Comments on: Open Thread: Anderson Cooper’s look at Sex and Salvation https://wthrockmorton.com/2007/04/05/open-thread-anderson-coopers-look-at-sex-and-salvation/ A [retired] college psychology professor's observations about public policy, mental health, sexual identity, and religious issues Tue, 17 Apr 2007 23:20:37 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 By: queertardo https://wthrockmorton.com/2007/04/05/open-thread-anderson-coopers-look-at-sex-and-salvation/#comment-4437 Tue, 17 Apr 2007 23:20:37 +0000 https://www.wthrockmorton.com//2007/04/05/open-thread-anderson-coopers-look-at-sex-and-salvation/#comment-4437 All of the participants in this conversation agree that same-sex attraction is not chosen. Arguing that there is some question about the morality of same-sex attraction suggests that a person can be immoral without choice.

I’d like to say that I believe in my case, I chose to be homosexual in the womb. I also chose to be almost 6 feet tall, athletically built and not develop male patterned baldness. I chose my blue eyes and fair complexion and I even remember choosing to never have acne- not even during adolescence, like most of the teens I knew. Every time I go to the Love Won Out page I can’t help but wonder why these ex-gay men didn’t choose to keep their hair, they have such high foreheads, especially that Alan Chambers- perhaps they forgot that they could choose to not lose it?

]]> By: Anonymous https://wthrockmorton.com/2007/04/05/open-thread-anderson-coopers-look-at-sex-and-salvation/#comment-4436 Thu, 12 Apr 2007 08:02:43 +0000 https://www.wthrockmorton.com//2007/04/05/open-thread-anderson-coopers-look-at-sex-and-salvation/#comment-4436 You Tube now has some video of the Nicolosi incident…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DOCeenjAio

]]> By: Timothy Kincaid https://wthrockmorton.com/2007/04/05/open-thread-anderson-coopers-look-at-sex-and-salvation/#comment-4435 Wed, 11 Apr 2007 03:25:39 +0000 https://www.wthrockmorton.com//2007/04/05/open-thread-anderson-coopers-look-at-sex-and-salvation/#comment-4435 “Homosexuality is uncommon and natural…the morality of it is under debate.”

David, I’m troubled by this statement.

If by “homosexuality” you mean sexual behavior, well obviously that is under debate. You and Warren would find it Scripurally immoraly, Michael and I would not. But if by “homosexuality” you mean same-sex attraction, then I believe you are taking a position that is theologically unsupportable.

All of the participants in this conversation agree that same-sex attraction is not chosen. Arguing that there is some question about the morality of same-sex attraction suggests that a person can be immoral without choice. Such a notion would require a God that whisically dooms a soul to condemnation without there being any hope for salvation.

Surely that isn’t your religious belief?

]]> By: Lynn David https://wthrockmorton.com/2007/04/05/open-thread-anderson-coopers-look-at-sex-and-salvation/#comment-4434 Tue, 10 Apr 2007 20:18:53 +0000 https://www.wthrockmorton.com//2007/04/05/open-thread-anderson-coopers-look-at-sex-and-salvation/#comment-4434 The New York Times has come out and said that the argument is over; see:

Pas de Deux of Sexuality Is Written in the Genes

Or the PrintPage for the Article

I wonder what Cooper would have had to say of such an article….

]]> By: Warren https://wthrockmorton.com/2007/04/05/open-thread-anderson-coopers-look-at-sex-and-salvation/#comment-4433 Sun, 08 Apr 2007 22:40:57 +0000 https://www.wthrockmorton.com//2007/04/05/open-thread-anderson-coopers-look-at-sex-and-salvation/#comment-4433 Gordo – Alas, I fear you are correct. I am concerned that psychology’s venture into public policy is not often about science. Exceptions that come to mind are the APA’s advisories on video game violence and the recent task force on sexualization of girls.

In principle, I am glad to see APA attention to therapies that have questionable utility but I would like to see them look at attachment therapy, bioenergetics, body psychotherapies, etc. as well.

