Commentaries
|
 iPhone App Attack Next Up, Exodus InternationalIn the name of tolerance, gay-rights groups have convinced Apple to ban another Christian iPhone app. Listen Now | Download
BreakPoint Subscribers -Please note- we are experiencing difficulties with our BreakPoint emails and we have not sent the Commentary or ViewPoint to all of our subscribers since 3/17/11. We hope to have this resolved quickly. If you do not receive today's commentary, please do not re-register; it is a technical issue on our end. We will keep you updated. Thank you for your support.The greatest threat to religious liberty and free speech in the United States is on the attack again. I’m not talking about Islamic extremism or the New Atheists. No, as dangerous as these anti-Christian ideologies are to our freedoms, they take a back seat right now to the ruthless, methodical attacks by gay-rights groups on anyone who disagrees with them. Let me explain. Last year, you’ll recall that we created an iPhone app for the Manhattan Declaration. The app would allow users to read, sign, and share the Manhattan Declaration and its defense of human life, traditional marriage, and religious freedom. Apple said the app was “free from objectionable material.” But when a group that supports so-called “gay marriage” protested that the Declaration promoted “hate” and “homophobia” and was “anti-gay,” (which it wasn’t), Apple removed the app from its iPhone store. Since then I’ve been warning you that the Manhattan Declaration was just the first target of gay-rights groups. Now they have another: Exodus International, a Christian ministry that aims to free people from homosexuality. Apple has now removed the Exodus International app from its app store. A left-wing group called Change.org placed enormous pressure on Apple to discontinue the Exodus app. But before they even got to that stage, Change.org engaged in what I can only describe as a bare-knuckled smear campaign. Here’s what they said, and I quote: “Exodus’ message is hateful and bigoted. They ... use scare tactics, misinformation, stereotypes and distortions of LGBT life to recruit clients.” In case you are unfamiliar with this terminology, LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and “transgendered.” Meanwhile, a reviewer called Exodus a “fanatical group.” Another said it was “as dangerous to Christianity as al-Qaeda is to Islam.” This kind of libel would be laughable if it weren’t so dangerous. It is as far from the charitable civic discourse we have all been encouraged to use as you can possibly imagine. Clearly, Change.org and groups like it don’t care about that. They simply want to eradicate any speech that critiques their way of life, however gently and respectfully, and they will do or say almost anything to get their way -- all in the name of tolerance! So now, in their eyes, and apparently also in Apple’s, not only is standing for traditional marriage verboten, so is helping people who no longer want to live a homosexual lifestyle. What’s their rallying cry now? “Once you’re gay, we’ll make you stay”? Some may say that losing an iPhone app for Exodus International isn’t that big a deal -- just like it wasn’t a big deal when Apple banned the Manhattan Declaration app! But it’s not just about apps. It’s about freedom of speech, the ability to participate in the marketplace of ideas. The gay-rights groups have shown their fangs. Victory in the courts or in the legislatures is not enough for them. They want to silence, yes, destroy those who don’t agree with their agenda. So they target Christian groups and corporate America to do just that. The writing is on the wall, folks. For the sake of religious liberty and free speech, we must not remain silent. Not on this issue, or on any issue that would threaten free speech and freedom of religion. Further Reading and Information
Contact Apple Inc: 408-996-1010 Exodus International |
Discover more: Search our family of websites.
PRINT
RSS
Comments:
Over all, I tend to agree with much of what BreakPoint stands for. But when it comes to homosexuality, I strongly disagree with how the church has treated them, along with fundamentalists/evangelicals in general.
In light of your most recent censorship and attack on free speech regarding the
Exodus International app, I'd simply like to say that as an Apple Customer (at least for now), I'm very offended by many of the apps that are offered on
iTunes. Yet, I realize that freedom of speech and religion are 2 pillars of our
government and country and when they begin to crumble due to bullying and
pressure from special interest groups then we are beginning to lose our
freedoms.
Your choice to be bullied by those who only want their ideas and opinions
offered are leading us clearly down the path of lost freedoms and rights! In my
offense at many of the apps offered I don't try to bully and close down free
speech or religion, I simply choose not to purchase or avail myself of those
apps and I respect the freedoms and rights of those who do so even though I
don't agree with them. This is true tolerance and it is also supportive of our foundational rights.
Unfortunately Apple has chosen to join the real 'bullies' and shut down anything these people don't like or agree with and defend their choice by claiming that it offends a large group of people. This is the epitome of bullying and intolerance and Apple has become a central player in destroying our freedoms and rights, especially speech and religion, with your obtuse and subjective choices. I will continue to monitor and network with others about this situation and will decide whether or not to exercise my freedom to choose or not choose Apple and iTunes.
Thanks for your consideration of this very crucial issue.
Respectfully submitted
Greg Williams
End of comments to Apple/iTunes ---
Have a great day and God bless in Christ!
In His service
Greg Williams
The Family Foundation of Kentucky
from: whosoeverwill