Panel discussion of 'The Religious Dimension' of homosexuality canceled -- free speech the loser
-- From "'Gays' shut down discussion of faith" on WorldNetDaily 5/2/08
A discussion on religion, homosexuality and therapy that had been scheduled during the American Psychiatric Association's annual meeting in Washington has been shut down following an attack by a "gay" publication on some of the people planning to participate.
The symposium called "Homosexuality and Therapy: The Religion Dimension," had been in the plans for months at the APA convention in Washington, and was to feature advocates for homosexuality including New Hampshire Bishop Gene Robinson of the Episcopal church and was to be moderated by Harvard psychiatrist John Peteet.
Others scheduled to be on the podium included Grove City College professor Warren Throckmorton, who has studied related issues intensively, and Rev. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
But the event, scheduled Monday, has been yanked from the schedule, according to the APA, because of the "misinformation and rhetoric" that was circulating about the issue.
Peter LaBarbera, of Americans for Truth, said the reaction to a plan to talk "shows the intellectual shallowness of the gay side."
"They're afraid of a debate," he said, noting it wouldn't be correct to "paint Warren Throckmorton as the religious right."
"The gay activists don't want to admit ex-gays exist, when they clearly do," he said.
The attack was launched by the Gay City News publication, which on April 24 denigrated Throckmorton as "a psychologist without state board certification and an advocate for 'sexual identity therapy,' and quoted opponents calling him a "spin doctor of the ex-gay myth."
. . . Throckmorton had written just a day earlier when Robinson had announced his own sudden withdrawal from the event:
"Bishop Robinson provided the following explanation," Throckmorton wrote. "'Conservatives, particularly Focus on the Family, were going to use this event to draw credibility to the so-called reparative therapy movement,' Robinson told the Blade. 'It became clear to me in the last couple of weeks that just my showing up and letting this event happen … lends credibility to that so-called therapy.'"
. . . Robinson's statement to the Blade, however, made it clear that his intent was by refusing now to appear, after having agreed to do so, to shut down the discussion of homosexuality and religion.
The Washington Times is reporting that the attack launched by the Gay City News was followed quickly by the Washington Blade, which said the "panel could legitimize 'homophobic views.'"
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE
