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SHOULD CHURCHES
ORDAIN
HOMOSEXUAL CLERGY?
What
does the Bible say?
by: Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
HOMOSEXUAL
CLERGY DEBATE
The
following is a news article by Maryclaire Dale of the Associated Press.
Cardinal
Justin Rigali sits listening to reporters during the September 1, 2005
news conference in Philadelphia. Cardinal Rigali will call together
hundreds of priests in Philadelphia archdiocese of September 15, 2006 to
hear from 2 people sexually abused by Roman Catholic church clerics.
WYNNEWOOD,
Pa - Hundreds of priests in th
Philadelphia Archdiocese were summoned by the cardinal Friday to hear
from two adults who as children were molested by priests.
The
meeting at a seminary was called as part of an effort by the church to
teach members of the clergy about victims' struggles to rebuild their
lives. Cardinal Justin Rigali said many priests have read newpaper
accounts of abuse victims, but it was important for them to listen to the
stories as well.
"It
is extremely important for us to hear their stories firsthand so that we
may see the human face and hear the human voice," he said.
The
victims were joined by a woman who two sons were abused. All three
speakers said they came from Catholic families, and that it was hard for
them to report the abuse.
Victoria
Windsor Cubberly graphically described being raped as a girl by a priest
in a rectory office. She was later abused by two more clergymen.
The experience left her with suicidal thoughts and nightmares.
"There
are a few people who want to hear my story - it's just too hard to
hear", Cubberly said, adding that she "wanted so badly to be
the good little Catholic girl who was supposed to please the
priests."
A
woman named Grace discussed her sons' abuse and the lingering trauma it
inflicted on their family.
"How
did I not know? How did I not see it?" said Grace, who was not
required to give her last name and was not fully identified by the
archdiocese. "I will carry these questions until I die."
She
said a priest regularly visited her family's house to gain her and her
husband's trust. The priest then sought to get closer to her boys.
Her oldest son was abused repeatedly in the church priory. Both
sons are now adults.
The
hands the priest used to consecrate wine and bread, she said, were
"the same hands he used to violate my son."
Abuse
victim Edward Morris, 44, told the priests that the church has lost
generations of followers because of crimes committed by clergy.
The
priest were riveted by the speakers, who challenged the cardinal to offer
victims more help, including financial compensation.
After
the gathering, a prayer service was held for the 300 priests.
"I
think everyone's going to have to absorb the impact of what they just
heard," archdiocesan spokeswoman Donna Farrell said.
Victims'
advocates said the meeting was a positive effort by the Roman Catholic
archdioceses to face its past.
"We're
hoping that as they witness this, they'll be able to take some action to
actually help survivors," said Pat Clancy, a member of Survivors
Network of those Abused by Priests.
The
event was closed to the public, but the church showed it live on the
archdiocese's web site.
A
year ago, Philadelphia grand jury accused church leaders of covering up
decades of abuse by at least 63 priests.
Before
the meeting began, Monsignor Arthur Rodgers said it has been helpful to
discuss the abuse with parishioners. A former priest in his parish
was named in a report by the grand jury.
"It's
been especially painful for people who knew the priest," Rodgers
said. "They had confidence in him, and they felt very sorry
that he should succumb to that temptation."
THE
QUESTION IS: SHOULD CHURCHES
ORDAIN HOMOSEXUAL CLERGY?
Homosexual
priests, ministers, preachers DO NOT belong in the ministry.
Homosexual
priests, ministers, in church authority positions, gays being ordained as
ministers, please, get out of the ministry. The pulpit is no place
for you. According to the Bible, you have no right to preach the
gospel, or to be religious leaders unless you change your lifestyle.
The
general public is getting very tired of the continuous reports of Roman
Catholic priests and Protestant ministers seducing boys and teenagers.
Some
time ago, popular Roman Catholic TV preacher, Pierre Lacroix was
sentenced to 2 years in prison, after being convicted on gross indecency
with a youth.
WHAT
DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT THOSE WHO ATTEMPT TO PERVERT CHILDREN?
Jesus
had something to say to those who attempt to pervert children: "But
whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in Me, it were
better for him that a millstone were hanged around his neck, and that he
were drowned in the depth of the sea." (Matthew 18:6) By
Christ's standards, Pierre Lacroix got off easily.
