Just as the so-called “Birthers” have continued to insist President O’Bama was NOT born somewhere in the United States, there have been those who have kept insisting that homosexuality is a choice and can be purged from oneself through therapy and prayer. This is the same kind of thinking that Saddam Hussein had a hand in the destruction of the Twin Towers in 2001.
On Wednesday, the American Psychological Association went on record by saying the therapies to change proclaimed gays into straights is not only useless, but harmful. The processes that groups like Exodus International or Love Won Out have insisted are effective, in fact , are not credible and no scientific evidence can be put forth to give it credence. So it is a sham that can have very harmful impact on those gays who are put through it by their choice or pressure from others.
The APA, meeting in Toronto, urged mental health professionals not to tell gay clients that they can become straight through the series of steps and treatments that supposedly turns their compasses from a kind of sexual south to north and become forever attacted to the opposite sex. In fact, therapists are advised to offer other choices to gays who are still not accepting of their sexual status — things like celibacy and even changing from churches and religions that are not ready to accept gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgendered people for who they are.
So if they find their Baptist, Catholic, Mormon or Muslim faith communities intolerant to their lifestyles or status, they could well bail and find those religions who have come to understand the realities about human sexualities. The APA’s governing council drew from two years of research to issue the report. Michael A. Jones, communications director of the Human Rights Program of Harvard University Law School noted, “The association puts itself firmly on record in oppoistion of so-called ‘reparative therapy’ which seeks to change sexual orientation.”
He noted that there is solid evidence “that efforts to produce change could be harmful, inducing depression and suicidal tendencies.” Jones said gay human rights activists are encouraged that the top group of psychologists questioned the tactic of using so-called ex-gays to promulgate the you-can-change notion. They have said they convereted, even though, in fact, they are still gay.
“This ideas is equivalent to wanting to play professinal basketball, so I begin to identify as a member of the New York Knicks,” he said. “Never mind that I am too short, too old and not good enought to make the roster. If I embrace this surreal existence long enough, I will one day be dunking the ball under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden.”
The Associated Press quoted Judith Glassgold, a Highland Park, N.J., psychologist who chaired the task force. Glassgold said she hoped the document could help calm the polarized debate between religious conservatives who believe in the possibility of changing sexual orientation and the many mental health professionals who reject that option.
“Both sides have to educate themselves better,” Glassgold said in an interview. “The religious psychotherapists have to open up their eyes to the potential positive aspects of being gay or lesbian. Secular therapists have to recognize that some people will choose their faith over their sexuality.”
I understand and respect (but do not agree with) the author, but the big problem I have is that the “former Spiritual editor” wrote it. It seems that Spiritual things were not considered before writing the column.