Saying you can "cure" or change homosexual feelings is the equivalent of trying to convince me that you can "cure" or "change" a dog's bark to a meow or vice versa. To be gay is to be gay just like a barking dog is a a dog... there's no changing that.

By Anon | January 9, 2009 7:50 PM

Surely Gay people have a right to choose the help they receive [without the interference of politics]?

By chris wren | January 16, 2009 9:43 PM

How sad that people who WANT to reduce their homosexual feelings should be denied the right to become what they want to because of a politically silly predjudice...no-one I presume is forced to attend the course? So surely those attending have a need or desire to change thier feelings...that is what freedom is about..to have the right to choose for themseleves! Why the fuss about removing funding when funding is given freely to help anyone who wishes to explore homosexual feelings?... So much for freedom! We live in a crazy world that speaks of freedom but enforces the latest craze and pity help you if you don't agree with it...give the funding back, let the course run and let people really choose. Then, if there is no-one interested the course will not run again. But if people are interested ..well that after all is supposed to be free choice!

By Suzanne | January 16, 2009 11:13 PM

Dogs are designed to bark, thats impirical, homosexuality is funamentally a choice, I could use your argument premise to say hitler had to kill jews it was his nature, moral relativism is ot a good social construct.

An interesting statistic is the violence and abuse in homosexual relationships is 1 in 2 but 1 in 5 for hetrosexual relationships, tell me where there is more disfunction.

Choose the Gay road and you have a 50/50 change of violence and abuse! Wise choice!

By Paul | January 17, 2009 12:25 AM

Well once one helps homosexuals where they got corrupted by someone else or confused, many do change.

Lets not forget that some have been cured of homosexuality in seconds, with the casting out of a demon, though of course not all homosexuals are possessed, they just need proper councilling.

By concerned | January 17, 2009 2:26 AM

There is a very large ex gay community world wide, who unfortunately have no voice, but nonetheless, do exist.

There are many famous people who were once gay, but are now married with children, and have no same sex attraction at all.

There is nothing wrong in seeking to understand the cause of same sex attraction, and there is plenty of evidence to suggest it is an emotional condition created in various circumstances growing up.

This is not to condemn homosexuals. But equality should permit some if they choose the opportunity to understand and know some people have actually changed.

By Edwards Shirley | January 18, 2009 9:12 AM

Homosexuals who go to such places for help do so of their own free will becasue the WANT to be helped to be heterosexual. No-one is forcing them and if they cannot have the freedom to do this then they too are losing their freedom in the same way our goveernment is so ambitious to make us all lose our freedom.

By Maggs | January 18, 2009 4:40 PM

Many previous commenters are in favor of state-funding for this program, arguing that attendees come with free-will. They believe that homosexuality is bad, sinful, un-natural. They also believe that it is a "choice" rather than a biologically-inherent sexual preference. Of course, their beliefs are contrary to overwhelming scientific evidence. But that makes no difference to them -- they have faith. As such, I propose that the state provide funding for my organization to cure people who are afflicted with the virus of faith. We will help to teach them rationality, skepticism, and critical thinking, so that they will choose to abandon their backwards faith. There is no problem with the state funding this program, because religion is a choice, and of course, all participants will attend of their own free-will. ;-)

By Matt Fitt | February 2, 2009 10:48 PM