Holly, I apologize for seeming offended or giving offense. I treasure my values, I'm sure, just as much as you do yours, and that makes this topic difficult to speak about without stepping on toes.
You are right. It would be impossible to avoid everyone who has a trait that you don't want to rub off on you. In fact, how can you tell someone is someone you want to avoid until you get to know them? So do we retreat into an isolated location locked away from the rest of the world?
Well, that would be a little drastic and going against what else the Bible advocates -- that we need to do good toward all. (Galatians 6:10) That would require us to come in contact with many who do not share our views. You can't do good toward
all without coming into contact with the "all" part.
However, when the Bible is making reference to separating yourself, it is speaking about our close friends. Those that we love dearly because these ones help to shape our values. We listen to them when they give advice. There is a well known expression where I am that if you want to know someone, get to know their friends. So if we want to change our viewpoint, drastically, we have to change our friends. This could be in a literal way by limiting contact with them and getting new ones or, if we have the fortitude, we can stick around in a limited way to convince them of our views so that they change too.
This is a difficult line to walk but sometimes we have to try. Afterall, they are our friends and we want what is best for them. If we are convinced that the change is good for us, we'd also want to convince them too. But sometimes we have to pack it in because they don't want to change and they have that right. Most of the time, though, they will cut us off when we start making changes in our life.
At least, that has been my experience. I've spoken with some of my old friends on occasions since but I don't have them as a part of my life anymore. They chose to view things differently and told me point blank. I still hope that they will change their mind and I still care about them but their choice doesn't change me from mine. I have new friends that have helped me to not turn back. If I had stuck with my old friends, it would be too easy to slip back into old habits.
I think from some of your prior statements that you were wondering what's the point of all of it, if you still have the feelings. First, they aren't as strong as they once were. They slowly fall off over time from a hunger to a whisper. In my case, no they haven't left and no I'm still not attracted to women. So, again, what is the point? The point is that I feel better about myself because, from a study of the Bible, I believe I made the right choice. I'm not saying that I saw the light and started back flipping Blue Brothers style down the isle.
I'm just saying that it made sense to me and I wanted to make the changes. Others don't see things the same way and that is their choice. I have no problem with that. I don't try to enforce my viewpoint on others. I do recommend it but I don't hit people over the head with the Bible because they don't agree with me.
I respect their choice knowing that they have the right to make that decision.
Anyway, I just wanted to answer the question of was it some magical cure. And no it isn't a "cure." But it has helped me a lot to make changes.