ROMAN
CATHOLIC PRIESTS & CHILD MOLESTATION
During
the past years, in the USA there have been numerous accounts of child
molestation by Roman Catholic priests and in Canada, the Newfoundland
Roman Catholic Church has been shaken by a series of sexual charges
against its clergy.
A
total of 14 homosexual priests, former priests and members of the
Christian Brothers (a celibate order) have been charged with homosexual
sexual offenses against boys.
Furthermore,
a former church handyman and long time friend of Father James Hickey -
who is serving a 5 year jail term, after pleading guilty to 20 homosexual
sex related offenses against altar boys -was found guilt of indecent
assault and sexual assault.
Robert
Martin, 39, of St. Johns, Newfoundland, was sentenced to a total of nine
months in jail. Other sexual charges against him were dropped.
In
the wake of the "homosexual priest scandal", Newfoundland's
Roman Catholic Church plans to look into why these homosexual sex
offenses were undetected for so long.
A
few years ago, homosexual minister, Rev. Charges Griggs of St. Bede's
Anglican Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba resigned his pastorate with this
confession: "Last year, on three separate occasions, I sexually
assaulted a youth."
Rev.
Charles Griggs was arrested, pleaded guilty and was given a 2 year
suspended sentence, providing he takes psychiatric counseling and
refrains from seeing the boy.
The
United Church of Canada decided to accept homosexual candidates for
ordination
A
few years ago, the general council of the United Church of Canada decided
to accept homosexual candidates for ordination. That issue has
seriously divided the denomination and the battle continues to simmer.
Chatalaine
magazine's April 'debate' pitted Rev. james Sommerville of Ottawa's
Westboro United Church against Erin Shoemaker, national spokesperson for
Affirm, representing gays and lesbians in the same denomination.
In
the article, "Should Churches Ordain Gay Clergy?, Sommerville sates:
"The United Church is in danger of losing its moral integrity...and
society is drifting aimlessly in want of spiritual guidance."
Port
Kells United Church, Surrey, BC went public with its dissatisfaction of
that denomination's attitude to God's Word regarding homosexuality.
"We
are shocked and opposed to the recent decision of the United Church of
Canada to allow practicing homosexuals to be, or become members of the
church and to be eligible to become ministers.
The
Vancouver circuit of the Lutheran Church-Canada, declared its opposition
- in a newspaper advertisement - to the United Church's stand on
promiscuity, homosexuality and abortion.
On
homosexuality, the Lutherans stated: "Homosexual practice is
contrary to the law of God, this is clearly the biblical standard".
We
are hearing a lot these days about "Gay Awareness" and the
lobbying efforts of homosexuals, sodomists and lesbians. Their
desire is for special recognition in order to make their lifestyle
acceptable.
Here
is my response: Regardless of what city council of national
governments enact or pass, homosexuality will always be detestable,
sinful and perverse.
Subject:
Definition
of Marriage vs. same-sex marriage
From:
Chatters, David, M.P
sent: March 01, 2005
Romans
1:24-27 -
(kjv) Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts
of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Who
changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the
creature more than the Creator, who is bless for ever. Amen.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile
affections: for even their woman did change the natural use into that
which is against nature:
Many
thanks for taking the time to write to me on this critical issue.
The same-sex "marriage" issue has generated more phone
calls, letters and emails than any issue in my eleven plus years in
Parliament.
As
you may know, I am a strong advocate of the traditional understanding
of marriage and have been an open defender of this institution that is
so vital for society and families. In addition, on Oct 15, 2004,
I introduced Bill C-213, "An Act to protect the institution of
marriage". It has yet to come up for second reading and it
is not anticipated any time soon.
My
colleague, Rob Moore, MP also introduced a similar bill to protect the
definition of marriage. However, prior to coming up for second
reading in Nov 2004, the Private Members Business sub-Committee
of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs deemed the
bill non-votable. It is not known whether my bill, when and if
it comes up, will receive the same non-votable status.
Nevertheless,
despite obstacles, I believe that each of us has an obligation to do
what is within our legitimate power to defend and uphold the
traditional understanding of marriage - for ourselves, our children,
families and society in general.
