Study Says Gays Can Change Orientation

[sunoftheskye]

Study Says Gays Can Change Orientation

By Heather Sells

CBN News Reporter

February 18, 2008

CBNNews.com - A ground-breaking new study on homosexuality threatens to change the terms of the debate. It's conclusion? It's possible to change your orientation.

"Homosexuality is not about sex. It's about relational brokenness," Rich Goddard said.

Goddard grew up going to church -- but abuse at home and struggles with his sexuality led him to seek out the gay lifestyle. It became a 12-year journey.

A Lesbian's Deliverance

"My 'M-O' was, I would go to a bar, me and my buddies, and I would have a beer and a shot of Yukon Jack and then I would be gone for the rest of the night and I would either find someone to go home with, or when I left there, I would go places to cruise to find men," Goddard said.

Rejecting the Gay Lifestyle

But today, Goddard says he's following Jesus and has rejected the gay lifestyle. A purity ring symbolizes his new life.

"When I was in the life I was probably 99 percent homosexual attraction. Today where I'm at I'm probably 99 percent attracted to women," Goddard said.

Until now, such stories have been all the ammunition the church has had in a culture that says there's no choice: You're either born gay -- or you're not.

But new research shows change is possible.

Psychologists Stan Jones and Mark Yarhouse followed 98 people as they entered Exodus ministries. The Christian group is dedicated to helping those who struggle with homosexuality.

The Pain of Isolation

"They're conservative, religious people often -- in our sample that was certainly true," said Yarhouse, co-author of Ex-Gays. "They don't feel understood by the gay community. They don't feel understood by the Christian community and so they're doubly isolated."

In the midst of such pain, Jones and Yarhouse found 38 percent were able to change their orientation. Some reduced their same-sex attraction substantially. Others were also able to shift to opposite sex attraction.

"The major mental health organizations have made very strong claims that sexual orientation cannot change and that attempts to do so would be harmful," Yarhouse said.

These arguments by groups like the American Psychological Association or APA have been very effective. Today, research shows the majority of Americans agree. Gays and lesbians cannot change their orientation -- even if they want to.

We wanted to talk with the APA about these latest findings but they refused, citing an on-going investigation of its own.

And don't expect the mainstream media to provide much coverage about the research either.

Counseling, Peer Support, Pastoral Care

Alan Chambers heads Exodus International and says he's not surprised about the lack of attention.

"People don't want to promote the truth, especially the mainstream media. They don't want to add that component to the debate," Chambers said.

Now more than 30 years old, Exodus has become a coalition of more than 100 ministries to gays. Counseling, peer support and pastoral care are all part of the mix. Exodus doesn't claim any one surefire method to help those who want out -- but Chambers say the church is key.

"What I see as a common denominator in the people who live out a life of success for decades long-term is that they have community, people who they can be honest with and I mean the body of Christ," Chambers said.

For Goddard, it was unconditional love from church friends who supported him through the up and down years of his recovery.

"They never said, 'you can't come back. Ok, you've sinned too much. You can't come back,'" Goddard said.

As many churches help those coming out of homosexuality, liberal churches that promote tolerance often stand in the way. Chambers says they remain the greatest threat to developing a biblical view of sexuality.

Maggie Bain is a former lesbian who thought she could have it all. She started living with her partner at 17. A Christian, she wanted to believe the pro-gay theology promoted by her new friends.

Pro-Gay Theology: Love is Never Wrong

"They're like -- 'Love is never wrong. God made us, we can love who we want to love,'" Bain said.

Today, she works at an evangelical church and credits Christian friends who helped her get out.

"When I left the relationship with her and decided not to be gay anymore, not be in the lifestyle anymore, I was surrounded by people that cared about me, loved me," Bain said.

Maggie's story also contradicts the major mental health groups, that say it's harmful to even try and change your orientation. But Jones and Yarhouse's research says no. Their study shows none of the 98 subjects were harmed psychologically.

