Palin challenged over ‘ex-gay’ movement
The Republican party’s nominee for Vice President of the United States is under pressure to clarify her views on the so-called ‘ex-gay’ movement after it was revealed her church is backing a conference in Anchorage.
Sarah Palin, 44, is Governor of Alaska.
She has been attending Wasilla Bible Church for six years. It has been advertising the conference that promises to “cure” gay people, run by notorious fundamentalist Christian group Focus on the Family.
Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays in Anchorage have condemned the conference and called on Governor Palin to “make clear that she, as a mother and a public servant, will not condone, either explicitly or implicitly, such attempts at dividing our families and hurting our kids.”
“You’ll be encouraged by the power of God’s love and His desire to transform the lives of those impacted by homosexuality,” said the ad in the church’s bulletin.
Marriage Equality USA has condemned the Wasilla Bible Church, where the pastor also warns of the “End of Days,” and that the Rapture is near.
“Ex-gays” believe that through prayer and therapy the alteration of a person’s sexual orientation is possible.
This position is rejected by all US leading mental health professional groups, including the American Medical Association, the American Pediatric Association, the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association.
Many people who go through the process end up not as functioning heterosexuals but as homosexuals pushed into mental breakdowns and/or other mental health problems.
Governor Palin’s nomination as Senator John McCain’s running mate was welcomed by conservatives.
She opposes gay marriage and abortion and supports the teaching of intelligent design alongside evolution.