Recently,
the Supreme Court refused to rule that the traditional definition of
marriage was discriminatory. In 1991, in another case, they
ruled that the institution of marriage was so fundamentally important
to society that it was worthy of special protection under the Charter.
This ruling makes the Liberal position purely political, with no
Charter basis.
As
a result of the Court ruling we intend to introduce amendments to the
Liberal Bill to provide protection to traditional marriage, provide an
alternative to recognize same-sex relationships and provide much
stronger protection for religious institutions under the Religion
Rights section of the Charter. I truly believe this is the wish
of most of my constituents and in fact of most Canadians. I will
be supporting our amendments to the Bill and if our amendments fail
to pass I will be opposing the Liberal Bill.
Again,
thank you for taking the time and effort to write.
Sincerely,
David Chatters, MP
Westlock - St. Paul
Chair, Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and
Ethics, Room 611, Justice Building
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
Phone:
619-995-1415
chattd@parl.gc.ca
www.davidchatters.com
'Gay
Marriage and homosexuality'
Some medical comments by Rev. Mark Ranshaw
email - mramshaw@sasktel.net
- sent March 27, 2005
Some
helpful information on Same-sex Marriage
1.
BACKGROUND
Despite
the impression given by the media, the actual number of homosexuals is
quite small. Essentially all surveys show the number of
homosexuals to be only 1-3% of the population. The number of
homosexuals living in 'common law partnerships' is even less, on 0.5%
of all couples. This contrasts with 70% of all households with a
married couple. The pressure for introducing same-sex marriages
comes from a very small section of society.
According
to Statistics Canada, 1.3% of men and 0.7% of woman considered
themselves to be homosexual. (http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/040615/d040615b.htm)
Recent
studies in many different countries show that the prevalence of
homosexuality is less than 3% of the population. In a U.S.
study, the prevalence of homosexuality was estimated to be 2.1% of men
and 1.5% of women. (Gilman SE. Am J Public Health, 2003;
57:207-9)
In
a recent British survey, 2.8% of men were classified as homosexuals
(Mercer CH et all. AIDS, 2004, 18; 1453-8). In a recent
Dutch study 2.8% of men and 1.4% women had had same sex partners. (Sandford
TG et all. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2001, 58:85-91)
In
a New Zealand study, 2.8% of young adults were classified as
homosexual (Sandfort TG et al. Arch Gen Psychaitry. 2001:58; In a New
Zealand study, 2.8% of young adults were classified as homosexual or
bisexual. (Fergusson DM et al. Arch General Psychiatry. 1999-56; 56:
876-80.
In
2001, there were just over 8.3 million families in Canada, of which
nearly 6 million (72%) were married couples and 1.1 million common-law
couples. The 2001 Census was the first to provide data on
same-sex partnerships. A total of 34,200 couples (or 0.5% of all
couples) identified themselves as same-sex common-law couples. (http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/021022/d021022a.htm)
2.
HEALTH RISKS OF THE HOMOSEXUAL LIFESTYLE
The
media portrays the homosexual lifestyle and relationships as happy,
healthy and stable. However, the homosexual lifestyle is
associated with a large number of very serious physical and emotional
health consequences. Many 'committed' homosexual relationships
only last a few years. This raises doubts as to whether children
raised in same-sex households are being raised in a protective
environment.
A.
There are very high rates of sexual promiscuity among the homosexual
population with short duration of even "committed relationships)
A
study of homosexual men shows that more than 75% of homosexual men
admitted to having sex with more than 100 different males in this
lifetime: approximately 15% claimed to have had 100-240 sex partners,
17% claimed 250-499, 15% claimed 500-999 and 28% claimed more than
1,000 sexual partners during their lifetime. (Bell AP, Weinberg MS.
Homosexualities. New York 1978)
Promiscuity
among lesbian women is less extreme, but is still higher than among
heterosexual women. Many 'lesbian' women also have sex with men.
Lesbian women were more than 4 times as likely to have had more than
50 lifetime male partners than heterosexual women. (Fethers K et
al. Sexually transmitted infections and risk behaviors in women
who have sex with women. Sexually Transmitted Infections 2000,
76: 345-9)
Far
higher rates of promiscuity are observed even within 'committed' gay
relationships than in heterosexual marriage: In Holland, male
homosexual relationships last, on average, 1.5 years, and gay men have
an average of eight partners a year outside of their supposedly
"committed" relationships. (Xindou M, et al.)
