The American College of Pediatricians released the following recommendations to School Superintendents (http://americancollegeofpediatricians.org/College-Cautions-Educators-About-Sexual-Orientation-in-Youth.html):
The College reminds school superintendents that it is not uncommon for adolescents to experience transient confusion about their sexual orientation and that most students will ultimately adopt a heterosexual orientation if not otherwise encouraged. For this reason, schools should not seek to develop policy which “affirms” or encourages these non-heterosexual attractions among students who may merely be experimenting or experiencing temporary sexual confusion. Such premature labeling can lead some adolescents to engage in homosexual behaviors that carry serious physical and mental health risks.
Perhaps they had books like the following in mind. http://www.massresistance.org/docs/issues/king_and_king/book.html
The article goes on.
There is no scientific evidence that anyone is born gay or transgendered. Therefore, the College further advises that schools should not teach or imply to students that homosexual attraction is innate, always life-long and unchangeable. Research has shown that therapy to restore heterosexual attraction can be effective for many people.
What’s interesting about this article is its indictment of the assumption that homosexuality is innate and unchangeable. Such a statement will no doubt raise eyebrows in the gay community as their “rights” campaign is based off the assumption that they can no more change their orientation than a human can change their skin color.
This letter also raises a greater question. What would impel an organization of Doctors to write a letter to school superintendents? The same organization states (http://factsaboutyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/Superintendent-LetterC_3.311.pdf):
Adolescence is a time of upheaval and impermanence. Adolescents experience confusion about
many things, including sexual orientation and gender identity, and they are particularly vulnerable to environmental influences.
Rigorous studies demonstrate that most adolescents who initially experience same-sex attraction, or are sexually confused, no longer experience such attractions by age 25. In one study, as many as 26% of 12-year-olds reported being uncertain of their sexual orientation1, yet only 2-3% of adults actually identify themselves as homosexual. Therefore, the majority of sexually questioning youth ultimately adopt a heterosexual identity.
The implications of this research lead the college to discourage counselors from affirming an identity which if left to themselves they will not adopt. Such a choice will lead them to a way of life of significantly increasing will lead to a significantly higher risk lifestyle.
Among adolescents who claim a “gay” identity, the health risks include higher rates of sexually transmitted infections, alcoholism, substance abuse, anxiety, depression and suicide. Encouragingly, the longer students delay self-labeling as “gay,” the less likely they are to experience these health risks. In fact, for each year an adolescent delays, the risk of suicide alone decreases by 20%.
What is absent from this research are the spiritual dangers of homosexuality:
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 - Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals . . . shall inherit the kingdom of God.
However the next verse gives us the great hope.
1 Corinthians 6:11 - And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.
Dave Hintz
