Following the same-sex attracted conservative minister and author Sam Allberry’s removal from ministry in the light of revelations about “an inappropriate relationship with another man,” comes the news that a former leader of ex-gay ministry Exodus has been arrested in a police sting operation..
Florida man, Alan Chambers, 54, was arrested at a traffic stop by the Orange County Sheriff’s office, accused of soliciting a teen boy for sex through social media.
“Chambers was arrested .. after a detective communicated for months with an online user – believed to be Chambers – who they say sent images of his private body parts to someone he believed to be a 14-year-old and repeatedly communicated that he wanted to have sex with that teen, the sheriff’s office said,” a local TV station FOX 35 reported.
“The investigation began in February when an undercover detective on Snapchat – which FOX 35 will refer to as ‘the teen’ – came into contact with the user jdwp50 – a 50-year-old man from Orlando, named John David, an arrest affidavit said. Through a search warrant submitted to Google, investigators determined ‘David’ to be Alan Manning Chambers, 54, the sheriff’s office said.
“Communication between ‘the teen’ and ‘David’ consisted of ‘David’ repeatedly communicating he wanted to meet, kiss and have sex with ‘the teen,’ the arrest affidavit said. ‘David’ also repeatedly expressed concern over their age difference, saying, ‘Is it bad that I want to make love to someone who is 14?’ and by occasionally deleting communications to avoid anyone from finding the messages, the affidavit said.
Sojourners magazine reported that “Zondervan will put Alan Chambers’s book My Exodus: From Fear to Grace out of print following the news of Chambers’ arrest for solicitation of a minor.” This is a similar Christian organisational response to the news about Allberry.
From a conservative Christian stance, the long-term task of resisting temptation for a person attracted to people of the same gender, extending over long decades, must be extremely hard.
The same will apply to some heterosexuals who wish to be married but have a long wait The gift of celibacy and life-long or long-term celibacy do not coincide. Alan Chambers, though, is complicated, as his views on the sort of life he should lead changed over time, and he moved away from Exodus’ position of chastity. Now he has damaged his marriage to his wife Leslie.
“Gay ambassador” Anthony Venn Brown (AVB) messaged The Other Cheek as the Chambers story broke. “I’m not defending what Alan is accused of. Nor am I comparing our situations. The legal process must now take its course. I also understand that people will respond to this news very differently. Some with anger, others with grief, disappointment, compassion or even numbness. Many conversion “therapy” survivors will be deeply re-traumatised. All of those reactions are valid.
“But I do believe these situations should cause us to reflect seriously on the systems and cultures that often keep people trapped in fear, shame and double lives for years.”
AVB, as an LGBTQIA advocate, suggests that self-acceptance would lead to living as openly gay people.
That makes sense from a human point of view – but both the men who have made news have a varied Christian identity to live out. In Bible terms, they are citizens of heaven, new creatures, and born again. Their identities and their sexual attraction are well known to the Christians, and they do not need to live in fear (peace AVB) and they can overcome their shame and repent as needed. At this time, they need prayer. May they be aware that they have a merciful father in heaven.