大象传媒

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Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness鈥� sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

A complaint was made join the .

Puritan, perhaps you could group your shorter comments together into a single post, then we can debate the comment itself. You've raised Sodom and Gom, but there are serious debates about a reading of this text that is linked to sexuality per se. Perhaps I should post on that, then we can all respond under another posting. Might be better to leave this posting for comments about the British Psychological Society's statement.

FREUDULENT!

William again utter nonsense

what debate is there about linking the story of Sodom and Gom to sexuality?

The men of the city wanted to "know" the two angels and the hebrew term there is used elsehere to denote "knowing" in the biblical sense ie sexually.

Also, if they just wanted a pint why would Lot offer another sexual solution ie rape of his daughters?

William, you know full well you are represeting a new, radcial and extremely partial play on this passage.

The orthodox and traditional view has always been that Sodom and Gom committed gross sexual sin and you are portraying a very new, radical, liberal and fringe view of this passage.

How disengenous to present this as seriously contested.

Post 4 quotes from the book of Jude which confirms that serious sexual sin was definitely a part of Sodom and Gom' catalogue.

Shame, shame - you know much better than to present this in the way you have done.

PB

I don't know if this is the right place to be posting the above link, but it shows how research is being done into brain structure and how sexuality may be determined in the womb.

Approximately 25 years ago, against a background of some of the very crude and humanly degrading 鈥渢reatments鈥� that had been in vogue for homosexuality, the American Psychiatric Association decided that homosexuality was not a disorder and, therefore, not anything that should be treated or attempted to be treated . These 鈥渢reatments鈥� were almost invariably a failure in terms of changing an individuals same sex attraction. This contributed to the thinking that it could not be treated and concurrently the political agenda led to the conclusion that, as it was not a disorder, it should not be treated. One effect of this was to effectively end any attempts at research on 鈥渢reatment鈥� of what had previously been a 鈥渄isorder鈥�. If that had happened for, e.g. other psychiatric disorders (the sufferers of which often also make hugely positive contributions to society) and research had ended into those conditions, we would still be using the crude treatments that were only available 25 years ago. Thankfully other more sophisticated and humane treatments, both biological and psychological have, as a result of research, been developed for these conditions.
It is just possible that if research into treatment of same sex attraction had been permitted and clinicians had been free to explore other possible treatments then other treatments might now be available with better success rates than the unsophisticated treatments of 25 years ago or with even better success rates than the treatments that are currently attempted. Such 鈥渢reatments鈥� for homosexuality as do exist have had to be explored in a climate hostile to research, without the chance for open debate amongst therapists because of the politically correct climate.
By and large, same sex attraction does tend to persist over the lifespan. It can however be managed, albeit with difficulty, by those who choose for religious reasons to do so, without embracing the gay lifestyle, when religious communities are understanding and supportive . A few who want, for religious reasons, to seek change in SSA do achieve varying degrees of change in about 33% of cases although even these are always likely to be vulnerable to SSA. Professionals who do this work should not be pilloried. They are offering choice to some whose religious identity and conviction is so strong it will not allow them to live as gay. It is much too simple to put all their distress about their SSA down to internalised homonegativity. Religious identity and theological convictions are not easily changed. It is a human right for this very small minority that they should be able to pursue a treatment as long as they are given full information on the (present day)very modest success rate and the risk (and possible emotional consequences) of disappointment if success is not achieved. After all consent should be fully informed on any treatment.

the psychiatric response is driven by ideology, not medicine so their only response to people is help them accept the way they are. I presume at some point - in fact, what am I saying, already, they say the same to child molesters - that's how the church in America and Ireland ended up in the mess it's in.