Victoria Tells Those Seeking Help: “Let Them Rot!”
A deplorable new bill put forward by the Andrews’ government will result in stiff fines and jail time for Christians:
The hardcore socialist and secularist state of Victoria is at it again in its ongoing war against faith, family and freedom. The hatred the Premier has for conservatives and Christians knows no bounds. Consider his latest act of pure tyranny. In a November 25 media release Daniel Andrews said in part:
Cruel and bigoted practices that seek to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity will soon be stamped out across Victoria, thanks to new laws introduced to Parliament today. The Change or Suppression (Conversion) Practices Prohibition Bill 2020 will put in place new measures to protect Victorians from the serious damage and trauma caused by conversion practices. The Bill denounces such practices as deceptive and harmful, reinforces that the ideology behind these practices is flawed and wrong….
The Bill also puts in place strong criminal sanctions for people who subject others to change or suppression practices that cause injury or serious injury — with up to ten years’ jail for the latter. Those who try to get around the new laws by subjecting people to change or suppression practices which cause injury outside of Victoria could face a jail term of up to two years, while advertising these practices will incur a criminal sanction and a maximum fine of close to $10,000. https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/banning-cruel-conversion-practices-good
The 45-page bill makes for very scary reading. You can read the actual bill yourself:
www.legislation.vic.gov.au/bills/change-or-suppression-conversion-practices-prohibition-bill-2020
Let me offer some commentary on it. First it must be said that the very phrase being used all the time by these guys – “conversion therapy” – is their phrase and not ours. It is a pejorative term, one that prejudges the debate and demonises those who offer real help and hope. So we reject that term at the outset.
And by way of further background on all this, I have already penned a number of articles demonstrating how wretched these bits of legislation really are. For plenty of detail and documentation, see these pieces for example:
https://billmuehlenberg.com/2019/11/23/banning-conversion-therapy-and-the-war-on-choice/
https://billmuehlenberg.com/2019/11/29/on-conversion-therapy-and-rainbow-big-brother/
https://billmuehlenberg.com/2018/12/11/the-war-against-conversion-therapy/
https://billmuehlenberg.com/2018/04/15/rainbow-bullies-denying-help-to-those-who-seek-it/
https://billmuehlenberg.com/2016/01/25/our-victorian-gaystapo/
Of interest, that last piece was mentioned in an 82-page report put out by various government and homosexual groups. I and a few others, such as Lyle Shelton, were singled out as real evil dudes because we dared to question where all this was going. You can see it here on page 18: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/580025f66b8f5b2dabbe4291/t/5bd78764eef1a1ba57990efe/1540851637658/LGBT+conversion+therapy+in+Australia+v2.pdf
The madness of all this is fully clear. Trans folks can tell us they do not like their sex and can try to change any time they want, all with plenty of help and finance from the state. But if someone is unhappy with his same-sex attraction, it is verboten for him to even think about change!
As I said in the second article linked to above: So let me see if I got this straight:
-A person unhappy with his same-sex attractions CANNOT get the help he is desperately seeking, and CANNOT choose that path.
-A person unhappy with his actual sex and wants to ‘convert’ has the full blessing of this government to make such choices.
And related to this: my wife asked me when I told her of the introduction of the bill this week: ‘Will those unhappy with their opposite-sex attraction be denied getting any help and counsel as well?’ Yes quite right. This is all just one-way traffic of course. It is about preventing anyone from daring to even question the homosexual agenda.
Indeed, the endgame of all this is to fully silence, once and for all, any and all criticism of the radical homosexual lifestyle and narrative. And as the militants know full well, at the very heart of this opposition to the anarchist sexual agenda is the Christian church.
So that is the true target here. Any pastor or church counsellor who dares to offer help and hope and prayer for those desperately seeking such help will be punished – and punished severely, with massive fines and years in jail. Likely Christian bookstores featuring books offering help will also be targeted. This has always been the final goal of the activists: the complete destruction of the Christian faith.
