Transgender teen who died of an apparent suicide: ‘Fix society. Please.’

[Thorolfr]

Can someone describe what exactly is involved in conversion therapy? We can talk about theory all we want, but what actually goes on?

Here is someone named Sam Brinton, now 27, who describes his experience in an article on conversion therapy that appeared in last Saturday’s edition of the British newspaper The Guardian:

When his father’s attempts to beat the gay feelings out of him failed, 11-year-old Sam Brinton was sent for conversion therapy.

“I was told I was the only gay left in the world, that the government had killed all the gay children, that I had Aids, that God hated me – a horrifying battery of lies which I had no reason not to believe because these were the people that were supposed to be helping me,” Brinton said.

Then came the physical torture: forcing his hands into ice while showing him pictures of men touching men, wrapping his hands in coils that heated up painfully when he saw images of men hugging, showing him gay porn and giving him electric shocks.

Several suicide attempts later, Brinton, the son of Southern Baptist missionaries, realised he had only one viable option if he wanted to carry on living.

“In the end I had to lie and say I was cured just to get out of it,” he said.

Brinton doubts he will ever completely be free of the trauma. “I’m definitely still processing. The hard part is because it happened long ago, a lot of it is mentally associated into my cognition. Therefore, every single time I shake a man’s hand or get a hug, I’ll have a small amount of shock hit me.

“It’s not that bad anymore, but I will probably bear the mental torture marks of conversion therapy for the rest of my life.

“The hardest part was that I was trying so hard to change. Every night I was praying with every ounce of my body, trying to figure out a way to actually change so that the pain would stop. You definitely think that something’s wrong with you and that if you try hard enough you can beat it.”

theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/11/survivors-crusade-conversion-therapy-ban-pray-gay-away

 

[estesbob]

Here is someone named Sam Brinton, now 27, who describes his experience in an article on conversion therapy that appeared in last Saturday’s edition of the British newspaper The Guardian:

theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/11/survivors-crusade-conversion-therapy-ban-pray-gay-away

As with ,it would appear ,with all the aversion therapy horror stories there is no evidence that this happened .

m.christianpost.com/news/ex-gay-therapy-debate-the-truth-matters–125479/

Even if we’re true the obvious solution is to ban aversion therapy ,not conversion therapy
As we can see from this thread alone there is much dispute as to what constitutes conversion therapy and a broad ban on conversion therapy would seem to forbid a priest from counseling a youth confused about their sexuality

 

[Ridgerunner]

a broad ban on conversion therapy would seem to forbid a priest from counseling a youth confused about their sexuality

Quite possibly the real objective of it, since abusive behavior is already against the law in most instances, whether engaged in “conversion thereapy” or anything else.

 

[estesbob]

Quite possibly the real objective of it, since abusive behavior is already against the law in most instances, whether engaged in “conversion thereapy” or anything else.

The goal is to forbid any criticism whatsoever of homosexuality. Having gone after Florists, CEOs, bakers and educators they now want to go after Doctors. but it is all done in the name of “tolerance” which is the mind of the Left makes it OK.

 

[EIF5A]

The goal is to forbid any criticism whatsoever of homosexuality. Having gone after Florists, CEOs, bakers and educators they now want to go after Doctors. but it is all done in the name of “tolerance” which is the mind of the Left makes it OK.

You’re assuming “conversion therapy” actually works.

While we’re at it, why doesn’t the Church speak more positively about the vocation of celibacy/singlehood? At least then, homosexuals have something positive to look to and strive towards, instead of having the perception of being denied something (not just physical gratification, but the desire for companionship — things that are accessible to straights).

 

[estesbob]

You’re assuming “conversion therapy” actually works.

While we’re at it, why doesn’t the Church speak more positively about the vocation of celibacy/singlehood? At least then, homosexuals have something positive to look to and strive towards, instead of having the perception of being denied something (not just physical gratification, but the desire for companionship — things that are accessible to straights).

And you are assuming it doesn’t . The church does speak out positively about celibacy and singlehood. It has active ministries to reach out to homosexuals and, for that matter, other who struggle with destructive(when given into) temptations such as drugs and alcohol.

 

[EIF5A]

And you are assuming it doesn’t . The church does speak out positively about celibacy and singlehood. It has active ministries to reach out to homosexuals and, for that matter, other who struggle with destructive(when given into) temptations such as drugs and alcohol.

Because there is no evidence that it does.

I can claim eating 20 pounds of frozen strawberries in one sitting will cure the flu, and someone who is desperate enough for a cure may believe it.

Doesn’t mean it works.

When someone thinks about the Catholic Church, they might think of large families, no contraception, no divorce/remarriage, etc. Does the state of singlehood as a viable, worthy vocation (other than the religious life) really come to mind?

 

[estesbob]

Because there is no evidence that it does.

I can claim eating 20 pounds of frozen strawberries in one sitting will cure the flu, and someone who is desperate enough for a cure may believe it.

Doesn’t mean it works.

When someone thinks about the Catholic Church, they might think of large families, no contraception, no divorce/remarriage, etc. Does the state of singlehood as a viable, worthy vocation (other than the religious life) really come to mind?

There is testimonial of thousands that it does. My Parish has an active singles group and a ministry for homosexuals who want to live in accordance with the teachings of the Church. Even if these programs did not exist it would not mean that somehow the church is at fault if people sin.

 

[Thorolfr]

Or secular leftist conversion therapy for university students?

All we have to do is not send students to any universities

 

[EIF5A]

There is testimonial of thousands that it does. My Parish has an active singles group and a ministry for homosexuals who want to live in accordance with the teachings of the Church. Even if these programs did not exist it would not mean that somehow the church is at fault if people sin.

