Chilling proposals for Scottish conversion therapies ban

Church leaders could lose their jobs and face re-education and criminal sanctions if far-reaching proposals for a conversion practices ban are adopted by the Scottish Government. Parents found to have engaged in conversion practices could have their rights over their children restricted or removed completely.

A report, published by an ‘expert’ advisory group on ending conversion practices, goes so far as to malign the traditional teaching of ‘the importance of marriage’ as a tool for LGBT suppression. Its proposals, for both criminal and civil sanctions, are trans-inclusive and embedded in gender ideology and have been criticised as ‘entirely divorced from reality’.

Publicly-available minutes of the group’s meetings reveal that its members decided early on to model its proposals on the draconian ban on conversion therapies already in place in Victoria, Australia. The penalty is up to ten years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of £100,000.

The report states that the proposed ban will not unlawfully restrict existing freedoms of speech, religion and belief. Yet ministers and church leaders who breach the rules could face ‘re-education’ and organisations could lose any preferential tax status and public subsidies. The recommended definitions for conversion practices includes ‘all acts and practices that seek to change, suppress, or inhibit someone’s sexual orientation, expression of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression’ – with no exceptions.

The proposals for criminalisation of conversion practices are wide-ranging and includes all those ‘offering, promoting, advertising or referring a person for the purpose of conversion practices’. There would be no exemptions for consent; and an offence could take  place even where there is no intent to cause harm.

Simon Calvert, spokesperson for Christian Institute campaign, Let Us Pray, said the recommendations are ‘entirely divorced from reality. The members of the advisory group include representatives and supporters of Stonewall Scotland, conversion therapy ‘survivors’ and a specialist in gender dysphoria - but no member of any mainstream religious group. Calvert said the group refused attempts by the Let Us Pray campaign to engage constructively with the process.

He said the report ‘demands a law that could criminalise traditional churches and gender critical feminists alike – simply because their conversations around sex and gender do not conform to a narrow brand of LGBT politics’.

Calvert added: ‘We all agree with protecting people from harm. But this report specifically advocates a new criminal offence that does not require any proof of harm or even any intention to cause harm. So the new offence will be a pure speech crime.’

Greater Love Declaration

Meanwhile, a new initiative, The Greater Love Declaration upholding and promoting traditional Christian teaching on sex, marriage and identity, attracted more than 3000 Christians signatories in the three weeks since its launch.

The Declaration was created by the authors of last year’s protest letter on banning conversion therapy which garnered significant support from Christians. It was formally launched in October and the authors said it will help Christian ministers and pastoral workers fight attempts to outlaw conversion therapy in all forms, including in the course of pastoral care and ministry.

In November, it was announced that the proposed ban had been postponed, despite aggressive and sustained campaigning by LGBT activists to introduce it urgently.

The eight-point Declaration is intended for Christian ministers and pastoral workers to sign; and states the Bible’s teaching is that ‘love’ is to be modelled on Christ’s example of laying down one’s life for others, rather than seeking self-satisfaction or self-fulfilment.

The Declaration acknowledges that the cost to signatories of committing to it may be high.

The Revd Dr Matthew Roberts, minister of Trinity Church York, and a co-author of the Declaration, said: ‘Christianity has always held that marriage is only possible between a man and a woman, and that every person is made either male or female in God’s image. This is not only embedded in the gospel of Christ – who came from heaven to seek His bride, the church – but it is a powerful force for good in lives and societies where marriage is honoured. These are vital truths which church leaders must stand up for publicly if we are truly to love God and neighbour as Jesus commanded us.’

He added: ‘There’s an awful lot of talk about love today. But really what that means is something more like self-satisfaction or self-fulfilment. But, as Jesus explained in John 15:13, ‘greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends’.

Dr Julie Maxwell, a co-author, and a community paediatrician, said: ‘Children and young people are growing up in a highly individualistic society where absolute truth is no longer taught, and judgments on morality are discouraged – consent seems to be the only limit.

‘It has therefore never been more crucial that we teach them clearly about who we are, and how we are designed to live with respect to relationships and sexuality.

Dr Maxwell, who is also a member of the General Synod of the Church of England, added: ‘To not teach these truths is to leave children and young people vulnerable to those physical and emotional harms which result from the experimentation with sexuality and gender identity that is encouraged by our society.’

The Declaration can be read and signed here: www.greaterlove.org.uk/declaration/