As reported by AlArabiyah.net:
Dr. Awsam Wasfi, 42, offers a “treatment program” for gays that focuses on boosting their self-esteem and enhancing their communication skills, as well as encouraging them to play sports and work on their religious beliefs.
In what could be a soundbite from NARTH or a Love Won Out conference, Dr. Wasfi asserts that “No child is born homosexual. It is either social or as a result of some childhood sexual abuse.”While the ex-gay approach has yet to gain widespread acceptance in the Islamic world, it’s not difficult to envision a Muslim version of Exodus taking root in some of the more westernized Islamic nations. And just as conservative evangelical groups have formed alliances with groups (Catholics, Orthodox Jews and Mormons) that they once looked down upon in their quest to reverse the advancement of gay rights, it’s not inconceivable to imagine that alliance eventually expanding to embrace likeminded Muslims.Hat tip: The Bilerico Project and commenter Rob (aka Xeno)
I mentioned this here.
Noted and hat tip amended 🙂
A complete lie.
Some children ARE born with an homosexual sexual orientation – your religious beliefs notwithstanding.
Thanks for the link, XGW!
I was really stunned by how similar this program sounds to its American counterparts. It’s almost like Wasfi is really just trying to resell the same product to a new audience and make a buck (pound?) off it.
Self-colonialism? Opportunism? I don’t think that the Near East has the same history of medicalizing homosexuality, or anything psychological for that matter, so I think this would at least take a while to catch on.
Anyway, love the site! Keep up the good work, you all!
G. said:
As much as I may agree that this is probably true to some extent or another, I don’t think we have any solid factual evidence yet to support that statement. We require links to such evidence accompany any statement of fact. If you have evidence, please present it, otherwise please modify your assertion. Thanks.
David,
There are mountains of scientific evidence that people are born gay. Go to google and look it up and read it.
The jury is not out folks.
G., let me clarify since we don’t currently have these guidelines up for new people to read. If you want to make a statement of fact, particularly one that is not commonly accepted as such, you need to supply a link to authoritative support for that statement. Otherwise the discussion may progress based on inaccurate information. The onus is on you, as the one making the claim, to provide specific links – not simply suggest others search for it.
G.,
I know that there is a general sense that this question has been answered. And to those of us who are gay, it seems obvious.
But, sadly, at the moment it cannot be conclusively claimed that all sexual orientation is predetermined before birth.
We do know that orientation is not likely to be solely genetic. Studies in twins show increased correlation but not 100%. Although there is some argument that genetic activation may account for opposite oriented identical twins, this has not been proven.
Further, theories about hormone levels accounting for pre-natal establishment of orientation are just that, theories. They may well be right, but they are not yet tested.
The best evidence towards a biological basis for orientation are the observable differences between gay and straight individuals such as hair whorls, left handedness occurances, digit size, auditory response, etc. However, those tend to be “on average” and are not specific and predictable. Some heterosexuals fall into the gay range of observations and vice versa.
Many use identified differences in brain construction to argue that orientation is determined by biology. Anti-gays argue that the brain is malliable and measured difference may be the result of same-sex behavior or fantasy rather than the basis for such.
A recent study of the brain using MRI scans identified variances in the part of the brain that is associated with left handedness. Interestingly, the researcher was able to make accurate predictions based on MRI and manual dexterity with 96% accuracy. However, the study was quite small and has not yet been replicated.
https://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/11/08/994
The strongest support for biological basis would be, in my opinion, the study of x chomosome deactivation in mothers of gay sons. As it would be ridiculous to argue that their son’s lifestyle or behavior or fantasies could have some impact on the mother’s chomosome activation, this study – if replicated and verified – pretty much proves that SOME gay men have SOME biological basis to their orientation.
https://exgaywatch.com/2006/02/new-study-suppo/
And, incidentally, to the best of my knowledge there is absolutely ZERO scientific support for the notion of parental, social environment, or peer behavior as a basis for orientation.
But ultimately, the only thing that I’m willing to say with absolute certainty is that for some gay men and women it appears that biology does play some part in the etiology of their orientation.
Timothy,
Thanks for doing the work and posting the info.
So God made many of us gay – what do the religious folks think about that? What is their response to spitting in the face of their own God re: his creation?
G,
It makes no difference to those that fight against the GLBT community. Some religious anti-gay organizations will actually say that being gay is not a choice. However, they attribute it to the Fall. And because of that it is never good for two men or two women to be together. They say it was not God’s original intent and no matter what is found through science they will never accept the GLBT community unless they Repent and live a life of celibacy if they cannot attain heterosexuality.
Which begs the question:
Are they really trying to help gay people or remake gays in their own image?
G. said:
Again, what Timothy posted explains that we do not have solid evidence at the moment to back up the statements you made about people being born gay. Yes, it seems obvious and I tend to agree with the hypothesis, but no, we don’t have solid proof yet. You claimed there was such proof but have not presented it. Please don’t go on with the discussion as if you have.
Many people here are “religious folks,” including the ones you are talking with. Please don’t generalize the opinions of entire groups of people. The issue seems moot anyway; as Ken said many of those who are anti-gay would either attribute it to the Fall (as many do disease, etc) or disbelieve the science. The more important issue would seem to be how mutable (or rather immutable) is homosexuality, whether it came by nature or nurture.
I’m not trying to pick on you G., but we are very demanding of ex-gay groups where the facts are concerned, so we must be at least as demanding of ourselves.
Ken R.,
Exactly – they are trying to remake gays in their own image – and disrespect God’s intent and his creation.
What will happen is that eventually they will have to accept gays – just like they have had to accept that the earth is not flat and that Blacks were not meant to live as slaves of whites. Otherwise they will be too ostracized as society’s attitudes change.
It will take a long time though – maybe another generation – most of the hard core anti-gay religious bigots are older.
David,
The basis of the ex-gay movement is a belief in an ancient text written by men at a time when their was limited scientific knowledge.
It is 2007. I do not make any demands on them except to ask them to establish a relationship with reality and facts. I don’t think that is asking too much. I cannot lower my standards anymore than that.
Will somebody beat down this “ex-gay therapy” with a stick already! Geesh.
Will a tennis racquet do instead?
HAHAHAHA! *snort* HAHAHAHA!
That’s too funny Timothy. Thanks for making my afternoon! :p
G., I don’t think your statement reflects a good understanding of the ex-gay equation, but if you stick around I think you can learn a great deal.
When I said “we demand…” I meant XGW. Regardless of how you may personally deal with those who are ex-gay or anti-gay, we all must follow the guidelines while posting here to keep things civil and intellectually honest.
There are a number of ex-gays who comment here and that can be a great opportunity to learn. You are welcome to participate with the caveats above in mind.
Stick. Racquet strings break.