Download the
Tom's Guide App from the AppsStore
News and trends on internet
/ mobile / "sound & picture" / IT
Yes No

Apple Pulls ''Gay Cure'' App Following Complaints

- By - Source : Tom's Guide US

Apple has pulled a controversial app from a group claiming to be able to "cure" gay people after an online petition against it was signed by over 150,000 people.

The app in question was submitted to the app store by Exodus International, a Christian group that claims it can cure homosexuality, and promised "freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus."

Jeff Buchanan, a senior director at Exodus, told the San Francisco Chronicle that the app was meant to "provide the information and education for people who are looking for an alternative to unwanted same sex attractions." Available in the App Store since February 15, the app carried a rating of 4+, an App Store rating that meant it contained "no objectionable material." However, it was pulled late last night after a petition from Change.org garnered more than 150,000 signatures.

The petition, addressed to CEO Steve Jobs, called Apple out for approving the anti-gay app while racist or anti-Semitic apps are rejected.

"Apple doesn't allow racist or anti-Semitic apps in its app store, yet it gives the green light to an app targeting vulnerable LGBT youth with the message that their sexual orientation is a 'sin that will make your heart sick' and a 'counterfeit'.

"This is a double standard that has the potential for devastating consequences. Apple needs to be told, loud and clear, that this is unacceptable."

Speaking to CNet, Apple spokesperson Tom Neumayr said the app was pulled because "it violates our developer guidelines by being offensive to large groups of people."

While Neumayr offered no explanation as to why the app was approved in the first place, Apple's app approval process has a track record for being quite inconsistent. What's more surprising is that the app remained on sale for over five weeks.

Share:
131
Comments
X

Comments

dogman_1234 03/24/2011 6:46 AM
Show
dogman_1234 03/24/2011 6:47 AM
Hide
-0+

..expanding:

Rather that Christ died for them and that he loves anyone. It is the person he loves, not what they do.

Anonymous 03/24/2011 6:49 AM
Hide
-20+

Well of course they pulled the app, if apple fanbois start getting cured of homosexuality they will all end up going out and getting android devices and ditching the crapple, not good for business given the target market of apple devices.

Assmar 03/24/2011 6:57 AM
Hide
-3+

dogman_1234 :
As a Christian, this is grey in the head for me. I can understand having an app to teach people that homosexuality is wrong, but not 'cure' it.My opinion is my faith, do not criticize me.This is not a Christ-like thing...telling people they need to be 'cured' of their sins.


I believe your faith is wrong.

thecapulet 03/24/2011 7:05 AM
Hide
-6+

Richard of Pen Island :
Well of course they pulled the app, if apple fanbois start getting cured of homosexuality they will all end up going out and getting android devices and ditching the crapple, not good for business given the target market of apple devices.


Makes me wish the like buttons still worked.

thecapulet 03/24/2011 7:09 AM
Show
Assmar 03/24/2011 7:17 AM
Hide
-3+

TheCapulet :
I believe your faith or lack of faith is wrong. Philosophically, stating the fact makes you wrong. Theologically, unless you follow a few select off-branch religions, anyone who doesn't agree with you is wrong. So either way, you're wrong.


That's some good opinion, right there.

dogman_1234 03/24/2011 7:23 AM
Hide
--3+

assmar :
I believe your faith is wrong.



That is what you believe.

You cannot argue faith.

cjl 03/24/2011 7:30 AM
Hide
-6+

dogman_1234 :
That is what you believe.You cannot argue faith.


Sure you can.

In the absence of evidence, the simplest explanation is preferable. That explanation includes neither deities nor supernatural jesus zombies.

(You're welcome to believe what you want, but don't criticize people who have the logical position for their "faith")

dogman_1234 03/24/2011 7:33 AM
Hide
--1+

^ Understood. I was, in no way, attacking his view, just stating a rational idea.

dogman_1234 03/24/2011 7:40 AM
Hide
--3+

^ sorry to say but:

God did make man in his image, he did not make him to do his actions. What man does is different that what man is made.

Principles of free will.

neoverdugo 03/24/2011 7:48 AM
Hide
-0+

^ True, but putting aside the gods image I'm still pissed that Jobs and Apple got in a Nerd Rage for the porn apps issue but did nothing about the anti-gay app (which over 150K of homosexual boycott those hypocrites to pull out the app). I'd say we should DDoS, boycott and rally-up against Jobs and Apple for being a hypocritical bastards

the_krasno 03/24/2011 8:17 AM
Hide
-6+

To those that say that you can't argue about faith, over 2300 years of logic refute that claim.
I could drop a few famous names if you feel unsure on how "science" can completely refute "a matter of faith".
The bottom line is, faith is NEVER a reason to do ANYTHING. Only REASON is a reason. Everything else is impulse and misguided attempts to hide ignorance-fueled hate.

enforcer22 03/24/2011 8:26 AM
Hide
-1+

dogman_1234 :
^ Understood. I was, in no way, attacking his view, just stating a rational idea.



If rational arguments work with religious people.. There would be no religion.

distanted 03/24/2011 8:30 AM
Hide
-5+

dogman_1234 :
I can understand having an app to teach people that homosexuality is wrong, but not 'cure' it.


