“Ex-Gay” Group Quits Day of Truth

"Ex-gay" group Exodus International said that it would stop sponsoring the Day of Truth event intended to counter the national Day of Silence, which calls attention to bullying against LGBT students, in light of recent youth suicides.

According to CNN, Exodus International president Alan Chambers announced the significant decision Wednesday, but it did not mean an adjustment to his group's fundamental belief that homosexuality is wrong and can be changed.

"All the recent attention to bullying helped us realize that we need to equip kids to live out biblical tolerance and grace while treating their neighbors as they'd like to be treated, whether they agree with them or not," he said.

"I don't think it's necessary anymore," he added. "We want to help the church to be respectful of all its neighbors, to help those who want help and to be compassionate toward people who may hold a different worldview from us."

CNN reported that at least one major conservative Christian group, Focus on the Family, continued to support the Day of Truth.

The Day of Truth began in 2005 as a right-wing response to, in founders' words, the "promotion of homosexual behavior" by the Day of Silence sponsored by GLSEN.

According to CNN, GLSEN executive director Eliza Byard said of the announcement, "I thank Exodus for making this very important step. The Day of Truth was an effort to push a very specific set of opinions about homosexuality into schools in a way that was inappropriate and divisive."