Christian conservative group American
Family Association (AFA) has reiterated its support for controversial
therapies aimed at turning gay people straight.
In an AFA Journal column, the
group's Ed Vitagliano explained that people who have been
unsuccessful at praying the gay away failed to call on the power of
God “to gain mastery over [their] impulses.”
“[C]ountless people who self-identify
as homosexual claim to have prayed endlessly for God to remove their
same sex attractions – to no avail,” Vitagliano
wrote.
“This is not the whole story, of
course. Despite the media's refusal to consider the reality of
'ex-gay' people, there are clearly many who have left the lifestyle.
While temptation remains, they have – by God's grace – reoriented
their affections to the opposite sex.”
“What, then, do we say to the gay man
and the lesbian? What are they to do with their brokenness? First,
if they remain defiant in it, they will eternally perish. Yet this
is no different than the drunkard or the fornicator or the liar or
the idolater. All who remain in their rebellion are damned.”
“Can a person be a Christian and
still struggle against same sex attractions? Yes. When we become
followers of Christ, we continue to battle the flesh in all its
permutations (Galatians 5:16-17). But we have the power of Christ on
our side, and we are called to gain mastery over the impulses that
have plagued us, even if the impulses themselves remain. Christ will
lead us in victory if we will receive His grace daily and obey Him,”
he added.