Sure, lefty trendy “Christians” who are so hip and cool and love the homosexual agenda will NOT be in the radicals’ sights. But all true Bible-believing Christians will be in the crosshairs. And of course some of us warned about this very thing for decades now. But our warnings fell on deaf ears.
True Christians must bear in mind just how insidious and diabolical this bill really is. Given that Christians do believe that there is such a thing as sin, then for those coming to a Christian counsellor to deal with their unwanted sexual attractions, the sin issue will likely arise.
And folks will always struggle when confronted with their sin. So when they are told that somewhere along the line repentance and turning from sin is part of the equation for full and lasting healing, that may well bother some folks. But notice the wording found in this bill: it is all about preventing people from being ‘harmed’ and ‘hurt’ by such therapy or counsel.
In fact, simply sharing the Christian gospel will always offend some folks, hurt some folks, anger some folks, and upset some folks. Soon enough simply quoting the Bible or preaching the gospel will see Christians dragged off to our secular Christophobic courts.
Thankfully some others are aware of how dangerous and damning this bill is. Some good commentary already exists on this despicable bill. Let me offer a few snippets from them. Vickie Janson for example has some good insights in her new piece:
Just this week the same sort of ban in three US states was struck down by the federal appellate court which concluded that such laws violate the free speech guarantees of the US Constitution. But for those with unwanted sexual feelings or confusion causing them anxiety and depression, banning therapies that support and help them in their life journey is more than just a free speech violation.
It violates the very principle of ‘do no harm’ we expect governments and clinicians to uphold. It violates the notion that people can change. It coerces public acceptance of sexual fluidity, but only and eternally fixed in one direction- away from heterosexuality and acceptance of the sex-chromosomes they were born with.
Under these types of bills, conversion therapy is defined as a ‘treatment or other practice that attempts to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.’
When we hear ‘conversion therapy’ it usually conjures up images of medieval torture but that’s not even happening in Australia. Professor Patrick Parkinson, University of Queensland, has confirmed that in Victoria there is no such ‘conversion therapy’ harm to address, and that such therapies have been banned or dis-endorsed and out of practice for over 35 years! Furthermore, the government has produced no actual evidence to the contrary.
She concludes:
The harm argument supporting a ban is no argument at all. This bill would do harm to fundamental freedoms, to adults with unwanted sexual attraction, to those with complex underlying mental health issues, and to community relationships between parents and teachers, between governments and health professionals. But most importantly it will set vulnerable kids on a harmful pathway of treatment that retards their ability to think straight, make decisions and navigate life ultimately ending in castrations, mastectomies and a whole host of other health issues. https://vickiejanson.com.au/blogs/news/conversion-therapy-don-t-give-me-the-harm-argument
And Mark Powell looks at ten problems with the bill, and concludes with these words: “All this is quite frankly, unbelievable. And incredibly, the mainstream media have been deathly quiet regarding it. Such is the power of the LGBTIQ juggernaut. They have become he/she/it who must be obeyed. Otherwise, it’s off to the gulags.” https://spectator.com.au/2020/11/prayer-illegal-in-australia/
Also worth reading is this piece: https://caldronpool.com/new-legislation-could-see-christians-in-victoria-jailed-for-10-years-for-attempting-to-convert-people/
This is a dastardly and ultimately demonic bill that must be fully resisted. All concerned citizens should tell others about this, and they should contact their Victorian MPs and express their extreme disgust with it, and urge them to vote against this bill. A full list can be found here: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/about/people-in-parliament/members-search/list-all-members
And all Christians should certainly be praying fervently against this truly evil bill.
[1360 words]
Thanks for the article, Bill.
Where to go from here?
In effect they are saying to people like James Parker and Rosaria Butterfield that their experience, of conversion from homosexuality to a heterosexual lifestyle is inauthentic, and no one must ever let that happen again.
Brutal, and Energised by hatred.
