Comments on: The persistent rumor that the APA wants people to change churches https://wthrockmorton.com/2009/08/29/the-persistent-rumor-that-the-apa-wants-people-to-change-churches/ A [retired] college psychology professor's observations about public policy, mental health, sexual identity, and religious issues Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:47:58 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 By: Michael Bussee https://wthrockmorton.com/2009/08/29/the-persistent-rumor-that-the-apa-wants-people-to-change-churches/#comment-32650 Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:47:58 +0000 https://www.wthrockmorton.com/?p=4788#comment-32650 Who, NARTH? What would it benefit these folks to repeatedly mislead the public? Don’t they know they will get caught?

]]> By: adrian https://wthrockmorton.com/2009/08/29/the-persistent-rumor-that-the-apa-wants-people-to-change-churches/#comment-32649 Sun, 30 Aug 2009 13:28:24 +0000 https://www.wthrockmorton.com/?p=4788#comment-32649 Oh really, this is just silly. The religious right are just getting more paranoid by the minute. Those responsible for spreading this nonsense about the APA should consider this: it would be illogical and condescending for an organization, which believes the scientific method – reason, evidence – is the way to find out the truth, to then recommend any religion to patients in the first place.

All the same, the biggest threats to faith are not scientific organizations: the utterances and actions of religious extremists are driving many good people away from religion altogether, of their own accord.

If things like the AFA’s ludicrous, spiteful boycott campaigns are what Christianity is all about, then fine. But next time I see a statement saying that religious people are more likely to give to charity, then I will ask them to state just how many hospitals in Africa could have been built with the funds for the Porp 8 campaign.

On the converts’ corner section of richarddawkins.net for example, there are hundreds of testimonies from ex-christians, who recall how being filled with dread of eternal hell as children put them off religion for life. I hope the folks at Exodus take a look through them – because they are known to drum the same ultimatums to their clients on their residential programs. Everyone spends time wondering what changes in orientation have occurred among Exodus’ clients. Perhaps it might be interesting to investigate any changes in belief, instead?

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