A new study affiliated with Exodus International of 61 subjects over seven years found that 23 percent of them were able to successfully “convert” to a heterosexual orientation.
Did they really convert or are they now just ignoring their same-sex attraction? Perhaps even the subjects don’t really know, but it’s my belief that the desire will always be there, and the more you suppress it, the stronger it can become.
Also, it’s my opinion that a considerable percentage of the population is naturally bisexual, so that may explain why the conversion is more successful for some than others. Then there’s spirit possession, which is one possible and rarely considered cause of a sudden sexual orientation change.
The website of the American Psychological Association reads that promotion of change therapy “contributes to a negative climate for lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons.”
“All major national mental health organizations have officially expressed concerns about therapies promoted to modify sexual orientation,” the APA statement says. “To date, there has been no scientifically adequate research to show that therapy aimed at changing sexual orientation is safe or effective.”
By offering this therapy, Exodus International implies, based on religious teachings that are subject to interpretation and that were written by humans long ago during different times, that homosexuality is wrong.
I asked an acquaintance of mine, who happens to be a gay psychiatrist from Thailand, about the idea of changing one’s sexual orientation through therapy. He explained that this is not even an issue in Thailand because the Buddhist religion does not teach that homosexuality is “wrong” or “evil.” There is no need to change who you are attracted to.
Read more about the study here: http://www.christianexaminer.com/Articles/Articles%20Nov11/Art_Nov11_04.html.
Copyright © 2011 Stephen Petullo