The
contribution of steady and casual partnerships to the incidence of HIV
infection among homosexual men in Amsterdam. AIDS. 2003; 17:
1029-38) Gay men have sex with someone other than their primary
partner in 66% of relationships within the first year, rising to 90%
of relationships after 5 years. (Harry J. Gay Couples. New York. 1984)
In
an online survey among nearly 8000 homosexuals, 71% of same-sex
relationships lasted less than 8 years. Only 9% of all same-sex
relationships lasted longer than 16 years. (2003-2004 Gay &
Lesbian Consume Online Census, http://www.glcensus.org)
The
high hates of promiscuity are not surprising. Gay authors admit
that 'gay liberation was founded...on a sexual brotherhood of
promiscuity.' *(Rotello G. Sexual Ecology. New York, 1998)
B.
Among homosexuals, highly risky sexual practices such as anal sex are
very common
The
majority of homosexual men (60%) engage in anal sex, frequently
without condoms and even, if they know that they are HIV positive.
(Mercer CH et al. Increasing prevalence of male homosexual
partnerships and practices in Britain 1990-2000. AIDS: 2004; 18:
1453-8)
As
a result, a large number of diseases are associated with anal
intercourse, many of which are rare or even unknown in the
heterosexual population such as: anal cancer, Chlamydia trachomatais,
Cryptosporidium, Giardia lamblia, Herpes simplex virus, HIV, Human
papilloma virus, Isospora belli, Microspondia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis,
Hepatitis B and C and others. (http://www.netdoctor.co.uk; http://www.gayhealthchannel.com
)
There
is a significant increase in the risk of contracting HIV when engaging
in anal sex. Young homosexual men aged 15-22, who ever had anal
sex had a fivefold increased risk of contracting HIV than those who
never engaged in anal sex. (Valleroy L, et al. HIV prevalence
and associated risks in young men who have sex with men. JAMA.
2000:284; 198-204)
The
term 'barebacking' refers to intentional unsafe anal sex. In a
study of HIV-positive gay men, the majority of participants (84%)
reported engaging in barebacking in the past 3 months, and 43% of the
men reported recent bareback sex with a partner who most likely is not
infecte with HIV, therefore putting another man at risk of contracting
HIV. (Halkitis PN. Intentional unsafe sex (barebacking) among
HIV-positive gay men who seek sexual partners on the Internet. AIDS
Care. 2003: 15: 367-78.)
While
many homosexuals are aware of HIV risk, a large number of unaware of
the increased risk of contracting non-HIV STDs, many of which have
serious complications or may not be curable. (K-Y lubricant and the
National Lesbian and Gay Health Association survey).
While
'always' condom use reduces the risk of contracting HIV by about 85%,
condoms, even when used 100% of the time, fail to give adequate levels
of protection against many non-HIV STDs such as Syphilis, Gonorrhea,
Chlamydia, Herpes, Genital Warts and others. The only safe sex
is, apart from abstinence, mutual monogamy with an uninfected partner.
(Sex, Condom, and STDs. What We Now Know. Medical Institute for Sexual
Health. 2002)
C.
Homosexuals have very high rates of sexually transmitted infections
such as HIV which pose a major burden to the health service.
Over
70% of all AIDS diagnoses in Canada in adults over the age of 15 up to
June 2004 were in homosexual men (13,019 out of 19,238). 60% of
all positive HIV tests are found in homosexual men. This
contrasts with just over 15% of all positive HIV tests which are due
to heterosexual contact. (Public Health Agency of Canada. HIV
and AIDS in Canada. Nov 2004)
The
recently observed dramatic increases in syphilis in many large cities
such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, but also in London and Manchester,
UK are in the majority observed in homosexual men. (Centers for
Disease Control and Prevent (CEC). Trends in primary and
secondary syphilis and HIV infections in men who have sex with men.
MMWR 2004; 53: 575-8 and Nicoll A. Are trends in HIV, gonorrhea,
and syphilis worsening in western Europe? BMJ 2002: 324: 1324-7)
D.
There are increased rates of mental ill health among the homosexual
population compared to the general population.
