Homosexuality: Legally Permissible or Spiritually Misguided?1

Lockard, Homosexualityrestore homosexual men toward heterosexual behaviour. He contends:“Overcoming unwanted same-sex attractions is absolutely possible.”Evidence supporting environmental theories posit that same-sex behaviour isprimarily learned and, therefore, can be unlearned or changed. Van derAardweg (1985), Nicolosi (1991) and Satinover (1996) have collected datasuggesting that homosexuals have been successful in completely reversingtheir sexual orientation. A significant study was conducted by MacIntosh(1995) when he interviewed 422 psychiatrists regarding their assessment ofhomosexuals who change their orientation to heterosexuality. The doctorsreported that 23 percent of their patients had converted to heterosexuality, and84 percent made significant improvement toward heterosexual identity.Nicolosi, Byrd, and Potts (2000) surveyed 882 individuals who had gonethrough some type of conversion education or therapy (mostly in religioussettings). Amongst those responding, 34 percent reported a significant changetoward heterosexuality. Twenty-three percent reported no change; and 43percent reported some change. About 7 percent of the men reported that theywere doing worse psychosocially than before the conversion interventions(Throckmorton 1998).Robinson (1998) summarized his findings after interviewing seven marriedmen who had been previously involved in a high level of homosexual activity.Reportedly, these men were reactivated into religious worship and had notparticipated in homosexual activity for at least one year. As a result, they nolonger had compulsive same-sex lustful desires or thought patterns. Robinson(1998:319-320) summarized his findings:The most important conclusion of this study is that change ispossible . . . the change was experienced as being personallyfulfilling and greatly increasing the quality of their livessocially, emotionally, and spiritually. 77 For a testimony from a former homosexual, see Duncan (1989). For additional studiesproposing that homosexual behaviour can be reversed, Nicolosi (1991; 1993) and Nicolosi,Byrd & Potts (2000).155