| Kyk ook: |
In Die kerk se gesprek oor seksualiteit erken Nelis Janse van Rensburg dat hy progay is. Hy maak die volgende stelling:
“Ek is oortuig dat seksuele oriëntasie ’n goeie gawe uit God se hand is wat ons met dankbaarheid mag ontvang en met sorg moet koester. Gay mense moet versoen word met die gawe van hulle seksuele oriëntasie.”
In My gewete is gebind deur die Bybel en ons belydenisskrifte reageer Chris van Wyk soos volg:
“Indien jy steeds oortuig is daarvan dat seksuele oriëntasie ’n gawe van God is, sal jy pedofilie … ook op soortgelyke wyse moet aanvaar. Pedofilie word tans as ’n seksuele oriëntasie beskryf deur sielkundiges. ’n Mens sou pedofilie dan ook as ’n goeie gawe van God moet beskryf.”
Die liberales was baie ontsteld hieroor en het die sielkundevereninging hieroor geraadpleeg en die artikel Sielkundevereniging reageer op “wanvoorstellings” gepubliseer.
André Bekker reageer hieronder in “Wetenskaplike gebrabbel in Leketaal” hierop.
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“In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act”
George Orwell
Wetenskaplike Gebrabbel in Leketaal
Ope Brief aan die Moderatuur van die NG Kerk
As ’n persoon wat eens ’n homoseksuele pedofiel was, volg ek die gebeure, soos dit hulleself tans in die NG Kerk afspeel, met groot belangstelling en diep bekommernis. Dit verstom my om te lees dat prof. Juan Nel kan sê: “We strongly reject Dr Van Wyk’s statement that homosexuality and pedophilic disorder are related; sexual orientation and sexual interest are not the same or even comparable.”
Voordat ek egter iets oor oriëntasie sê, verwys ek na die artikel Sielkundevereniging Reageer Op “Wanvoorstellings”, van 29 September 2018, in die Kerkbode. Die artikel bevat An Open Statement by the Psychological Society of South Africa’s Sexuality and Gender Division.
Dit is belangrik dat die genoemde verklaring in konteks geplaas word. Die verklaring is onderteken deur onder andere prof. Juan Nel, ’n gayregte aktivis. Die verklaring dra dieselfde sentimente oor as die ASSAf dokument bekend as Diversity In Human Sexuality Report, waarvan prof. Nel instrumenteel was, in die daarstelling daarvan. Dit is ’n politieskorrekte dokument, in diens van die bevordering van gayregte, onder die vaandel van wetenskap. Diamond in Scrutinizing Immutability : “The authors deployed the same exaggerations of scientific evidence that have long characterized immutability debates, concluding that ‘all sexual orientations are biologically based, largely innate and mostly unchangeable’ (p. 22).”
Dr. Rosik verwys na die voorafgaande aanhaling op bl. 17-18 van Quiet Death Of Sexual Orientation en sê: “I admit to being pleasantly surprised that the authors concur with the Alliance’s opinion on this aspect of the report … Diamond and Rosky contend that this “overinterpretation”—which might be considered a sanitized term for scientific deception—is justified on the grounds that belief in immutability in the African context will save lives of LGB Africans. I would like to believe that this is true, but I wonder if this is primarily a rationalizing of scientific dishonesty in the interest of changing public policy. I wonder this in part because it would seem to me that such reasoning is quite insulting to the average African, appearing to assume that Africans are so culturally backwards that they would not be able or know how to access this information on the Internet. Are not Africans with such inclinations likely to be even less sympathetic to Diamond and Rosky’s concerns when they learn that they have been lied to by the ASSAf Report?”
Vir ’n wetenskaplike evaluering van die Report kan The Alliance for Therapeutic Choice and Scientific Integrity se Response To the ASSAf Report bestudeer word.
Oriëntasie
Dit bring my dan by die bespreking van oriëntasie, waarvan die kompleksiteit nie hier bespreek gaan word nie, maar oor gelees kan word in my Ope Brief Aan NGK Leraars-2017.
In leketaal gaan ek die verband tussen oriëntasie en pedofilie, aan die hand van die volgende aanhaling, aan die leser uitwys:
“With respect to various components of sexual orientation, an individual may be heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, as well as fetishistic, transvestitic, zoophiliac, [pedophilic] (my byvoeging) and so on. It is important to note that these are not mutually exclusive categories.”
