US Christian group renounces homosexuailty 'cure' campaign

Telegraph. ^ | 7/8/12

[Uncle Slayton]

A controversial American Christian group has renounced its campaigning position that homosexuality can be "cured" through prayer.

[Pollster1]

Prayer can cure cancer, leprosy, depression, addiction, and a thousand other medical and psychological problems, but it’s no match for political correctness? From just reading the Bible, I would not have guessed at that limitation.

[Sacajaweau]

It can be cured by arresting fags who solicit youngsters...whether in church, sport camps, boy scouts...They need to be segregated OUT...not promoted.

[WKUHilltopper]

Being “Born Again” is key—just like the Scriptures indicate.

[Uncle Slayton]

Prayer does not work to cure all diseases and that’s why we use medical doctors and technology to cure disease and ailments.

Thus, if prayer does not work to cure the desire for Sodomy, there are other methods that can be imposed on the Sodomites.

[yldstrk]

he’s giving up. Next thing we will hear is he is back in the gay life

[Pollster1]

Prayer does not work to cure all diseases and that’s why we use medical doctors and technology to cure disease and ailments. Thus, if prayer does not work to cure the desire for Sodomy, there are other methods that can be imposed on the Sodomites.

I would prefer to say that prayer is not always the solution to these problems, and God wants us to use all available means to care for the sick, the poor, and the hungry. Still, God does want us all to follow His Word, and it's a shame to steer those in need away from one of the many options.

[SoFloFreeper]

Rarely do we completely conquer our struggles with sin. Many of us fight within ourselves for years. Anger, lust, gluttony, pride, everyone has inner battles.

Prayer is a powerful and necessary tool. So is staying in the word. Accountability, etc.

[Psalm 73]

Jesus can release us from ANY type of bondage - that does not mean we will not still be tempted.
I was released from the bondage of alcohol (Jim Beam mainly, or anything else would do in a pinch) - that does not mean that it doesn't still attract me sometimes - I just choose not to indulge.

The apostle Paul wrestled with something (never stated what it was exactly), and prayed Jesus would "cure" him - Jesus just replied that His strength is made perfect in (our) weakness (whatever that particular weakness might be.) (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)

Alan Chambers praises God for releasing him from the bondage of homosexuality, although it may still remain as a "thorn in his side".
Perhaps Exodus is just trying to make sure they don't mislead someone into thinking that if they just pray hard enough they will be "cured".
Could Jesus do that? Sure, He can do anything - but His ways are way beyong our understanding.

And for someone that may think Alan's particular "thing" is worse than whatever "thing" they may struggle with, (heroin, pornography, gossip, etc.) remember: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (not just "homos").

[Cvengr]

The entire human race is corrupt. He provides a solution to corruption, namely through faith in Christ. First by facing Him, identifying our sins and recognizing He has provided a solution at the Cross, and changing our thinking from what we had been thinking to simply faith in Him.

Homosexuality, as described in Romans 1, may also be a natural result of those who have rejected God once they knew Him.

Rom 1:21-32
(21) Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
(22) Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
(23) And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
(24) Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
(25) Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
(26) For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
(27) And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
(28) And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
(29) Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
(30) Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
(31) Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
(32) Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

[Psalm 73]

"Rom 1:21-32...."

Great scripture, but Paul isn't just talking about "those" people - he's talking about ALL OF US - the whole human race.
Sure, I've been "washed by the blood of the Lamb", but I still sin, my spirit still wrestles against my flesh, I still "do what I try not to do, and don't do what I know I should do" - not all the time, of course (that would make me a Democrat!) - but my eyes can linger too long on that young girl in the office, I'll swear at that guy that cut me off in traffic....

[BenLurkin]

Electroshock therapy is used successfully in China.

[Uncle Slayton]

“Electroshock therapy is used successfully in China.”

Unfortunately, in this country we have the ACLU and activist courts who would oppose any efforts to compel or require the Sodomites undergo electroshock therapy in order to cure their disease.

[scottjewell]

Unfortunately, this is now the state of affairs: Only ONE view is acceptable regarding homosexuality: It is to be embraced and celebrated.

Any attempt to “cure” or counsel is deemed abusive. The Senate Bill preparing to pass in CA states that no therapist may discourage a minor from homosexual identity. The New Civil Rights in America group has called PFOX (a group which offers hope for change to young gays) a group of “child predators”.

[Pollster1]

Unfortunately, in this country we have the ACLU and activist courts who would oppose any efforts to compel or require the Sodomites undergo electroshock therapy in order to cure their disease.

There are quite a few conservative Christians, including me, who would oppose compulsory electroshock therapy for gays. Freedom is about choices. Compulsory compliance is the liberal progressive solution to problems and has no place in Christianity or conservatism. God's Word is unambiguous, but we have free will to choose whether to follow and serve God.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

This article was full of overreach. All he did was compare homosexuality to other vices, by saying that homosexual urges cannot be eliminated entirely, but must be a struggled against.

Think alcoholism. Is an alcoholic ever cured? Most would say “no”, even after decades of abstinence.

So all he really said is that temptation cannot be “cured” with prayer, but only resisted with prayer. Is that so wrong?

But those opposed to even trying jump all over this to say things he didn’t say. He didn’t renounce trying to resist homosexual urges through prayer. But they want to pretend he said that.

[Mrs. Don-o]

But the organisation's president Alan Chambers...said: "I do not believe that 'cure' is a word that is applicable to really any struggle, homosexuality included."

That's the key message. A homosexual person will (probably)always live with homosexual temptation, just like everybody else lives with whatever their particular temptation is. And when I say "lives with," I mean "struggles with."

Yet homosexual persons, like all the rest of us, can overcome objectively bad behavior.

I may be an alcoholic. It may be a lifelong temptation, but I can learn to abstain from alcohol.

I may be a scolder, with a sharp tongue and a short temper. But I can learn to abstain from assailing people verbally.

I may be an emotional eater, a glutton. But I can learn to abstain from overeating.

Homosexuality is in some ways like every other wayward drive. You recognize that it's a problem area, you don't justify it, you don't indulge it. With God's help, you gain insight into your weaknesses, you cultivate habits of virtue, you confess your faults, you avoid "near occasions of sin", you resist temptation,.

You strive to live with a pure mind and love with a pure heart.

This applies to everybody, not just the 1-3% who have the homosexual label.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Say, Uncle, I take it many of our posters here have already eagerly undergone electroshock to eradicate their temptations?

Anyone care to testify?

[ReformationFan]

Sounds like his viewpoint on the issue is the same as Courage from the Roman Catholic church, i.e., homosexual acts are still prohibited and those who struggle with homosexual temptations must abstain from them. How is that renouncing his position?

[Mrs. Don-o]

Exactly. Maybe his "former" position was that homosexual thoughts can be permanently extirpated from the mind.

I don't know that for a fact. But if that was the going definition of a "cure," then he was bound to be disappointed, and to disappoint many others, drawing some, perhaps, to despair.

Realistically, temptation will recur. Learning to resist evil temptations: getting support to abstain from sexual vice for a lifetime: that's the approach that's needed.