An app from a Christian Ministry is “designed to be a useful resource for men, women, parents, students, and ministry leaders” over what it calls “homosexual strugglers.”
The free app comes from Exodus International, a group that says it has “over 35 years of ministry experience…committed to encouraging, educating and equipping the Body of Christ to address the issue of homosexuality with grace and truth.”
The Exodus app, which has been approved in the “lifestyle” category of iTunes since February 15, is the subject of a change.org petition to have it removed from iTunes.
So far over 6,500 people have signed it. The statement for the poll explains why:
“This new iPhone app is the latest move in Exodus’ dangerous new strategy of targeting youth. In light of the recent wave of LGBT youth suicides, this tactic is particularly galling as it creates, legitimizes, and fuels the ostracism of LGBT youth by their families.”
Many of the customer reviews on iTunes are upset that Apple has approved it.
“As a straight man i find this app offensive and totally inappropriate, we have young gay people around the world killing themselves as a direct result of religious beliefs and apple allows this, I am disgusted with Apple and will think twice before I purchase any more Apple products until this is removed from the site,” said Keith Hopster.
Last November, Apple pulled an app called the Manhattan Declaration from the iTunes store after outcry and over 7,000 signatures on an online poll that the content was an anti-gay and hate-mongering. The group behind the app asked to have it re-instated to no avail.
We’ve been down this road before: Apple has approved and occasionally pulled apps about dictators, Hooters and the Manhattan Declaration.
Should the Exodus app stay in iTunes?