’n Persoon se oriëntasie bestaan uit verskillende samestellende dele, wat uniek is aan daardie persoon. ’n Mens kan dit so verduidelik dat daar twee geslagte is nl. manlik en vroulik. Die onderskeie geslagte is op hulle beurt weer of heteroseksueel, of biseksueel, of homoseksueel.
Hierbenewens is daar die aangetrokkenheid tot die volgende ouderdomsgroepe:
- Infantofiele (onder die ouderdom van 5 jaar)
- Pedofiele (onder die ouderdom van 11 jaar)
- Ebefiele (11 tot 14 jaar)
- Ephebefiele (15 tot 19 jaar)
- Pedohebefiele (beide onder 11 en 11 tot 14)
- Teleiofiele (’n kind of adolessent wat seksueel tot ’n volwasse persoon aangetrokke is)
- Gerontofiele (aangetrokke tot persone 50 jaar en ouer)
- Aangetrokke tot volwassenes van dieselfde ouderdomsgroep
- Aangetrokke tot volwassenes ouer as hulleself
Prof. Nel skryf, “Sexual orientation refers to a person’s emotional, affectional, romantic and sexual attraction to a person.”
’n Spesifieke gay persoon se oriëntasie kan soos volg daar uitsien: hy is ’n man (geslag) wat aangetrokke is tot ’n ander manlike persoon (homoseksueel) tussen die ouderdom van 8 tot 11 jaar (pedofilie) insluitend sy eie kind (bloedskande) en hy vind plesier daarin om vroueklere aan te trek (transvestiet) en die persoon van voorkeur se tone te lek (fetish) vir erotiese vervulling.
Die leser sal met my saamstem dat hierdie homoseksuele pedofiel voldoen sovêr aan die vereistes van die definisie van seksuele oriëntasie.
Prof. Nel skryf verder, “[Sexual orientation] can also refer to a person’s core sense of identity based on those attractions, related behaviours, and membership in a community of others who share those attractions.”
Die homoseksuele pedofiel identifiseer met sy aangetrokkenheid en internaliseer dit as sy kern-identiteit. Hy kyk ook na kinderpornografie en behoort aan die North American Man-Boy Love Association (NAMBLA) en voel homself tuis in die gemeenskap van andere wat dieselfde aangetrokkenheid as hy beleef. Hy voldoen dus aan die definisie van oriëntasie.
Prof. Nel skryf verder, “Research and clinical experience further conclude that for most people sexual orientation is not ‘a choice’ or ‘voluntary’”. Hierdie is ook die ervaring van die homoseksuele pedofiel en hy voldoen dus steeds aan die vereistes of kenmerke van ’n oriëntasie.
Laastens skryf prof. Nel “The core aspects of sexual orientation, whether heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual, typically emerge by early adolescence, even though the individual may not yet have become sexually active.” Dit was ook die ervaring van hierdie homoseksuele pedofiel en het hy dus aan die vereistes van ’n oriëntasie voldoen.
Waar pas “pedophilic disorder” dan in?
Pedofilie lê klem op die spesifieke gedeelte van ’n persoon se oriëntasie, wat fokus op die ouderdomsgroep na wie toe so ’n persoon aangetrokke voel. Dit is die gedeelte van ’n persoon wat gekriminaliseer is en wat as ’n afwyking beskou word, maar die maatreëls, verander nie die feit dat dit die persoon se oriëntasie is nie.
Dit beteken dat die persoon nie op sy oriëntasie kan handel, sonder om moontlike vervolging in die gesig te staar nie. Hy moet dus of verander of hy moet selibaat bly. Klink dit bekend? Dit impliseer dat enige persoon met ’n ongewenste oriëntasie dus die hoop het om iets daaraan te kan doen.
Dit is dié feite wat my genoop het om ’n Ope Brief aan Prop. Hennie Pienaar te skryf.
Dit behoort uit die voorafgaande uiteensetting en aanhalings duidelik te wees dat die skerp onderskeid wat prof Juan Nel maak tussen homoseksualiteit en pedofilie asook tussen ’n seksuele oriëntasie en ’n seksuele belangstelling uiters problematies en hoogs aanvegbaar is.