Teaching celibacy (more in the line of spiritual counseling) is not the same as telling someone they can develop romantic, emotional, and physical desire for the opposite gender (what people think of when they hear “conversion therapy”).

 

[Thorolfr]

There is testimonial of thousands that it does. My Parish has an active singles group and a ministry for homosexuals who want to live in accordance with the teachings of the Church. Even if these programs did not exist it would not mean that somehow the church is at fault if people sin.

A lot of the poster people of conversion therapy programs, many of them its one-time leaders, have ended up relapsing which proves that they were never converted in the first place. I could probably find the names of a few who are now married to same-sex spouses.

 

[estesbob]

A lot of the poster people of conversion therapy programs, many of them its one-time leaders, have ended up relapsing which proves that they were never converted in the first place. I could probably find the names of a few who are now married to same-sex spouses.

And a lot of people who found sobriety in AA started drinking again. just because some fail doesn’t mean we should abandon everyone.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The goal is to forbid any criticism whatsoever of homosexuality. Having gone after Florists, CEOs, bakers and educators they now want to go after Doctors. but it is all done in the name of “tolerance” which is the mind of the Left makes it OK.

I’m not so concerned about doctors as I am about priests, ministers and others who might be accused of “conversion therapy” in telling homosexuals that homosexual behavior is sinful and should be avoided.

 

[EIF5A]

And a lot of people who found sobriety in AA started drinking again. just because some fail doesn’t mean we should abandon everyone.

Drinking is a willful act. Homosexual orientation is attraction beyond one’s will (to be distinguished from willful lust, of course).

Conversion therapy aims to change attraction, which has little evidence for success.

Counseling aims to eliminate behavior, which is possible.

 

[EIF5A]

I’m not so concerned about doctors as I am about priests, ministers and others who might be accused of “conversion therapy” in telling homosexuals that homosexual behavior is sinful and should be avoided.

That’s not conversion therapy.

Conversion = change.

The priests in this case are not telling people they need to change their attraction.

 

[Ridgerunner]

That’s not conversion therapy.

Conversion = change.

The priests in this case are not telling people they need to change their attraction.

Anybody who really trusts this administration to pass anything regarding homosexuality that does NOT pose problems for Catholic priests or religious should probably read some of the pleadings in the various Obamacare lawsuits, like that of the Little Sisters of the Poor.

 

[TheSeeker2014]

Regardless of how any of us feel about “conversion therapy,” this is again an attempt of the US government to take control out of the parents’ hands. Parents (normally) know what is best for children. I definitely don’t agree with not letting parents be solely responsible for their children’s health.

There is only caveat that I will yield to and that is if the child(ren) are in an abusive relationship with thir position,

Looking forward to hearing others’ points of views.

Peace, Rita

It is abuse if Transexuals are Intersexed and I believe they very well could be a type we have not identified yet.
They say to feel like the opposite sex trapped in the opposite sex’s body.
There are many types of Intersexed people. isna.org/faq/printable
And some Transexuals are Intersexed Transexuals and it is not their fault they are born as both genders.

I am glad this therapy is being stopped. It is harmful… if it wasn’t why are so many killing theirselves after going through it?

 

[TheSeeker2014]

PS transexuality does not equal homosexuality. esp if they are Intersexed!

 

[Joie_de_Vivre]

And you are assuming it doesn’t . The church does speak out positively about celibacy and singlehood. It has active ministries to reach out to homosexuals and, for that matter, other who struggle with destructive(when given into) temptations such as drugs and alcohol.

If one reads the theology of the church that is more than 50 years old the Church is an ardent supporter of celibacy, if one looks at the Church today it is now familycentric instead of priestcentric.

Because there is no evidence that it does.

I can claim eating 20 pounds of frozen strawberries in one sitting will cure the flu, and someone who is desperate enough for a cure may believe it.

Doesn’t mean it works.

When someone thinks about the Catholic Church, they might think of large families, no contraception, no divorce/remarriage, etc. Does the state of singlehood as a viable, worthy vocation (other than the religious life) really come to mind?

firstthings.com/article/2015/04/dismantling-the-cross
That comes to mind, it is specifically about religious life, but it shows that even religious life has been reduced in stature in the Church.

There is testimonial of thousands that it does. My Parish has an active singles group and a ministry for homosexuals who want to live in accordance with the teachings of the Church. Even if these programs did not exist it would not mean that somehow the church is at fault if people sin.

Woo, you have a group to help single people get married, how wonderful a group that is for promoting lives other than marriage. You have an AA, but for gay sex group? How meaningful that is for people who aren’t gay.

For the virgin heterosexual person who wants support living a Christ-centered life you direct them to a group that functions as a place for people to find spouses and for a virgin homosexual person who wants support living a Christ-centered life you direct them to a de facto gay sex anonymous group.
http://cdn.head-fi.org/2/2c/2cda10c2_slow-clap.gif

Teaching celibacy (more in the line of spiritual counseling) is not the same as telling someone they can develop romantic, emotional, and physical desire for the opposite gender (what people think of when they hear “conversion therapy”).

People today, heterosexual and homosexual alike need to be taught how to love.

And a lot of people who found sobriety in AA started drinking again. just because some fail doesn’t mean we should abandon everyone.

By comparing Reparative Therapy to AA you have implicitly admitted failure for an AA attendee who has not touched alcohol in 20 years is an alcoholic who has not touched alcohol in 20 years instead of someone who is no longer an alcoholic.

 

[estesbob]

IfBy comparing Reparative Therapy to AA you have implicitly admitted failure for an AA attendee who has not touched alcohol in 20 years is an alcoholic who has not touched alcohol in 20 years instead of someone who is no longer an alcoholic.

I haven’t touched alcohol for 29 years but readily acknowledge I am still an alcoholic.