Pray the Gay Away: St. Petersburg Politician Claims Fasting and Prayer a ‘Cure’

RT News ^ | 9/25/12

[marshmallow]

The author of the St. Petersburg bill banning gay propaganda continued his crusade by claiming in an interview that homosexuality is a bad habit that can be treated by fasting and prayer.

While speaking on the popular Russian talk radio show Ekho Moskvy, deputy Vitaliy Milonov of the St Petersburg city legislature said that homosexuality is an illness, which can be cured. He likened same-sex attraction to “a bad habit.”

Milonov said that if his son told him he was gay, he would take him to a priest who should tell the young man that he was partaking in a bad habit that one can easily quit.

“God can send many temptations upon us,” he said. “But the thing is, this illness is easily treated by fasting and praying. I do not know of a single case within the Russian Orthodox Church that a man would not be cured by his sincere repentance in this sin. People get rid of it, just like they get rid of kleptomania or, for instance, fornicators.”

Milonov gained notoriety this year for his relentless crusade against the LGBT community. He even received a parody award in June for his initiative to ban homosexuality in Russia until 2015. Milnov also suggested that a human embryo should have the same rights as a living person in his as-yet-unsuccessful attempt to outlaw abortion.

[trailhkr1]

The author of the St. Petersburg bill banning gay propaganda continued his crusade by claiming in an interview that homosexuality is a bad habit that can be treated by fasting and prayer.

Gonna take more than that...

[struggle]

I have quite a few friends that are former homosexuals. It is a very tough rode to recovery, almost like alcoholism, but it is doable!

[PGR88]

We believe that other addictions or excesses, such as alcohol, drugs, food and even heterosexual sex can be cured through therapy, so why not homosexuality?

[SECURE AMERICA]

God does answer prayer.
It matters not if your choice was drugs, alcohol, homosexuality, crime, etc. Every sin can be forgiven by God and that person made new again........
Sure that is not what the MSM or the Government will tell you but then it is not in their own best interest to...........

[DesertRhino]

We teach our kindergarteners to celebrate amonth a gay culture, have homos defiling our military, and our president has a gay past,,,
meanwhile the Russians suggest prayer and fasting as the path out.

The world sure has changed.

[Salvation]

The praying and fasting has worked with the 40 Days for Life -- why not with this issue too? But it also involves a 24/7 witness and reaching out to the community with information.

Welcome to 40 Days for Life: September 26 - November 4, 2012

[MDLION]

Many of the homosexual orientation have had problems bonding with a same sex parent which has resulted in gender confusion. Others have been sexually abused. Prayer, sacrifice, along with counseling when needed and the support of a support group and maybe medication can do wonders, miracles for such people. Maybe their orientation won’t change, but often they can at least stop the compulsive acting out.

[Mrs. Don-o]

The distinction you've made between homosexual behavior and homosexual orientation is an important one.

Behavior is directly within the scope of one's decisions and choices. "I intend never to hook up sexually with --- whoever, with a child, my neighbor, my neighbor's wife--" is roughly on the same plane as "I intend never to get drunk, eat wheat gluten, or strike my spouse." If something is habitual and easily available, it will take some intelligent strategizing and struggle, but it's within human ability, and within your duty.

"Orientation" is a different matter. It's an attraction. You can't say "I will never again be attracted."

It's wrong to tell a person "You can and must change hour orientation." That just sets a person up for almost inevitable failure, and then anger, despair, or self-destruction.

I think an emphasizing on "changing orientation" rather than "changing behavior" has damaged people over the eyars.

After all, heterosexuals who act in morally objectionable ways (e.g. adulterers) are not expected to change their feelings of attraction. Theyu are expected to abstain from adultery. And abstain from the "near occasions of sin" --- the persons or places or situations in which they know they will be tempted.