Comments on: Ariel Shidlo comments on NARTH's use of his research

By: Scott Rose

Scott Rose — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:19:25 +0000

Above all there must be “a place in the conversation” for why any gay person would want to attempt to try to become heterosexual, especially given the ignorance-fueled bullying non-acceptance of gay human beings in some parts of society. That “praying to Jesus” or some other similar activity is always lurking behind “change” efforts would seem to indicate that hateful sexual prejudice and insanity are in operation at some level among those pushing stigmatized individuals to believe they should “want” to be presto change-oed through magical nincompoopery into heterosexuals.

By: Warren

Warren — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:45:17 +0000

David – As we have discussed before, this is so unnecessary. It is not hard to simply stick the facts and report things as they are.
You cannot criticize your opponents with integrity when you do the same thing you accuse them of doing.

By: David Blakeslee

David Blakeslee — Fri, 22 May 2009 15:40:52 +0000

Shameless, thoughtless, mimicking of a lower standard than their purported religious and scientific values should allow.
I see it as ultimately narcissisticly self-defeating (inflated ego that will inevitably be punctured and unrepairable).

By: Timothy Kincaid

Timothy Kincaid — Thu, 21 May 2009 16:38:53 +0000

We all come to the table with perspectives and opinions that flavor our reading of any data. We want the data to confirm what we have been believing and look for ways to “see” the results as a confirmation.
But, sadly, NARTH takes such “seeing” to a new artform. They can see confirmation their views in studies that say precisely the opposite.
There is a place in the conversation for those who theorize that orientation is the result of environmental factors and whose perspective is flavored by that view. There is room for those who think that paternal relationships are determinant. There is a place in the conversation for those who seek to change attractions by means of therapy, including reparative therapy. There is room for those who defy convention and accepted positions and question the institutionalized presumptions of their professional organization.
But there isn’t much value in an organization that is dishonest or self-deluding about the work of others. And unfortunately, that seems to be consistent with NARTH.
In this current period of culture war, they aren’t alone in that. But they really do seem to be shameless about it.