California Governor Jerry Brown signed a law banning change therapy—any practice that aims to reduce or eliminate same-sex attraction.
When he signed the bill on Saturday, the liberal governor said change therapy would “now be relegated to the dustbin of quackery.”
Really? Since when is helping a confused teenager under assault by powers of this dark world a dustbin of quackery?
I don’t believe kids are born gay. I don’t have all the answers, but I believe there’s a spirit of immorality involved at the root level. I believe it often enters in through some sort of abuse and the lies of the enemy that follow. I believe it involves emotional and spiritual brokenness. I believe deliverance is available to those oppressed by this spirit. And I believe sexual orientation change efforts can help set the captives free. That’s why the enemy saw to it that California, a state with a high gay population rate, bans such therapy.
By banning “sexual orientation change efforts,” California is essentially outlawing any counseling that does not affirm and encourage experimentation with or acceptance of same-sex attractions, regardless of whether those feelings and attractions are unwanted by the counselee, according to Liberty Counsel.
Indeed, the bill not only prohibits sexual orientation change counseling, but it makes it an ethical violation for any counselor or therapist to engage in it.
What’s next for California lawmakers? Banning the gospel—or any practice that aims to reduce or eliminate people going to hell? Will Brown relegate the good news of Christ to the dustbin of quackery, too? Will California outlaw any ministry that does not affirm or encourage experimentation with or acceptance of homosexuality? Will churches lose their tax-exempt status if they preach the gospel?
Don’t think it can’t happen. It’s illegal to carry a Bible in some countries. Missionaries are barred from evangelizing in some countries. It’s officially against the rules to pray in the public square in some countries. Many countries are closed the gospel altogether and if you preach you could end up in prison or heaven.
California leads the nation in many trends. After trampling parental rights with this new bill, could it be possible that California will be the first to outlaw the Bible, prayer, missionaries or even the gospel itself, too?
Jennifer LeClaire is news editor at Charisma. She is also the author of several books, including Did the Spirit of God Say That? You can email Jennifer at [email protected] or visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.
