By Greg Mills
Apple takes heat for about anything they do, it seems. A conspiracy theory built upon the design of iPhone security screws blew over a few weeks ago. Apps that take political points of view or make a social statement tend to be the latest point of dispute. Political correctness seems to be in the eye of the offended.
The latest tempest in the Apple tea pot involves a ministry portal app to Exodus International, (ExodusInterntional.org). The Exodus organization offers help for people who want to exit the gay life style. The Exodus app was approved with a score of 4 by Apple, some time back. It got yanked yesterday for not meeting unwritten Apples standards for apps (not being too controversial). As long as no one objected, Apple seemed okay with it. It is hard to meet undocumented standards for apps that support opinion without being politically un-correct.
The gay community got wind of one purpose of the app, offering helping those who want to go straight. Those who are gay tend to hate hearing that there is Biblical authority strongly condemning homosexual acts. They want to ascribe to the modern physiologically defensive theory that homosexuality is a genetic defect and that sexual disorientation isn't a choice.
Being viral signing petitions, stuffing the ballot box on on-line surveys and the like, they got 140,000 gay sympathizers "signatures" on a petition web site to force Apple to pull the app. Apple seems to take the line of least resistance and being sensitive to liberal thought anyway, pulled the Exodus app. Exodus is still on the web and the controversy certainly got them a ton of publicity.
I downloaded the app yesterday, anticipating Apple would pull it, as I wanted to check it out. I am hopelessly heterosexual myself, so I don't need Exodus help in breaking free of loving my female wife of 20 years. So there you have it, Greg Mills is coming out of the closet, openly admitting my heterosexuality. The Exodus app appears to me to be pretty innocuous and only those with an ax to grind in not wanting to face criticism of their homosexual actions are offended. Personally, I am offended hearing about someone being gay or thinking I care even what they do in private. That is between them and God.
There are interesting contradictions in the position of the typically liberal gay community on this. If in fact sexual disorientation is genetic, as they claim, why not just laugh Exodus off as being worthless? If being gay is genetic, like having brown eyes, should an organization with a joke app claiming to offer help for those with brown eyes in turning their eyes blue be unable to post a joke app on the Apple app store? So what is the difference? Should the brown-eyed people of the world be able to sign a petition to force Apple remove such an offensive app?
Secondly, the freedom of speech is affirmative, not restrictive. I have the basic civil right to say or write whatever I please. I do not have the right to prevent being personally offended by the speech of others. That is what a plain reading of the US Constitution states. I have the right to speak my mind without censorship and Exodus International should also have that right. It is also ironic to me that the very liberal thinkers who support freedom of the press and speech most vigorously are also those who rabidly want to shut up those who might offend a minority point of view by speaking out what is politically not correct.
As a born-again Christian, I have the right to hold and state strong opinions that rightly offend those disregarding the Scripture that I hold sacred. No amount of modern thought or politically correct speech can undo the clear statements in Romans and other books of the Bible that declare homosexual acts to be sin in the sight of God. As Exodus International presents the issue, the acts of homosexuals are the sin, not the temptation to do whatever perverse things they do. They don't want to force anyone to quit being gay. Those who want to exit the gay lifestyle have the right to seek help and Exodus International should have the right to post their app offering such help.
Apple needs to allow freedom of expression for controversial issues in the app store or face the paradox that they are indeed the monopolistic, politically correct bully that many fear they are becoming.
That's Greg's Bite for today.
(Greg Mills is currently a graphic and Faux Wall Artist in Kansas City. Formerly a new product R&D man for the paint sundry market, he holds 11 US patents. Greg is an Extra Class Ham Radio Operator, AB6SF, iOS developer and web site designer. He's also working on a solar energy startup using a patent pending process for turning waste dual pane glass window units into thermal solar panels used to heat water see: www.CottageIndustySolar.com Married, with one daughter, Greg writes for intellectual property web sites and on Mac/Tech related issues. See Greg's art web site at http://www.gregmills.info He can be emailed at gregmills@mac.com)
