U.S. National - AP
AP
Psychologists Group Backs Gay Marriage

Thu Jul 29, 5:56 AM ET

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HONOLULU - The nation's largest association of psychologists is backing same-sex marriage. The American Psychological Association's Council of Representatives made its support official Wednesday, the first day of the group's annual convention in Waikiki. The council also expressed opposition to discrimination against lesbian and gay parents.



It also found same-sex and heterosexual couples remarkably similar, and parenting effectiveness and children's psychological well-being unrelated to parental sexual orientation.

The positions, drawn up by the APA Working Group on Same-Sex Families and Relationships, are meant to guide psychologists in the public debate over civil marriage for same-sex couples.

"In the context of the huge social and political debate that is currently going on, APA and psychologists had to grapple with the issue of what psychology believes is in the public interest in this controversy," said Armand R. Cerbone, a Chicago psychologist who chaired the working group.

The seven-member working group based its recommendations on research into same-sex relationships and families.

The Washington-base APA has more than 150,000 members, including researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students.

Thanks to Yahoo! (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040729/ap_on_re_us/gay_marriage_psychologists_2)

well I know this changes my mind completely :rolleyes:

:D :D

As I had mentioned on this board once before, every human group lives by a set of " norms'- rules that tell us what is "right" and what is "wrong" to do, and when and where and with whom. Such rules circumscribe every aspect of our existence, from our far-reaching decisions to our most prosaic daily routines. So any-way society defines ( draws the line) of acceptable and unacceptable patterns of behavior. In the last couple weeks /and months our society has showed it is accepting this subject of same sex marriage ( as society in the early 1960's excepted that gay life-styles are acceptable ). Before that is was considered abnormal behavior.

I am not saying I support this cause, I am only explaining of how the process over time defines psychological abnormalitys.

our society has shown it now accepts gay marrige? try the gays and a few judges in Boston are telling us we accept it. well over half of americans are against gay marriage, period.

Originally posted by Travh20
our society has shown it now accepts gay marrige? try the gays and a few judges in Boston are telling us we accept it. well over half of americans are against gay marriage, period.

TRAVH, I'm with you, believe me, I am a person who puts alot of study in Psychology, I'm only Quoting my college text on this issue!!!!

oh that explains it. college is to liberals what a mud puddle is to mosquitos. I am not calling you a liberal jon, just an observation about the make up of college in this day and age.

Originally posted by Travh20
oh that explains it. college is to liberals what a mud puddle is to mosquitos. I am not calling you a liberal jon, just an observation about the make up of college in this day and age.

TRAVH20, I am no LIBERAL, however, this is a general college text. Its not a political text my no-means. And I wouldn't go that far to say that our college system is in any way far- reaching to side in the political arena!!!!!

I guess tahts why 90% of college professors are liberal democrats. Maybe in tennesee its not like that, but it is everywhere else. My wife works on a college campus, let me tell you, there are plenty of free copys of People Workers Weekly floating around, i dont see anything from the other end of the spectrum.

Some advice Travh, calling the most educated people in our country liberals doesn't help the conservative cause.

assuming that they are the most educated doesnt help you out either. Conservatives also get educations, they just are not swayd by liberal rhetoric. Claiming the ones easily manipulated by the left wing propaganda the most educated is dumb.

"I guess tahts why 90% of college professors are liberal democrats."

<< My opinion on this statement is similar to Idiotique's. You are pretty much backing that if a person who reads much and studies hard, or is very smart, who becomes more knowledgeable, intelligent, or perceptive, over time, they will more likely become liberal democrat.

LOL, thats one way to look at it. another way is that the hardcore liberals who cant make it in real life stay at the chool forever and teach their point of view as fact to the new students. The conservatives get their degree and get out to make a life for themselves. Dont believe that you gt smarter and smarter the longer you stay in college. there comes a point where you need to get out into the real world to learn some real lessons.

I thought teaching is a real life too.

Originally posted by Dio Seijuro
"I guess tahts why 90% of college professors are liberal democrats."

