By David Webb Staff Reporter

A man who accused his homosexual recovery counselor of sexual assault says he has now come to grips with his sexual orientation and forgiven the psychologist.
“I’ve just come to a place where I’m fine with who I am,” said Mark Hufford, who filed a civil suit against the psychologist in 2002 in connection with the alleged assault. “I don’t need to change. I’m not going to try to fix something that’s not broken.”
Hufford said that he and psychologist Christopher Joe Austin, 39 — who operates the Renew homosexual recovery program at Church of Christ South MacArthur in Irving — have dropped civil lawsuits against each other in a settlement agreement.
Neither side gained financially in the settlement, and both are free to discuss its details, Hufford said.
“It was never about money to begin with,” Hufford said. “It was about accountability.”
Hufford, 43, said he has forgiven the psychologist and wanted to move on.
Hufford had filed the lawsuit against Austin under the pseudonym of “John Doe” to hide his identity.
“I was so embarrassed and ashamed about what had happened,” Hufford said.
Hufford accused Austin of engaging in improper sexual behavior that included “oral copulation and fondling” during counseling sessions that spanned more than a year. The psychologist, who also teaches in the church’s Sunday School, had convinced Hufford to participate in “touch therapy.”
The therapy gradually progressed to nude sessions and physical intimacy, he said.
It is written: "evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." - 2TI 3:13
“It was a very slow process,” said Hufford. “It wasn’t something that happened in just a couple of weeks. It was a buildup.”
The psychologist responded with a libel suit against him, Hufford said.
Austin was also charged with sexual assault in connection with the allegations and six counts of child pornography after police examined the psychologist’s computer in a search for evidence of communication with Hufford.
It is written: "Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning." - I TI 5:15  How about a few thousand witnesses?
Hufford said that he recently asked the Dallas district attorney’s office to drop the charges against Austin.
Assistant District Attorney Ada Brown said that all charges are still pending against Austin, and that she plans to discuss the sexual assault charge with Hufford.
“I want to talk with him and make sure that is what he wants to do,” Brown said.
Hufford said that he also advised the state’s licensing board for psychologists that he wanted to drop his complaint against Austin. They told him that the investigation was ongoing, he said.
“I just need closure, and I don’t see going through it,” Hufford said. “It’s not that important. I know he’s going to answer to God in the end, so it doesn’t matter what happens.”
Austin could not be reached. His wife, Karla, who is also a counselor associated with the church, said that he would be unlikely to return phone calls because of the pending legal matters.
The church’s Web site notes that Austin is on sabbatical. How Convenient
Hufford said he suspects that Austin continues to deny the allegations. 
“I would hope that he gets the help he needs, and that he can be honest with his wife and church and family about what happened and not continue to lie,” Hufford said.  But lying is what these hypocrites do...as it is written: "Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." - Jesus talking to religious leaders
Hufford said that he suspects Austin will use discussion of the lawsuits and the resolution to his advantage in an effort to resume his ex-gay ministry. Like I quoted above: "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire."
Hufford said that he has been dating a man for seven months and has accepted his sexual orientation for the first time in his life. He recently quit seeing a psychologist who “opposes homosexuality,” he said.
“I was not seeing him because of my homosexual thoughts and behaviors,” said Hufford, who is in the process of divorcing his wife of 21 years. “I was seeing him because of what happened to me.
“Now, I’ve dealt with those issues. I told him that I’m gay, and I don’t need to change that. I’m happy with my life for the first time. It’s incredible.” For it is written: "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." - Jn 8:32
Hufford, a former massage therapist, said that he abandoned his trade because of emotional problems and a fear of close contact that arose from his association with Austin. He is now making and teaching ceramics.
Hufford said he plans to inform others about ex-gay ministries.  It is written: "Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them." - Eph 5:11
“I just believe the public needs to know,” Hufford said. “I’m just amazed at the things that are happening out there. I would have thought it was an isolated case with me, but apparently it is not.”
Hufford said that he has met several other people who have suffered from their association with ex-gay ministries.

Hufford said that he plans to share his experiences with Wayne R. Besen, author of Anything But Straight, an expose on ex-gay ministries. The information would be published on Besen’s Web site, he said.
“I’m just getting into it,” said Hufford, who noted that Besen’s book helped him come to terms with what had happened to him. “It’s something that I feel very strongly about.”

I just barely scratched the surface of the Scriptures that detail the follies of "Ex-Gay" myths.  I just wanted to highlight some of them & draw the reader's attention to the fact that although these "ExGay" groups claim to be doing the will of God, -- that the Scriptures firmly denounce their practices as outright evil (...a mind-job built on a framework of lies) & actually from the Devil!  Jesus observed that those who taught these lies could NOT hear him, -- could NOT hear the truth; -- because they are EVIL & actually BELONG TO (slaves of) THE DEVIL.  This is no small charge.  Evil masquerades as "righteous"!