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I looked at her blog. Now I understand where this woman is coming from.

Ms. Tushnet is one of those people who believes she can deal with her homosexuality through faith alone (be chaste and all that) but she has not done the hard psychological work of understanding and coping with her own homosexual feelings (and trust me it is hard work). She expected to pray and her homosexual feelings would go away. It didn't work and now she is bitter, as reflected in the National Review article. I have known many people like her.

The role of religion vs. psychology in growth out of homosexuality has been debated in this thread. Both approaches have their role, both are essential. Ms. Tushnet shows the problems of a strictly religious or theological approach to overcoming homosexuality: Without the hard psychological work of dealing with one's past and one's feelings -- it won't work. Now, in bitterness, she is attacking the ex-gay movement publicly.

Modern psychology and the "ex-gay" groups both are very flawed...but these are the tools we have right now to work with to grow out of homosexuality. We have to make the best of them.

I am believer. I believe in God. God will provide for me, but I still have to go to work to make a living. God will heal us, but we still have to do the hard psychological work of dealing with our feelings, understanding our past, moving beyond our past, and correcting our thinking. God will heal us, but we have to use the hearts and minds he gave us.

I believe in God. God will provide for me, but I still have to go to work to make a living. God will heal us, but we still have to do the hard psychological work of dealing with our feelings, understanding our past, moving beyond our past, and correcting our thinking. God will heal us, but we have to use the hearts and minds he gave us.

Have you thought of writing a book? You should consider it seriously. Will freepmail you later today.

You are misrepresenting things in post 37. She is saying that the psychological treatment offered by ex-gay ministries sometimes fails sincere people. Clearly she is not expecting to pray and have her feelings go away. She is expecting to pray and have her behavior controlled. She doesn't think the desire is itself a sin, so she doesn't know she needs to repent of it.

How do you suppose people repented of homosexuality before psychological treatments were developed? When Paul says, "such were some of you..." where does he mention their psychologists.

I don't want to be too tough on you. Congratulations on your many successes. I am happy that psychoanalysis therapy helped you. I just wish you wouldn't promote the idea that faith isn't enough. It clearly was enough in the Apostle Paul's day. I am especially bothered by the ex-gay movement's push in the public schools. Leave the kids alone. If you want to offer therapies, do it outside of public, compulsory education. You don't speak for everyone. Your cause is noble enough, and much of what you say is beneficial. But your theology is greatly lacking, and I just can't overlook that.