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8 Sep 2010

Ex-gay group stripped of charitable status in New Zealand

The Exodus Ministries Trust Board is no longer eligible for tax-exempt status in New Zealand as the Charities Commission concluded last month that it is not certain if the group can be said to be providing a public benefit given that professional groups have discredited ex-gay or reparative therapy.

The New Zealand affiliate of US-based Exodus Global Alliance, which claims "change in homosexuality is possible through the power of Jesus Christ", states in its application that the group considers homosexuality to be “morally wrong” and that a “homosexual can change from homosexuality to heterosexuality”.

New Zealand’s Stuff.co.nz reported that although the group had enjoyed charitable status (exempt from income tax) for more than a decade, that status was not renewed by the government's Charities Commission.

In its 15-page statement dated 18 August 2010, the Charities Commission gave various reasons for denying the group’s 2008 application to be registered as a charitable entity saying that the Applicant’s purposes were not “exclusively charitable” and the Commission was unable to determine whether the Applicant provided a “public benefit."


The Charities Commission is not convinced that the 
Exodus Ministries Trust Board, which advocates reparative
therapy, is performing any public benefit. The commission
also found the groups's aims to "teach and present the view
that a homosexual can change from homosexuality to
heterosexuality"  amounted to "propaganda".

The Commission said in the statement that same-sex attraction is no longer classed as a mental disorder and that the American Psychiatric Association had removed homosexuality from its list of mental disorders in 1973.

It also quoted the American Psychological Association and American Medical Association as saying that a wide majority of current scientific data suggests that sexual orientation can not be changed and that so-called conversion therapies are unproven, ill-supported and have been known to be potentially damaging to the "patients" involved.

While the Commission also considered if the group could qualify under merit of the group's educational value as stated in its application in which Exodus said it aimed to "teach and present the view that a homosexual can change from homosexuality to heterosexuality and that he or she is not born homosexual", the commission however found the information provided by the Applicant to be “not neutral or objective” and “amounts to /propaganda or cause under the guise of education/ which is not charitable under the advancement of education”.

Last year, the American Psychological Association adopted a resolution stating that mental health professionals should avoid telling clients that they can change their sexual orientation through therapy or other treatments.

New Zealand decriminalised sexual relations between men aged 16 and over in 1986, and today recognises civil unions between same-sex couples.

Stuff.co.nz also reported that the commission has struck off or rejected more than 2600 prospective charities since 2007 and is now locked in multiple legal battles defending its decisions. It has declined 1406 organisations while another 1224 have been deregistered for being too political, too commercial or not having the required paperwork.

Reader's Comments

1. 2010-09-08 21:02  
Can I get an "AMEN"??

If only the US would follow suit for such groups, including the loathsome Focus on the Family, which once upon a time WAS an actual ministry, but is now little more than an anti-gay hate group wrapped up in a fluffy pink political action committee.

Great job, Kiwis. I salute your integrity.
2. 2010-09-09 01:28  
Amen!
3. 2010-09-09 05:53  
Amen!
Comment #4 was deleted by its author on 2010-09-09 06:02
Comment #5 was deleted by its author on 2010-09-09 06:06
6. 2010-09-09 06:07  
I'm itching to 'like' this good news bt forgot it wasn't Facebook lol... a big OLE to New Zealand !!!!! ;-)
7. 2010-09-09 06:25  
Amen!
8. 2010-09-09 08:38  
I was once confused and went through something like a sexual healing and therapy and now I am 100% straight. Straight GAY !

What are they talking ??? If you are one you are ...nothing is gonna change that. Are they trying to kid us ????
9. 2010-09-09 09:59  
amen to all the above!!
10. 2010-09-09 16:08  
yeah, comming from NZ all i can say is about time. Those tax exemptions are for people who help others which they certainly do not.

T
11. 2010-09-09 18:01  
of course groups such as these are political wings of larger religious denominations who them selves are nothing more than political organisations rorting as so called 'charities' for a big free ride, TAX the lot of them let these skanky lof life popes and bishops and Imans and rabbis all earn their keep just like the rest of us have to, no more free exemptions and rides.
Comment edited on 2010-09-09 18:02:46
12. 2010-09-09 19:52  
To #11 (aztlan_oz) :

Skanky lowlife popes & imams & bishops lol....
GOOD ONE!!! ;-)
13. 2010-09-10 11:54  
good to get some more tax revenue
14. 2010-09-10 22:02  
amen indeed.
gay is gay..str8 is str8.
we are what we are, and there's no changing that :)
accept and move on.
15. 2010-09-10 22:58  
So sad...so I have a plan to boost their income $$$... spread propaganda against gays!!! and get paid for it!!....put together an educational package on sexuality and go into schools!!...if its true a religious group with links to a listed american hate group can educate on sexuality in Singapore, so can they!!!...(do they get paid? need to find out $$$)...just need a verifiable list from them of all the people who's sexuality they have changed from gay to straight, just for the stats you understand...genius... $$$...kerching!!!
16. 2010-09-11 10:01  
Great, conversion therapy is a subtle evil. People should be educated on its harms.
17. 2010-09-11 21:02  
My feeling is that governments should not be handing out special statuses to any groups.

Whose to say what activities are more beneficial for society. You are, that's who! Spend your money accordingly.

In this particular case, the organization finally judged as not “exclusively charitable” is in fact destructive and a stupid waste of time. Why do we have to wait for the slow wheels of government to finally reach this obvious assessment when most sensible people reached this conclusion within 2 minutes of hearing of their stupid activities?
Comment edited on 2010-09-11 21:03:21
18. 2010-09-11 21:47  
ah good news! im calling NZ home!

xoxoxo
19. 2010-09-12 18:34  
alhamdulillah to the kiwis!! i wonder if there should be an organization to convert homo bashers into homo lovers!!
20. 2010-09-13 08:17  
amen to this...
another good news...
i hope i could visit nz someday!
21. 2010-09-19 12:51  
We are GAY and we are here to stay in the World FOREVER ...thats how the GOD's & Goddess want's us to be ..
This religious groups should stop using the Gods name in vain , or what ever religion they belive its holy ..
Thrue History we have learn that the ones that use God's name in Vain , are the ones that have Killed many innocent people around the world specially Indigenous pleople around the world , Like all in Latin America , Australia and other parts of the world ..
They should be the ones to be question ...
22. 2010-09-24 08:33  
Amen! NZ is leading the world in many ways; some of their educational and social programs are outstanding. I hope more people realize how progressive a country NZ is.
And, it's really beautiful! I'd love to revisit.

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