Matthew Manning's faith is so strong that he believes God purged his own blood, which was HIV positive, and replaced it with the Lord's blood -- essentially curing him from AIDS.

Believe it? Apparently, at least one leader of the world's largest coalition of "ex-gay" ministries does.

"I certainly believe there is a long standing history of God healing people, whether it's AIDS or something else. I don't know these people [like Manning] who are sharing these stories but I do believe this can happen," said Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International -- an umbrella organization with more than 175 "ex-gay" ministries in 17 countries.

The "ex-gay" ministries have said for years that people can pray away their gay selves and convert to heterosexuality. But at least one gay activist, who has studied this movement, says he is becoming increasingly alarmed by religious conservatives who are now saying people can pray away AIDS.

"I think the ex-gay ministries hand out miracles like a nurse would hand out candy. But they've taken it one step too far. ... I truly believe that those people who attend the ["ex-gay"] ministries are going to believe this," said Wayne Besen, associate communications director for the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) -- the nation's largest gay organization.

"I think it's dangerous information to the people who are already desperate and vulnerable in the ministries and who already don't feel good about themselves. They may feel God gave them AIDS as punishment, and then they're told that God can heal them. And then if they get sick, they believe God doesn't love them," added Besen, whose book on the "ex-gay movement" is being published by Harrington Park Press in May.

Besen's concerns stem from recent postings on the Web site for the Christian Broadcast Network (CBN), which feature the "amazing" stories of Manning and similar stories from people in Africa.

Manning's "amazing story" was written by David Kithcart of The 700 Club. It describes Manning's transition as an insecure boy who was molested by his older brother to then becoming a "practicing homosexual" who developed AIDS before being led back to Jesus, who purged Manning's HIV-positive blood and replaces it with his own.

Kithcart quotes Dr. Michael Thompson, who says Manning went from testing HIV-positive in 1990 to testing HIV-negative every six months since 1994. The story also mentions Manning's marriage to a woman, with a baby on the way, and claims Jesus not only cured him of his homosexuality but also healed him from AIDS.

Thompson, who is employed at Patient First Hospital in Virginia Beach, Virg., told Bay Windows that he was not Manning's physician. The two had met as joint speakers at a pastoral conference about AIDS in 2000. Thompson said Manning provided him with copies of all his HIV tests but could not provide those to Bay Windows by deadline. "They are in my house somewhere in a bunch of papers, and I don't know if I can find them in a timely manner," Thompson said.

According to Thompson, Manning first tested HIV positive at a Coast Guard base "someplace near San Francisco." He had no scientific explanation for Manning's allegedly testing HIV positive.

"It's an absolute miracle. ... This is the only person [in America] that we know of [who] was HIV positive and then developed full-blown AIDS and then was completely cured and then tested HIV negative every six months since 1994," Thompson said.

Manning did not respond to calls by deadline. Manning heads the San Francisco-based Lighthouse World Evangelism ministries, which is meant to "deliver" people from homosexuality and heal them from AIDS.

Meanwhile, Besen calls Manning a professional "con artist" who is aiding the "ex-gay" movement. While the issue is one close to his own heart due to his own activism on the subject, Besen does acknowledge that not everyone at HRC shares his concerns.

"Those of us who have spent time in the ex-gay ministries and seen what goes on there and who know the people do take [the threats posed by such stories] seriously. As silly as it sounds to the average person, a significant amount of people will be hurt by it," he said.

A media relations employee for Exodus International could not say how many people attend its ex-gay ministries. "We are still compiling those statistics. This is not scientific at all, but our ministries that have responded to questions estimate they reach out to about 200 people per year," said Randy Thomas of Exodus.

Chambers told Bay Windows that he is not aware of anyone in the "ex-gay" ministries teaching that people can pray away AIDS and he says no members have actually asked him if it were possible, but he acknowledges he would tell them it is possible if they were to pose the question. Cambers also said he would explain that God does not intend to heal everyone and God does not love anyone less for being HIV-positive.

"People have AIDS, and I don't think it's always God's plan to heal everyone who is sick. We have plenty of sick people in the world and many of them die. I don't think that means they are closer or further away from God if that does or doesn't happen. I believe God is much more complex than I can ever imagine," he said.

"Our ministry isn't about telling people that God can help them heal from AIDS. But like you or anyone who asks, I do believe that God helps people," he added. "But I also believe that, more often or not, He equips people to live beyond what they are struggling with. God gives people peace and comfort to help them live with AIDS, and [Exodus is] not about giving people false hope."

Besen says such mixed messages are not uncommon.

"Some Exodus leaders have promoted this on their Web site, so [Chambers] is not being truthful with you. He is spinning the truth, and that is what drives me crazy about these ministries. One leader says one thing while another says something completely different and it can change day by day. It goes to the heart of why these ministries are dangerous and can't be trusted," Besen said.

However, Besen said the "pray away AIDS" stories may help to harm the "ex-gay" movement's dimming credibility.

"For all the money they put out trying to make themselves credible, this is truly what they are about and I think it can do enormous damage to them," he said.

Scott A. Giordanois a staff writer at Bay Windows. His e-mail address is sgiordano@baywindows.com .

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