California’s new “change therapy” law bans any counseling to help people overcome same-sex attraction!

The ban is an overreaching government intrusion into the personal decisions of parents and their children in obtaining meaningful counseling. The one-sided law mandates that counselors present just one view – that “same-sex attractions are normal and desirable.”  The new law puts Christian counselors in jeopardy of losing their licenses to practice!
 

The Liberty Counsel* has filed  an emergency lawsuit in federal court seeking to block the implementation of the law. Because California is influential in legal matters, the outcome will ultimately affect every state in the Union. The law assumes that the state knows what’s best for children regarding sensitive counseling concerning same-sex attractions.


Under all counseling licensing codes, clients have the right to “self-determination.” A Christian has the right to seek Christian counseling and has the right to prioritize Christian and moral values on sexuality over unwanted same-sex attractions.
 

But under California’s SB 1172, counselors will be forced to disregard their clients’ religious beliefs…or change them. If counselors obey the law, they will violate existing ethical codes because they will be forced to overrule their clients’ right to self-determination.  If counselors provide counsel or referral to clients seeking to eliminate or manage same-sex sexual attractions, they will violate the new law.
 

Christian counselors will lose their licenses no matter what they do!

 

Even worse, the lives of many young people and their families will be adversely impacted under this law. California is demanding that counselors disregard their client’s religious or moral beliefs – or change them! Minor clients will suffer irreparable harm, because they will no longer be able to receive the kind of counseling they have chosen, even though they are greatly benefiting from it.

 

Imagine a young boy sexually molested by the likes of a Jerry Sandusky. Suppose he develops low self-esteem and gender confusion because of this horrible trauma. He begins to experience same-sex attractions but does not want to act on them and does not want to identity as being a homosexual.

The parents of this boy are Christian and believe homosexuality is wrong and harmful. Under SB 1172, the only counseling they will be able to secure for their confused son will only confuse him more!

SB 1172 will force counselors to tell this young boy he should not worry about his confused feelings because same-sex attractions are good and normal. “Don’t worry about these same-sex attractions. Instead, you need to modify your religious and moral beliefs!”

I know this is political hot-button that most people don't want to face. Sadly, the church has either taken the stance that men and women struggling with any form of attraction to the same gender are an abomination OR the church embraces the open lifestyles of anyone. Trust me, I have seen this from personal experiences. There is one other response by the church: Ignore it.

I have seen the church completely ignore this issue in society by assuming that no one in its church is struggling with any of these areas. If he/she were dealing with the issue, the  person would NEVER admit it for fear of being ostracized. Clearly, the church should have done a much better job in addressing this social issue, just as it should help people dealing with ANY sin.

 

Yes, it is a sin. It's a sin because it is not according to God's best. Like it or not, sexual immorality (sex outside of marriage IS a sin). Why do suppose that there is such a major push for same-sex marriages? If a person is married, then it is not a sin, right?

 

Although this "sin" may have different consequences, it is a sin just like lying, stealing, murder and anger. I know that will get a lot of negative responses by both the religious-right and the far-left.  Obviously, murder has a great consequence than lying. Likewise, some sexual sins have great consequence than others, but in God's eyes He sees ALL sin as causing men and women to fall short of His glory. That is the reason that He gave of himself in Jesus to die in place of our sins.

 

When we become a Christian, we may still struggle with certain sins. Refusing to act out in a particular sin does not save us, any more than acting out in a particular way damns us; however, when we trust Jesus as our Savior, we then strive to die to our old nature. We die to all things selfish.

 

In the case of some sexual sins, people who want to live an unholy, ungodly argue that their actions are NOT sinful. If an action is not a sin, then there is no need for a Savior to die for our sins. If Christian counselors are NOT allowed to address sin and SIN, then salvation and personal accountability are not necessary.

 

Suppose we say that stealing is not socially unacceptable? What if a person were born with a propensity to steal, would we say that person should not learn to restrain his lifestyle? I know it seems far-fetched...NOW. What about twenty years from now? Suppose that someone says, he wants to live his life freely with a 14 year old boy? What moral standard would  say that he cannot?

 

Societal mores may change, but Biblical truth does not. I know, I know...there will be the arguments about stoning people in the Old Testament. I don't have time to argue about all of that right now, but I could. I have LOTS of information that could put that argument to rest. Right now, I am just talking about Biblically-based counselling.

 

Also, I am NOT  speaking as right-wing conservative who has no idea what he is talking about on this social/moral/religious issue. I understand what it's like to struggle with an attraction to the same gender. I understand what it means to have been sexually abused and confused over sexual issues. I understand what it means to have a passion for Jesus and still struggle with sins of the flesh.

 

Wouldn't it be much easier to say something is NOT wrong than it would be help someone overcome a wrong: whether it is a wrong they have done or a wrong done to them? That is the direction that this is going: better to say that right is wrong and wrong is right, than to align ourselves with a standard that is unchanging.

 

Right now, the focus is on what Christian counselors may do. Reparative therapy has already received negative press, but that is another issue for another time. What we are addressing now, is the argument over whether Christian principles can be applied in therapeutic setting.

Liberty Counsel’s Open Letter of Support declaring a lawsuit for the rights of parents, minors, and counselors will be sent the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) and the American Association for Christian Counselors.
 

Your endorsement will help STOP the implementation of California’s unconstitutional law – and declares that you are united with Liberty Counsel in our landmark lawsuit to stop this bill dead in its tracks. Click here to sign the open letter:

www.libertyaction.org/368/petition.asp


This litigation effort needs total support from you, every other Liberty Counsel friend, and as many other concerned Americans as possible.  Although this case is situated in California, if the “change therapy ban” stands there, it will soon be knocking on the doors of every other state in America.

www.libertyaction.org/368/petition.asp

*Liberty Counsel, with offices in Florida, Virginia and Washington, D.C., is a nonprofit litigation, education and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life and family.  Liberty Counsel . PO Box 540774 . Orlando, FL 32854 .800-671-1776