Important Takeaways:
- Supreme Court rejects challenge to Washington state ‘conversion therapy’ ban
- Over the objection of three conservatives, the court left in place a state law that bars therapists from counseling minors to change sexual orientation or gender identity, a practice favored by some conservatives.
- Favored by some conservatives, the widely criticized practice is aimed at encouraging gay or lesbian minors to change their sexual orientation and transgender children to identify as the gender identity assigned to them at birth.
- The law only prevents licensed therapists from conducting conversion therapy in a professional setting, Ferguson added, noting that it does not prevent similar counseling taking place in other settings, including churches.
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Important Takeaways:
- 9th Circuit Rules Against Christian Therapist, Upholds Censorship of Biblical Truth Under ‘Conversion Therapy’ Ban
- A licensed Christian therapist, Brian Tingley, whose marriage and family counseling practice is located in Fircrest, Washington, filed suit against Washington’s conversion therapy ban in May 2021.
- In his lawsuit Tingley contended that the ban, which was signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee in 2018, amounted to censorship of his free speech rights to counsel patients through a plethora of issues including gender dysphoria, sexual orientation and unwanted same-sex attraction.
- “Washington State seeks to insert itself into the privacy of Plaintiff’s counseling room and censor his discussion and exploration of certain ideas with his young clients,” claimed the suit. “The Law threatens severe sanctions—including substantial fines, suspension from practice, and even loss of his license and livelihood—if Plaintiff speaks ideas, and assists his clients towards goals, of which the State disapproves.”
- But Circuit Judge Ronald Gould wrote in the panel opinion that the law “does not violate the First or Fourteenth Amendments” because the state has the power to regulate medical practices.
- More than 20 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., have laws against “conversion therapy”—a loaded term meant to discredit any counseling that upholds Biblical sexual ethics by attempting to tie it to unethical and outdated “change” practices used by some psychiatrist’s decades ago.
- Roger Brooks, an attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) who represents Tingley, said they plan to appeal the court’s latest ruling.
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Luke 21:12 “But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.
Important Takeaways:
- Pastors Face Up to 5 Years in Prison Under New Canadian Law Against Biblical Sexuality
- Bill C-4, which bans conversion therapy, is so broad that it defines biblical marriage and sexuality as a “myth” and can be used against pastors, parents, and counselors
- “This means as of January 8, 2022, it will be against the law to preach, teach, or counsel regarding God’s design for marriage and sexuality,”
- The controversial bill, which was passed without opposition from either party, threatens imprisonment of up to five years
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Luke 21:12 “But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.
Important Takeaways:
- 1,000-Plus UK Church Leaders Prepared for Imprisonment Over Controversial Issue
- According to Christian Concern, 1,400 pastors have signed a petition asking the government to strike down a proposal that would ban so-called conversion therapy.
- If passed, the measure could prevent ministers from helping those with unwanted same-sex attraction and could even prevent them from sharing the gospel.
- “Those who are campaigning for the law, their stated aim is that prayers or any kind of encouragement to do what we would say the Bible is teaching in terms of sexual ethics, should be prohibited,” said Rev. Graham Nicholls, director of Affinity, a coalition of U.K. churches
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