Implikasies vir die kerk
Wat is die implikasies vir die kerk? Die gay persoon wat as ’n pedofiel deurgaan kan openlik gay wees, maar as pedofiel is hy in die kas. Hy sit op die kerkbanke, werk in die kerk se kleuterskole, is betrokke in die Sondagskole en word jeugleier.
Ek is oortuig die progay groep is nie onbewus van hierdie feite nie.
Dit was laat November 2015 toe ek ’n oproep van Dr. Marietjie van Loggerenberg gekry het, waarin sy my nooi om deel van ’n paneel te wees, waar ek my getuienis sal gee as deel van hulle Dagkonferensie, 20 Januarie 2016. Sy maak toe ook ’n afspraak sodat ons voor die tyd ontmoet en sy darem in persoon met my kan gesels.
Ons reël toe om by Cafe 41, in Groenkloof te ontmoet. Tydens ons gesprek vra sy my uit oor myself en ek vertel haar oor die pad wat ek gestap het en onder andere dat ek ’n pedofiel was. Dit het haar ongemaklik gestem. Sy vra my toe of ek al ooit vervolg was deur die owerhede. Waarop ek toe vir haar sê nee. Sy vra my toe of ek nie bang is om vervolg te word nie, waarop ek haar antwoord dat ek bereid is om vir die waarheid tronk toe te gaan. Ek kon sien sy is gesteurd en die geïrriteerdheid was hoorbaar in haar stem, toe sy vir my sê ek mag niks op die konferensie iets oor die feit sê dat ek ’n pedofiel was nie. Sou ek iets sê sal sy my stilmaak. Kort na sy dit gesê het, ervaar ek in my gees die Here sê jy sal nie stilbly nie. So het die dag aangebreek en ek het genoem van my aangetrokkenheid tot jonger persone. Sy het my egter nie stilgemaak nie.
’n Paar weke later kry ek weer ’n oproep van haar. Sy deel my toe mee dat hulle besig is om hulle video’s van die konferensie te finaliseer en vra toe of ek tevrede is met wat ek gesê het en of ek enigiets wil uithaal. Ek het vir haar gesê dat ek tevrede is net soos dit verloop het en dat hulle maar kan voortgaan. Sy was egter nie tevrede en het die vraag seker drie keer herhaal. Dit is toe dat sy vra of ek tevrede is met die gedeelte wat ek genoem het van pedofilie, en of ek dit nie sal wil uithaal nie. Ek het vir haar gesê dat ek tevrede is met wat ek gesê het en dat hulle dit nie mag verwyder nie anders sal dit baie oneties van hulle wees. Dit was vir my duidelik dat sy nie wou hê dat die saak van pedofilie genoem moes gewees het nie.
Ek vertrou dat die kerk sal herbesin oor die oortuiging dat seksuele oriëntasie ’n gawe van God is.
Groete
Bylaag A: Sielkundevereniging reageer op “wanvoorstellings”
29 September 2018
Uit e-Kerkbode.
Die Sielkundige Vereniging van Suid-Afrika se Afdeling vir Seksualiteit en Gender het in ’n omvattende verklaring gereageer op stellings van dr Chris van Wyk, lid van die moderatur van die Algemene Sinode van die NG Kerk, oor pedofilie.
Van Wyk het in ’n ope brief aan ds Nelis Janse van Rensburg, voorsitter van die moderatuur, gereageer op die rubriek in Kerkbode waarin Janse van Rensburg geskryf het dat hy self nie met die NG Kerk se 2016-besluit oor verhoudinge tussen mense van dieselfde geslag saamstem nie.
Kerkbode het die plasing van die brief van die hand gewys en toe Van Wyk dit as kommentaar op Kerkbode se facebookblad geplaas het, is dit verwyder. Hy is ingelig dat sy stellings op haatspraak kan neerkom. Van Wyk het die brief op sy eie facebookblad geplaas waarvandaan dit verder versprei is.
Hy skryf daarin onder meer dat sielkundiges pedofilie as ’n seskuele oriëntasie beskou. Hy voer ook aan dat as Janse van Rensburg seksuele oriëntasie as ’n gawe uit die hand van God aanvaar, dan moet hy pedofilie ook so aanvaar.
