Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Rhode Island?! Which state is next? What will YOU do?



Today Rhode Island has been deemed as the 10th state to allow gay marriage. Senators say that this movement has been in the works for the past twenty years. Gay people can begin to get married starting on August 1st, 2013.  The good thing about this is that the state has still given ministers the right to not conduct a wedding under such circumstances. They believe that the next state to pass this law is going to be Delaware.

This article relates to counseling because there are obviously going to be more gay couples in the States, which means that gay couple counseling will probably be on the rise as states keep approving this movement. There may be more married gays in the churches and in the community in general, especially if one is to move to a state where it is allowed. Since gay marriage is clearly on the rise, it may be wise for counselors to educate themselves on how to help gay couples. Before one knows it, gay marriage may be passed as allowable in his/her state of residence, which could possibly result in more gay couples attending therapy. The whole reason why gay people want to get married is not just because they love each other, but to also receive the same benefits that heterosexual couples get. If gay couples who are married are starting to be able to put each other on one’s insurance, then the amount of them seeking counseling could rise because their insurance could pay for sessions.

What I learned from the article is that gay marriage is on the rise and sooner or later, Christian counselors, who may be uncomfortable with counseling these people, may have a higher chance of a homosexual couple walking into their office for help. Especially since many states are starting to consider allowing this to be appropriate by law. I know that I am not going to turn them away because I do not want to exclude anyone from my help, but what will YOU do?   

3 comments:

  1. Shelina,

    I really appreciate you bringing this up, not just to say whether homosexuality is right or wrong, but how will we deal with the issue practically as Christian counselors. I think that now more than ever we need to be in tune with the Holy Spirit in knowing how to deal with it on a case to case basis. Like you, I do not want to turn anyone away, but I would have a hard time ethically counseling homosexuals who have absolutely no desire to change. This is such a tough issue, that I wish more leaders in Christian counseling would directly address. If anyone knows of any resources, please advise!! Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Shelina,

    I find myself wrestling with this issue as well. I ask myself, "What is the most loving thing to do?" It is difficult to come up with an answer because in my heart I would not feel right about counseling a homosexual couple with the goal of strengthening their relationship; in my opinion this would be leading them further away from God's will for man... and that is not a loving thing to do. But at the same time, turning them away somehow seems "unloving" too. As stated in the previous comment, I do not think I would know how to work with a couple who did not have a desire to change because it would compromise ethics. Tough topic!

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  3. Often I don't like the questions, "As a Christian counselor, will you counsel gay couples?" I do believe it is an important question to ask and that it should not be avoided. I don't like it though because I find myself too preoccupied with the "ethical" and "moral" concerns found in the question and never actually trying to reach out to the gay community and love them. I shouldn't let my concern of condoning/promoting sin impact my witness.

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