<< My opinion on this statement is similar to Idiotique's. You are pretty much backing that if a person who reads much and studies hard, or is very smart, who becomes more knowledgeable, intelligent, or perceptive, over time, they will more likely become liberal democrat. I dont agree with your assessment at all. I think that as a person gets older, he/she is much more likely to become conservative. He/she starts to value the time and effort they have put into their carreer's and are tired of having their tax money given away to some healthy, able bodied lazy piece of garbabe living on welfare. I believe the older and wiser you get, the more likely you will become conservative. The only exception to this rule are special interest groups such as homosexuals, and certain minorities who are taught by leaders of their community that the democratic party has their best interest at heart more than the republicans. These groups feel that they can further their agenda by voting democratic and for the most part they are right. The liberals are much more likely to cowtow to their wants than the conservatives.

Just because someone is in college does not make them smart. I have met plenty of dumba** college folks. College can be a good thing when it is used to teach, but when it is used to sway ideas it ends up being nothing but bull. Lately It seems some colleges are more worried about politics then they are about teaching subjects.

I suspect that college professors are more liberal because they are exposed to wide variety of new ideas, and a wide diversity of people. They learn that there is more than one perspective to any issue, and generally, try to teach this to their students. Trav's insistence that people in the "real world" learn lessons that college professors do not is pure crap. A college professor must work just as hard to keep his career on track, and to suggest otherwise is nonsense.

Originally posted by Vilepagan
I suspect that college professors are more liberal because they are exposed to wide variety of new ideas, and a wide diversity of people.

keep dreaming pagan. at least you admit that most college professors are liberal though.

The American Psychological Association does not give credibility to anything in my eyes. It should be called the American association of handed down opinions.
I could care less if gays get married. What ever floats their boat.
Doesn't change my life in any way.

I would just like to mention that people who never went to college shouldn't act like they know all about things related to it. In fact, it will be more likely that they do not know a lot of things about it as compared to someone who's been to one.

For example, Mad Dog keeps using the word "college folks" as if it's a very distant, alien group to him. You must know something well before criticizing it.

I have been to college, and got a degree in earth science. it sucked

Yeah that's fine, but I'm mentioning this to everyone. :)

sounds like someone needs to go back to high school

Originally posted by Travh20
sounds like someone needs to go back to high school

Trav, you can be a real ass sometimes.

You're college experience "sucked" in you're words, yet for some reason you believe everyone should respect your opinion of college, and listen when you describe college professors as people "who can't make it in the real world". I think you could use a lot more education, but I doubt you're up to the intellectual challenge.

Originally posted by Dan Fussell
The American Psychological Association does not give credibility to anything in my eyes. It should be called the American association of handed down opinions.
I could care less if gays get married. What ever floats their boat.
Doesn't change my life in any way.

True comment, that Association is a board of members that decide on these issues. The only way it changes the way we live is that sensitive issues that we are not acustomed to become a way of life, that is not consistent with how we were taught.

Originally posted by HaVoK
certain minorities who are taught by leaders of their community that the democratic party has their best interest at heart more than the republicans. These groups feel that they can further their agenda by voting democratic and for the most part they are right. The liberals are much more likely to cowtow to their wants than the conservatives. ......although i really hate to agree with anything you say, there is a lot thats correct about what you say....but....its not just that we want things, we are also told to back dems because most black polititians are dems..........and that reason only. problem is, blacks have to understand by now, that black polititians just want their vote......thats it.....blacks for the most part, could care less about partisanship, but its the BLACK democrat that panders to them the most, but they in turn do nothing........i pay taxes, and i have a black democratic representing my district........i cant even get my street repaired....something as small as that, and i just bought a brand new home.........thats why i tell you guys, im neither dem, or rep...........dirt is dirt, i just vote for the seemingly less dirty........and believe me, my racist friend, black people dont want anyone cowtowing to them, just give equal PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW........but niggas are another story !!

