A doctor who claims he was ‘cured’ of homosexuality and can help other people become straight was slammed by Piers Morgan today in a heated TV debate.
Dr Mike Davidson claims to have been turned away from homosexuality by prayer, counselling and psychotherapy – and has been married to his wife for 35 years.
And the father-of-two appeared on ITV’s Good Morning Britain to explain how he thinks gay conversion therapy is possible for people who want to become straight.
Dr Mike Davidson (pictured) claims to have been turned away from homosexuality by prayer, counselling and psychotherapy – and has been married to his wife for 35 years
Dr Davidson, who lives near Belfast, spoke after a probe in Liverpool by undercover reporter Josh Parry who found gay conversion being offered through a church.
But Dr Davidson was condemned by Morgan for being a ‘malevolent and dangerous part of our society’ and dismissed as someone talking ‘complete claptrap’.
He told Morgan and co-host Susanna Reid: ‘I believe that people are not born gay, that they come into homosexual feelings, and that it is something that in some cases is reversible for people who want to make that the trajectory of their lives.
‘It’s inconsistent with some people’s value systems and they want to be true to themselves. I think we’re here today because there’s clearly a population group who feel they are not comfortable with homosexual expression, and they want out of it.’
But DailyMail.com U.S. Editor-at-Large Morgan slammed him, saying: ‘Do you know what we call these people? We call them horrible little bigots in the modern world.
‘Just bigoted people who actually talk complete claptrap and are in my view a malevolent and dangerous part of our society.
Dr Davidson (centre right, in black) appeared on Good Morning Britain today alongside presenters Piers Morgan (left) and Susanna Reid (centre) and journalist Josh Parry
Dr Davidson (right) appeared on the ITV show alongside Liverpool Echo senior reporter Josh Parry (left), who found gay conversion therapy being offered by a church in the city
‘What’s the matter with you? How can you think that nobody is born gay and they all get corrupted and can all be cured?’
Dr Davidson responded by saying: ‘Where’s your evidence that homosexuality is something that is innate and unchangeable? Not even the American Psychological Association or the Royal College of Psychiatrists have presented that evidence.’
But Morgan hit back, adding: ‘Michael, stop talking for a moment, stop banging on about wacky backy scientists in America – I’m asking you a question, it’s this: prove to me that you’re straight.’
And he replied: ‘Why do we have to stick to a binary label system? I have two children, I have been with my wife for 35 years, I have left homosexual practices.’
But an unfettered Morgan said: ‘Shut up you old bigot. Sorry, but this is ridiculous.’
Earlier, Dr Davidson had said: ‘For Christian people who are orthodox in their faith, yes (being gay is a sin). For me, yes, it was certainly a sinful behaviour.
‘It’s something that is an abomination in the Old Testament, along with all sorts of other practices the Old Testament condemned, that’s true.
Viewers voiced their thoughts on Twitter about the Good Morning Britain interview, with most criticising the views of Dr Davidson – although one social media user insisted: ‘He has a view’
‘I think science is very clear; even the American Psychological Association said that there’s no evidence one way or the other in terms of the effectiveness of therapy.’
Dr Davidson appeared on the programme alongside Liverpool Echo senior reporter Mr Parry, who found gay conversion therapy being offered by a church in the city.
Mr Parry, who is gay, was recommended a three-day programme involving fasting to ‘cure’ his homosexuality – which a pastor he spoke to described as a ‘deceit of Satan’.
Dr Davidson hit the headlines in 2012 when he and his allies were blocked from putting adverts on buses saying: ‘Not Gay! Ex-Gay, Post-Gay and Proud. Get over it.’
The then London Mayor Boris Johnson blocked the marketing, which was supposed to mirror a campaign by gay rights group Stonewell, after taking offence.
Dr Davidson, whose doctorate is in education rather than medicine, has previous had his work condemned as ‘inflammatory, homophobic and harmful’.
But he insisted in an interview in 2012 that gay people who want to become straight ‘deserve to receive professional help that is well trained, well regulated and ethical’.