Church leaders tell PM continuing with conversion therapy ban is a ‘mistake’
from Christian Institute:
Church leaders have written to Boris Johnson to express “considerable concern” over the Government’s decision not to abandon its proposed conversion therapy ban.
Yesterday, a leaked document revealed that Downing Street planned to explore ‘non-legislative measures’ instead of a controversial legal ban.
The church ministers said this was “exactly the right approach”, but asked for “urgent clarification” after a backlash on Twitter prompted the Government to announce just a few hours later that it would still push ahead with legislation.
The ministers, including Revds Ray Brown, Matthew Roberts and Graham Nicholls, were among those who co-authored a letter signed by more than 2,500 others that was sent to the Minister for Women and Equalities in December, urging her not to include ordinary Christian preaching, prayer and pastoral care in a ban.
They told the Prime Minister the ban was unnecessary, pointing out that “coercive and abusive practices are already well covered in UK law”.
The church leaders also warned it would prevent “effective medical, psychological and pastoral care for many people who willingly seek it and for young people who particularly need it”.
See also:
Government says it will ban conversion therapy but not for transgender people, from Christian Today:
[…] Dr Mike Davidson, Chairman of the International Federation for Therapeutic and Counselling Choice, said the problem remained that the debate has been one-sided.
He said that the government should “speak directly” to groups that are opposed to the ban “with the intention of understanding our opposition, and listening to how therapeutic choice in this area might be regulated and understood as a different viewpoint”.
Dr Davidson said the lack of consideration for alternative viewpoints had been “damaging to scientific understanding of this area”.
“At the moment, the UK suffers from only one viewpoint being favoured and promoted by mental health professional bodies,” he said.
“Beginning with David Cameron, and certainly under Teresa May and continued by Boris Johnson, dissenting viewpoints have been rejected as unscientific without debate.
“The fact is, the scientific community is split. So when only one ideological viewpoint is promoted, and opposing ideological viewpoints are disallowed, there can be no checks and balances.”
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