Originally Posted By cmpaley I am choosing to stay out of this conversation for obvious reasons but I do want to say one thing: Human sexuality is incredibly complex and there are many, many factors that can affect it. There is a spectrum relative to the object of attraction (womwn, men, other) and the strength thereof (low, medium and high). It is most illogical to think that a person's sexual attrations can change anywhere along that spectrum for various reasons. I don't think anyone would deny that there are times when they are uber "horny" and others when they aren't really interested in sex. Who's to say that the object of attraction can't change somewhat for people as well?
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder Step 9: enroll in Hypocrites Not So Anonymous, admit he's a big fraud and there is no "cure" for what affects him.
Originally Posted By DlandDug May I add, once again , that at no time was it said or implied that a "cure" was involved.
Originally Posted By gadzuux No - they've got a better word - >> What has been termed Haggard's "restoration" is being overseen by H.B. London, who runs a Focus on the Family ministry to pastors, and megachurch pastors Tommy Barnett and Jack Hayford. << I'm just surprised they didn't call it a "ressurection".
Originally Posted By ToonKirby For the height of hypocrisy, see Mr. Haggard's "performance" in the documentary "Jesus Camp".
Originally Posted By oc_dean GEE ... 48 posts later ... Where's Beaumandy? :O) He just luvvvs this topic! ~ I'm just waiting for someone to say ... There IS such a thing as a cure! How about cure to stop my tastes for chocolate instead of guys .. so I don't have to worry about gaining weight!!! :O)p~
Originally Posted By oc_dean You know .. the only answer for this poor guy going through denial ... Is to COMPLETELY leave his former life .. and EMBRACE himself for who he is. Very tragic. Actually. We've all seen this before.
Originally Posted By DlandDug >>I'm just waiting for someone to say ... There IS such a thing as a cure!<< Well of course, because then it would be just that much easier to mock the parties involved. In actuality, there has been not even the slightest suggestion that a "cure" is being sought. Granted, there is rather a lot of denial going on.
Originally Posted By Mr X Okay, here's a hypothetical for the LP posters who are gay... Taking into account the homophobia and persecution that many gays go through in our society, if there WAS a cure (a REAL cure, like a pill that changed your brain chemistry or something) would you want it? (reminds me of x-men 3 lol).
Originally Posted By friendofdd I think there have been a couple of references to "restoration" being a cure. Some Christian churches have specific steps through which one must go in order to be "restored" in part or full fellowship with the congregations. This frequently requires a significant amount of time as many of the steps involves behavioural changes which are observable. A small number of individuals are used as an accountability group for the "fallen" person.
Originally Posted By Inspector 57 I've thought about this a lot. I've flashed back to the fact that I was near-suicidal in high school over the fact that I was gay, that I was beat up for it, that I've spent my life running a constant sub-radar assessment of whether I am in danger for being gay, that I am legally being persecuted for being gay in my state, and... No. If I could snap my fingers and make it that I would have grown up straight, I would not do it. It makes absolutely no sense. Why the hell WOULDN'T I choose the path of less resistance?! I would NEVER want anyone to be subjected to the trauma and self-loathing and cruelty that I was subjected to as a gay kid. I would never want a 30-something-year old to feel what it's like to be dismissed as a "fag" by the department administrator. I wouldn't want to live with the worry that a certain relative would feel comfortable with me, or love me less, if he found out. But I wouldn't snap my fingers and make myself straight. It probably has a lot to do with having gotten comfortable with the status quo and being afraid to make big changes. Either that or carrying an intense aversion to having the bathroom counter space being taken up by containers of liquid foundation and eyelash-lenghtening formulas. Whatever. I would not flip the switch.
Originally Posted By oc_dean >> if there WAS a cure (a REAL cure, like a pill that changed your brain chemistry or something) would you want it?<< a big fat: NO! I'm 42. I'm QUITE comfortable with who I am. It's not just changing sexual orientation where talking about here .. but an ENTIRE lifestyle change .. which would be traumatic!
Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy <near-suicidal in high school> See, it would be interesting to see how school-age guys would respond. They don't have the advantage of wisdom/comfort-gleamed-from-life-full-of-experience that y'all do.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 I'm not all that convinced they'd say switch either. I think they'd only wish for a fair shake in life and rightly so. Anyone who thinks mainstream media is not filled with straight sex images is blind in my book. We send such crazy mixed signals to our youth. Look sexy, dress sexy, dance sexy, act sexy BUT DO NOT have sex!
