Regent University’s Dr. Mark Yarhouse spoke this week at the national conference of the American Association of Christian Counselors in Branson, Missouri.
According to the Facebook page of the Institute for the Study of Sexual Identity at Regent University, Yarhouse spoke to a “full room” on “key concepts for understanding homosexuality and sexual identity. A lot of good discussion on the concepts and their applications in various church settings.”
Yarhouse’s talk topic paralleled that of his new book, “Homosexuality and the Christian: A Guide for Parents, Pastors, and Friends.” Note that the book’s title and theme ostracize the very people at issue: people of non-heterosexual orientation. Instead, the book addresses the pastors, parents, and peers whom Yarhouse seeks to alienate from LGBT relatives and friends.
The institute’s blog describes the book as follows:
Dr. Yarhouse shifts the focus away from orientation toward identity, and then he uses that focus to inform how the church might respond to the challenges facing sexual minorities within the Christian community. He also provides chapters for parents and spouses who are responding to family members who experience same-sex attraction.
The blog article quotes two endorsements of the book:
“This is a must-read book for anyone who wants sound guidance and trustworthy information about homosexuality, including its relevance to Christians and the church.”
–Gary R. Collins, Distinguished Professor of Coaching and Leadership, Richmont Graduate University
“Homosexuality and the Christian is the best book I have seen for evangelicals who want an accessible book that provides accurate, research-based information.”
–Warren Throckmorton, Associate Professor of Psychology, Grove City College, and Fellow for Psychology and Public Policy at the Center for Vision and Values
Longtime readers may recall that Yarhouse co-authored an informal study of ex-gays in 2007. That study failed to achieve publication in any peer-reviewed journal, and it was criticized by mental-health professionals for serious flaws, biases, and intentional oversights.
While I am disappointed at Yarhouse’s latest apparent efforts to badmouth sexual minorities and to alienate people from their non-heterosexual peers, I am also puzzled that a presumably successful organization representing supposed mental-health professionalism would host its annual conference in Branson. That isolated community near the Arkansas-Oklahoma border is a last-resort destination for almost-forgotten musical acts such as Andy Williams, the Oak Ridge Boys, Mickey Gilley, Roy Clark, and Tony Orlando — not to mention Elvis impersonators, disgraced preachers (Anita Bryant had a theater there), and discount buffets that inspire comparison to the cuisine of Reno, Nevada.
What exactly was Yarhouse’s room “full” of — tourists who couldn’t get tickets for the dinosaur wax museum?
Branson is the Vatican to many fundamentalists. It’s a combination of right wing Christianity, washed up entertainers, and flag-waving nationalism. They come by the hundreds of thousands and dump millions into that section of the state. It is also near the “Precious Moments” chapel/museum that is the weirdest experience that anyone could have.
This organization knew just what they were doing by picking this location.
Thanks for this report Mike. I’ve been to Branson. It is a shitbox worthy of a Yarhouse speech
Isn’t that where Dollywood is located? I may be wrong, but I think Dolly supports gay rights. Rather ironic.
Dollywood is located in Pigeon Forge, TN (between Gatlinburg and Sevierville, Dolly’s hometown). That is not to say that she doesn’t have business interests in Branson; I simply don’t know.
(I live about 2 hours east of Pigeon Forge, near Asheville, NC, and ironically was just in Pigeon Forge Saturday for a conference.)
Finally, another book to check out in the Library to have a good laugh with.
Branson has Silver Dollar City – an amusement park, SDC is in partnership of DollyWood with Ms. Parton in Pigeon Forge, TN. Both locations are major Tourist Traps for those of Right Wing Persuasion.
Fernando, no librarian with any brains, unless he or she were a fundo- wingnut would order a discredited piece of s**t book like that anyway.
Fortunately most of the people in my profession are highly educated and lean very much to the left (the two usually go together anyway).