There are two kinds of voters. With the first group, it is a waste of time to try and discuss politics. These are the people who blindly follow their party line. Their Daddy voted (insert party here) and they have always voted (insert party here) and they don’t care what the issues are or who is running. They are going to vote for their party. You are wasting your time trying to discuss politics with these people. They spout party rhetoric and hate for the opposing party and don’t really have any substantial information to add to any political discussion because all they know is what they have been fed by their party’s spin dr’s. They can be spotted easily because they spew the usual hate and twisted facts about the other side without adding any real positive or new information to the discussion. This group makes up about 80% of the voters.

The remaining 20% are in the second group. They are the voters who think about the issues, look at the candidates and vote for who they feel will be best. These people are educated, intelligent, informed and very good at spotting rhetoric and spin. Spewing negative spin and party rhetoric to them is counter productive. They see it as a ploy to move the spotlight off of the candidate doing it. They want to hear about accomplishments and ideas and plans for change. These are the people that you have a chance of influencing if you speak to them intelligently and without using party rhetoric. These are the people who will decide this election.

By reading the threads in the political section it is apparent that there are a number of people from the first group on this board. It is always fun to listen to them argue their sad little lines that have been pumped into them by their party, not really understanding how spin just makes them and their candidate look desperate. What is really fun is to watch them call names and put down groups of individuals that they are threatened by.

Hate is born of ignorance.

Originally posted by korg
......although i really hate to agree with anything you say, there is a lot thats correct about what you say....but....its not just that we want things, we are also told to back dems because most black polititians are dems..........and that reason only. problem is, blacks have to understand by now, that black polititians just want their vote......thats it.....blacks for the most part, could care less about partisanship, but its the BLACK democrat that panders to them the most, but they in turn do nothing........i pay taxes, and i have a black democratic representing my district........i cant even get my street repaired....something as small as that, and i just bought a brand new home.........thats why i tell you guys, im neither dem, or rep...........dirt is dirt, i just vote for the seemingly less dirty........and believe me, my racist friend, black people dont want anyone cowtowing to them, just give equal PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW........but niggas are another story !! Black families in particular teach their children that the democratic party has their best interests at heart. Hell, Kerry even said he wanted to be the 2nd black president. And last time i checked he was white as a ghost. If stating facts makes me a racist in your limited view, then so be it. I feel no need to defend myself further to you.

Originally posted by HaVoK
Black families in particular teach their children that the democratic party has their best interests at heart. Hell, Kerry even said he wanted to be the 2nd black president. And last time i checked he was white as a ghost. If stating facts makes me a racist in your limited view, then so be it. I feel no need to defend myself further to you. i would think that you would llike to be called a racist since you go out of your way to be one......cheerio, my fine white klansman

its easier for korg to classify people this way:

republican/conservative, or anyone else who doesnt see eye to eye with him = racistsliberals/democrats= here to help

The APA is the same group that said Alcoholism is a disease, and Gambling is a disease, and now they are saying Gay Marriage is ok, because its psychologically born and what not.

I do not agree with any of the three.

The bible teaches that gambling, drunkardness (alcoholism as its now called) and Homosexuality are all sins. The bible also teaches that sickness is not a sin...so...a ha!

To just put one foot on my soapbox here, I don't agree with gay marriage, although I do not support a constitutional band making it illegal, because I think sense marriage was given by God, the sin of Homosexuality Marriage should be left to those persons and God.

*puts on flame resistant suit and steps away*

Originally posted by korg
i would think that you would llike to be called a racist since you go out of your way to be one......cheerio, my fine white klansman Is that the only retort black people can come up with? Anyone who doesnt agree with them, or states facts that dont make black people look good must be racist or a klansman? Or in this case both? Oh well, i should just consider the small minded source.

Originally posted by jerejerebinks

The bible teaches that gambling, drunkardness (alcoholism as its now called) and Homosexuality are all sins. The bible also teaches that sickness is not a sin...so...a ha!


The Bible also teaches the proper way to treat your slaves and that eating oysters is an abomination. Do you think we should have laws to that effect?

