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Therapy to 'Cure' Gays Is Bogus: Shrinks

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 6, 2009 6:56 AM CDT

(Newser) – Claims that sexual orientation can be changed through therapy have no scientific credibility, finds a new report by the American Psychological Association. The group reviewed 83 journal articles published over several decades and found that many studies purporting to show successful changed sexuality "contain serious design flaws." The APA tells mental health professionals to instruct their patients that they cannot change their sexual orientation—already the widely held consensus.

"Scientifically rigorous older studies in this area found that sexual orientation was unlikely to change due to efforts designed for this purpose," the report says. "At most, certain studies suggested that some individuals learned how to ignore or not act on their homosexual attractions," but that research ignores "long-term mental health effects," including depression and suicide attempts.

Military personnel join the annual gay parade organized by Pride London, July 4, 2009.
Military personnel join the annual gay parade organized by Pride London, July 4, 2009.   (AP Photo/Akira Suemori)
A marcher waves the rainbow flag along Market Street during the San Francisco's 39th annual gay pride parade on June 28, 2009.
A marcher waves the rainbow flag along Market Street during the San Francisco's 39th annual gay pride parade on June 28, 2009.   (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Ted Haggard, the evangelical pastor who  solicited a male prostitute, appears on CNN's Larry King Live in Los Angeles Thursday Jan. 29, 2009.
Ted Haggard, the evangelical pastor who solicited a male prostitute, appears on CNN's Larry King Live in Los Angeles Thursday Jan. 29, 2009.   (AP Photo/ Kyle Christy/CNN)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 23 comments
kokuaguy
Aug 8, 2009 2:00 AM CDT
Normal is a setting on your clothes dryer.
kokuaguy
Aug 8, 2009 1:56 AM CDT
And just how many were there? Every last one is now a life long, committed dyke? What on earth did you DO to them?
newsrmandan
Aug 7, 2009 7:07 AM CDT
Some perspectives on where Christians are coming from in their so called "hatred" for homosexuality: The bible is more then clear Gal 5 Mark 7 and I cor 6 all deal with homo sin. It is a list of other sins all equally not be overlooked: thefts, drunks, greed, idolatry, hatred, murders, and such like these. Take a closer look at these lists you will see something interesting, even though they are in the bible they all have outside the bible significance. Thefts (think Bernie Madoff) is dealt with via a civil law. Drunkeness usually frowned upon in general. Murderers get life in prison. Greed is (sorry Mr. Gecko) not good. But the most important thing about these passages is not the "sins" but the forgiveness of these sins. 1Cor 6:9-11 ends, after listing all these things, with "And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God...... Paul was talking to a group of people who included some at least that were associated with all these things and thats where as a christian we stand. We were everything that that list accused us of, if we come off as hypocritical its because ( to our disservice) we are. Christians don't look down from high horses and pretend to be better then homosexuals we stand on our feet just like anybody else and thank God for saving us. Snarfeh... homosexual sin is not worse than any of the others and the others should be swept out with as much fervor. It is a reflection of the failure of mans ability not Gods. God never fails and there is nothing too big that he can't forgive. Including my pride, selfishness, greed, etc. ad infinidum. Or your _________, unbelief, hatred, greed, pride etc ad infin........

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