Texas GOP advances ‘reparative therapy’ for gays

Associated Press ^ | Jun 6, 2014 2:51 AM EDT | Paul J. Weber and Will Weissert

[Olog-hai]

The Texas Republican Party would endorse psychological treatment that seeks to turn gay people straight under a new platform partly aimed at rebuking laws in California and New Jersey that ban so-called “reparative therapy” on minors.

A push to include the new anti-gay language survived a key vote late Thursday in Fort Worth at the Texas Republican Convention where, across the street, tea party star U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz fired up attendees at a rally to defend marriage as between a man and a woman.

Under the new proposed plank, the Texas GOP will “recognize the legitimacy and efficacy of counseling, which offers reparative therapy and treatment for those patients seeking healing and wholeness from their homosexual lifestyle.” …

[fwdude]

Watch, the fagicists will portray this as “forcing” unwilling participants into torturous sessions.

[MikeyB806]

No problem here. Many people overcome psychological issues through counseling.

[MikeyB806]

“Would you want your daughter to marry a man “made” straight by this therapy?”

Would you want your son taking it up the back side?

[Mike Darancette]

A push to include the new anti-gay language

A bit judgmental, no? This reminds me of the deaf and blind people who fight cures.

[wolfman23601]

Seems FR is flooded with homosexualists these days.

[stevie_d_64]

For the record...As a man...

I am without any doubt, under no duress or compensation...

That I am a devout, dyed in the wool, extremely militaristic, grassroots activist, FLAMING lesbian!!!

Whew, I feel so much better talking that one out...I feel a load has been lifted off my shoulders...

And I will do whatever I can to shove my personal beliefs (...in your face!”) upon those that disagree with me!!!

[stevie_d_64]

Be careful, I thought some homosexual tendencies have very low thresholds to partake in sado-masochistic activities...

They may actually like the torture from those counseling sessions...

Funny how the AP only wants to report on this particular issue...

Personally I would question why my Texas GOP is once again addressing an issue by proposing spending money on this...Even though it only appears to be a “platform” issue...Not anything that will be passed as a law in this state next year...

I believe Texas has a few more important things to worry about than this particular social blight...

But hey, what do I know...Probably not a pile of squat.../sarc

[Salman]

There is another issue here besides the unacceptability of same sex attraction.

Unfortunately the "therapy" in question happens to be quackery.

[SoConPubbie]

Yes. Do you believe heterosexuality is innate?

Wrong.

You are not born a Homosexual, you become homosexual by your choices.

Specifically, when you refuse to Honor God as God in your life and choose over and over to please your self over obeying God, then God gives you over to that psychological, spiritual disease and mental disorder.

See Romans 1:

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

[william clark]

You are not born a Homosexual, you become homosexual by your choices.

Half-right. In the vast majority of cases, homosexuality is an early unconscious response to emotional damage and/or sexual abuse. The choice comes when, upon recognizing the compulsion, a person decides to combat it or embrace it, but dismissing it entirely as a choice is simplistic, callous and unproductive.

[stevie_d_64]

Yeah, it was quacking way before this hit the floor for debate...

;-)

[SoConPubbie]

A bit judgmental, no? This reminds me of the deaf and blind people who fight cures.

Wow, then I guess that the Apostle Paul, and Jesus and God by extension, were being hyper-judgmental when Paul stated the following, right?:

1 Cor. 6:9-11:

9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

[SoConPubbie]

Half-right. In the vast majority of cases, homosexuality is an early unconscious response to emotional damage and/or sexual abuse. The choice comes when, upon recognizing the compulsion, a person decides to combat it or embrace it, but dismissing it entirely as a choice is simplistic, callous and unproductive.

Sorry, but I'll take the biblical explanation over anything else every day of the week.

Call me simplistic, callous, and unproductive all day long, God's definition, not mine, not yours, is what is important.

[a fool in paradise]

What does the mayor of NYC’s wife think?

[a fool in paradise]

If you are “questioning” your sexuality, you are encouraged to “explore” same sex encounters.

However if that questioning is whether you might be happier in a heterosexual relationship, THAT is verbotten.

[a fool in paradise]

Do you think there is any therapy that could make you gay?

Apparently molestation and emotional trauma can be contributing factors, so yeah.

[Oliviaforever]

This very plank in the Texas GOP Platform needs to be placed in the RNC’s Platform at the 2016 Convention.

[william clark]

Sorry, but I'll take the biblical explanation over anything else every day of the week.

Call me simplistic, callous, and unproductive all day long, God's definition, not mine, not yours, is what is important.

What makes you think that the Biblical view is contradictory to a rational understanding of their condition? You've created a straw argument there. God condemns as sin the activity of homosexuality, not the fact that one is so tempted. He doesn't indicate what may trigger the desire.

Hurling scripture at homosexuals with no desire to understand them as people with different struggles than yours will certainly succeed in driving them away from a consideration of the gospel and their need for repentance and grace. Sure, it's easier to stand on your side of the line, condemn and cheerlead, but that lack of engagement is precisely why the so-called gay rights movement has made such progress in our culture over the last few decades.

If I speak with the tongues of men and angels...

[SoConPubbie]

What makes you think that the Biblical view is contradictory to a rational understanding of their condition? You've created a straw argument there. God condemns as sin the activity of homosexuality, not the fact that one is so tempted. He doesn't indicate what may trigger the desire.

Temptation comes from outside the heart. The Desire to sin is what Jesus came to conquer, not just the physical act.

Christ was tempted to sin, but he never desired the sin in any occasion.

For example:

Matthew 5:28:

But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

So simply lusting after someone in your heart is committed the sin physically. This is what Christ came to save us from.

And you are correct, I have no desire to understand a homosexual. I understand their sin and I know the solution, Salvation through the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for our sins.

Jesus, at no time, spent time trying to "understand" why people were sinning, he acknowledged their sin, he rebuked their sin, and then he pointed them to the solution to their sin, the Gospel.

[william clark]

My primary point is that when you simply say “Homosexuality is a choice,” you may well be just referring to the behavior, but the homosexual hears you telling him that he has consciously chosen to feel that way, which is almost never the case. Consequently, he is unlikely to want to listen to you share the gospel with him, which he so desperately needs to hear.

So while I’d be right there with you denying that they were “born that way,” I regard it as the unbiblical form of judgment to tell them that they have consciously chosen the inner confusion and torment that is homosexuality. They may choose to sin as their means of responding to it, but we don’t make a remedy attractive when we first tell someone that their symptoms are imaginary.