Many
studies show much higher rates of psychiatric illness, such as
depression, suicide attempts and drug abuse among homosexuals then
among the general population. The homosexual lifestyles is
associated with a shortened life expectancy of up to 20 years.
In
a New Zealand study, data were gathered on a range of psychiatric
disorders among gay, lesbian and bisexual young people. At the
age of 21, homosexuals/bisexuals were at fourfold increased risks of
major depression and conduct disorder, fivefold increased risk of
nicotine dependence, twofold increased risk of other substance misuse
or addiction and six times more likely to have attempted suicide.
(Fergusson DM et al. Is sexual orientation related to mental
health problems and suicidalilty in young people? Arch Gen.
Psychiatry. 1999, 56; 875-80).
In
a recent US study of the mental health of homosexuals, it was found
that gay/bisexual men had a more than 3 fold increased risk of major
depression and a five fold increased risk of panic disorder.
They were 3 times more likely to rate their mental health as only
'fair' to 'poor' and to experience high levels of distress.
Gay/bisexual women had a nearly four-fold increased risk of general
anxiety disorder and both groups were more than 3 times as likely than
the general population to require treatment in a mental health
setting. (Cochran S. et al. Prevalence of mental disorders,
psychological distress, and mental health services use among lesbian,
gay and bisexual adults in the United States. J. Consult Clin
Psychol. 2003; 71:53-61.)
It
is claimed, that the high rates of mental illness among homosexuals
are the result of 'homophobia'. However, even in the
Netherlands, which has been far more tolerant to same-sex
relationships and which has recently legalized same-sex marriages,
high levels of psychiatric illness, including major depression,
dipolar disorder ('manic depression'), agoraphobia, obsessive
compulsive disorder and drug addiction are found. (Sandford TG, et al.
Same-sex sexual behavior and psychiatric disorders: findings from the
Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS). Arch
Gen Psychiatry. 2001;58:85-91.)
Furthermore,
if 'homophobia' and prejudices were the cause of the high rates of
psychiatric disorders and suicide attempts among homosexuals, one
would similarly expect to find higher rates of suicide attempts and
suicide among ethnic minorities exposed to racism. However, this
is not usually the case.
In
a Vancouver study, life expectancy at age 20 years for gay and
bisexual men is 8 to 20 years less than for all men. If the same
pattern of mortality were to continue, it is estimated that nearly
half of gay and bisexual men currently aged 20 years will not reach
their 65th birthday. (Hogg RS et al. Modelling the impact of HIV
disease on mortality in gay and bisexual men. International Journal of
Epidemiology. 1997;26:657-61.)
3.
HOMOSEXUALITY AND PEDOPHILIA
Any
attempts to legalize gay marriage should be aware of the link between
homosexuality and pedophila. While the majority of homosexuals
are not involved in pedophilia, it is of grave concern that there is a
disproportionately greater number of homosexuals among pedophiles and
an overlap between the gay movement and the movement to make
pedophilia acceptable.
One
well known historic example on the link between homosexuality and
pedophilia is found in ancient Greece. Greek mythology is
saturated with stories of pedophilia and ancient Greek literature
praises pedophilia. The age group of boys that were used for
'sexual pleasure' was probably in the range of 12-17. Male
prostitution was very common with brothels in which boys and young men
were available. There is evidence for an extensive trade in
boys. (Churchill W. Homosexual Behaviour among Males. Hawthorn.
New York. 1967)
There
are links between pedophilia and homosexuality. The political
scientist Prof. Mirkin wrote in a paper that:: 'pedophile
organizations were originally a part of the gay/lesbian
coalition..." (Mirkin H. The pattern of sexual politics:
feminism, homosexuality and pedophilia. Journal of Homosexuality 1999;
37:1-24).
There
is an overlap between the 'gay movement' and the movement to make
pedophilia acceptable through organizations such as the North American
Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA), as admitted by David Thorstad,
Co-founder of NAMBLA writing in the Journal of Homosexuality. (Thorstad
D. Man/boy love and the American gay movement. Journal of
Homosexuality. 1990;20:251-74).
The
number of homosexuals in essentially all surveys is less than 3%.
(Statistics Canada found only 1% of the population who described
themselves as homosexual.) However, the percentage of
homosexuals among pedophiles is 25%. (Blanchard R. et al.
