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A psychiatrist, who played a major role in convincing the American Psychiatric Association to remove homosexuality from its official diagnostic manual of mental disorders in 1973, now says homosexuals can change their sexual orientation. Dr. Robert L. Spitzer, a professor of psychiatry at Columbia University, told the APA on May 9 that, “Contrary to conventional wisdom, some highly motivated individuals, using a variety of change efforts, can make substantial change in multiple indicators of sexual orientation.” His conclusion is based on interviews with 200 men and women who claim to have experienced a significant transition from homosexuality to heterosexuality and sustained this change for five years or more. Many of those he studied were motivated to change by disillusionment with the promiscuity of the homosexual lifestyle, a conflict with their religious beliefs or a desire to be married to a member of the opposite sex. Even those who gave up homosexual practice without becoming heterosexual said they experienced a significant improvement in emotional well-being. Spitzer said, “Like most psychiatrists, I thought homosexual behaviour could only be resisted, and that no one could really change their sexual orientation. I now believe that to be false. Some people can and do change.” Homosexual advocacy groups have said Spitzer’s study was tainted because many of those he interviewed were recruited through Christian groups which oppose homosexuality on religious grounds. Spitzer rejected that notion, adding that he is a “Jewish atheist secular humanist”. – Evangelical Press News Service
The Southeast Asian Voice of Evangelism Project is a $3.5-million US antenna upgrade by the Far East Broadcasting Company that is expected to improve radio reception in many remote areas of Asia, allowing millions of radio listeners to hear the gospel more clearly. Four high-gain antennas in Bocaue, Philippines are now adjustable so that radio signals can be steered in certain directions, and the improvements have quadrupled the strength of the broadcasts. – EPNS
The Chinese government is considering legislation that would make gender-selective abortions a crime. The proposed law would forbid the practice of identifying the sex of a fetus by ultrasound or other means for non-medical reasons. Known for its “one-child” population control policy, forced abortions and stringent birth control measures, China has had an inordinate number of male births over female births when compared to worldwide statistics. Due to a cultural preference for boys, female babies are often aborted, killed after birth or abandoned by their parents. Chinese officials recently affirmed their one-child-per-family policy, saying that the population control measures by the government have succeeded in reducing the birth rate and increasing living standards. – EPNS
Gun control is an important matter for at least one congregation in Dallas, Tex. Last December, First Presbyterian Church of Dallas ran its third gun buy-back program, offering $50 per firearm surrendered. Many of the guns turned in came from adults with children who worried about the guns falling into the wrong hands. The weapons bought in the program were taken to a scrap metal company to be destroyed. – EPNS
Episcopal Power and Light, a program of the Episcopal Church in San Diego County, Calif., encourages congregations and church members to get their power from clean, renewable resources in response to global warming. To date, two congregations have signed on to the program. Churches in the program will get their electricity from Green Mountain Energy Company, which will make donations to participating churches. – EPNS
One-third of Christians aged 18-35 in England do not think it is morally wrong for unmarried couples to live together, according to a survey sponsored by the Evangelical Alliance of the United Kingdom. However, 94% of the group agreed that marriage should be a lifelong commitment. – EPNS
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Last modified July 10, 2001.
© 2001 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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