Can Homosexuals change or born gay?
Cannot change what—behavior or orientation? Many homosexuals have changed not only their behavior but also their orientation (desires).
Thousands of ex-homosexuals testify of their change, and renowned Columbia University psychiatrist, Dr. Robert Spitzer, documented some of those changes. His 2003 study shows that some highly motivated individuals can change their orientation from homosexual to heterosexual through reorientation therapy.67 This is significant because Spitzer is no propagandist for the religious right. Quite the contrary—a self-described “Jewish atheist,” Spitzer was considered a hero by gay activists for getting homosexuality declassified as a mental disorder back in 1973.
Homosexual activists don’t like his new study though. In an interview, Dr. Spitzer said that his study “has been criticized severely by many people, particularly gay activists, who apparently feel quite threatened by it. They have the feeling that in order to get their civil rights, it’s helpful to them if they can present the view that once you’re a homosexual you can never change.”
When asked whether the American Psychiatric Association should now change their position statements that say orientation cannot be changed, Dr. Spitzer said, “I think they should, [but] they will not be . . . There’s a gay activist group that’s very strong and very vocal and is recognized officially by the American Psychiatric Association. There’s nobody to give the other viewpoint. There may be a few who believe it, but they won’t talk.”
Dr. Spitzer then acknowledged explicitly that politics often trump the scientific facts at organizations like the APA.68He also said that the APA should stop applying a double standard by discouraging reorientation therapy, while actively encouraging gay-affirmative therapy that’s intended to confirm and solidify a gay identity.69 Good point by Dr. Spitzer. After all, if people can be talked into it, then why can’t they be talked out of it?
But let’s suppose that some homosexuals cannot change their orientation. Does that mean they cannot control their behavior? Why do we expect pedophiles to resist their desires but not homosexuals? Because we know pedophiles are human beings who can choose not to act on their sexual desires just like anyone else. We also demand them to resist their desires because our children will not be safe if they don’t. As we’ve seen, our children will not be safe either if we endorse homosexuality because that endorsement will help destroy natural marriage.
The truth is, sexual behavior is not compulsory. It is always a choice. We all must resist our sexual urges at times. And while it’s not desirable, some do so for their entire lives and never have sex. That’s possible for people with any sexual desire. After all, if I honestly believe that I’ve been born with heterosexual desires, am I required to engage in heterosexual acts? Am I not capable of controlling my sexual desires and remaining celibate? If you claim that I am not, then you have also made the absurd contention that no one in the history of the world has ever been morally responsible for any sexual crime, including rape, incest, and child molestation.
67 See Dr. Robert L. Spitzer, Archives of Sexual Behavior, Vol. 32, No. 5, October 2003, pp. 403-417. For a summary of the findings see Roy Waller and Linda A. Nicolosi, Spitzer Study Published: Evidence Found for Effectiveness of Reorientation Therapy, National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality, September 21, 2004, available online at http://www.narth.com/docs/evidencefound.html.
68 See Warren Throckmorton, PhD., “My interview with Dr. Robert Spitzer,” posted online at http://www.drthrockmorton.com/interviewdrspitzer.pdf.
69 See Roy Waller and Linda A. Nicolosi, Spitzer Study Published: Evidence Found for Effectiveness of Reorientation Therapy, National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality, September 21, 2004, available online at http://www.narth.com/docs/evidencefound.html.
Thousands of ex-homosexuals testify of their change, and renowned Columbia University psychiatrist, Dr. Robert Spitzer, documented some of those changes. His 2003 study shows that some highly motivated individuals can change their orientation from homosexual to heterosexual through reorientation therapy.67 This is significant because Spitzer is no propagandist for the religious right. Quite the contrary—a self-described “Jewish atheist,” Spitzer was considered a hero by gay activists for getting homosexuality declassified as a mental disorder back in 1973.
Homosexual activists don’t like his new study though. In an interview, Dr. Spitzer said that his study “has been criticized severely by many people, particularly gay activists, who apparently feel quite threatened by it. They have the feeling that in order to get their civil rights, it’s helpful to them if they can present the view that once you’re a homosexual you can never change.”
When asked whether the American Psychiatric Association should now change their position statements that say orientation cannot be changed, Dr. Spitzer said, “I think they should, [but] they will not be . . . There’s a gay activist group that’s very strong and very vocal and is recognized officially by the American Psychiatric Association. There’s nobody to give the other viewpoint. There may be a few who believe it, but they won’t talk.”
Dr. Spitzer then acknowledged explicitly that politics often trump the scientific facts at organizations like the APA.68He also said that the APA should stop applying a double standard by discouraging reorientation therapy, while actively encouraging gay-affirmative therapy that’s intended to confirm and solidify a gay identity.69 Good point by Dr. Spitzer. After all, if people can be talked into it, then why can’t they be talked out of it?
But let’s suppose that some homosexuals cannot change their orientation. Does that mean they cannot control their behavior? Why do we expect pedophiles to resist their desires but not homosexuals? Because we know pedophiles are human beings who can choose not to act on their sexual desires just like anyone else. We also demand them to resist their desires because our children will not be safe if they don’t. As we’ve seen, our children will not be safe either if we endorse homosexuality because that endorsement will help destroy natural marriage.
The truth is, sexual behavior is not compulsory. It is always a choice. We all must resist our sexual urges at times. And while it’s not desirable, some do so for their entire lives and never have sex. That’s possible for people with any sexual desire. After all, if I honestly believe that I’ve been born with heterosexual desires, am I required to engage in heterosexual acts? Am I not capable of controlling my sexual desires and remaining celibate? If you claim that I am not, then you have also made the absurd contention that no one in the history of the world has ever been morally responsible for any sexual crime, including rape, incest, and child molestation.
67 See Dr. Robert L. Spitzer, Archives of Sexual Behavior, Vol. 32, No. 5, October 2003, pp. 403-417. For a summary of the findings see Roy Waller and Linda A. Nicolosi, Spitzer Study Published: Evidence Found for Effectiveness of Reorientation Therapy, National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality, September 21, 2004, available online at http://www.narth.com/docs/evidencefound.html.
68 See Warren Throckmorton, PhD., “My interview with Dr. Robert Spitzer,” posted online at http://www.drthrockmorton.com/interviewdrspitzer.pdf.
69 See Roy Waller and Linda A. Nicolosi, Spitzer Study Published: Evidence Found for Effectiveness of Reorientation Therapy, National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality, September 21, 2004, available online at http://www.narth.com/docs/evidencefound.html.