Originally posted by HaVoK
Is that the only retort black people can come up with? Anyone who doesnt agree with them, or states facts that dont make black people look good must be racist or a klansman? Or in this case both? Oh well, i should just consider the small minded source. youyr facts are not THE facts.......just what you think is the fact.....and who gives a fuck whether your racist or not.....dont affect me....but the only retort WHITE people come up with is LUMPING US ALL IN ONE CATAGORY......and making everything they think about blacks, their own reality......

oh, and i guess white people vote democrat because...........the same reason. everyone votes because of something that they heard and liked..........unless there is a family line of loyal supporters. in this case, whites are no different. unless your a racist. then , you constantly vote down the line of hate, which in turn makes you the same........... a reason's a reason ! i am black, and i dont vote down party lines, so i guess your fact is only partly white...........i mean, right !

Originally posted by Vilepagan
The Bible also teaches the proper way to treat your slaves and that eating oysters is an abomination. Do you think we should have laws to that effect? I'm not exactly sure where it says eating oysters is an abomination, so if youd be so kind to tell me...anyhow, if the bible teaches eating oysters is an abomination, than it is an abomination. And the whole, how to treat slaves thing...those were added in there by Jewish writers such as Moses and Joshua because there people were being mistreated by Pharoh and at the time, it was the best they could do, until the time came to deliver them.

Originally posted by jerejerebinks
I'm not exactly sure where it says eating oysters is an abomination, so if youd be so kind to tell me

Leviticus 11:9-10

9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.
10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:


..anyhow, if the bible teaches eating oysters is an abomination, than it is an abomination. And the whole, how to treat slaves thing...those were added in there by Jewish writers such as Moses and Joshua because there people were being mistreated by Pharoh and at the time, it was the best they could do, until the time came to deliver them.

So you are suggesting that certain parts of the Bible are to be believed and others not...

No...I have a feeling your wanting to argue...but lets back up...

I explained why that part of scripture was added....and it is actually to be obtained...it never says that having slaves is right, or that in fact we should even have slaves....but it does teach how to treat them fairly if you do have them.

In other words, if someone went out and bought a slave, they should treat them according to the scriptures, it doesnt say that the person should go get them a slave.

I think you just might me reading too much into it, and diving to the floor, when the answer is at the surface.

****Obeyed, not Obtained**** I type too fast for my own good sometimes...

thta was a good point jerejere

thank ya:p

Yea, that was a good point ;)

Lol...and thank you too.:D

Originally posted by Idioteque
Thanks to Yahoo! (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040729/ap_on_re_us/gay_marriage_psychologists_2)

(if gay marriages do not last any longer than christian marriages.
.what is the big deal???)

Yet again, I have no idea what your post is saying, but It is probably stupid one way or the other so w/e.

Originally posted by HaVoK
I think that as a person gets older, he/she is much more likely to become conservative. I believe the older and wiser you get, the more likely you will become conservative.

Actually, you are correct. Socioeconomical scientists (sociologists that study people and their economic standing) conclude, based on data from years of research, that people do tend to become more conservative as they age. People who advance beyond their middle years are most often more wealthy and economically stable. To ensure their stability, these older "folk" adopt what we would consider "conservative values." Other factors play into this change, but economic stability is one of the leading reasons. Not all aged folk adopt these values, but a significant number do.

Additionally, the more college education a person has, the more "liberal" (to use the term used previously) they are. Not all individuals with college educations are liberal, but a significant number of them are. This is do most in part to the fact that college students are introduced to a wide variety of theories, world issues, history, etc -- things that demand a person to think, theorize, and conclude. Typically, people who do not go to college are not groomed to explore the world and the issues impacting their country in depth, thus leaving them to live, react, and grow in the US using experiences, patterns of thinking, and "facts" they have learned from childhood into their later years. Of course, I have to say that this is not true of all people who don't go to college, but data seems to indicate it happens much more often than not.

Originally posted by HaVoK
...and certain minorities who are taught by leaders of their community that the democratic party has their best interest at heart more than the republicans. These groups feel that they can further their agenda by voting democratic and for the most part they are right. The liberals are much more likely to cowtow to their wants than the conservatives.

