American Pastors’ Network Declares APA’s ‘Sexual Interest’ Classification of Pedophilia as ‘Hastening the Destruction of Innocent Young Lives’

PHILADELPHIA – Earlier this month, The American Psychiatric Association (APA) in its latest edition of their  Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), corrected the text in which they called pedophilia a ‘sexual orientation,’ and issued a public statement that the APA has changed the text to classify pedophilia as a ‘sexual interest.’ This came after much pressure from the media, individuals and organizations that are gravely concerned about the safety of adolescents and children.

Sam Rohrer, president of the American Pastors’ Network (APN, www.AmericanPastorsNetwork.net) and the Pennsylvania Pastors’ Network (PPN, www.papastors.net) gave this statement in response to the American Psychiatric Association’s position on pedophilia:

“The current downward trajectory of  our culture will end in disaster and despair.  The actions of the APA serve only to hasten the destruction of innocent young lives and further jeopardize any remaining stability of our culture. The APA long ago forfeited any vestige of reliability by yielding to the pressures of political correctness. When moral absolutes are discarded, Natural law rejected, and common sense forsaken, children will become the victims of adult lusts and uncontrolled actions. History is replete and the Bible warnings clear that when the biblical standards governing human sexuality outside of the marriage relationship of one man and one woman are redefined and sanctioned, there will be no stopping this speeding bullet that those who support the homosexual agenda have triggered.  It is clear that the APA is helping to normalize adult/child sexual interactions which in any civilized culture is considered a crime. By so doing, they become accomplices to perversion that will harm innumerable children and cause  physical, emotional and mental trauma to children that  cannot be reversed easily, if ever.  Unfortunately, our culture is at the point that it is embracing degeneracy and pursuing ultimate destruction while justifying these actions by calling them  ‘progressive,’ or ‘tolerant.’ The Scripture is clear. Sexual sins know no depth or level of depravity and God will judge every nation that declares what He has called sin to be acceptable.  The only antidote for uncontrolled and deviate sexual desire is the Truth of Scripture. APN calls on all pastors to begin engaging their congregations and the public by lifting up God’s standard for sexuality, marriage and family before our culture has completely collapsed. ”

Dr. Karl Benzio, a nationally-renowned psychiatrist and founder of the Lighthouse Network which provides guidance through life’s storms when it comes to mental health and addictions, stated, “Psychiatry has the root word, psyche, which is Greek for soul/spirit, yet we have lost the analysis or appreciation for the spiritual component in deciding or treating disease or aberrance, and in finding healing.  The spiritual connection with God is necessary in order to heal, as is the application of His principles in all of life.

“A relative standard to measure normalcy or ‘rightness’ of behaviors is used when diagnosing or treating a disorder.  Even further complicating the determination of disorder/disease is that the persons distorted sense of perception and judgment is used to determine if they are distressed by the behavior or not.”

Rohrer concludes, “There is no room for relativity in God’s immutable laws. They are the only true gauge of right and wrong vs. what the culture would like to deem acceptable and non-offensive. The American Pastors’ Network has no intention of letting this latest ‘error’ by the APA go unnoted.  We will fight to protect children in light of what is right and biblical, according to the truth of God’s Holy Word.”

For more information on American Pastors’ Network, visit www.americanpastorsnetwork.net.

###

To interview a representative from the American Pastors’ Network, contact Deborah Hamilton at dhamilton@hamiltonstrategies.com, 215-815-7716 or 610-584-1096