Joanna Brooks Swims Deep in Politically Correct Waters

[_Buffalo]

I never pegged Droopy

Your denial is noted but this is the wrong thread...

I was young and I needed the money.

[_DarkHelmet]

Just one example of "believing" Mormon Joanna Brooks hostility to core Church doctrine and standards:

http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispa ... e%E2%80%9D

A few comments are in order:

A new poll released today by the Salt Lake Tribune shows that among Utah Mormons surveyed, 55% believe it is possible for people who are attracted to members of the same sex to change their sexual orientation. Twenty-five percent of Utah Mormons reported being “unsure,” and 15% believed gay people could not voluntarily “change” their own sexual orientation.

Among non-Mormon Utahns surveyed, 66% believed it was not possible for gay people to “change” their sexual orientation, while 20% thought it possible, and 14% were unsure.

Which confirms what those of us who live within the culture know: many, many LDS people live in a parallel universe when it comes to the reality of LGBT experience.

Brooks does not seem to be aware that successful change from homosexual to heterosexual orientation through reparative therapy for those uncomfortable with their homosexuality and who desire and are motivated to change is now undeniable and well established, and that even the American Psychological Association has long ago modified its original blanket denial of such a possibility.

Brooks could be like me. A heterosexual who could never have my orientation changed, no matter how many therapeutic sessions I attended. Sorry, Droopy, I could never turn gay. A few years ago I had this debate with someone who believed homosexuality was a choice, and they can choose to stop sinning and become heterosexual. This person blurted out, "I could be gay if I wanted to, but I choose to be straight." That was very telling to me. I wonder what the correlation is between people who believe sexual orientation is a choice and people who personally feel they could be homosexual if they wanted to.

[_Yahoo Bot]

Brooks could be like me. A heterosexual who could never have my orientation changed, no matter how many therapeutic sessions I attended. Sorry, Droopy, I could never turn gay. A few years ago I had this debate with someone who believed homosexuality was a choice, and they can choose to stop sinning and become heterosexual. This person blurted out, "I could be gay if I wanted to, but I choose to be straight." That was very telling to me. I wonder what the correlation is between people who believe sexual orientation is a choice and people who personally feel they could be homosexual if they wanted to.

But, people do turn gay. The reality is obviously there. We have a poster on this board who served a mission, had a family, was a good apologist, and then one day decided to turn gay. The anecdotal evidence is there, is in lots of places.

[_Buffalo]

Brooks could be like me. A heterosexual who could never have my orientation changed, no matter how many therapeutic sessions I attended. Sorry, Droopy, I could never turn gay. A few years ago I had this debate with someone who believed homosexuality was a choice, and they can choose to stop sinning and become heterosexual. This person blurted out, "I could be gay if I wanted to, but I choose to be straight." That was very telling to me. I wonder what the correlation is between people who believe sexual orientation is a choice and people who personally feel they could be homosexual if they wanted to.

But, people do turn gay. The reality is obviously there. We have a poster on this board who served a mission, had a family, was a good apologist, and then one day decided to turn gay. The anecdotal evidence is there, is in lots of places.

I think you're missing a critical part of the story - that he was always attracted to men, but followed the church's advice and married a woman anyway. Which turned out to be a disaster, of course.

[_Buffalo]

Brooks could be like me. A heterosexual who could never have my orientation changed, no matter how many therapeutic sessions I attended. Sorry, Droopy, I could never turn gay. A few years ago I had this debate with someone who believed homosexuality was a choice, and they can choose to stop sinning and become heterosexual. This person blurted out, "I could be gay if I wanted to, but I choose to be straight." That was very telling to me. I wonder what the correlation is between people who believe sexual orientation is a choice and people who personally feel they could be homosexual if they wanted to.

No straight person would ever entertain the possibility that sexual orientation can be changed. The people who make those sorts of claims are universally bisexual or self-loathing closeted gays.

Healthy, non-self loathing gays also know that sexual orientation is not changeable.

[_Drifting]

But, people do turn gay. The reality is obviously there. We have a poster on this board who served a mission, had a family, was a good apologist, and then one day decided to turn gay. The anecdotal evidence is there, is in lots of places.

I think you'll find {insert name} was always gay.
For decades he suppressed his sexuality in favour of living the lie the Church required of him.
One day he decided to be honest - which is what the Church encourages.

For instance, you can't change the fact that you are a schmuck. You may be able to suppress it for long periods, but you will always, genetically, be a schmuck.

[_DarkHelmet]

But, people do turn gay. The reality is obviously there. We have a poster on this board who served a mission, had a family, was a good apologist, and then one day decided to turn gay. The anecdotal evidence is there, is in lots of places.

I think you're missing a critical part of the story - that he was always attracted to men, but followed the church's advice and married a woman anyway. Which turned out to be a disaster, of course.

So the church's advice to gays is to pretend to be straight, get married, and have children. Yeah, that should work out well for everyone.

[_Drifting]

I particularly like the tone with which the Church addresses those poor unfortunates cursed with same sex attraction...

You are a son or daughter of God, and our hearts reach out to you in warmth and affection. Notwithstanding your present same-gender attractions, you can be happy during this life, lead a morally clean life, perform meaningful service in the Church, enjoy full fellowship with your fellow Saints, and ultimately receive all the blessings of eternal life.

But fear not you gays who find it too difficult to suppress your urges enough to ever fancy a..... woman *gasp*....because you will get the chance to fancy women in the next life...

In some circumstances a person defers marriage because he or she is not presently attracted to a member of the opposite gender. While many Latter-day Saints, through individual effort, the exercise of faith, and reliance upon the enabling power of the Atonement, overcome same-gender attraction in mortality, others may not be free of this challenge in this life. However, the perfect plan of our Father in Heaven makes provision for individuals who seek to keep His commandments but who, through no fault of their own, do not have an eternal marriage in mortal life. As we follow Heavenly Father’s plan, our bodies, feelings, and desires will be perfected in the next life so that every one of God’s children may find joy in a family consisting of a husband, a wife, and children.

[_Buffalo]

So the church's advice to gays is to pretend to be straight, get married, and have children. Yeah, that should work out well for everyone.

It used to say that to gay people. They finally listened to the advice of their psychologists and stopped that a while back.

[_zeezrom]

Why is politics such a big deal in within the Mormon religion?

Why do you like movies about gladiators?

Did you mean to ask why I love Russell Crowe?