Sorry, but I have to make a statement: political leaders don't teach crap. And democratic leaders sure as hell don't hold seminars in their basements for all of the poor minority folk who could possibly give them a vote. Yes, I said "poor minority folk." In the United States, Hispanics and African Americans (America's two largest minority populations) are the poorest people of the nation. This is often due to their social standing in the country which reflects on their economic standing in the country. Now where am I going with this? You say minorities vote dem because they're coerced by dem leaders. Not true. They vote dem because Democratic aims, beliefs, values, etc coincide with theirs. Democrats espouse welfare benefits, cheaper (and at times free) healthcare, and higher taxes on the rich and less on the poor -- all of which these minorities you speak of are clamoring for. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Oh, and to clear up confusion (if there is any) my previous post about conservatives still stands. Many people start out "liberal" but as they age and their lives become more stable, they become "conservative."

I find it odd that people are more willing to believe what's said in a book filled with interpretations of a person's individual belief, of what something a "divine being" meant his "people" to live by, instead of over 150,000 scientists who have been studying human behavior, thought processing, and the effects of human biology on the human psyche.

It floors me that the research, data, and evidence collected on human behavior is tossed out, stomped on, and declared as garbage when juxtaposed with "facts" from the Bible.

Amazing.

In my personal opinion, any idea foreign to someone is odd, weird, outrageous, unbelievable, or downright damning. Homosexuality is new, odd, and weird (and whoever said more than half the country is against gay marriage is wrong -- that's the voting population, no one thinks to poll young adults) and thus the idea declared an abomination and deemed unacceptable. Yet the same can be said for the former interracial marriage issue, the "earth is round" issue, and many other things we deem "normal" now but centuries and even decades ago thought were unthinkable. Times change and so do people's take on social issues. Just look at what's accepted now and what wasn't 70 years ago. The proof is in the histories.

A professional liar who will kiss your babies in the morning and steel there lolypopson the afternoon golf course.

Originally posted by Perry5
A professional liar who will kiss your babies in the morning and steel there lolypopson the afternoon golf course.

Perry, where did that come from?

my take on the issue of people becoming more conservative as they get older: all the caring, kindhearted people I know have stayed liberals, if not radicals, their entire lives. being a conservative means looking out for yourself and nobody else (by yourself i include immediate family, becasue protecting them is in one's self interest). by being a liberal, or a socialist/communist, one is trying to look out for everyone, and atleast trying to help those that need it. however it may work out, the liberals are the ones that care enough about others to vote it. anybody who thinks that those less fortunate than themselves are less deserving, which seems to be the general conservative attitude, disgust me to no end.

welcome back whammybar, how did commie camp go? you are wrong about conservatives, as usual. Conservatives care about others as much as liberals, its just that liberals feel the need to let everyone know that they care about others on a continuing basis. simply saying you care louder and more often doesnt make it so. when it comes down to it, hom many liberals have adopted poor families and feeding the homeless? probably aout as many as conservatives.

Originally posted by Travh20
welcome back whammybar, how did commie camp go? you are wrong about conservatives, as usual. Conservatives care about others as much as liberals, its just that liberals feel the need to let everyone know that they care about others on a continuing basis. simply saying you care louder and more often doesnt make it so. when it comes down to it, hom many liberals have adopted poor families and feeding the homeless? probably aout as many as conservatives.


commie camp went wonderfully, we're mobilizing to overthrow the governemnt.
you're wrong again trav: liberals are the ones who feel a personal responisibility to take care of others, conservatives don't, and that's what bothers me about them. it's not that iberals care more, it's that they caree and feel the responsibility to taker action, while conservatives may very well care, but don't feel it's their personal responisibility to look out for others.

Originally posted by WhammyBar
it's not that iberals care more, it's that they caree and feel the responsibility to taker action, while conservatives may very well care, but don't feel it's their personal responisibility to look out for others.

Yeah, I think that's about right. But I think liberals tend to put caring ahead of logic sometimes. Like this whole NJ governor thing - a lot of liberals "feel" so badly about his represed homosexuality that they completely ignore the real issue, which is the patronage scandal. Or they take action to help a homeless person, and in the end all they're really doing is making it easier to stay homeless. Sometimes tough love is a good thing.

That "Star Trek" addiction is a form of Mental illness.

It was cool to post your whole post in the actual post box...;)