The California Senate has passed a bill that would inhibit the church’s ability to teach on sexuality and anyone seeking counseling to change their same-sex attraction. It does that by outlawing sexual orientation change efforts.
The bill (AB2943) now heads back to the California Assembly for a “concurrence” vote where it’s expected to pass. The assembly previously passed the bill in the spring.
The bill’s sponsor, Assemblyman Evan Low, says the bill will stop what he considers to be fraudulent counseling. “We as legislators have a responsibility to protect Californians from harmful and deceptive practices,” he said Thursday. “All Californians should be celebrated, cherished and loved for who they are.”
Hundreds of pastors across the state have traveled to Sacramento this year to oppose the bill, fearing that it will shut down church conferences on sexuality, ban Christian books on sex and any paid counseling for those seeking to change their orientation.
A former gay man, Jim Domen, leads Church United, which has organized pastors across the state in opposition of the bill. “We’re already ready to file a lawsuit,” he told CBN News.
Domen is working with the law firm and religious freedom advocate group Tyler & Bursch on suits that will be filed at both the state and federal level. Attorneys say the bill as it stands violates the freedom of speech and freedom of religion guaranteed in both the California and US constitutions.
California Family Council CEO Jonathan Keller told CBN News that AB2943 ultimately ban LGBT people from being able to freely choose counseling services.
“The saddest thing about this bill is it really does try to limit choices for people in the LGBT community who want to change. On June 12 we hosted a rally at the capitol with dozens of men and women that had either left the gay lifestyle or had left the transgender lifestyle. And they repeatedly, person after person who offered their testimony, talked about the fact that they found hope and healing in Jesus Christ and they found recovery and restoration through books, through seminars, through resources,” he explained. “Sadly, AB2943 closes those doors and tells people that is fraudulent.”
Full story at CBN News.
Assemblyman, how Low can you go ??
The pit of hell sounds about right
“All Californians should be celebrated, cherished and loved for who they are.”
Well…except those Californians that want to seek something other than being gay….not them…
This is not what we signed up for as Americans. Nor is it what our ancestors signed up for when they came to this country. This (AB2943) is tyranny.
Don, how right you are! We need to elect those who question this kind of thinking.
The fraud is in pretending to be something one is not and trying to force others to say you are what you are not.
Could some qualified medical professional provide an opinion as to whether conversion therapy is or is not an accepted medical practice?
Here is a list of the statements that professional medical associations have published as to whether conversion therapy is or is not an accepted medical practice: https://www.hrc.org/resources/policy-and-position-statements-on-conversion-therapy
Catholics must insist thT the Calif. catholic Conference head up a statewide protest of tbis challenge to our faith and freedom to speak of our faith.
Thank you YFC for your response. That link certainly raised important questions about the medical efficacy of this treatment. Perhaps the matter boils down to the old saying: buyer beware.
Yes, one may have the ‘right’ to choose whatever treatment they want. I think the medical professionals need to provide unbiased information so the ‘buyer’ can make the best informed choice.
Medical professionals HAVE provided unbiased information, as the link I provided clearly demonstrated. Sexual orientation change efforts are snake oil, and they do much more harm than good, and California is in the process of including them in a list of products that make fake claims which consumers are protected against.
“YFC”, the harm is in NOT changing behavior that can and does lead people to HELL. Thoughts and inclinations too can change, so how dare the almighty state deny help to those who want it! When you provide links to ultra liberal organizations like the Human Rights Campaign, you show YOUR bias. Don’t bother to shill for them, their reputation is well known. Enough with the gay apologetics! Boo on you.
Kristin, the HRC link is itself a collection of links to medical associations and their statements on the matter. The links would be exactly the same if it were HRC or the Heritage Foundation.
You are free to change whatever behavior you want to change. This legislation doesn’t (and of course, can’t) change that. It merely adds selling treatments falsely claiming to change sexual orientation to a long list of consumer products whose sale has been outlawed.
Another politician who thinks they know so much and they think they are qualified to speak without facts.
Totalitarian Leftist California. Weirdos.
Be warned that the link provided by “YFC” comes from the Human Rights Campaign, a very far left pro-homosexual group. They are extremists and Catholics should look for fair minded elsewhere.
Another example of “YFC” trying to pass off homosexualist propaganda as legitimate. Shame on you!
“The most important fact about ‘reparative therapy,’ also sometimes known as ‘conversion’ therapy, is that it is based on an understanding of homosexuality that has been rejected by all the major health and mental health professions. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Counseling Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the National Association of School Psychologists, and the National Association of Social Workers, together representing more than 477,000 health and mental health professionals, have all taken the position that homosexuality is not a mental disorder and thus there is no need for a ‘cure.’” Youth: A Primer for Principals, Educators, and School Personnel…
https://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/just-the-facts.pdf.
Just the Facts Coalition (American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of School Administrators, American Counseling Association, American Federation of Teachers, American Psychological Association, American School Counselor Association, American School Health Association, Interfaith Alliance Foundation, National Association of School Psychologists, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of Social Workers, national Education Association, School Social Work Association of America)
let’s face it; government doesn’t like competition.
this therapy would compete with the
very thinly disguised government mandated
conversion therapy program of conversion
from hetero to homo.
“YFC”, you fail to understand that some people need professional help to change their behaviors. You and those of like mind are denying them the help they need. Homosexualists are refusing to believe that all who experience same sex attraction are OK with it. Many are not, they deserve their chance to heal themselves.
And by the way, what an abomination to mention the Heritage Foundation and the Human Rights Campaign in the same breath. Very different goals, beliefs, and tactics. Boo on you yet again.
Everyone who wants to rid themselves of undesired shortness deserve a chance to heal themselves. But those who sell snake oils to cure shortness are frauds. Therefore, consumers are protected from their false claims.
“YFC”, professionally trained and licensed therapists who work with same sex attracted people are not snake oil salesmen. Denigrating those probably best positioned to help is a politicized response from homosexualists who want homosexuality legitimized in total. Some can’t stand the thought that homosexuality is an aberration, pure and simple. More boos for you.
The professional organizations of those “professionally trained and licensed therapists” say that sexual orientation change therapy is a fraud. That was the entire purpose of the links. Homosexuality is not an aberration, according to all professional medical and psychiatric associations. Even the Catholic Church says that the number of people who have a homosexual orientation is not negligible. Boo on those who want to denigrate gay people.