In case you missed it, the Sept. 2004 issue of Meridian Magazine (ldsmag.com) published “Born That Way?” and by Dr. Dean Byrd, an excellent read on the issue of homosexuality. He notes that many people seeking to overcome homosexual inclinations are denied assistance by professionals in the mental health industry because of the assumption that homosexuality is innate and cannot be changed. This can be a tragically incorrect assumption. Dr. Byrd’s article, both part 1 and part 2, provides valuable factual information that might give hope to those seeking to overcome a challenging problem.
God gives us no commandments or standards without preparing a way for us to keep them, if we seek His help. May the hope that comes from the Atonement of Jesus Christ help move us all closer to Him and away from the errant standards of the world.
I’m going to diverge with you on this issue and say that I don’t believe that homosexuality is a mental illness or something that necessarily needs to be treated by mental health professionals. People with mental health issues may not always be accountable for their actions. If someone is schizophrenic and has no grasp on reality, are the completely, 100% accountable for their actions? Modern medicine simply tends to medicate most mental illness to “cure” the illness so that people can function. There is no meidcation that “cures” homosexuality. It could be argued if homosexuality is considered a mental disorder, that just as there are varying degrees of mental illness and awareness, that perhaps someone is so overcome with the mental illness of homosexuality that they aren’t accountable for their actions.
Rather, homosexuality, in my opinion, is more along the lines of a vice that people have to deal with. People have things in life that tempt them. For some, it’s alcohol. For others, it’s drugs. For some, it’s theft, greed, money, etc, etc. Bottom line is, these compulsions are found in some people, but not others. Someone could be in a room full of liquor and never once be compelled to drink, whereas someone else may be so overcome with the urge they can’t control themself. I think homosexuality is more along those lines…a vice in which some people are tempted and others are not. Some people are tempted by same-sex relationships and others are not. But they are still accountable, even if they feel the urge. We all have urges we don’t want or that feel SO GOOD but we know are contradictory to the Spirit. Thankfully, we can CHOOSE to act upon these urges and give in or resist. Someone with a mental illness doesn’t always have this choice and it’s a difficult call to say who does and who doesn’t.
While I would agree that typically you cannot treat homosexuality as a mental illness, that doesn’t rule out a role with the mental health industry. Boiled down to its basics, the mental health industry is involved with changing the way people think and/or behave. If a person wants to change the way they think or behave, and they are having difficulty doing it on their own, the assistance of an experienced therapist can be beneficial.
I don’t like to disagree in any way, or agree either, I was born I think that way and I’m grateful to life that I’m experiencing such way or manifestation of life,
I like to tell you that life that way is not easy,it is very difficult to experience life that way, and if I have the opportunity to change life in this life time I would but I know is impossible to do it, therefore I need to be grateful to the creator and with a humble heart & take as it is, and try to be happy that way, I also know that there are so many ways of thinking, and this utopia will never be understood , but it really doesn’t matter because it will always be that way and it will never change, human understanding and theory will try to be with or against it, but who really lives as an homosexual to really understand the experience of life as gay, queer or fag whatever name You want to give, it’s only to the universe and the creator to judge what’s good or bad, and as human being only to respect each other as the only law to live in harmony and peace; Not to disrespect other ways of thinking but to have the oportunity to give each other to experience life as it is presented to you and just try to be a good human being as much as you can be….
being grateful to be an existence in a spot in this beautiful earth as God gave it to You…..
I Feel as other human being,I cry feel, joy, compassion, piety, everything that everybody feels and still there are so many misundesrtandings unable to create a single theory of what’s really homosexuality; science, religion, technology or whoever wants to explain it it will never be right until You are part of this experience in life.