An interesting line in the article states:<\/p>\n
Lieu (the bill’s author Sen. Ted Lieu)\u00a0says he addressed free speech issues in SB1172 by excluding clergy and other people who are not medical professionals from the legislation.<\/strong><\/p>\n Wait a minute–if the therapy is harmful, why are you allowing it to be continued by non-medical people? Is it because the gay community has much more power within the medical community than in the religious community?<\/p>\n The article points out:<\/p>\n Conversion therapy penetrated the national consciousness last year when former Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann was questioned over whether her husband’s Christian counseling<\/a> business provided services that attempted to change gays and lesbians.<\/strong><\/p>\n Interest in the religion-based therapy appears to have surged in recent years, sparking debates about whether sexual orientation is an immutable characteristic.<\/strong><\/p>\n Exodus International<\/a>, the world’s largest Christian referral network dealing with homosexuality, now steers people to 260 groups across the country, up from about 100 a decade ago. The organization has 35 ministries and churches scattered around California, from the Central Valley to the U.S.-Mexico border.<\/strong><\/p>\n Conservative religious leaders say it is important for families to have access to services as teens first awaken to their sexual orientation.<\/strong><\/p>\n “When I was struggling with those things in the early `80s, the church didn’t seem like it had a place for me,” said Alan Chambers<\/a>, president of Exodus International.<\/strong><\/p>\n I have no idea what determines anyone’s sexual orientation, nor do I care. I do think that a person who is not happy being homosexual ought to have the right to seek whatever treatment he chooses. This law is another example of government growth and interference.\u00a0 Imagine the cost of enforcing it. Will we have black-market therapy groups? This is a bad bill that needs to be voted down–not passed.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The majority of the American population is heterosexual. That does not give anyone the right to discriminate against someone who is homosexual, bisexual, or any other kind of sexual. The fact that the majority of Americans is heterosexual is simply … Continue reading ![\"Enhanced](\"http:\/\/img.zemanta.com\/zemified_e.png?x-id=71cd32cc-a621-44c4-ad6f-1206ab64d7ae\")
<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"