The back side of tolerance?
Gay protestors asked presidential contender Barack Obama to drop a well-known and popular pastor and singer from his gospel entourage in South Carolina this weekend because the man, Donnie McClurkin, says he overcame his homosexual tendancies through prayer. McClurkin, for his part, says he did not speak against homosexuals, but that God delivered him from homosexuality. Should he not be able to "testify" (in church talk) about his spiritual journey?
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Boy, there's a lot to comment on in this story... not just the "cured gay" business.
Looking at the other story you posted, about the Religious Right collapsing into disarray, it makes me wonder if Americans are finally deciding they've seen enough of this merging of church and state, and perhaps the Democrats are getting vocal about religion at a bad time.
Regarding the "cured gay" business, I've heard some stories that indicate that gays who claim to be "cured" aren't changed permanently. It seems that many start up heterosexual relationships that last only a few years, only to break apart and go back to what feels more natural to them. It would be interesting to see some real studies done on this stuff, instead of hearing only a bunch of claims by demagogues on every facet of the issue.
Any links that can be provided regarding actual scientific studies in this would be most interesting indeed.
Posted on October 29, 2007 4:11 PM
Dear Ms. McLaughlin;
I speak as a person who believes that God creates a rich variety of people, among them are Gays and Straights; and many people somewhere in between. I encourage everyone to be who they are and respect others who are put together in their own unique way.
Now I believe that there of all sorts people in all these groups. They go from being celibate to being sexual with one monogamous partner; to those who are promiscous; to those who rape or are pedipiles.
I affirm all humans who are in a committed monogamous relationship with another adult. But if any one uses another human being as a thing rather than as a human being is doing wrong. And those who misuse children are the worst.
Now to the question. If someone thought they were gay and are now straight, that is between them and their God. For someone to abandon them because they do not fit into a neat category is wrong, and for someone else to ask that some one to repudiate them because they do not fit into their acceptable categories is doing wrong.
Thanks for giving me a chance to express myself.
Shalom;
Chaplain Bernard W. Hess
Posted on October 29, 2007 4:27 PM
"instead of hearing only a bunch of claims by demagogues on every facet of the issue."............
" Any links that can be provided regarding actual scientific studies "...........................
if the scientist is pro gblt his research will bode well 'against' someone being 'cured' (by God).
conversely a scientist not so hot on glbt his research will most likely be more accepting of such a cure. most will agree that if data is provided to 100 scientist that you will get results that vary greatly. bias is hard to turn off.
Posted on October 30, 2007 11:56 AM
Yes, bias is hard to turn off, but this is exactly what the peer review process of scientific research is built to discover and eliminate. So I guess I'll see what I can find on my own. I'm not very good at finding real science papers on the Web, but I guess I need to start sometime...
Posted on October 30, 2007 12:59 PM
Buz, how do you hide factual evidence in a study?
Shalom
Posted on October 30, 2007 2:31 PM
Well, Darryl, you know the saying: "There are liars, damn liars and statisticians." {;-)
Posted on October 30, 2007 2:52 PM
Easy there eric, at one time, I did statistics for 3 high school athletic teams!
Shalom
Posted on October 30, 2007 5:33 PM