Conference Addresses & Reparative Therapy

The following addresses are relevant. For older items, the web address takes the viewer to the library. A search by title is required.

The Priesthood Quorum, D. Todd Christofferson, Ensign, November, 1998, 40
http://www.lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-22-16,00.html

Welfare Responsibilities of the Priesthood Quorums, Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, Nov. 1977, 84
http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll?f=templates$fn=default.htm

What Will the Church Do for You, a Man?, Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, July 1972, 71
http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll?f=templates$fn=default.htm

Within the Clasp of Your Arms, Jeffrey R. Holland, Ensign, May 1986, 36
http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll?f=templates$fn=default.htm

Revitalizing Aaronic Priesthood Quorums, Robert L. Backman, Ensign, Nov. 1982, 38
http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll?f=templates$fn=default.htm

Boys Need Men, Marion D. Hanks, Ensign, May 1974, 76
http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll?f=templates$fn=default.htm

Reparative Therapy, Priesthood Quorums, and Support Groups

I am not an expert in reparative therapy. Based on what I have read, it seems to be based on principles which are consistent with gospel principles. The logical extension of that conclusion is that one ought to be able to find the same principles being taught by Church leaders. In fact, if the basic principles are true, there ought to be no dearth of teachings advocating the same principles.

Some of the more important premises of reparative therapy (for the male patient) seem to be:
1. Alienation from father, emotional detachment from father, the struggler's need to connect emotionally with his father
2. Alienation from the male peer group, emotional detachment from the male peer group, the struggler's need to connect emotionally with the male peer group
3. Feelings of inadequacy in one's gender role, the struggler's need to feel more secure in his gender role

To test my hypothesis, I reviewed conference reports for a period of several years. I found a number of articles which emphasize the same principles, both for adult men and for boys. While the brethren rarely (if ever) specifically address the needs of the male struggler, they address frequently (and emphatically) the very issues that reparative therapy tries to address.

I maintain that the best support group is the priesthood quorum. It can and should address nearly all the needs of every man. The teachings of the brethren affirm that this should be so.

For convenience, I have referenced a number of the articles I found. They are shown in a separate posting, which will be updated as I find others.

On Growth into Manhood

In April, 2004, Elder L. Tom Perry entitled his conference address "Fatherhood, an Eternal Calling." The article can be found in the May 2004 Ensign, page 69, or referenced below.

http://www.lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-439-24,00.html

In his book Growth Into Manhood, Alan Medinger discusses the need a man has to learn to what men do (or should be doing). Elder Perry addresses what some of the most significant leadership roles a man has, and teaches what a man's role should be in the home.

For the man who struggles with what his role is, the first step is to learn; the second is to implement what he has learned. Not everything will work well the first time. But not unlike when you first learned to ride a bicycle, you must get back on and keep trying. It helps to know what the final outcome should be.