]]> By: David Blakeslee https://wthrockmorton.com/2007/04/05/open-thread-anderson-coopers-look-at-sex-and-salvation/#comment-4432 Sun, 08 Apr 2007 21:23:50 +0000 https://www.wthrockmorton.com//2007/04/05/open-thread-anderson-coopers-look-at-sex-and-salvation/#comment-4432 What causes monogomy?

What causes compassion?

What causes sadism?

What causes curiosity?

Same-sex attraction is one of many human behaviors that create curiousity.

No AXE necessary.

]]> By: Michael Bussee https://wthrockmorton.com/2007/04/05/open-thread-anderson-coopers-look-at-sex-and-salvation/#comment-4431 Sun, 08 Apr 2007 21:11:34 +0000 https://www.wthrockmorton.com//2007/04/05/open-thread-anderson-coopers-look-at-sex-and-salvation/#comment-4431 Here’s my theory” God causes it! It’s just another one one His MANY creative variations. It is morally and psychologically NEUTRAL — just as heterosexuality and bisexuality are. These variations are not biology or environment — although they may certainly shape it. I believe that homosexuality is part of my essential SOUL.

It is not just (or even mainly) who I am attracted to sexuality. It is part of my spiritual essence, part of my eternal self. I view heterosexuality and bisecuality the same way. Because I see them all as psychologically and morally neutral, I am “curious”, but I really don’t care.

It would be interesting (on a purely intellectual level) to know the exact mechanism, but ultimately, it doesn’t matter to me. I don’t think it needs to be (or CAN be) prevented or fixed. I care much more how people live — and accept the variations as part of God’s grand, incredibly diverse plan for His universe.

]]> By: Jamie https://wthrockmorton.com/2007/04/05/open-thread-anderson-coopers-look-at-sex-and-salvation/#comment-4430 Sun, 08 Apr 2007 19:27:18 +0000 https://www.wthrockmorton.com//2007/04/05/open-thread-anderson-coopers-look-at-sex-and-salvation/#comment-4430 I actually hope Nicolosi keeps talking to the press. He and Richard Cohen are the best thing we have going for us – if you want to see the ex-gay movement put out of business that is.

]]> By: Michael Bussee https://wthrockmorton.com/2007/04/05/open-thread-anderson-coopers-look-at-sex-and-salvation/#comment-4429 Sun, 08 Apr 2007 14:03:37 +0000 https://www.wthrockmorton.com//2007/04/05/open-thread-anderson-coopers-look-at-sex-and-salvation/#comment-4429 “So why does sexual interest take the direction it does is, as I read the research, still an open question.” (Warren)

Thanks, Warren, that is really the point I was trying to make. We may know many of the factors that influence sexual DESIRE, but we still don’t know what causes sexual ORIENTATION. People who claim they know (like Nicolosi) are overstating the facts.

I don’t know of many gays (who are HAPPY being gay) who really care what “causes” it. The ones who REALLY seem to care are (more often than not) the same one’s who already have a strong negative opinion of it.

]]> By: Warren https://wthrockmorton.com/2007/04/05/open-thread-anderson-coopers-look-at-sex-and-salvation/#comment-4428 Sat, 07 Apr 2007 19:22:06 +0000 https://www.wthrockmorton.com//2007/04/05/open-thread-anderson-coopers-look-at-sex-and-salvation/#comment-4428 I am somewhere between Michael and David on the cause issue, probably shading toward David’s view. I do think Clinton’s comment was closer to correct than anything Dr. Nicolosi said about causation. At the same time, we do know more about heterosexual desire than we do about homosexual desire. What causes desire seems fairly clear (hormones, brain responses associated with imagery, etc.) but why some people like blonds, redheads, short, tall, hairy, or not is still quite interesting to study. So why does sexual interest take the direction it does is, as I read the research, still an open question.

Regarding interest in causes of homosexuality, I think we will just have to agree to disagree. Much of the research into homosexuality is done by those who are themselves homosexual so it is hard to sustain an argument of bias for their work. For myself, I just like X-Files of all sorts. The whole thing is a puzzle which interests me.

Given a choice between reparative drive theory and saying we don’t know, I think we don’t know is a more research consistent answer. What I really think to repeat myself is that different factors operate differently for different people.

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