Evergreen International

Evergreen International, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Salt Lake City, Utah, whose stated mission is to assist "people who want to diminish same-sex attractions and overcome homosexual behavior." It adheres to Christian and particularly Mormon teaching. The organization believes this task can be accomplished with the help of Jesus and, in some cases, psychological counseling. Evergreen was founded in 1989 as a grass-roots organization by 11 men who were seeking to deal with their homosexuality in ways congruent to the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Although functioning independently of any church, Evergreen is religiously based around the teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Though not affiliated with the church, the organization sustains the teachings of the Church without reservation or exception. Evergreen has one or more emeritus general authority on its board of trustees, and teaches its principles to Latter-day Saints, and ecclesiastical leaders through working with the church as well as hosting firesides (informal gatherings of church members at night), workshops, and an annual conference.

Evergreen says that people can be successful at diminishing same-sex attractions and overcoming homosexual behavior. [ [http://www.evergreeninternational.org/faq.htm#number Numbers of people who have changed] ] [ [http://www.evergreeninternational.org/overcome.htm More claims of the number of people who have changed] ] Dr. Robinson interviewed seven heterosexually married men who had been through Evergreen and previously identified as gay. They believe they had a spiritual transformation and that their orientation was changed. They were no longer troubled by feeling different or rejected by heterosexual men, emotional attraction to men, sexual attraction to men, feeling bad about same-sex desires, social isolation, or compulsive sexual thoughts and behaviors. Robinson found that their change came from a new understanding that prior same-sex attractions did not require them to be gay. [cite journal
publisher=American Psychological Association
journal=Professional Psychology: Research and Practice
title=Initial empirical and clinical findings concerning the change process for ex-gays
url=http://www.drthrockmorton.com/article.asp?id=1
month=June | year=2002
volume=33
number=3
pages=242–248
last=Throckmorton
first=Warren
doi=10.1037/0735-7028.33.3.242]

Evergreen's Mission Statement

Evergreen is founded on the belief that the atonement of Jesus Christ enables every soul the opportunity to turn away from all sins or conditions that obstruct their temporal and eternal happiness and potential. Evergreen attests that individuals can overcome homosexual behavior and can diminish same-sex attraction, and is committed to assisting individuals who wish to do so.

Evergreen provides education, guidance, and support to those involved in the transition from homosexuality, and is available as a resource to family, friends, professional counselors, religious leaders, and all others involved in assisting individuals who desire to change.

Evergreen sustains the doctrines and standards of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints without reservation or exception, but is not affiliated with the Church. Evergreen welcomes all people who wish to participate in the pursuit of these goals.

What Evergreen does

Evergreen focuses on three major priorities [ [http://www.evergreeninternational.org/about_us.htm# About Us ] ] :
# Referral information on support groups, therapists, and other organizations. Evergreen maintains the world’s largest listing of support groups, therapists, and other organizations available worldwide that can help in the area of same-sex attraction.
# Resources. Evergreen offers a large selection of literature [ [http://www.evergreenbooksales.com/bookstore Evergreen International Bookstore ] ] .
# Education, such as conferences, seminars, and firesides.

Therapy

"Evergreen does not advocate any particular form of therapy," [ [http://www.evergreeninternational.org/Myths.htm Myths ] ] but does provide information about a variety of psychotherapies, such as gender wholeness therapy, reorientation therapy, re-education therapy, gender-affirmation therapy, group therapy, and conversion therapy. [http://www.evergreeninternational.org/therapy.htm Therapy ] ] While some of these therapies offer to eliminate same-sex attractions, Evergreen makes clear that "therapy will likely not be a cure in the sense of erasing all homosexual feelings." The American Psychological Association has stated that "to date, there has been no scientifically adequate research to show that therapy aimed at changing sexual orientation is safe or effective." [ [http://www.apa.org/topics/sorientation.html#whatabout Answers to Your Questions For a Better Understanding of Sexual Orientation & Homosexuality ] ] The LDS church has stated that it does not have a position on "scientific questions" such as the cause of homosexuality. [ [http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=27f71f1dd189f010VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRD&vgnextchannel=726511154963d010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD&vgnextfmt=tab1 LDS Newsroom - Same-Gender Attraction ] ] Evergreen follows this stance.

See also

* Homosexuality and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
* Ex-gay
* James O. Mason : member of the board of trustees

References

External links

* [http://www.evergreeninternational.org Evergreen's Official Web site]
* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=PwgK88xqOxM Evergreen Overview Video]
* Critical views of Evergreen by : [http://www.affirmation.org/learning/evergreen.shtml The Evergreen Pages] :
* [http://samesexattraction.org Same-sex Attraction Web site]