We all want progress, but if you’re on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.
—C. S. Lewis—
Key point: Canada’s new law banning “conversion therapy” purports to prevent harm, but it actually is promoting harm to both individuals and society.
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On Sunday, January 16, 2022, a significant number of pastors in Canada and the United States preached on the important subject of biblical sexuality. Their united effort was coordinated and carried out in response to a law in Canada that took effect on January 7. “Bill C-4,” — and the law that resulted from it, are
aimed at preventing any form of conversion therapy by therapists or pastors or religious leaders of [or for] those who are not heterosexual but wish to change their sexual “orientation” to heterosexual. This would apply to…anyone from the LGBTQ community. It is now illegal in Canada to counsel anyone who wishes to “convert” to heterosexual.
Do not miss the irony here. The law prohibits counseling and therapy “by therapists or pastors or religious leaders of [or for] those who are not heterosexual but wish to change their sexual ‘orientation’ to heterosexual” (emphasis added). Thus, the law forbids even those who desire the help of a therapist, counselor, or religious leader to overcome unwanted same-sex attraction from getting that help. In a day when personal autonomy and tolerance are celebrated and promoted, the freedom to seek help to overcome homosexuality is outlawed!
In a day when personal autonomy and tolerance are celebrated and promoted, the freedom to seek help to overcome homosexuality is outlawed!
A Law Targeting Historical, Conventional, and Common-Sense Norms
Note carefully how, in the preamble to the new law, statements are framed so as to dismiss any dissent or debate from the start. The preamble reads as follows:
Whereas conversion therapy causes harm to the persons who are subjected to it;
Whereas conversion therapy causes harm to society because, among other things, it is based on and propagates myths and stereotypes about sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, including the myth that heterosexuality, cisgender gender identity, and gender expression that conforms to the sex assigned to a person at birth are to be preferred over other sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions;
And whereas, in light of those harms, it is important to discourage and denounce the provision of conversion therapy in order to protect the human dignity and equality of all Canadians;
Now, therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows…
Further, note how, in the preamble, nature’s clear indications that
-
-
- heterosexuality is normal and that
- biology determines a person’s sex even before birth
-
are refuted outright. These historical and conventional ideas are castigated as “myths and stereotypes.” C-4 assumes that heterosexuality is not to be preferred; nor is living out one’s life as a male or female according to his or her biological sex. Embracing historical and conventional norms with regard to sexuality and sexual practice, the law essentially contends, “causes harm” to both people and society. My question is, How can rational people trash the very approach that resulted in their arrival on planet earth in the first place?
How can rational people trash the very approach that resulted in their arrival on planet earth in the first place?
The law specifically targets so-called “conversion therapy,” a term homosexual activists have used to malign all therapy and counseling — even talk therapy — designed to help those with unwanted same-sex attraction accomplish what they themselves desire.
Understand this: Effective counseling never coerces a client, but when a client and his or her therapist work together to pursue agreed-upon goals, the client’s overcoming same-sex attraction may be one of them. However, effective therapy does not guide the client to work toward this goal directly, but indirectly — by helping him or her address underlying emotional wounds, thereby facilitating healing. When emotional and relational wounds that were inflicted in the past are properly addressed and healing takes place, often same-sex attraction recedes and feelings that align with heterosexuality increase.
Of course, there are no guarantees, with one exception. God promises to help and reward those who sincerely seek Him and endeavor to honor Him. This does not necessarily mean every goal will be realized; but for the Christian, the most important one already has been. This goal was accomplished by God alone, but you become its beneficiary when you cooperated with Him and placed your trust in Him. Consider, for example, Ephesians 2:8-10, where the apostle Paul wrote
2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Remember that becoming a Christian isn’t an end, but a new beginning, a great adventure of cooperating with God on an ongoing basis. As you do, the world cannot help but notice.
None of this changes the fact that focusing on old wounds in order to appropriately address them is likely to be both unpleasant and difficult. Yet when healing occurs, the process bears priceless fruit.
Why Do People Feel Threatened?
So, why would those who say they believe in individual freedom, the freedom to “be who you are,” be threatened by others who might say, Even though I’m experiencing same-sex attraction, I don’t believe I’m a homosexual at all, but a heterosexual who, for whatever reason, has gotten off track; and I want to find my way to heterosexuality with the help of a professional counselor? Or perhaps the person wouldn’t be that precise; still, he or she might say, I don’t want to be homosexual. If a counselor can help me, I’d like to go to one.
Whatever a person wanting to go to a counselor or therapist might say or believe, it is very telling that those who preach tolerance the loudest want to make this kind of freedom illegal.
Next time, we’ll explore this aspect of the matter. I’ll release part 2 in just a few days.
Copyright © 2022 by B. Nathaniel Sullivan. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture has been taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
top image credit: Photo by Joy Real on Unsplash
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