Homosexual Conversion Rates
A long term study following nearly 100 homosexual men and women who pursued therapy designed to help them leave the homosexual lifestyle found that genuine conversions do occur and the therapy itself has no harmful psychological effects.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–In what some are calling groundbreaking research, a new four-year study concludes it is possible for homosexuals to change their physical attractions and become heterosexual through the help of Christian ministries.
The data was released Sept. 13 at a news conference in Nashville, Tenn., and will be published in the forthcoming book, “Ex-Gays?” (InterVarsity Press) by psychologists Stanton L. Jones and Mark A. Yarhouse. Thirty-eight percent of the subjects followed in the study said they had successfully left homosexuality, while an additional 29 percent said they had had only modest successes but were committed to keep trying. In another significant finding, Jones and Yarhouse said attempts at conversions do not appear to be psychologically harmful.
Truth Wins Out, a gay advocacy group, has been lobbying news organizations to discredit the study. Their main contention seems to be that MRIs were not used to measure physical responses to lying and truth-telling to ensure that those who described themselves as successfully leaving the gay lifestyle were not lying to researchers.
“Any ‘ex-gay’ study that does not include physical components that measure truth are [sic] essentially meaningless,” said Truth Wins Out’s Executive Director Wayne Besen.
“It seems that ex-gays would rather mislead and practice skullduggery than get behind the skull,” said Mr. Besen.
I think the MRI might be a good idea for a future study, but does not in any way invalidate the research of Jones and Yarhouse. Truth Wins Out could stand a measure of its own criticism.
Comment by blestou
UPDATE: IVP is offering downloads of the appendices and other materials related to the book.
Posted on September 19, 2007 at 9:26 am