Hypothetical: A teenager is raised as a born-again Christian. He has doubts about his faith and would like to see a counselor to help wean him off his religious beliefs. But there’s a problem. Three openly and unapologetic born-again Christians on the Anchorage Assembly passed an ordinance prohibiting any counselors from discouraging teenagers from leaving their Christian faith. If said counselors violated the law, they’d face a $500 fine and be liable for legal action.
Might that be a problem? Of course. Politicians should never use their power to force their own personal beliefs on minors. That’s a decision for parents alone.
But three openly gay Assembly members, Christopher Constant, Felix Rivera and Austin Quinn-Davidson are pushing a ban prohibiting counselors from helping teenagers with unwanted same-sex desires.
The ordinance describes this type of counseling as relying on “outdated views of gender roles and identities as well as the negative stereotype that being a sexual or gender minority or identifying as LGBTQ is an abnormal aspect of human development.”
The ordinance does not carve out an exemption for clergy meaning a pastor would be prohibited from helping a teenager in their congregation wanting help from unwanted same-sex attraction.
“The use of sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts, also known as ‘conversion therapy,’ is harmful and too often youth are subjected to it and have no say in the decision for its use” the ordinance reads in part.
The ordinance backers must believe one of two things; There’s no such thing as unwanted same-sex attraction or if there is, such a person should not be allowed to get the help they desire.
“The Anchorage Press published a three-part series on persons who are homosexual and the difficulties and impression they face growing up in Alaska, “reads the ordinance.
That’s right, ordinance sponsors are admitting the far-left publication, The Anchorage Press, is influencing public policy.
Eagle River Assembly member Jamie Allard opposes the ordinance.
“I cannot fathom my child being denied medical help. This goes beyond parental religious or LBGTQ rights. This speaks to the heart of our children looking for guidance from those they trust. If our children seek help for depression, suicide, or bullying, and the topic of sexual orientation comes up, the counseling must stop immediately. Why would we turn our backs on our children who are reaching out?” said Allard.
Allard says the Assembly is set to vote on the ordinance Tuesday night. She hopes members will at the very least delay the vote and first allow input from the public.
This type of legislation is typical of the Left. It’s similar to laws allowing children to get an abortion without their parent’s knowledge. It makes you wonder how far hard-core Leftists like Rivera, Constant, and Quinn-Davidson would go in stripping away parental rights if they knew they could get away with it politically.
It’s reasonable to wonder if Rivera, Constant, and Quinn-Davidson are pushing such radical legislation as an attempt to seek validation and approval for their own lifestyles. Everyone wants to be accepted and nobody likes to be judged or looked down upon. It’s the same idea behind the “Drag Queen Story Hour” held on occasion at the Loussac Library in Anchorage.
Homosexuality and gender confusion have become more accepted in recent years. But what Rivera, Constant, and Quinn-Davidson must understand is they have no right to demand others condone their lifestyle choices. Just as Christians shouldn’t demand those in the gay community accept their beliefs.
Truth is some will never condone homosexuality or transgenderism as a healthy lifestyle. This is especially true for Christians. The Bible, the foundation of the Christian faith, could not be any clearer about teaching homosexuality is sin. Just as scriptures are clear about adultery, lying, murder, envy, jealousy, and other destructive behaviors.
In a free society, Bible-believing Christians and those practicing homosexuality and transgenderism should be able to live at peace with each other. But that’s clearly not what Rivera, Constant, and Quinn-Davidson desire. As sponsors of this ordinance, they’re demanding Christians abandon their faith, values, and parental rights. It’s an obvious abuse of the power voters entrusted to them.
Dan Fagan hosts a radio show weekday mornings on Newsradio 650 KENI.
No one is born with religious beliefs, they are taught them by others. On the other hand, one’s serial orientation is not taught… one just KNOWS who they are attracted to and no amount of “counselling” or “conversion therapy” will change that. Attempts to force children to change their orientation cause great harm, and are utterly pointless. Do you think YOUR orientation can be changed by others?
By the way, there is no such thing as a “gay lifestyle”, it is a sexual orientation. Gays and lesbians do not all live their lives the same way, just the same as straight people. Some people are vegetarians, some people love the outdoors, some love to travel, etc… this is not a gay/straight thing.
Just because you choose to have a certain religious belief, it does not give you the right to impose it onto others; in the case of “conversion therapy”, harming them psychologically for the rest of their lives.
