I suspect that an ex-gay ministry would say that acquiring heterosexual inappropriate sexual behavior is hardly their goal.

But yet, if one purports to be creating (or refinding or healing or whatever) some sizable number of heterosexuals, one would expect them to from time to time result in one or two that actually behave like heterosexuals, including inappropriate heterosexual lusting or even affairs. While this in certainly not a goal we would have anyone shoot for, I’m not sure the dread of heterosexual sex that is so often expressed in the ex-gay community (eg. Mike Ensley) hardly serves as testimony for the “heterosexualness” of the participant.

In your first part, do you mean “all parties who are therapists?” Or “modern theraputic methods?”

I agree with you if you’re referring to the Spitzer study upon which Salzar based her claims. I’m not convinced that can be universalized.

I’m referring to the fact that to date I have counted three ex-gay men who claim to have once been solely attracted to the same sex and now are solely attracted to the opposite sex – in the same manner as someone who lived their entire life as heterosexual.

Three is not a sizeable portion of same-sex attracted persons.

I think that you will agree with me that SO FAR there have not been any methodologies, be they theraputic or faith-based, which have demonstrated any sizeable portion of same-sex attracted persons whose attractions have gone from being solely same-sex directed to being solely opposite-sex directed.

Wouldn’t you agree?

Can we be sure that even those pesons achieve a complete heterosexual orientation? Have we ever heard of such a person (more specifically the men) in an adulterous relationship with another woman? Or do any of these persons report having a wondering eye as concerns the opposite sex? Any of them pulling a Jimmy Carter – lusting in their heart for another of the opposite sex?

Is entering into a marriage proof of a change in sexual orientation? I’ve known of many a gay man who entered into a marriage from my era and eventually leave.

What is changed, simple behavior, or the reality the person must live within?

State lotteries post the odds of winning the big jackpot. I would hope the ministries would do no less.

one of the conclusions from the Spitzer study (at least from my pespective) is that change IS possible. Not guaranteed, or even necessarily common, but possible. If that’s communicated well, I don’t see how it hurts anyone. I don’t intend to change it on my website.

The “communicated well” part is the problem. Something along the lines of “we will support you in your attempt to modify your behavior and your priorities and some people have achieved a level of success with this with which they are pleased” would be far more honest in my opinion. Change is simply too loaded. Also, the very real and even likely chance of failure must be communicated to a) be honest and b) help keep these people who try from going off the deep end if they do fail to achieve the results they seek.