Fraternal birth order and sexual orientation in pedophiles. Archives
of Sexual Behavior 2000; 29:463-78). Therefore, the prevalence
of pedophilia among homosexuals is about 10-25 times higher than one
would expect if the proportion of pedophiles were evenly distributed
within the (hetero-and homosexual) populations.
4.
'GAY MARRIAGE'
Gay
activists claim that there is no difference between children raised in
a homosexual as opposed to a heterosexual household. However,
essentially all studies that show there is no difference have been
criticized because of poor research quality. Despite the
shortcomings, the studies seem to suggest that children raised in
same-sex parent households may be more sexually promiscuous and more
likely to become homosexuals.
In
a review of all the studies that purport to find no difference between
children raised in families by same-sex parents and parents of
different sex, major methodological flaws have been noted. For
example, the studies have very small sample sizes, biased sample
selection, or lack of control groups. (P. Morgan, Children as
Trophies? Christian Institute. Newcastle upon Tyne, 2002)
Despite
the limitations of the studies of same-sex parenting some differences
are found. Children raised in same-sex parents are more likely
to become sexually promiscuous and are more likely to become
homosexuals themselves. (Riggs SC. Coparent or Second-Parent Adoption
by Same-Sex Parents. (letter) Pediatrics 2002, 109:1193-4.)
However,
the main concern remains the inherent instability of same-sex
marriages. In the above mentioned Dutch survey, the average
length of a 'committed' homosexual partnership was only 1.5 years.
In the mentioned survey of nearly 8000 gays, 71% of relationships did
not last 8 years. Furthermore, violence among homosexual
partnerships is 2 to 3 times as common as in heterosexual
relationships. Such an environment does not provide the
stability required for raising children. Former homosexual
Stephen Bennett, who is married to his wife and has 2 children states:
"Granting homosexuals the right to marry or adopt children is
deliberately creating dysfunctional families."
5.
Biological evidence regarding gender development
Despite
all the impression given by the media, homosexuality is neither an
entire innate condition, nor is it unchangeable. The so-called
'gay gene' has never been found. There are studies that show it
is possible to change sexual orientation from predominantly homosexual
to predominantly heterosexual orientation.
Evidence
from biology shows clearly that gays are not simply born that way.
Environmental influences play a significant role in the development of
gender identity and sexual behavior. (Bailey JM. Biological
perspectives on sexual orientation. In: Garnets LD and Kimmel DC.
Psychological perspectives on lesbian, gay, and bisexual experiences.
Columbia University Press, New York. 2003)
There
is no convincing evidence for a 'gay gene'. Indeed, if there
were a 'gay gene', those who carry it would probably be at a
disadvantage in the natural selection process of evolution. 'If
there was a 'gay gene' this gene would cause a significant problem:
homosexuality is associated with low fertility, indeed if a homosexual
has only sex with same-sex persons he will have no offspring. (Bailey
JM. Biological perspectives on sexual orientation. 2003)
One
way of finding out whether a condition is genetically determined is to
examine the behavior of identical twins (who have the same genetic
material) and comparing them with non-identical twins. It is
assumed, that twins grow up in the same environment.
There
have been several studies investigating whether the identical twin
brothers of homosexual men are also homosexuals. Concordance
(both identical twins being homosexual) was found in only 25-50% of
identical twin pairs. 'Genes' therefore cannot entirely explain
homosexual orientation and behaviour. (Pillard RC and Weinrich
JD. Evidence of familial nature of male homosexuality. Archives of
General Psychiatry. 1986: 42, 808-12. King M and McDonald E.
Homosexuals who are twins. A study of 46 probands. British Journal of
Psychiatry. 1992; 160:407-9)
Recently,
a study was published by Professor Spitzer, a prominent psychiatrist.
He is viewed as a historic champion of gay activism by playing a key
role in removing homosexuality from the psychiatric manual of mental
disorders in 1973. In his study, he examined whether a
predominantly homosexual orientation will, in some individuals,
respond to therapy. He examined 200 respondents of both genders
who reported changes from homosexual to heterosexual orientation
lasting 5 years or more.
