If you think homosexual behavior is wrong, new research says you might not be right in the head.<\/p>\n
This summer, the Supreme Court narrowly redefined marriage and handed the gay-rights movement a major victory: full \u201cequality\u201d and recognition by the government. With that box checked, the gay-rights movement can now focus on its ultimate goal: silencing those who disagree.<\/p>\n
One new and troubling strategy has emerged from the scientific community. Instead of vilifying those who believe in natural marriage, suggest some researchers, we should diagnose them.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s an ironic reversal. Years ago, homosexuality was listed in the American Psychiatric Association\u2019s manual of disorders. But in 1986 it was removed, followed by a concerted push from Association members to normalize homosexual behavior.<\/p>\n
In just thirty years, America went from a country where homosexuality was a diagnosable disorder to one where you can be fined for refusing to bake a gay \u201cwedding\u201d cake. Now things are going a step further. New research published in \u201cThe Journal of Sexual Medicine\u201d suggests that homophobia, not homosexuality, is the psychological disorder.<\/p>\n
\u201cLive Science\u201d reports that researchers at the University of Rome Tor Vergata asked 560 university students to report their feelings about homosexuality, then gave them a standard psychiatric evaluation.<\/p>\n
Participants who exhibited what the researchers called \u201chealthy attachment styles\u201d tended to show less animosity toward homosexuals. They also showed more \u201cmature coping mechanisms\u201d in \u201cscary or unpleasant situations,\u201d and were generally less angry. But those who showed the highest animosity toward homosexuals exhibited a host of warning signs like inability to trust others, passive-aggressive behavior, and denial.<\/p>\n
Lead researcher Emmanuele Jannini concluded, \u201cAfter discussing for centuries if homosexuality is to be considered a disease, for the first time we demonstrated that the real disease to be cured is homophobia.\u201d<\/p>\n
Well, this was red meat for progressive websites and news outlets, who gladly trumpeted the results.<\/p>\n
I can\u2019t help but think of C. S. Lewis\u2019 chilling and prophetic essay, \u201cThe Humanitarian Theory of Punishment.\u201d Lewis believed that persecution in the future would look less like jack-booted thuggery, and more like therapy: \u201c … certain schools of psychology already regard religion as a neurosis,\u201d he wrote. \u201cWhen this particular neurosis becomes inconvenient to the government, what is to hinder the government from proceeding to \u2018cure\u2019 it,\u201d with mandatory re-education or other forms of treatment?<\/p>\n
Jannini\u2019s willingness to label homophobia as \u201cthe real disease to be cured\u201d shows just how quickly we\u2019re moving down this path. But we can respond: First, there are a lot of problems with how this study is being analyzed, even by its authors. For example, should it surprise us that those who show animosity toward people in general also show animosity toward gay people? Bad psychological traits probably don\u2019t discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.<\/p>\n
Secondly, and more importantly, a \u201cphobia\u201d is \u201can irrational and debilitating fear\u201d of something, and Christians don\u2019t feel this way about those who identify as gay, or they certainly shouldn\u2019t. Ours is a rational stance based on human flourishing and God\u2019s created order, not \u201cirrational animus.\u201d It\u2019s entirely possible to object to sin, refuse to dignify it, and still love those caught up in it. In fact, that\u2019s what Jesus commanded us to do.<\/p>\n
So no, we don\u2019t need a checkup from the neck up for believing what Christians have always believed. And no matter how crazy it sounds to some folks, we have got to point out the true disease, and the only cure.<\/p>\n
Resources<\/p>\n
Humanitarian Theory of Punishment
\nC. S. Lewis<\/p>\n
Homophobic People Often Have Psychological Issues
\nStephanie Pappas | Live Science | September 11, 2015
\n< http:\/\/www.livescience.com\/52146-homophobia-personality-traits.html ><\/p>\n
________<\/p>\n
Copyright (c) 2015 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with permission. “BreakPoint” is a radio ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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