The battle over religious freedom has reached a fever pitch in California, where lawmakers are taking a new approach to punish traditional beliefs about sex and gender.
Assembly Bill (AB) 2943 declares acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) status and behavior to be a matter of science. From that opening premise, the bill proceeds to subject skeptics to the full weight of the State’s anti-fraud and consumer protection regime for “sexual orientation change efforts” (SOCE) when “goods and services” are involved.
Unlike prior legislation targeting SOCE, sometimes known as reparative or conversion therapy, this bill is not limited to minors or licensed counselors. It also does not include any religious exemptions for churches or non-profit ministries. On its face, the targeted “goods and services” could include the sale of books on the power of the Gospel to heal sexual brokenness, or conferences addressing the same topics.
The Pacific Justice Institute—Center for Public Policy (PJI) sent a letter last week to lawmakers explaining many of the legal problems with the bill. Brad Dacus, President of PJI, commented, “Compassion demands that churches and ministries offer hope to those who want to voluntarily leave the LGBT subculture. The State cannot outlaw this compassion by calling it fraud. This is a diabolical attempt to stifle real debate and limit personal choices.”
AB 2943 is scheduled for a hearing in the Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection on April 3 at 1:30 p.m. Californians should contact their Assembly members to express their concerns.
Full story at Christian Newswire.
That’s rich. So politicians are scientists now.
Can’t wait for the bishops to say something about this…I won’t hold my breath.
Bob,
I see this less as politicians acting like scientists and more like politicians acting like Nazi thugs burning books (circa 1930s Germany).
Steve – the story behind the burnings is similar to this pogrom:
“The Pink Swastika
https://www.thepinkswastika.com/5294/index.html
California Assembly Bill (AB) 2943 punishes morality.
Would an independent medical doctor consider reparative therapy an accepted medical treatment?
Anon… The consesnsis is that it doesn’t work and can be harmful. The guys pushing include one who wrote his dissertation which included having a dad beating the son for feminine behaviour, another who though married took a Rent-a-Boy on a European vacation “To handle the luggage,” and Richard Cohen who has his client beat things with a rolled up newspaper yelling “Mom,mom,how could you.” He’s been kicked out of every professional counseling association.
When a society ceases to protect religious freedom it becomes nothing more than an undemocratic totalitarian tyranny. Regardless of how hard the leftists try to destroy the truth in the end they will never succeed because the truth will always win. Turn to a God of love and mercy before it is to late. Jesus Christ King of Kings Lord of Lords True God and True Man will soon come like a thief in the night. Prepare for the Coming of The Son of Man. Repent and convert! Pray America Pray. Pray Pray Pray!
Nazis made up stuff (as did the Russians under Stalin) trying to make their politics seem scientifically correct, if not mandated.
The LGBTQ crowd engage in perverted, unnatural sex, acts that are abhorrent to God and offensive to Natural Law. These fools can shout their demands to the heavens but it will have no effect. Let them seek to change laws, pack courts with their loony judges (?where did they go to law school?), and all the rest. In the end, it will do no good.
Sadly, many in the Catholic Church are full of the same sodomy-loving spirit. Christ will sort all this out.
The only way to reverse course on this insanity and undo all the societal damage it has caused so far is to attack the root of the problem: the removal of homosexuality as a disorder in the DSM. Correct that foolish decision made by medical “professionals” and everything should naturally and logically fall back into place, including abolishing the absurdity of same-sex pseudo marriage. No, love is not love. What you love and the kind of love you have for it matters a great deal. Some love is ordered, some is disordered. Saint Augustine understood and taught that about 1,500 years ago. “My weight is my love.” “Pondus meum amor meus.”
You know that little box that says Catholic Ad down at the bottom of the CCD page. It just tried to sell me the book Building a Bridge from Father James Martin S.J.
me too
If you have to pass a law saying something is science, it’s not science.
California state of my birth 77 years ago, please do us a favor and “SUCCEED ” from the union . Make Hilary your President and brain out in space ” moonbeam Brown VP..
The religion haters usually attack religion by claiming that religion is intolerant and punishes people for not having the right beliefs. Here, the religion haters are intolerant and punishing people for not having the right beliefs. The state has become their religion. They have become what they hate.
Please act now! Call Your Legislator
https://frc.quorum.us/campaign/8033/
This Tuesday, at 1:30pm, the California Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee will hear Assembly Bill 2943.
This very bad bill – if enacted – would further a radical left-wing agenda masquerading as science, by punishing California’s churches, pastors, and counselors for merely advertising talk therapy for unwanted same-sex attraction and/or gender dysphoria.
Alright by me if the predominately progressive/liberal/sinful coastal counties from San Francisco to Los Angeles secede from the union and form a new country, then watch how fast it implodes totally immersed in the likes of Sodom and Gomorrah. Watch how the residents won’t be able to stand to live in their horrible paradise as their life-style turns into a terrible death-style, with all the horrors and stench that goes along with it. Watch how some will escape scrambling to save their skins as earthquakes and fires that will burn that new immoral and sink into the ocean. Back when I was in college 40 years ago, you would never seen any of the like on any campus. These psychos would have been run off campus by the students and faculty.
The only flags that should be over any public school or college here are the United States flag and the flag of California. Women do not work alone in buildings at night. One woman just got attacked in a ladies room in Berkeley by a man hiding in the women’s restroom. It is all over the news if you do not believe me.