الجزء الاول ---مع الامام محسن هندريك

انا معجب كثيرا بهذا الشخص ..وتفانيه وشجاعته في ابداء اراءه بطريقة محترمه ومقنعه..ممكن ان تكون شهادتي فيه مجروحه بحكم انه يساند قضيتي انا ايضا..ولكن لنترك الحكم لكم في قراءة المقاله التاليه

By Muhsin Hendricks

What is Homosexuality?

The majority of Muslims still believe homosexuality is something that people do; that it is a chosen preference. They believe it is a disorder caused by poor parenting, which can be overcome through therapy and prayer. However homosexuals and psychologists believe homosexuality is something that people are; it is a pre-determined orientation that is normal and natural for them, just as heterosexual orientation is normal and natural for heterosexuals. It is fixed and unchangeable, perhaps genetically determined like gender and race.

Homosexuality is a broad spectrum of psychological, emotional and sexual variables in a state of interplay between people of the same sex. So it is not only sexual attraction between people of the same sex, it also involves the emotions and strong feelings of love and intimacy.

There are also different degrees in which homosexuality can be experienced.

A lesser kind of homosexuality is of a psychological nature, i.e.: the tendency to cling to the same sex for comfort simply because that kind of relationship is non-threatening, and the cause of such behaviour is i.e.: child-molestation and commitment phobias. This is a kind of homosexuality that can possibly be treated psychologically.

Then there is a placid form of homosexuality, in which there are strong bonds of affection displayed, but sexual activity is partial or non-existent.

The more common form of homosexuality is the one in which there are strong bonds of affection displayed along with sexual activity, which in itself could vary from person to person.

Then we have the more extreme form of expressing homosexuality. This kind could be seen as exaggerated and destructive, examples are same sex orgies, sex-toys & pornography. And while on the question of the definition of homosexuality, it is quite interesting to note is that there is not an original word for homosexuality in the Arabic dictionary, which indicate that homosexuality is relatively new to Arabian culture, and some older dictionaries would regard sodomy and homosexuality as one and the same thing, which is an absolute fallacy, because sodomy is something you do, while homosexuality is a state of being.

Do you believe that Homosexuality is a genetic or conditioned behaviour?

This is pretty much a subject with which psychologists have been grappling for a long time and there were quite a diversity of theories on the subject, until recently in July 1994, when the American Psychological Association released a Statement on Homosexuality. Their first two paragraphs read: (and I quote):

"The research on homosexuality is very clear.

Homosexuality is neither mental illness nor moral depravity. It is simply the way a minority of our population expresses human love and sexuality. Study after study documents the mental health of gay men and lesbians. Studies of judgment, stability, reliability, social andvocationaladaptiveness all show that gay men and lesbians function every bit as well as heterosexuals. Nor is homosexuality a matter of individual choice.

Research suggests that the homosexual orientation is in place very early in the life cycle, possibly even before birth. It is found in about ten percent of the population, a figure which is surprisingly constant across cultures, irrespective of the different moral values and standards of a particular culture.

Contrary to what some imply, the incidence of homosexuality in a population does not appear to change with new moral codes or social mores. Research findings suggest that efforts to repair homosexuals are nothing more than social prejudice garbed in psychological accoutrements. (unquote) (paraphernalia, bits and pieces)"

I think this statement has brought about some sort of closure to the debate on nature versus nurture, and it is now generally accepted amongst psychologists that homosexuality is more natural than acquired, and definitely not a choice and cannot be changed, and that aversion therapy or reparative therapy could cause more harm than alleviating the so-called "problem of homosexuality".

What is important to me, and to most people dealing with therapy, is that we need to build the self-esteem of the individual, help him to accept himself/herself for who they are. What techniques do we employ in terms of supporting that person?

One other thing we have to internalize is that homosexuals don't choose to be homosexuals, be they genetic or conditioned homosexuals, just as heterosexuals don't choose to be heterosexual.

I think the amount of innocent homosexuals out there having endless nights of crying and praying for help, are proof enough that this is a dilemma that cannot be overcome. So they need to be supported by society. And what makes it more difficult is that society is shouting out to them in a very prejudice way: "I cannot accept you because you are not like me."