PostPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:45 pm Post subject:
Your assumptions about the emails I receive are wrong. I get the emails because of my Internet site, not this message board. I never get emails from gay Christians who are looking for moral support for being gay or have relationship problems. There are a plethora of sites for them as well as UFMCC. Those who contact me are attending a fundie Christian school where they are being persecuted or a secular college or university where they are not persecuted but still do not want to be gay or those who have decided after living an open and out gay life decide that this life is superficial and does not really fulfill them. Those who contact me because of peer or family pressure and not because they want to change I recommend they read the opening chapters of Joe Dallas' "Desires in Conflict" since peer and family pressure will not effect a change in sexual orientation and Joe's advise to them is don't even try, which I agree with.
Ah, sorry for the wrong assumption. You seem to be one of the more knowledgeable (and reasonable) people on these forums, which is why I figured most of your emails came from this board.
My argument still stands though; intolerable people seem to be the real problem, not homosexuality.
Since 1973 the official stance of the APA has been that counseling clients who want to change there sexual orientation is unethical regardless of the clients stated goals. In other words the APA decided that their opinion supercedes the clients wishes and is now willing to admit the truth that counseling does work for those who are committed to change their orientation or modify their behavior.
Ah, thanks for clarifying. So basically, the APA has been saying forever that gay people can't change their sexual orientation, and that even trying to counsel them into doing so was unethical, even if said counseling was requested. But now they've pulled a 180. That's pretty interesting actually; I figured it'd be the other way around this day and age.
I still cling to the notion that sexual orientation can be changed in some people, but not others. I know I definitely didn't "choose" to be heterosexual for example. I doubt any amount of counseling would change my sexuality - I think for some gays at least, it's the same thing.