Is Change Possible?

When I entered graduate school at Southern Illinois University and then at University of Cincinnati it was assumed by the faculty and all students that change was possible. Some issues, problems and problems might be complex and challenging but there could be substantial change in every problem arena of life.

For example, depression, anxiety, marital dysfunction, sexual malfunctions, drug abuse, alcoholism and bad parenting could be changed and improved if not eliminated. Today that is no longer the situation.

What has happened? Well, for one thing, Political Correctness has reared its very ugly and censoring head. Yep PC thinking censors any professional who has the courage or the foolishness to suggest that any condition can be altered and improved. Here is what a recent article by the eminent psychiatrist, Robert Spitzer.

Am J Psychiatry 1981; 138:210-215

Copyright © 1981 by American Psychiatric Association

RL Spitzer
In 1973 homosexuality per se was removed from the DSM-II classification of mental disorders and replaced by the category Sexual Orientation Disturbance. This represented a compromise between the view that preferential homosexuality is invariably a mental disorder and the view that it is merely a normal sexual variant.

What were the reasons the APA changed their rule book about homosexuality being a mental disorder? Was there new research on the matter? No! It was solely a political matter. Now it is common for graduate schools to teach that it is actually unethical to help homosexuals change even if they want desperately to change. Why? Because they "Should not want to change since there is nothing wrong with same gender sexual relationships and to treat them indicates a that is is morally wrong as a behavior."

If a depressed person came to me for treatment and I refused on the grounds that, "Depressed people do not need to change. To help them become happy and content would be tantamount to suggesting they are weak or morally wrong" it would cause a scandal.

Change in sin sexual preferences is possible. In fact, it is happening a lot today. and it has always happened. Therapists have counseled homosexuals for thousands of years and many times it has been successful. It is hard to change sexual preferences but it is also hard to change any long term habitual behavior.

Religious conversion and entry into a healing community has helped many people with same sex attractions change. St. Paul says that both men and women were healed from sexual confusion. I CO 6:11 … that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

If I did not believe change was possible for all persons I would leave the ministry.

Gary Sweeten

www.sweetenlife.com