I can't understand why so many self-proclaimed Christians are so obsessed with homosexuality. I don't recall Jesus saying anything on the issue. I seem to recall a reference to it in the Old Testament, but it also mentions animal sacrifices...and I don't see a lot of Christians pushing for that anymore. I may be mistaken, my interest in Christianity waned in high school when my best friend began explaining to me how dinosaur bones were planted by the devil to fool scientists. This group just reinforces my belief that I haven't missed out on anything.

dogman_1234 03/24/2011 8:41 AM
Hide
--2+

You have taken what I said out of context:

Jesus loves all. He loves the person for who is created, not what they do.

neiroatopelcc 03/24/2011 8:50 AM
Hide
-0+

Good thing the animal kingdom hasn't adopted christianity yet! I mean considering quite many a species have gay or bisexual members.

doggrell3000 03/24/2011 8:56 AM
Hide
-11+

religion has been keeping so called civilized society in darkness prejudice and ignorance for millennia . christians continue to profess doctrine that jesus never even thought about ( homosexuality ) . muslims turn gullible children into suicide bombers which has nothing to do with the teachings of mohammed . jewish orthodoxy conforms to ancient ideals that long ago became out of step with the rest of the world . all of this nonsense is perpetuated down through the ages by religious leaders hell bent on justifying their own dubious existence by preaching the purposely vague and intentionally obscure abstractions of " faith " .

doive1231 03/24/2011 9:14 AM
Hide
--1+

4 Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, Paul's letters, Christians being persecuted for 2000 years. Pretty good evidence I would say.

martel80 03/24/2011 9:29 AM
Hide
-2+

dogman_1234 :
I can understand having an app to teach people that homosexuality is wrong, but not 'cure' it.

No, it is not wrong, it is a natural thing occuring at a certain rate in about all animals from birds to mammals. What kind of authority you think you are to proclaim something "wrong"?

back_by_demand 03/24/2011 9:40 AM
Hide
-3+

Apple only pulled the "gay cure" app because if it actually worked they wouldn't have any customers

Zingam 03/24/2011 9:52 AM
Hide
--1+

martel80 :
No, it is not wrong, it is a natural thing occuring at a certain rate in about all animals from birds to mammals. What kind of authority you think you are to proclaim something "wrong"?



Well, if this is OK, then cancer and diabetes are OK too! Happy cancer to you! ;) And don't try to cure it! It's perfectly normal occurring thing in nature!

nevertell 03/24/2011 10:37 AM
Hide
-3+

dogman_1234 :
As a Christian, this is grey in the head for me. I can understand having an app to teach people that homosexuality is wrong, but not 'cure' it.My opinion is my faith, do not criticize me.This is not a Christ-like thing...telling people they need to be 'cured' of their sins.


People don't choose to be gay, they just are.

You chose to be a christian, that's you're choice, and I can criticize that.

distanted 03/24/2011 10:38 AM
Hide
-4+

dogman_1234 :
You have taken what I said out of context:Jesus loves all. He loves the person for who is created, not what they do.


If I've misread your viewpoint, I'm sorry. It looked to me like you were saying that teaching people that homosexuality is wrong is okay, but trying to cure it was not. I consider both positions to be personal issues, not spiritual ones, and most likely not developed from any logical thought process. I can't speak for you or the 'cure' group, but I know I have no sexual interest in other men, it's not a choice I have to make...it's just the way I am. So, when homosexuals say that it's not a choice, I tend to believe them over people who's only evidence seems to be a Bible passage. So, if it's not a choice I cannot understand a need to denounce or cure it.

martel80 03/24/2011 11:06 AM
Hide
-0+

What about inventing a "cure" app for men who were turned into sheep by the poison-of-mind called a "religion"?

virtualban 03/24/2011 11:19 AM
Hide
-1+

IMO this is all stupid, both parts.

As long as the app is not forced down the throat of people, let them put their effort in providing the choice to get the app, or not. There is nothing wrong with choice. I am all in favour of choice. Choice to see what I please on my phone, choice to love who I want to love and to depend on each others gender for attraction or not. All choice.

marraco 03/24/2011 11:25 AM
Hide
-0+

dogman_1234 :
As a Christian, this is grey in the head for me. I can understand having an app to teach people that homosexuality is wrong, but not 'cure' it.My opinion is my faith, do not criticize me.This is not a Christ-like thing...telling people they need to be 'cured' of their sins.


If your opinion can't be subject to discussion, because is "your faith", then keep it on the church, and don't preach us.

mike2100 03/24/2011 11:25 AM
Hide
-0+

martel80 :
What about inventing a "cure" app for men who were turned into sheep by the poison-of-mind called a "religion"?



Amen!

Griffolion 03/24/2011 11:30 AM
Hide
-3+

Wow, there's a lot of anger on these comments. Everyone please calm down, we're all human beings at the end of the day.

It's good this was pulled, as the change group said, it could negatively affect many young people struggling with the issue of sexuality.

By the way, I'm a Christian. As far as i can tell, it's our job to love people unconditionally, not condemn them or tell them what they are by their nature is wrong.

marraco 03/24/2011 11:36 AM
Hide
--2+

dogman_1234 :
^ sorry to say but:God did make man in his image, he did not make him to do his actions. What man does is different that what man is made.Principles of free will.


It's clearly false, since the man is not made of noodles and tomato sauce, like Holy Spaghetti Monster.

Anonymous 03/24/2011 11:44 AM
Hide
-2+

I've said it many times, and I'll say it once more; Religion is the cause of more offense, hurt and bloodshed than all of history's bloodiest political wars combined.