Fernando, I realize you don’t really want this book so my comment is a general one about reading books for free. Worldcat is a great tool that searches the libraries of the world for any book you want. For example, Worldcat shows that there are only four libraries in the world that have this book now. One is the Library of Congress, one in Australia and two are in the US. You can search Worldcat and then use Interlibrary Loan online and have a book sent to your local library. It’s a great way to save a lot of money.
I just finished his book. I didn’t read any “badmouthing” that is mentioned here on your page. Wondering about that? Sounds like he is trying to understand it all to me….
Right Sandy, saying its wrong to be gay and encouraging people love their gay friends and relatives conditionally that’s not badmouthing at all.
Sandy, what perspective are you coming from. A lot of time religious people don’t see gay bashing as “badmouthing” because they are homophobic.
It is unfortunate that you have such misguided and simpleminded views. I actually personally know Dr Mark Yarhouse and he is a great man and does NOT force or persuade anyones views nor does he preach discrimination he simply helps them with what say they want. Furthermore the traditional stance that if someone is struggling with same sex attraction and does not want that to force them to Persue it and come out this is very damaging to a person. Also don’t you know anything about how real life proffessional conferences actually work. They actually have them in places where the average doctor can afford to go as most psychologist make exactly that average income. Oh yes by the way many gay rights groups actually support Dr Yarhouse’s views.
What drugs are you on Christina? Mr. Yarhouse works for Pat Robertson University. He has a clear bias against LGBT people. He has spent his career trying to “change” people who are fine the way they are.
Your claim that he only helps those who want it is naive and absurd. Thanks to the biases of those like Yarhouse LGBT people are made to feel guilty and feel if they don’t “change” they will be subject to bigotry and discrimination. Gay people who attend the university where Yarhouse works are told they are Sinful and going to Hell. Again, a good incentive to “change”. And, Yarhouse is all too eager to add too and exploit this pain.
Finally, who cares what he says on this issue? His work is irrelevant and meaningless because he works for an institution that humiliates and bans gay people. When Regent changes its regulations his work will have more credibility.
Christina said “Furthermore the traditional stance that if someone is struggling with same sex attraction and does not want that to force them to Persue it and come out this is very damaging to a person.”.
Give it a rest Christina, no one can force another to stop suppressing their gayness if they don’t want to. The only reason people “struggle” with their same sex attraction is because bigots like you have taught them all their lives that there is something wrong with them and that they’ll be eternally tortured for the harmless act of being in a same sex relationship. It’s YOUR bigotry that’s extremely damaging, not being who one is. Those who’ve thrown off the shackles of your bigotry and accepted who they are are far far better off than those who live desperate lonely lives of denial to suit bigots like you.
Christina said “Oh yes by the way many gay rights groups actually support Dr Yarhouse’s views.”.
Oh b******t Christina – name them and show us where they’ve expressed this alleged support.
“Oh yes by the way many gay rights groups actually support Dr Yarhouse’s views.”
Really? Name, them please. I’d like to see the list.
Heh – ya beat me to it, Priya Lynn!
I haven’t read this book of Yarhouse’s, and I don’t intend to waste money on it that could be better spent, but if one favourable reviewer on amazon.com is correct, it does have JUST ONE redeeming feature: it acknowledges that an actual change in sexual orientation is unlikely. What troubles me is the way that the reviewer, a pastor in full-time ministry, phrases his observation:
“I do not recommend this book to those, especially young people, who are struggling personally with this issue. As the title says, it is for parents, pastors and friends. Because of its brutal honesty about the difficulty of change, the material needs to be filtered through the loving [sic] encouragement of those trying to help someone else.”
The only reasonable construction that I can put on the above is that the reviewer thinks it morally acceptable to encourage gays to put their lives on hold in the hope that their sexual orientation will change and to set their sights on that goal, even though we know perfectly well that it’s highly unlikely to happen.
Such dishonesty doesn’t surprise me any more, but it still sickens me.
Thanks for bringing that up. I forgot. Id love to see the pro-gay advocates that love Yarhouse.