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from Clinical/Therapeutic Issues
Pastoral Counseling Association Initiative
Calls for the Blessing of Gay Relationships
A pastoral counselor recently received an
internal initiative from members of his
professional group, the American Association of
Pastoral Counselors. This petition calls for a
reversal of the longtime scriptural perspective on
the design and purpose of human sexuality, asking
that pastoral counselors bless same-sex
relationships.
Dr. Russell Waldrop wrote to express his concern
about the initiative, and at the same time, to
join NARTH as a member.
His letter is as follows:
I recently learned about the existence of your
website from a local newspaper column, which was
highly critical of NARTH's views. But I decided to
examine the website for myself, and found it to be
highly professional and research-oriented about a
wide variety of issues involving homosexuality and
its impact upon society.
For three reasons, I then decided to join NARTH.
First, what I read on your website is a balance to
the "gay is good" message which labels people as
"homophobic" just because they express honest
doubts about such a claim.
Surely no open-minded person would fault others
for including in their studies the contributions
being made by the physicians, psychologists,
psychiatrists, social workers and other
professionals whose work is reported by NARTH.
Second, as a minister I find that Scripture is
more often abused than appropriately used by
several different sides in this debate about
homosexuality. One extreme ridicules it; another
ignores it; still another shoots from behind it.
Too few study it for reasonable theological and
practical solutions. I do find that NARTH
contributors have enough respect for Scripture and
tradition to engage my trust. So many others, from
all sides, have failed to do that.
Third, one of my own professional groups, the
American Association of Pastoral Counselors, is in
the process of responding to attempts by its
Eastern region to secure the signatures of
two-thirds of its national members to a statement
that says, among other things, "We have come to
appreciate that sexuality in all forms comes to us
as a gift of God."
When I read on--that this includes "Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual, and Transgender persons"--I knew that I
had been caught off-guard and was unable to
articulate much of a response to express my
disagreement. I know that I cannot sign such a
statement for theological and clinical reasons,
but those reasons have long been abandoned, if not
trashed, by the recent "gay liberation" movement.
I recognize my need for better understanding of
these issues, and this includes both study of and
prayer over a massive amount of literature. I
certainly welcome NARTH into my library for this
purpose. It won't be my only resource, but it will
certainly be a well utilized one.
Sincerely,
Rev. Dr. Russell G. Waldrop,
Chaplain/Pastoral Counselor,
Licensed Professional Counselor
Updated: 8 February 2008
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