Still, Yarhouse says the church must be careful not to oversimplify the process, which usually takes years -- and does not always lead to complete healing.

Healing a Difficult Path

"This is a very difficult path to take so we're not suggesting it's easy," Yarhouse said.

And what about the 56 percent in the study that reported minor or no significant change? Chambers says he's not giving up on them -- and neither should the church.

"The research found that not everyone did change. Is everyone able to change? I think that's still up for debate," Chambers said.

"It's probably one of the most difficult things I've done in my life but I wouldn't go back at all," Goddard said. "At the end of the day, my best day in that lifestyle doesn't compare to my worst day serving Jesus."

http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/324337.aspx

 

[Absolut]

Sorry sunoftheskye - I read this ---

Psychologists Stan Jones and Mark Yarhouse followed 98 people as they entered Exodus ministries. The Christian group is dedicated to helping those who struggle with homosexuality.

and stopped reading.

Maybe I'll go back someday

but those crazy bastards at Exodus are just plain nuts. I like that I like dick!

 

[walkabout]

thats what they teach !

 

[Absolut]

OK so evidently I lied.

I went back of course and read the whole damned thing.

This, right here, shocks me as well ---

Maggie's story also contradicts the major mental health groups, that say it's harmful to even try and change your orientation. But Jones and Yarhouse's research says no. Their study shows none of the 98 subjects were harmed psychologically.

I would like proof from these freaks that "no one was harmed psychologically."

If at all provable.

 

[RobinGoodfellow]

<twitch>

I love that when someone gets caught with his hand in the cookie jar, the usual response is to condemn the person catching them. That, and how wrong our opponents are. Yeesh....There are just some morons even I have problems being nice to...

RG

 

[Absolut]

Why aren't these people focussing on changing things like terrorism and prejudice and war and all the things that bring harm to society and humanity?

But to these people this is a form of harm to society. Unfortunately.

 

[sunoftheskye]

It's interesting to note that the Poster Boy of Exodus--I've forgotten his name--was caught in a gay bar some time ago. There was a stink in the media about it.

rotf! I wish I had a link.

 

[Absolut]

rotf! I wish I had a link.

I don't have a link, but I do recall the story. what a fake this guy is!

*edit --- here's another one!!!

***** Head of 'ex-gay' group Exodus is caught in a gay bar

by Anthony Glassman

Washington, D.C.--The facade of the "ex-gay" ministries headed by
umbrella organization Exodus International revealed another crack
September 19, when the group's chairman was caught in a gay bar by
two Human Rights Campaign employees.

John Paulk spent 40 minutes in the bar, leaving only when one of the
HRC staffers tried to photograph him. He has appeared in ads touting
"conversion" to heterosexuality, an idea widely discredited in
medical and psychological circles.

Daryl Herrschaft, one of the HRC staffers, was sitting in Mr. P's bar
in DuPont Circle, Washington's gay mecca, when he noticed a familiar
face walk in. He didn't really think about it much until a quarter of
an hour later, when he turned around to discover Paulk standing
behind him.

The two struck up a conversation, in which Paulk claimed his name was
John Clint, said he lived in Colorado Springs (where Paulk works for
Focus on the Family, an anti-gay group), and answered yes when
Herrschaft asked if he was gay. Paulk reportedly offered to buy him a
drink, and the two talked until Herrschaft excused himself and went
to the phone.

He called HRC deputy press secretary Wayne Besen, who arrived 40
minutes after Herrschaft first saw Paulk.

Besen, who has debated Paulk publicly, immediately recognized the
"ex-gay" poster boy, who has appeared on the cover of Newsweek with
his wife, an "ex-lesbian."

Paulk, apparently recognizing Besen, tried to hide, and Besen began
snapping photographs of Paulk. A bouncer ejected Besen for violating
the club's no-photos policy. When Paulk left the bar with his head
down, Besen followed him for a couple of blocks.

Paulk called Besen the next day, claiming he had just gone into the
bar to use the restroom, unaware that it was a gay bar.

