A CURE FOR HOMOSEXUALITY

by Troy Saks

Well, let's say the title of this is provocative to attract attention but in fact I
have become convinced there is no cure for homosexuality, since it is not an
illness.
Although Kinsey found about 10% as the extent to which homosexuality is
present among humans, being Kinsey one and thus prejudiced in their
favour, I suspect the actual number is much lower, perhaps near 5% or less.
Still a large number in any country and entitled to the rights many others
enjoy to live happy lives.
As far as I know all attempts to cure this same-sex sexual inclination have
failed. Due at first to help families that had a member of such persuasion and
now mostly by Christian fundamentalist religious groups, all they have
achieved with the use of psychological treatment is to foster repression and
long term unhappiness for those involved.
So homosexuals who don't belong to any religion just accept themselves
for what they are and try to live happy lives following their sexual inclination.
But the big problem is for those who have beliefs and want to continue to
belong to a church.
Within the major religions the practice of homosexuality is clearly
condemned in their holy books. There is no escape from that, unless people
want to twist and misinterpret them. But curiously, what is condemned is the
practice, not the feelings, so many churches accept homosexuals as long as
they remain celibate.
Other churches have been founded, many led by homosexual pastors and
bishops that accept homosexuals regardless of their practices. In the long
run I feel they don't help homosexual believers because they are basically a
sham, going counter to the holy books without which any such church
stands like a house without or with faulty, phony foundation.

So how could homosexual believers remain accepted members of one of

these true churches without forcing themselves to deny their feelings and
needs?
I suggest that since according to all major religions believers are sinners,
nobody is perfect, homosexuals could live as their inclinations demand,
accepting that they are sinning and sinners, but at the same time repenting
and asking for forgiveness.
At the time of death, those believers could pray to their god along these
lines: 'it is clear you told us not to commit these sexual acts but at the same
time, you made us this way and if we did not act accordingly, we would not
want to continue living, so here is the conundrum for us human beings. We
tried to serve you the best way we could but could not obey your commands
on this, so in our small human condition we ask for your mercy and that you
accept us as your beloved children'.
This
solution
eliminates
hypocrisy,
repression,
confusion,
misrepresentation and may help homosexual believers to find a way to
conciliate their lifestyle with their beliefs.
I am heterosexual and an atheist but I thought these ideas might help some
people to live happier lives.