Queer lie

As anyone in my family will tell you, I don’t think you have to approve of everything that your loved ones do. I don’t think it is truly love when you shower that over-the-top unconditional love on your loved ones (jeez, it must be close to Valentine’s Day!). I think a little tough love is necessary when the truth needs to come out in order to let love truly flourish.

But under that category of “forget about trying to change them” is certainly the area of sexual orientation. Who in their right mind would try to pull that one off? (“OK, Uncle Mort, I think it’s time you turned gay.”)

Well, it turns out there are a number of ministries in Northern California that are focused on turning someone with a homosexual orientation into a heterosexual. Not only are these religious conservatives and anti-gay organizations saying that these so-called conversion therapies can work; they also are telling the prospective converts that they should do it because Jesus would want it that way (see “Get straight or get thee to hell”).

These zealots assume that everyone who is homosexual really wants to leave the lifestyle, and they wrongly presume it was some sort of juvenile lark that led to their sexual orientation. In effect, it seems these groups try to reduce homosexual behavior for a period of time through shaming and creating guilt but don’t really increase heterosexual attraction. No amount of praying can do that.

As a homosexual co-worker asks heterosexuals, do you think you would somehow want to have sex with a homosexual after going through some counseling? The answer, of course, is no. The complex set of attractions and beliefs is innate and instinctive, and no lecturing by a preacher will change that. And what is the reason exactly, beyond religious dogma, for a person to change his or her orientation?

These religious organizations should seek human fulfillment for everyone. That would show that they really love their fellow man and woman unconditionally, and yeah, that’s what Jesus would do.