Local media coverage of the NARTH conference

The Phoenix Fox affiliate filed a report late yesterday. According to the reporter NARTH claims to be a non-religious group.

NARTH: Gays Can Get Therapy to Become Straight: MyFoxPHOENIX.com

Perhaps Julie Hamilton did not say that NARTH was non-religious but the reporter said:

NARTH denies it has anything to do with Christian groups who believe homosexuality can be reversed.

To which, Julie Hamilton said.

“NARTH is a scientific organization. We are dedicated to understanding the research behind the issue of homosexuality,” said Hamilton.

As a former participant in NARTH conferences, I can say via first hand information that religious groups are well represented at NARTH. NARTH has always been considered a partner of religious groups such as Focus on the Family.
Also, who recommends NARTH besides religious groups? In what setting is someone likely to learn of the existence of NARTH? And as noted here recently, NARTH’s membership is made up primarily of non-professionals. Only about a quarter of the membership have professional credentials.
Furthermore, if NARTH is a scientific organization dedicated to research, then why have two anti-gay religious activists been given speaking time?
So maybe Julie Hamilton didn’t actually say NARTH has nothing to do with Christian groups, but if she did or implied it, I suspect that would be a surprise to at least three-quarters of NARTH members.

18 thoughts on “Local media coverage of the NARTH conference”

  1. NARTH’s founder, Joseph Nicolosi, practiced his reparative therapy at an outfit called the Thomas Aquinas Psychological Clinic. I don’t have personal experience with it, but the name would suggest that it is a religious-oriented clinic. Perhaps NARTH could claim that it is scientific and religious, but I can’t see how it could fairly claim to be solely scientific with no religious bent.

  2. NARTH’s founder, Joseph Nicolosi, practiced his reparative therapy at an outfit called the Thomas Aquinas Psychological Clinic. I don’t have personal experience with it, but the name would suggest that it is a religious-oriented clinic. Perhaps NARTH could claim that it is scientific and religious, but I can’t see how it could fairly claim to be solely scientific with no religious bent.

  3. Well here is a non scientist who went to Phoenix for the NARTH conference

    Peter Sprigg, a Senior Fellow at conservative establishment Family Research Council? One night he strategizes with the coalition that wants to change the constitution, then the next night he schmoozes with those who, if left to their own wishes, would de-gay every LGB person in the Tar Heel State? As I said: Speaks volumes.

    http://www.goodasyou.org/good_as_you/2011/11/you-cant-shake-a-marriage-amendment-without-hitting-an-ex-gay-advocate-nc-edition.html
    ***HATE GROUP ALERT***
    The Family Research Council has been designated as a HATE GROUP by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the preeminent organization that tracks HATE GROUPS such as the KKK, neo Nazis, white supremacists etc.
    http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2010/winter/the-hard-liners
    The Southern Poverty Law Center is a community partner with the FBI
    http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2007/february/coldcases_022707
    That is who is a member of NARTH, a certified HATE GROUP!

  4. Well here is a non scientist who went to Phoenix for the NARTH conference

    Peter Sprigg, a Senior Fellow at conservative establishment Family Research Council? One night he strategizes with the coalition that wants to change the constitution, then the next night he schmoozes with those who, if left to their own wishes, would de-gay every LGB person in the Tar Heel State? As I said: Speaks volumes.

    http://www.goodasyou.org/good_as_you/2011/11/you-cant-shake-a-marriage-amendment-without-hitting-an-ex-gay-advocate-nc-edition.html
    ***HATE GROUP ALERT***
    The Family Research Council has been designated as a HATE GROUP by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the preeminent organization that tracks HATE GROUPS such as the KKK, neo Nazis, white supremacists etc.
    http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2010/winter/the-hard-liners
    The Southern Poverty Law Center is a community partner with the FBI
    http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2007/february/coldcases_022707
    That is who is a member of NARTH, a certified HATE GROUP!

  5. I do not understand how a reporter could send a story like this to print. One quick trip to Wikipedia should have been enough to make him at least realize he needed to do some fact checking. I’m flummoxed 🙂

  6. I do not understand how a reporter could send a story like this to print. One quick trip to Wikipedia should have been enough to make him at least realize he needed to do some fact checking. I’m flummoxed 🙂

  7. A close friend said it well:

    There are two very different religious approaches to science. One is “I’m curious about how God’s world works and I want to use science to find out.” and “I already know how God’s world works and I’m going to use science to prove it.” Guess which approach yields knowledge and which approach leads to fraud.

  8. A close friend said it well:

    There are two very different religious approaches to science. One is “I’m curious about how God’s world works and I want to use science to find out.” and “I already know how God’s world works and I’m going to use science to prove it.” Guess which approach yields knowledge and which approach leads to fraud.

  9. I think NARTH quit him…. Warren follows the evidence, changing his ideas to fit reality as he perceives it to be.
    NARTH manufactures “evidence” to fit their ideas. There’s a basic contradiction between honesty, science, observations – and ideology, dogma and mendacity.
    How Warren manages to reconcile his basic honesty with a belief system that includes evil spirits and such, I don’t know. I guess that I have enough faith in him to say that a reconciliation has to be possible, even if I can’t see how.
    There’s enough evidence of his goodwill and integrity that “faith” isn’t really the right word. “A conclusion based on lots of objective evidence” is closer.
    I think he’s probably wrong in a few areas. I know I am – now of only I knew which ones!

  10. I thought the protestors were really well spoken 🙂 It was especially great to see the clerical collars on the protestors. Yeah right, NARTH is a “scientific” organization.
    Warren, why did you quit NARTH anyway?

  11. The reporter was just looking for a quote for his story. Which appears to only be about highlighting a controversy between NARTH and gay rights groups rather than reporting facts.
    If he was actually looking to report accurately he would have done his homework and asked some specific questions (as you have in this and other posts) about the NARTH members and affiliates. And for the protesters he could have asked about people who have been helped by ex-gay therapy.

  12. I think NARTH quit him…. Warren follows the evidence, changing his ideas to fit reality as he perceives it to be.
    NARTH manufactures “evidence” to fit their ideas. There’s a basic contradiction between honesty, science, observations – and ideology, dogma and mendacity.
    How Warren manages to reconcile his basic honesty with a belief system that includes evil spirits and such, I don’t know. I guess that I have enough faith in him to say that a reconciliation has to be possible, even if I can’t see how.
    There’s enough evidence of his goodwill and integrity that “faith” isn’t really the right word. “A conclusion based on lots of objective evidence” is closer.
    I think he’s probably wrong in a few areas. I know I am – now of only I knew which ones!

  13. I thought the protestors were really well spoken 🙂 It was especially great to see the clerical collars on the protestors. Yeah right, NARTH is a “scientific” organization.
    Warren, why did you quit NARTH anyway?

  14. The reporter was just looking for a quote for his story. Which appears to only be about highlighting a controversy between NARTH and gay rights groups rather than reporting facts.
    If he was actually looking to report accurately he would have done his homework and asked some specific questions (as you have in this and other posts) about the NARTH members and affiliates. And for the protesters he could have asked about people who have been helped by ex-gay therapy.

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