Thursday, August 6, 2009

Reparative Therapy: False and Damaging

More good news today. The American Psychological Association overwhelmingly (125-4) voted to repudiate ridiculous "Gay Reparative Therapy" techniques. A vote that decisive should silence the fringe idiots who insist that there is any place among credible professionals for this kind of garbage.

Homosexuality is not a disease. It cannot be cured. Nor should it be. Treating it as an affliction does grave and lasting harm. This kind of "treatment" is demonstrably associated with depression and suicide.

Of course many will continue to insist that "the power of Christ can change homosexuals!" To which I respond: the power of Christ has been unable to prevent you being a moron, so I don't see it having much of an impact on sexual orientation.

Hurray for sanity. Hopefully people will take their children to psychologists rather than pastors when they begin to wonder about their sexuality.

4 comments:

Alan said...

Even groups like Exodus are no longer claiming "change" happens. (Though they're still happy to take your money, obviously.)

So, imagine how crazy you have to be to believe in these conversions that even a group like Exodus doesn't believe can happen.

Jodie said...

"The power of Christ hasn't kept you from being a moron, so why should it keep a gay from being gay?"

(paraphrasing)

LOL

The Church has been hung up on sex for a very long time. I wonder why?

Douglas Underhill said...

It's incredibly sad that when kids wonder about their sexuality, we feel like we have to send them to psychologists for safety's sake, because there's a decent chance their pastor, the person they're supposed to trust with matters of ultimate value, will do or say something really damaging.

Aric Clark said...

Yeah, it is sad Doug. Very sad.