"Ex-Gays"

Maybe we should consider this. If someone is sexually attracted to people of the same gender why else would they consider "reparative therapy" or to be deprogrammed from their "gayness"? Only reason I can see is because of the shame they and society heap on them for being the way they are. What if society evolved some how so that homosexuality was the norm and heterosexuality was considered aberrant (and abhorrent)? What if, no matter how badly you were ostracized you could not help looking at someone of the opposite sex (that you considered desirable) without feeling a stirring in your loins? What other reason would you have for wanting to become something you’re not except for how others treat you? Any heterosexual who thinks homosexuality is a choice, i.e. not "hardwired" should be honest and think about making the "choice" to be gay.

^^Excellent!

I haven't read much on the topic, but I would have to guess that the only people who claim to have been "cured" or "changed" were actually bi-sexual to begin with and the experience just stopped them from acknowledging same sex attractions.

RedBedroom wrote:I haven't read much on the topic, but I would have to guess that the only people who claim to have been "cured" or "changed" were actually bi-sexual to begin with and the experience just stopped them from acknowledging same sex attractions.

Maybe. Maybe everyone is a little bi, as some claim. Or maybe sexuality can be manipulated. I think peopl get touchy when they even consider such a claim. IDK why. People change all the time; sexuality is not beyond that scope.

I can't for the life of me why a person would CHOOSE to be gay in our society. No matter what you do to try to brainwash it out of them, who they are is who they are, imo. They may learn to deal with not ever expressing that part of themselves, but that's just really sad.

They don't choose to be gay. That doesn't mean they cannot change if they wanted to either. It seems sad to me that people feel we are robots enslaved to what we are "hardwired" to be.

Forgiveness_Man wrote:They don't choose to be gay. That doesn't mean they cannot change if they wanted to either. It seems sad to me that people feel we are robots enslaved to what we are "hardwired" to be.

I don't wanna change, sniff sniff......I can honestly tell you that by age 6 my sexuality was defined. Long story.

Tony Marino wrote:

Forgiveness_Man wrote:They don't choose to be gay. That doesn't mean they cannot change if they wanted to either. It seems sad to me that people feel we are robots enslaved to what we are "hardwired" to be.

I don't wanna change, sniff sniff......I can honestly tell you that by age 6 my sexuality was defined. Long story.

And that is you. But just because somebody physically craves/desires something doesn't mean they want or accept that part of themselves. And if they want to change, I have seen no reason to believe that they can't. They may not have chosen what they physically want, but I don't believe that means they have to be enslaved to their body if they really don't wanna be.

Forgiveness_Man wrote:

Tony Marino wrote:

I don't wanna change, sniff sniff......I can honestly tell you that by age 6 my sexuality was defined. Long story.

And that is you. But just because somebody physically craves/desires something doesn't mean they want or accept that part of themselves. And if they want to change, I have seen no reason to believe that they can't. They may not have chosen what they physically want, but I don't believe that means they have to be enslaved to their body if they really don't wanna be.

Its possible I guess but I have never known anyone that has undergone a change like that so I can't say. Most I know would say that its impossible to change but who knows.

Tony Marino wrote:Its possible I guess but I have never known anyone that has undergone a change like that so I can't say. Most I know would say that its impossible to change but who knows.

Most would say that but I hardly believe it's beyond the capabilities of a cooperative effort between Science and the will. I haven't known a lot of people but that doesn't mean they don't or couldn't exist.


@Alan: Societal shame is hardly the only reason somebody would do it. lol I think people might wanna blame society to pass the buck away from themselves. Blaming society just seems to attempt to reinforce the robotic view of humanity.

RobbieFTW wrote:I recently had an argument over the subject of ex-gays and I wanted to expand on the topic a bit. We all heard of so-called "repairative therapy" that gets talked about on the news, where some gays go to "fix" or "change" their sexuality from gay to straight. So what are your thoughts on the processes? I'd like to hold an interesting conversation on this. Do you think it's possible for people (in this case. . .gays) to walk away from their sexual orientation??? I think its bullshit and i think most people probably do, but some people really believe sexuality is a choice so if you do do you think somebody could choose to be gay or not be gay?

I personally think that if a person is gay, then they're gay and that's it - there's no reversing it. Sexuality is not a choice. We've all heard of stories of ex-gays, but I don't believe in them - I still think these "ex-gays" are gay, except that they've learned to live a straight lifestyle and repress their homosexuality and maybe even fooled themselves into believing they're straight. I've heard of Churches that have priests (or reverends or whatever they're called) who can help reverse homosexuality, but my question is shouldn't they be promoting tolerance instead?

Sexual orientation is a part of a persons DNA, and no one can change their DNA. Ex-Gays will only wind up becoming Ex-Ex-Gays. In life you have to play the hand you're dealt, even if it's not the one you would have wanted.

@Alan: Societal shame is hardly the only reason somebody would do it. lol I think people might wanna blame society to pass the buck away from themselves. Blaming society just seems to attempt to reinforce the robotic view of humanity.

alan smithee wrote:

@Alan: Societal shame is hardly the only reason somebody would do it. lol I think people might wanna blame society to pass the buck away from themselves. Blaming society just seems to attempt to reinforce the robotic view of humanity.

Forgiveness Man wrote:We can basically give women a penis and call them a man.

Forgiveness Man wrote:But a willing gay person cannot choose to become heterosexual?

Forgiveness Man wrote:Being gay itself may not be a choice but relationships are a choice(I think it's degrading to the relationship to say otherwise).

You cannot be serious! Why would you suggest to a gay person that they should choose a relationship inconsistent with their sexual orientation? That makes no sense!

Forgiveness Man wrote:For people so bent on tolerance, I find it funny that the idea that a person can choose to take measures to become heterosexual is seen as so absurd. Respect people different than you.

^^^"O Captain my Captain!" (to borrow from Walt Whitman), don't beat your head against the wall. It's not worth it.

alan smithee wrote:^^^"O Captain my Captain!" (to borrow from Walt Whitman), don't beat your head against the wall. It's not worth it.

I know I stopped - and I'm glad I did.

But Hey, if someone has the time and fortitude to keep throwing logic and reason at obtuse ignorance, they have my admiration.

Captain.

Here's the the thing, I'm willing to concede that perhaps there are a minority of people whose sexuality is elastic enough to change their orientation, but I'd be willing to bet that for the vast majority of people that isn't the case.

Forgiveness Man, could YOU become homosexual if you were told by God that you had to? With the tools that you have available to you today?

Impact wrote:Sexual orientation is a part of a persons DNA, and no one can change their DNA. Ex-Gays will only wind up becoming Ex-Ex-Gays. In life you have to play the hand you're dealt, even if it's not the one you would have wanted.

ITA.