He
writes: 'Although initially skeptical, in the course of the study, the
author become convinced of the possibility of change in some gay men
and lesbians." Although examples of "complete"
change in orientation were not common, the majority of participants
did report change from a predominantly or exclusively homosexual
orientation before therapy to a predominantly or exclusively
heterosexual orientation in the past year as a result of reparative
therapy.
These
results would seem to contradict the position statements of the major
mental health organizations in the United States, which claim there is
no scientific basis for believing psychotherapy effective in
addressing same-sex attraction. (Spitzer PL. Can some gay men
and lesbians change their sexual orientation? 200 participants
reporting a change from homosexual to heterosexual orientation. Arch
Sex Behav. 2003; 32:403-17; discussion 419-72 - further evidence see http://www.narth.com).
6.
BENEFITS OF TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE
There
are significant benefits from (heterosexual) marriage for individual
and society. Heterosexually married couples are, on average,
healthier, have fewer psychological problems and live longer than
cohabiting or single individuals. Government policy therefore
should be to support and strengthen heterosexual marriage.
In
reviews by Professor Oswald, Professor of Economics at Warwick
University, UK, it was found that marriage reduces mortality.
The excess mortality of men who are not married is similar to the
excess mortality by smoking. Marriage has a much more important
effect on longevity than income does. For men, the effect is
positive and substantial. It almost exactly offsets the large
(negative) consequences of smoking. For woman, the effect is
approximately half the size of the smoking effect.
Marriage
is associated with greater happiness, less depression, less alcohol
abuse and less smoking. Marriage gives a beneficial effect in
terms of reducing alcohol abuse especially for men and reducing
depression for both men and women.
Health
benefits of marriage appear to be limited to marriage.
Cohabitation does not confer the same degree of benefit than marriage.
Formal marriage itself seems to matter. In the few studies that
compare marriage and cohabitation, the results tend to show a
beneficial effect from being married. (Gardner J, Oswald A, Is it
Money or Marriage that Keeps People Alive? August 2002. Wilson CM and
Oswald AJ: How Does Marriage affect Physical and Psychological Health?
A Survey of the Longitudinal Evidence (Jan 2002; both papers available
on Prof. Oswald's website - see 'further reading')
7.
ADVERSE EFFECTS OF FAMILY BREAKDOWN
There
is a wealth of evidence linking family breakdown with many adverse
health outcomes for children and society as a whole. Government
policy therefore should be to strengthen the marriage-based family of
husband and wife. 'Gay marriages', with their inherent
instability, will contribute to the many adverse effects family
breakdown has on children and on society as a whole.
At
the root of many of the problems we see in children and young adults -
such as emotional and behavioral difficulties, poor school
performance, substance misuse, precocious teenage sexuality including
teenage pregnancy and juvenile delinquency - is the dramatic increase
in family breakup and 'relationship turnover' of parents, adversely
affecting their children. (For an overview see: Rebecca O'Neill.
Experiments in living. CIVITAS 2002)
As
a result of family breakdown, children have on average more ill
health, including higher mortality, emotional problems (including a
higher suicide rate).
Children
from broken families have poorer school performance including poorer
performance in maths, reading and writing.
Children
from broken families are more likely to live in poverty. As a
result of family breakdown, many single parent families live in
poverty.
Children
from broken families are also more likely to have problems with
substance misuse and poor sexual health including teenage pregnancy.
Furthermore,
children from broken homes are more likely to be engaging in criminal
activity, and are disproportionally over-represented in the prison
population.
In
a study of more than 170 US cities, a clear link between divorce rate
and crime was found. Low rates of divorce were associated with
reduced crime rates. *Sampson RJ, Crime in Cities: Tonry & Morris
eds., Crime and Justice, Chicago 1992)
FURTHER
READING
Health
risks of gay sex: http://www.corporateresourcecouncil.org/white_papers/Health_Risks.pdf
Effects
of family breakdown on children and society by CIVITAS, London, UK
http://www.civitas.org.uk/pdf/Experiments.pdf
Marriage
research (by Prof. Andrew Oswald) - htttp: www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/staff/facult/oswald/
Therapy
of homosexual orientation: http://www.narth.com
(National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality.
- Powerful AUDIO Bible
sermons/messages by: Pastor Max Solbrekken
- click on message to listen -
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