By
Hendrik van der Breggen
The Carillon, January 15, 2014
Three clarifications concerning 2013's news
The top
local news story for 2013 [in and around Steinbach, Manitoba] seems to have been Bill 18—Manitoba's anti-bullying
bill. Quite apparently, the issues raised by Bill 18 are important to many.
Last year
in this column I offered several criticisms of Bill 18 (here and here), criticisms
held by many thoughtful Manitoba citizens, criticisms our government wholly dismissed
(yes, democracy has its problems, but its competitors have worse problems).
Last year in this column I also questioned the wisdom of promoting same-sex sex,
questions that resulted in insults hurled in my direction plus calls for me to
be fired from my teaching job and to be stripped of my PhD degree (not a
pleasant experience of the new “tolerance,” to be sure).
I strongly
believe that my column's criticisms and questions are reasonable and important,
and that they were respectfully presented, but I will not rehearse them here—I
remind readers that my criticisms and questions (and replies to critics) remain
available at the online version of this column.
Today I offer
three clarifications concerning what a recent letter writer [Dennis Hiebert] to The Carillon described as related news items
which provide a broader context for the Bill 18 story: (1) the closing of
Exodus International (an ex-gay ministry); (2) psychiatrist Robert Spitzer's
retraction of his earlier study's conclusion that sexual orientation change
occurs; and (3) Pope Francis' pro-gay comments.
I offer
my three clarifications not to perpetuate discord, but to reduce discord by helping
all of us gain additional insight. My hope is that careful and respectful discussion
aimed at truth will serve to promote the greater good in our community.
1. Exodus International
In 2013 this
large evangelical umbrella organization of ministries, which for nearly four
decades helped people with unwanted same-sex attractions, shut down. The organization's
last board of directors voted unanimously to close Exodus. Also, Exodus's last
president Alan Chambers apologized to the LGBT community for the organization's
failures. Moreover, Chambers said that "99 percent of people who went
through gay-conversion therapy did not lose their same-sex desires, himself
included."
No doubt the
attitude of many persons toward Exodus International is simply this: good bye
and good riddance.
For the
sake of truth and clarity, however, it should be noted that there is more to
the story.
It turns
out that in recent years in Exodus International a considerable shuffling of
board members occurred to accommodate the theological/ideological views which
reflect those of the president, resulting in an exodus of many ministries from
Exodus.
In fact,
in 2012 many former Exodus ministries regrouped to form Restored Hope Network,
a new umbrella organization devoted to helping people with unwanted same-sex
attractions.
According
to Anne Paulk, a former lesbian who is now executive director of Restored Hope
Network, "we are at this point half the size of Exodus in ministry number"
(in comparison to "the year leading up to their implosion") and
"almost all [our members] used be an Exodus ministry." Also,
according to Paulk, Restored Hope Network will soon be seeking out other former
Exodus ministries to join them. (Anne Paulk, personal correspondence, January 11,
2014.)
What were
the theological/ideological concerns? It turns out that the
theological/ideological view of the former Exodus president and now defunct Exodus
board is what some have called "cheap grace": i.e., there is no
requirement to repent of behaviours deemed by Scripture to be sin. (About the "cheap grace" charge, see here and here.) That's
significant, surely, and should be taken into account in a charitable and
accurate description of Exodus's closing.
What
about Chamber's claim that 99 percent of same-sex attracted people don't lose their
same-sex desires? I'll use this question to segue to the next section.
2. Spitzer's study
It's true
that the highly respected psychiatrist Robert Spitzer recently changed his mind
about his 2003 study wherein he concluded that homosexual orientation can
change to heterosexual orientation. Spitzer decided that his study had
a "fatal flaw": i.e., there was "no way to determine if the
subject's accounts were valid." The only question his study could answer
was the following: "how do individuals undergoing reparative therapy
describe changes in sexual orientation?"—a question Spitzer dismissed as
"not very interesting." (Robert Spitzer, 2012 letter to Kenneth J.
Zucker, editor of Journal of Sexual
Behavior; cited in Ex-Gay Watch, April 26, 2012.)
But we
should ask: What follows from Spitzer's flawed study?