Luidens ’n berig in Rapport het Van Wyk gesê dieselfde argument kan ook oor bestialiteit gevoer word. Die Sielkundige Vereniging se Afdeling vir Seksualiteit en Gender verwys onder meer na Wyk se stellings as “apparent wilful misrepresentation”, “a thinly disguised act of homophobia”, “false assertions” en “hate speech”.
Die verklaring lui:
An Open Statement by the Psychological Society of South Africa’s Sexuality and Gender Division:
Debates in the Dutch Reformed Church re Sexual Orientation and Misrepresentation of Pedophilic Disorder as Comparable to Same-sex Sexual Orientation
Introduction
The Psychological Society of South Africa’s (PsySSA) Sexuality and Gender Division (SGD1) welcomed the Dutch Reformed Church Synod’s decision in 2015 to embrace gay and lesbian Ministers/ Reverends, ordain them in their calling as Ministers/ Reverends, and acknowledge and bless gay and lesbian congregants’ unions by conducting and officiating their marriages under the Civil Union Act. This decision of the Church accords with PsySSA’s own affirmative stance iro sexual and gender diversity2. Accordingly, we were dismayed when these actions were reversed by the Leaders of the Church at a special Synod in 2016. In particular, given our focus on mental health and psychological well-being, the retraumatisation, disillusionment and hurt inflicted by these actions of Leaders of the Church on many church members have been most disconcerting. For these reasons, we followed with interest the eleven members of the Dutch Reformed Church who recently argued in court that the Church did not follow their own internal procedures by setting aside the decision of the 2015 Synod and by doing so, unfairly discriminated against a minority and vulnerable group of their Church. The assertion by the members’ advocate, Jeremy Gauntlett, that the Church’s actions were against the Constitution of South Africa and, especially, Section 9, indeed, struck a chord with PsySSA’s SGD.
The subsequent letter by Rev Nelis Janse van Rensburg, Moderator of the Dutch Reformed Church, published in the Kerkbode, where he states that diverse sexualities need to be seen as equal to one another, was, therefore, deemed promising, as were the resultant renewed debates within the Dutch Reformed Church regarding sexuality and sexual orientation. However, considerable red flags have been raised by the apparent wilful misrepresentation by Dr Chris van Wyk of Psychology’s views on pedophilia. This, in fact, appears to be a thinly disguised act of homophobia. It is our understanding that Dr van Wyk occupies one of the top six positions in the Dutch Reformed Church. Given his reach and position of influence, the utterly disaffirming false assertions and associated hurtful- and harmfulness may, indeed, be challenged in a court of law as hate speech.
Therefore, it is incumbent on PsySSA’s SGD, as representatives of organised psychology and leaders in the field of mental health and well-being, to issue a statement, as follows:
We strongly reject Dr Van Wyk’s statement that homosexuality and pedophilic disorder3 are related; sexual orientation and sexual interest are not the same or even comparable. His bringing bestiality into the debate, as well, reminds of what the courts recently found in terms of Jon Qwelane’s homophobic hate speech which similarly reflected comparisons to bestiality. Instead of leading the way in promoting neighbourly love and acceptance in accordance with Biblical principles, especially in respect of those who are on the margins of society and subsequently may be vulnerable to hate, abuse and discrimination, Dr Van Wyk and his allies appear to, themselves, be propagating hate and division.
While concurring with objections raised to date by many others, PsySSA’s SGD also wishes to comment on the mental health and well-being implications of these false assertions.
We can confidently say that the definition of sexual orientation has been substantially documented in psychological literature4, both nationally and internationally. This statement, among others, offers one such definition, as well as a discussion on the psychological effects of discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Related psychological understandings
1) Homosexuality, as Heterosexuality, is a sexual orientation:
Sexual orientation refers to a person’s emotional, affectional, romantic and sexual attraction to a person. It can also refer to a person’s core sense of identity based on those attractions, related behaviours, and membership in a community of others who share those attractions. Research and clinical experience further conclude that for most people sexual orientation is not ‘a choice’ or ‘voluntary’. The core aspects of sexual orientation, whether heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual, typically emerge by early adolescence, even though the individual may not yet have become sexually active.
Research indicates a significant potential biological basis for the development of sexual orientation. There is no empirical evidence indicating that sexual orientation may be acquired through contact with sexually and gender-diverse people, including the otherwise powerful mechanism of peer pressure. There is no reliable evidence that sexual orientation is subject to redirection, ‘conversion’ or any significant influence from efforts by psychological or other interventions. Research and clinical experience conclude that homosexual or bisexual orientations are naturally occurring minority variations of normal human sexuality. They are also documented widely throughout nature.
