Baptists Promote Ex-Gay Therapy - IV

Comment posted regarding Tennessean article Baptists reach out to gays, to make them 'ex-gays'

Bryant said,

Don't know how to break it to you Bill but those people you mention are far from unanimous in thinking homosexuality is normal in fact i would be surprised if even a majority does.

I have a sister who is quite an accomplished Psychologist who thinks it is anything but normal and she says there are plenty more who feel the same.

The LEADERSHIP thinks it is normal and attempt to present it as a unanimous or nearly so opinion.

I would love to see a vote on it myself(among Psychologists).

I didn't say homosexuality was "normal," i.e. typical. I said it is a normal variation in human sexuality. Big difference. Don't misstate what I've said in order to justify your anti-gay prejudices. Thanks.

Here's The American Psychiatric Association's view on the what the SBC is proposing:

Question: Is it ethical to engage in a therapy (such as reparative or conversion therapy) to change sexual orientation?

Answer: No. Although successful and ethical treatments for legitimate psychiatric diagnoses may sometimes lead to some changes in sexual behavior, any treatment that is based on an assumption that homosexuality per se is a mental disorder, or is based on an assumption that the patient should change his or her sexual orientation, is by its nature unethical, as it violates numerous ethics principles. Such so-called "treatment" ignores established scientific evidence, demeans the dignity of the patient, succumbs to individual and social prejudice and stigma, and has often been significantly harmful to patients, families, others, and their relationships.

From: Principles of Medical Ethics, 2001 Edition.

The American Psychological Association supports this view:

Can Therapy Change Sexual Orientation?

No. Even though most homosexuals live successful, happy lives, some homosexual or bisexual people may seek to change their sexual orientation through therapy, sometimes pressured by the influence of family members or religious groups to try and do so. The reality is that homosexuality is not an illness. It does not require treatment and is not changeable.

What About So-Called "Conversion Therapies"?

The American Psychological Association is concerned about such therapies and their potential harm to patients. In 1997, the Association's Council of Representatives passed a resolution reaffirming psychology's opposition to homophobia in treatment and spelling out a client's right to unbiased treatment and self-determination. Any person who enters into therapy to deal with issues of sexual orientation has a right to expect that such therapy would take place in a professionally neutral environment absent of any social bias.

From:Answers to Your Questions About Sexual Orientation and Homosexuality

The APA has created a task force to look into revising these statements. Most APA members I've talked to would like a stronger condemnation of any efforts to change a persons sexual orientation due to the harm that usually results. Whether it also declares this practice unethical remains to be seen. Preliminary results are due Dec, 2007

The fact that the SBC would promote the unethical treatment of gays via these "ex-gay" programs is astonishing, but not all that surprising.