Comments on: Some reflections on Brokeback Mountain: The story

By: Boo

Boo — Fri, 10 Feb 2006 17:25:00 +0000

http://www.apa.org/pubinfo/answers.html

I would argue that when they say:

“There are numerous theories about the origins of a person’s sexual orientation; most scientists today agree that sexual orientation is most likely the result of a complex interaction of environmental, cognitive and biological factors.”

it’s really just a fancy way of saying “we don’t know,” but I don’t claim to have a strong case for that view.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 22:00:00 +0000

I’ve never blogged before. Just wonderng-Does Boo assert that there is such a thing as a sexual “Orientation.” where is the evidence that such a thing exists? In light of the comment that “extraodianry claims require extraordinary evidence” Is there really a way to prove orientation?
it’s difficult to have a beef about something that may or may not exist.

By: Throckmorton

Throckmorton — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 15:09:00 +0000

Dan: Lay what on the table?

By: dan

dan — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 10:10:00 +0000

Warren,

I think you ought to take into account all the evidence Boo has regarding your connection to NARTH.

Why not lay it all on the table once and for all?

Best wishes,

Dan

By: Boo

Boo — Mon, 06 Feb 2006 19:16:00 +0000

Again, I didn’t say you were a member, I said you were in bed with them. In addition to their publishing several of your articles with permission, you have presented at their conferences:

http://www.gcc.edu/alumni/enewsletter/11-25-02/throck.htm

http://www.narth.com/docs/2002conf.html

http://www.narth.com/docs/press2.html

Received an award from them:

http://www.narth.com/docs/defends.html

And as of January 25 2006 they claim you as a member and a leader of their discussion list:

http://www.narth.com/docs/discussionlist.html

“Critics on the other hand fail to accept any reports of benefit from efforts to change or bring behavior in line with beliefs.”

I don’t accept specifically claims of change in orientation because:

Very few people actually make that claim.

Those who do often “fall” later.

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and there is no way to test their claims.

Virtually everyone among the few who do publically make that claim are in the paid employ of ex-gay organizations.

Every year the claimed success rate of Exodus International has increased by a factor of ten. Alan Chambers claimed there were “thousands” of ex-gays in 2003, “tens of thousands” in 2004, “hundreds of thousands” in 2005, and just a few weeks ago Jerry Falwell went him one better and claimed there are “millions.” Yet we never see them, just a few people making mostly vague claims and who happen to be paid by the people they’re making the claims for.

I think both secular and religious ex-gay groups have helped some people in the sense that most of the people drawn to these programs seem to be living extremely unhealthy lifestyles and therefore getting them to constrain their promiscuous behavior may well save their lives, but they could get the same thing from what you call gay-affirming counselors without having to repress their orientation in the bargain.