In the following days, Paulk's story to the press wavered between the
bathroom excuse, and a claim that he went in to see what gay bars are
like these days, since he speaks about them so frequently but hasn't
been in one since his "cure."

Mr. P's is across P Street from a well-lit coffee shop with a public
restroom, as well as next door to the brightly lit Barcelo Hotel,
which also has a public restroom. The bar, on the other hand, has a
dark facade and a small window with a neon sign. It is also a
half-block away from a park cruising area known as the P Street Beach.

"John's actions represent a serious lapse in judgement," Exodus said
in a statement to the press. "His decision to enter a gay
establishment for any reason opens him up to all kinds of speculation
and questions by both other Exodus leaders and also the gay
community."

Paulk told the Exodus board of his need to use the restroom, and the
curiosity that caused him to stay longer, and they have thus far
decided to take no actions against him.

Two of Exodus International's founders left the organization in 1979
and divorced their wives for each other, remaining together until one
died a few years ago. A number of chapters of Exodus and other
"ex-gay" organizations have closed shop when leaders returned to
their "homosexual lifestyles."

"I predict that John Paulk will yet recreate himself again when this
["ex-gay"] folly, like the ones before, runs its course," Stuart
Koblentz wrote in 1998, wrapping up a memoir of his days as Paulk's
neighbor in Columbus when they went to Ohio State University 14 years
earlier. During that time, Paulk went from being a successful college
student to being a prostitute.

"During the time that I knew John, the truth was always something
that was treated as an afterthought," Koblentz wrote.

 

[josher]

"CBN" and "News" is an oxymoron.

 

[Yves]

A ground-breaking new study on homosexuality threatens to change the terms of the debate.

Psychologists Stan Jones and Mark Yarhouse followed 98 people as they entered Exodus ministries......

Ground-breaking according to CBN?? This so called "study on homosexuality" is a joke.
Jones and Yarhouse are on an insane mission as shown on their book: "Homosexuality: The Use of Scientific Research in the Church's Moral Debate" (2000)

 

[rareboy]

It is to laugh.

 

[sunoftheskye]

There's so much I disagree with in that article... however, this little snipet makes the whole premise fall.... one does not seek out the gay lifestyle, that's a common straight person error. You are either gay, or you are not.

Homosexuality is not a switch that you can turn on/off.

This guy is full of crap.

I think to them, they think of being gay as having random sex with strangers, doing drugs, etc. as some way to deal with an emotional void or something. Which is why they're so glued to that phrase "gay lifestyle". If they associate bad things with "gay" then it's easier to drive their point across.

I find it funny that only 38% of the people who participated claim to be "cured". Additionally, they say themselves in the article that most of these people are already religious and live in conservative communities. So these people have a vested interest in making their peers BELIEVE they're straight, even if they really aren't, once the program's ended.

 

[GL]

what a bunch of crap. as soon as i saw CBN i knew the whole story would be stupid.

"CBN" and "News" is an oxymoron.

amen!

no pun intended.

 

[hottie1982]

"CBN" and "News" is an oxymoron.

So true!!!

 

[Spellbound]

I see the word CHURCH. I'm not even going to read the whole thing.

 

[hermanding]

these people have an evil agenda. this causes such pain and tormenta in gay people still trying to receive approval from those who insisting that they know the best. i hope we are all proud of our sexuality - as proud as someone who has straight sexuality. it is one part of us. there are many other parts.
ding

 

[Soyboy]

Hmmmm.....

 

[Absolut]

I wonder if Senator Craig funds these loony studies...

 

[GL]

these people have an evil agenda. this causes such pain and tormenta in gay people still trying to receive approval from those who insisting that they know the best. i hope we are all proud of our sexuality - as proud as someone who has straight sexuality. it is one part of us. there are many other parts.
ding

i couldn't agree with you more...

 

[BluesDog]

that is such an offensive story that I just have to laugh