Proof Ministries in 1994 with the purpose of teaching women how to love and live on God's Word. Part of Living Proof Ministries' mission statement includes the statement “We believe that 'Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners' and can fully redeem and powerfully use even those who consider they have been the worst.” (1 Timothy 1:15). She also provides links to "ex-gay" groups including Exodus International and Exodus Youth.

Idol representatives told The Advocate they don't comment on the personal lives of contestants. (Neal Broverman, The Advocate)