Importantly, there are international instances where use of the term, sexual orientation, is to be found, such as the recent move by the International Union of Psychological Sciences (IUPsyS) an umbrella organisation for psychology internationally, to endorse a change to its statutes that explicitly calls for the inclusion of sexual orientation as a ‘protected’ category in policies on the universality of science and the free circulation of scientists (see www.iupsys.net for more information).
2) Pedophilic disorder
Psychology does not see pedophilic disorder as a sexual orientation. Neither is pedophilic disorder seen as something good, but, rather, as inherently negative. Pedophilic attraction is towards children who are unable to consent to engage in sexual acts. The child, as a victim of the pedophile’s actions, is often psychologically scarred. Pedophilic disorder, although a condition that needs treatment, when acted upon, also holds legal consequences and criminal prosecution.
A common manifestation of prejudice against homosexual people has been the allegation that gay men in particular pose a danger to children. Yet, all available reliable research data and clinical experience concludes that gay men are not more likely than heterosexual men to sexually exploit and abuse children. Claims to the contrary seriously mischaracterise the research and rely on suspect sources. The presumption that homosexual men are pedophiles also is not supported by respected, peer reviewed research.
3) Gender and gender diversity
Van Wyk asserts that according to the Bible God created humans as either male or female. This binary view of gender has been upheld by certain groups within the religious community and gender diversity has been ignored. People that have been born intersex has been forced into this gender binary. This gender binary also problematises people that are transgender and excludes people that are gender diverse. Gender identity is a person’s private sense of being male, female, both or another gender. This may or may not match the biological sex that a person was assigned at birth.
Intersexuality on the other hand refers to a variety of conditions (genetic, physiological or anatomical) in which a person’s sexual and/or reproductive features and organs do not conform to dominant and typical definitions of ‘female’ or ‘male’. Such diversity in sex characteristics is also referred to as ‘biological variance’.
4) Consequences and risks of homophobia
PsySSA acknowledges that people experience the negative impact of stigmatisation and victimisation due to patriarchal, heteronormative and cisnormative societies. Both international and South African research has found significant negative effects of exclusion and other forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation. Sexual orientation-based discrimination presents the same risks of psychological and other harms as discrimination on the basis of race, religion or gender. Notably, among youth who identify as homosexual or bisexual or who think they may be, research concludes that family rejection and exclusion, as well as bullying by peers, correlates highly with a range of high risk behaviours and outcomes ranging from truancy to substance abuse to attempts at suicide.
Much evidence points to this stigmatisation leading to deep-seated and widespread prejudice, discrimination and violence in Africa toward those who are not heterosexual. Furthermore, many gay and lesbian people suffer from minority stress due to the ill treatment by a homophobic society and confronted with religious condemnation.
Hate speech can lead to grave psychological, but also social consequences, as hate speech carries strong elements of humiliation and degradation. Furthermore, hate speech leads to the polarisation of society as people unconsciously absorb the hidden agenda that intends to show the intended group as inferior that ought to be hated and detested. Directly or indirectly referring to gay and lesbian people as pedophiles can be seen as hate speech.
Invitation
PsySSA’ SGD invites other organisations and professionals dedicated to mental health and well-being to join us in speaking out in opposition to sexual orientation and gender-based discrimination and/ or hatred.
Furthermore, Leaders of the Dutch Reformed Church, and others, are invited to make use of PsySSA as a resource to turn to when issues arise for which it may be uniquely qualified to provide counsel, such as in this instance where greater understanding of the concept ‘sexual orientation’ is sought.
For more information, please contact
Prof Juan A. Nel
Registered Clinical and Research Psychologist
Vice Chair PsySSA SGD
Member of PsySSA Council
+27(0)83 282 0791
nelja@unisa.ac.za
Rev Chris McLachlan
Registered Clinical Psychologist
Member of the PsySSA SGD Executive Committee
MSocSc Clinical Psychology (UKZN); MTh Practical Theology (UNISA);
MA New Testament (RAU); BA Hons Psychology (U.P.);
BA Hons Theology (RAU); BA (UP)
+27(0)827743727
doinghopeweddings@gmail.com