Significantly,
from the fact that Spitzer's study is flawed it does not follow logically that people
cannot or do not change, nor does it follow logically that all his subjects
were lying or deceived. Surely, whether or not people do in fact change remains
an open question, open to further investigation.
I submit
that more study is needed, especially
in view of the fact that Spitzer's own study showed that many individuals did
in fact describe changes in sexual orientation—and especially in view of the
fact that there are many other people
who also claim to have had same-sex attractions and say they were able to
change these to various significant degrees.
Spitzer's
study focused on 200 individuals. What about others?
Consider,
for starters, the testimonies of the following people as evidence (these people
also claim to have had their sexual attractions changed to varying degrees): Rosaria Champagne
Butterfield (author of Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith);
Joe Dallas (author of The Gay Gospel?);
Michael Glatze (co-founder of Young Gay America magazine and former advocate for gay rights); Jackie Hill (spoken word poet well-known for speaking out against the popular pro-gay I-can't-change song by Macklemore); Charlene E. Hios (author of
"Leaving My Lesbian Past"); Chirlane McCray (wife of New York City mayor Bill de Blasio); Anne Paulk (executive director of Restored Hope Network); Sy Rogers (syrogers.com; testimony); Christopher Yuan (author of Out of a Far Country).
Consider,
too, the testimonies available at these organizations (which help people
with unwanted same-sex attractions): Ex-gayTruth.com; Living Out; Restored Hope Network; X-Gays
facebook group. There is even an organization that defends the rights of former homosexuals: Voice of the Voiceless.
Surely, not
all people who claim to be ex-gay are lying or self-deluded. Surely, further
investigation—i.e., non-flawed studies—should be promoted.
Again,
from a flawed study concerning sexual orientation change, it doesn't follow
that sexual orientation change can't or doesn't occur to some significant
degree.
For
further reading on Spitzer, I suggest Christopher H. Rosik, "Spitzer's 'retraction' of his sexual change study: what does it really mean?" LifeSiteNews, May 31, 2012. Rosik, a clinical
psychologist, is president of National Association for Research and Therapy of
Homosexuality (NARTH).
3. Pope Francis
To
properly understand the new pope's now-famous and apparently pro-gay remark we
should consider context. Here's the Pope's famous remark: "If someone is
gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?"
Yes, without context, this almost seems as if Pope Francis is giving the
Church's approval on homosexual sex.
But he
isn't. Here's a summary of the crucial context, as reported by Christian Post: "Pope
Francis, in some of the most conciliatory words from any pontiff on gays, said
they should not be judged or marginalized for their orientation and should be
integrated into society, but he reaffirmed Church teaching that homosexual acts
are a sin." (See "Pope Francis 'Will Not Judge' Priests for Sexual Orientation, Reaffirms Catholic Stance on Homosexuality, Women, Abortion and Sin," Christian Post, July 29, 2013.) In other words, the pope—following Jesus' example—continues to
love the sinner while condemning the sin.
Jesus
loves all sinners—i.e., Jesus loves all of us—whether we are homosexual,
heterosexual, bisexual, transgender, or whatever. Jesus calls us just as we are
to come to Him for forgiveness and grace, and He calls on us to turn from our
sins and follow Him.
In
closing, I pray that 2014 will be characterized by all of us encouraging one
another to carefully seek truth and to do so while showing respect to those
with whom we disagree. I hope that my column will be helpful in this regard.
(Hendrik van der Breggen, PhD, is associate
professor of philosophy at Providence University College. The views in this column do not always reflect the views of Providence.)
2 comments:
Excellent post, Hendrik. Truth is always more expressive of love, than appeals for harmony on issues that compromise truth.
All academic disciplines are bedeviled by ambiguities, subtle deceptions and cleverly disguised lies. I know of no academic discipline where such strategies are used more than pro-LGBTQ "science."
I enjoyed your post. Thank you for sharing the link to my article. My ministry is about helping folks to see that yes you can walk away from your same gender attractions though you can not do it on your own, it is through a personal relationship with God, a close obedient walk to His Word, and a loving Church willing to walk with you.
Blessings
Charlene E. Hios
www.BridgingTheGapsMinistries.org
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