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A nationwide poll has found that there is widespread opposition to the legal effects of a ‘conversion therapy’ ban. In the poll of 1,000 New Zealanders surveyed just before Christmas by Curia Market Research, respondents were asked “If a person is unsure about their sexual orientation or gender identity, should they be able to seek counseling support to determine their own direction in how they identify?” 81% of respondents said they believed a person should be able to seek counseling support to determine their own direction. Only 12% were opposed. According to a legal opinion released yesterday, if a person wanted to align their sexuality with the teachings and values of their particular faith – be it Muslim or Christian, Jewish or Sikh – and sought help to do so from a minister, imam, or another faith leader, a ban would make it virtually impossible to access the support they wanted. Furthermore, if they were able to find someone prepared to provide counseling of that kind, they coul...

What is it that makes the very existence of ex-gays so dangerous? And why is there a concerted, effort to block counseling for those with unwanted same-sex attractions? If you help a gay person back to normal life you can go to prison for 12 months! Why is counseling in every other area of life good but counseling sinful homosexuality subject to prison? Before you think I’m exaggerating, consider the following examples. On the social media front, it is now reported that, “Facebook and its photo platform Instagram are banning any content advertising or promoting treatment to overcome unwanted same-sex attraction.” According to Facebook spokeswoman Stephanie Otway, “This is a global policy. The policy is still under development, but for now it will be applied to content that promotes conversion therapy when we become aware of it.” Ex-gay colleagues have already informed me that their content is being removed from Facebook and their pages are being shut down, simply for stating that chan...

Treatment to help overcome unwanted homosexual tendencies will soon be illegal in Mexico City under a new law enacted Friday by the city’s Legislative Assembly.  Under the legislation, which was first introduced two years ago, healthcare practitioners could spend up to five years in prison for conducting  “practices consisting of psychological, psychiatric sessions, methods or treatments that are intended to nullify, hinder, modify or impair the expression of gender identity, as well as the sexual orientation of people,” Mexico News Daily reported. Such treatments are commonly known as reparative or “conversion” therapy. THE BLIND PRO-LBGT ZEALOTS VIEW “There is nothing to cure. Homosexuality is not a disease, we are not sick,” declared the bill’s author, Morena party lawmaker Temístocles Villanueva.  I totally agree. It seems to me that these measures belong to the era of the Inquisition,” added Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum. “It does not correspond to...

Two Christian organizations that help people deal with unwanted same-sex attraction and gender identity issues have been notified by their bank that their accounts will be closed.  The move by Barclays Bank follows a social media attack demanding that the bank end its professional relationship with Core Issues Trust (CIT) and The International Federation for Therapeutic and Counselling Choice (IFTCC), incorrectly accusing both groups of promoting “conversion therapy.”    Earlier this month, Facebook and Instagram likewise caved to pressure from activists to cancel CIT, limiting its outreach to and accessibility for people seeking help . Mailchimp and PayPal have also reportedly cut off CIT accounts, crippling the organization’s ability to communicate with supporters or receive donations. The  tweet  that launched the attack appeared on July 3: EXCLUSIVE:  Pride In London  headline sponsor,  Barclays , are currently enabling UK Gay...

The new bylaw comes with fines of up to $10,000 or a year-long prison term for any business, extremely broadly defined, that offers 'conversion therapy.' A Canadian city banned businesses from offering help to those with unwanted same-sex attraction. In a 14-1 final vote yesterday, the Calgary City Council passed the third reading of the “Prohibited Businesses Bylaw-20M2020” (page 531), making it become law. The new bylaw 20M2020 makes it illegal for a business to offer help to those with unwanted same-sex attraction. The bylaw comes with fines of up to $10,000 or a year-long prison term for those found to violate the law. It also bans the advertising of so-called “conversion therapy” services.  Marty Moore, a lawyer for the Alberta-based Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), said that bylaw 20M2020 constitutes a violation of one’s freedom and conscience rights. “Calgary’s bylaw violates individuals’ Charter rights and freedoms, includi...

Three attempts at legislation to ban “conversion therapy” are in process in Victoria, Queensland and the ACT. While Queensland’s draft bill has struck trouble in a parliamentary committee, Victoria’s Premier, Daniel Andrews, has promised to “drag these practices from the dark ages and into the brightest of lights”. The exact form of any new laws is of critical importance, both to conservative Christians and those lobbying for the new laws.  The possibility of criminal sanctions for referring people to, or practicing, “conversion therapy” on LGBT people has been raised by activists Nathan Despott and Chris Csabs in the Sydney Star Observer. "Sexual Orientation Change Efforts" opposed by new movement The prayer puzzle: will 'conversion therapy' laws ban Christian teaching? ‘Praying for gay celibacy' could be banned A common definition of conversion therapy is “any practice or treatment that seeks to change, suppress or eliminate an individual’s sex...

Prohibitions on “gay conversion therapy” are becoming popular with legislators. Of course, no sensible person supports someone being administered – against their will – electroshock therapy or chemicals or oppressive bullying  - to make them change their sexual orientation (which are the sort of things most people think of when this phrase is used).  But there is a real danger that legislation which goes beyond targeting these specific things will itself interfere with the freedom of people to seek to change unwanted behaviors. Suppose there is a devout Christian person who accepts the Bible’s teaching that same-sex sexual activity is not God’s will, and yet experiences same-sex attraction. They approach their pastor or their small group leader and ask for help to overcome what they see as a sinful attraction, by reading the Bible with them, counseling and regular meetings for prayer. Is that going to be caught by the legislation? Take the current proposals which ...

A bill that will criminalize “conversion therapy” in Canada is a “despicable” attack on religious liberty that could lead to Christians going to jail for proclaiming that homosexual individuals can change, warns Canada’s pro-life, pro-family organization Campaign Life Coalition. Introduced last week by Independent Senator Serge Joyal, Bill S-202 will make it an indictable offense punishable by up to five years in jail to benefit materially or financially indirectly or directly from the provision of “conversion therapy” to anyone under 18 years of age. The bill further amends the Criminal Code to make advertising “conversion therapy” a crime punishable by up to five years in jail. Not only that, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government plans to introduce a similar bill in the House of Commons when Parliament reconvenes in January. In his mandate letters to ministers setting out the Liberals’ legislative objectives, Trudeau instructed justice minister David Lametti to “am...

City Council speaker Corey Johnson of New York City introduced a bill on Thursday to repeal a citywide ban on so-called gay conversion therapy, in place since 2017, out of fear of losing a Supreme Court challenge. The repeal came about after the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a nonprofit law firm that has defended people of faith in several landmark cases, filed a lawsuit that challenged the constitutionality of the ban. According to the New York Daily News, LGBT advocates fear that the ADF could win the case at the Supreme Court, which has become more conservative under President Donald Trump. The paper said campaigners fear that an eventual decision by the court could have a negative impact on such laws elsewhere in the country. According to the ADF, it filed a federal lawsuit in January on behalf of Dr. Dovid Schwartz, a licensed psychotherapist and member of the Chabad Lubavitch Jewish community. The ADF challenged the city ordinance that prohibits any person to provide...