Dan apparently does not know there is no way for a person to “get rid of” their “unwanted same-sex attractions.” Gay conversion therapy was proven in court to be consumer fraud (JONAH case) which healed nobody, but harmed many. “Pay away the gay” therapies are quackery. And that is why they are banned in a growing number of states and countries. The World Health Organization called for a global ban on conversion therapy. Some people tried “Pray away the gay” religious efforts. The Christian ex-gay ministries proclaiming “change” since 1973 have all closed, from the US to Australia. Not one of their ex-gays “experienced a change of sexual orientation to heterosexual” admitted Alan Chambers, long-time leader of Exodus International, the only worldwide network of ex-gay ministries.
Nasty
Keep writing and talking about these issues Dan….you are claarly having an impact….how lasting and profound that impact will be depends many of us join the conversation…..the Left cannot win and it is just a matter of time before the majority wakes up and turns this ship around and heads in the proper direction again.
They can’t afford to lose recruits …. Molesting them into their indoctrination takes a lot of effort and yes GOD made it so they cant reproduce on purpose,,,
If you believe every LGBT person you meet was molested, then you should be the most compassionate and supportive person ever, out there at every PRIDE event and working for civil rights. After all, if rape is how one gets one’s homosexual orientation, then those people have suffered enough. Perhaps you’d rather take a fresh look at science; it has shown biology is the key to sexual orientation and it’s far more complex than one gene. Genes and epigenetics, along with a complex mix of hormones in the environment of the uterus determines sexual orientation, not choice and certainly not rape. Science shows homosexuality is found in over 1,600 species. Also, science is very close to allowing two people of the same sex to make babies. Google it.
PS Around a diverse group of places around the globe, men who believe rape changes sexual orientation have been raping lesbians with the idea that will make them want “the real thing.” It never does. It is just barbaric cruelty by people who never bothered to learn a thing about a minority community they found easier to hate than to understand.
What about Drag Queen story time?
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Conversion therapy by the same token?
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Is it getting the same political axe too?
Suzanne, I cross checked KTUU’s article regarding this proposed ordinance. The part in Dan’s article that I am challenging or am maybe just needing further clarification on is where it says “The ordinance does not carve out an exemption for clergy meaning a pastor would be prohibited from helping a teenager in their congregation wanting help from unwanted same-sex attraction.”
Yet KTUU’s article says the following:
“Rivera pointed out that there are exceptions and carve-outs in the ordinance. The restrictions only apply to medical professionals and not to religious institutions, nor does it impact therapy for adults.”
That is not mentioned in the actual working of the ordinance. It looks like the took the actual ordinance down. It was here yesterday:
https://www.muni.org/PublicNotice/Pages/NOTICE-OF-MUNICIPAL-ASSEMBLY-PUBLIC-HEARINGS-Ordinance-No.-AO-2020-65.aspx
I just heard from AQD and she says “And just to be clear, this ordinance isn’t about religion (we’re actually looking into an amendment that would specifically state that – still working on it).”
So the amendment may come back in another form.
Either way, it is not the role of government to establish what is and is nor acceptable lifestyles especially not without a vigorous public debate on the issue and the politicized science behind it. Rushing it through during an emergency order without public in-person debate is borderline criminal.
You can go and read the ordinance for yourself instead of taking anyone’s word for it. You can find it on the Muni.org website, or google AO 2020-65.
Misery loves company!
Religion is a tribal identity. Homosexuality/gay is a physical condition. It’s bad enough that some parents indoctrinate their children with superstitions about gay people. Allowing professionals to do the same under the guise of authority or therapy is just wrong. It’s the same old business: anti-jerks screaming for a license to abuse gay people.
“Conversion therapy” assumes that the therapy converts the child from his/her natural state. Surely a parent would be better suited to establish the child’s natural state – and thus if a parent seeks therapy for their child who expresses unnatural thoughts/actions we ought to just say therapy. And if we simply call it therapy then the Anchorage Assembly is dictating which medical/mental services are permitted in the Muni. Government has NO role here.
It’s all according to plan. The Homosexual Agenda. Get as many into politics as possible, rewrite discrimination laws, teach homosexuality to school age kids, and flood our society with …….. homosexuals.
Correction: For thousands of years LGBT people have been abused, beaten, imprisoned, tortured and killed so finally, they said enough and the only agenda is to be treated equally under the law as everyone else, and to be treated with basic human dignity. PS Learning LGBT exist does not magically change anyone into a homosexual. But, education is the best antidote to ancient prejudices, ignorance and lack of understanding.
How is forcing an ordinance forbidding counseling parents deem necessary fit with your comments. Fine, some people are homosexual and shouldn’t be treated poorly. But it’s not their business how a family handles the family’s private mental health based on another’s sexual preferences.
My comments are Censored here too. Shame.
You too can become a homosexual, Jerry. It’s progressive. It’s fashionable. It’s hip. It can be thrown into the breeder’s faces and into the church pew.
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