From: john@zygot.ati.com (John Higdon)
Newsgroups: soc.motss
Subject: Re: Why not cure homosexuality?
Date: 1 Jan 93 02:34:55 GMT
Organization: Green Hills and Cows

In article <92364.223718MEH124@psuvm.psu.edu> MEH124@psuvm.psu.edu writes:

>What if by some outside chance these conservative Christians are correct in
>their beliefs?  Why be so hard on those that want a cure for what they feel
>is wrong?  I have seen a number of books that are supposed to help people
>overcome, or at least live with, their homosexual feelings.  Many of the books
>even claim a 65% success rate (e.g., "Pursuing Sexual Wholeness," by Andrew
>Comiskey--a recovered homosexual himself).

This is a complex matter. Both sides have a vested interest in each of
the opposing answers to the question, "can homosexuality be cured?".

On the one hand, you have those who have religious/moral hangups about
homosexuality. If it would be proven once and for all that sexual
orientation was inherent, coming out against homosexuality for
religious/moral reasons would be akin to being against left-handedness,
or brown eyes. Note that I said orientation rather than homosexuality.
It is amazing how many people consider their heterosexuality to be
inherent or "built-in" while speaking of homosexuality as being some
kind of learned or recruited behavior.

On the other hand, if it could be proven that homosexuality was some
type of treatable disorder, then there would be considerable pressure
for the gay community to simply "get treatment" and stop all this
political nonsense. This would not go over very well with those who
have been conducting a life-long fight for rights and acceptance.

But all of that aside, the majority of people feel content to simply
play the hand dealt to them. Heterosexual people have it made; they are
in the majority, are considered "normal", and the entire societal
infrastructure accomdates them. (Makes you wonder why anyone would
"choose" to be gay, does it not?)

>Also, just for your info, there are even 12 step groups (like AA) that are call
>ed Homosexuals Anonymous that are set up world-wide to help people overcome
>their unwanted homosexual feelings.

This is really sad. The only reason that any feelings are unwanted is
because the person has been indoctrinated into believing that those
feelings are "wrong". You will observe that each and every one of these
"Homosexuals Anonymous" outfits has some sort of religious
organizational base. It is the fundamentalist Christian religions that
have such a problem with homosexuality and the actual basis for that
problem is not entirely clear. There are many sins in front of "sexual"
ones in order of severity mentioned in the Bible.

The most modern studies tend to show that the whole matter of sexuality
is more complex than we had ever imagined. The outdated garbage
presented presented by Cramer and others can be dismissed out of hand.
Some times I wonder if this whole preoccupation with sexual orientation
(and the idiotic statements about straight people being "this way", or
gay people being "that way") does not come from cataclysmic ignorance
regarding the nature of man. That, and the fact that the
fundamentalists are running out of boogeymen to hate.

There were some recent documentaries on CBC that covered this matter in
great detail. Among the conclusions were that the broad range of
sexuality (homosexuality, heterosexuality, and EVERYTHING in between)
was simply part of the human experience, and that what were "unnatural"
were the societal, religious, and even sometimes legal restraints and
attitudes on consensual human feelings, urges, and behaviors.

Unfortunately, we may not see these programs in the US because of the
stranglehold the fundamentalists have on our media.
-- 
 John Higdon  |   P. O. Box 7648   |   +1 408 264 4115     |       FAX:
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