Lord have mercy on our nation.
Hi Bill
Once again my wife and I are so thankfull to God for your well researched articles that expose the corruption of Victoria’s worst Dictatorial Premier, that is under the control of the evil one.
At times my wife despairs at the falling away that is occurring in the West but I reassure her that God is doing amazing things through out the world, particularly in Third World Countries.
I myself take great comfort in the following verse from Psalm 2 v 4.
“The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them”.
Take care Bill and we pray that God blesses you and your loved ones mightily over this Christmas period as we celebrate the birth of our saviour, Jesus Christ.
Terry Hill, New Gisborne
Hey Bill , sent a email to local minister asking for a meeting to discuss this. I really feel that I need to talk to someone face to face about this. Praying that they accept.
Done, wrote this to my local member this morning, cc’ing my Region’s MLCs, the A-G, Shadow A-G and the Minister for ‘Equality’. Let’s flood them with ‘love mail’!
I am writing to express my grave concern with a bill introduced to the Victorian Parliament yesterday – the Change or Suppression (Conversion) Practices Prohibition Bill 2020. I deplore coercive and abusive ‘conversion practices’, but the government has provided no evidence in support of its assertion that such practices are still occurring in the state today. As a Christian father, I am concerned that this bill would stifle the ability of people like me to have faith-informed conversations about sexuality with my children, and in my community.
Fresh from overseeing the greatest failure of public administration in Australia’s history, the Victorian ALP Government has (finally) returned to Parliament to introduce a shocking Christmas present to the state’s faith communities. Having not been the subject of any genuine consultation with people of faith, the bill represents the most aggressive and brazen attack on religious freedom in Australia’s history.
The very notion that people are broken – in a myriad of different ways (not just sexually) – is at the heart of the Christian gospel. The possibility for change is not just central to Christianity, but is prevalent in most contemporary worldviews. Indeed, at the heart of every worldview are answers to significant questions that people – of all faiths and of none – hold, often subconsciously: “what is wrong with the world?” and “how can it be fixed?”
Furthermore, the very fact that you sit in parliament suggests that you believe there are things that are wrong with the world that must be put to rights. That is the same of Christianity, so to outright ban the many benign practices covered by this flawed bill that might happen to ‘change’ somebody is to deny a fundamental human belief about how the world could and should work. It would unfairly play favourites by criminalising the possibility of change in one direction while applauding it in the other.
I would strongly advise that you reject this draconian and unnecessary legislation. The Christian church has no interest in targeting the welfare of LGBTQI Victorians, and nor should the government have an interest in criminalising the genuinely-held and expressed ethic of hundreds of thousands of Victorians of faith who wish to lead peaceful and law-abiding lives without government overreach and coercion. In the name of addressing a perceived injustice, this bill would unconscionably bully and coerce into silence people of faith who might happen to share their faith-informed views on sexuality with others.
I would ask that the government properly consult with faith communities and change course with its proposed legislative agenda. I also request that you ensure my views, and those of the many people in your electorate expressing similar concerns, would be communicated in the ALP party room.
Many thanks indeed guys for writing in. Keep writing, keep praying, and keep alerting others to this nefarious bill.
More than ever, we need St Athanasius’s attitude of contra mundum.
But how many professing Christians are that dedicated?
The 82-page report mentioned in the article above appears (at first glance) to:
– skirt around the existence of the Roman Catholic Church (which is often the prime target with ‘morality’ issues)
– appears to object to Christian churches encouraging the same-sex attracted to live celibate lifestyles
– apparently trivialises the reality of countless many former homosexual lifestylers.
– totally disregards the need for therapy to deal with underlying issues that may have co-morbid with or presenting as homosexual practice in a significant number of cases.
If the below article is correct, it would appear that this proposed bill is very wide ranging:
https://caldronpool.com/ten-problems-with-victorias-conversion-therapy-bill/
Apparently even mentioning a ministry (such as the Roman Catholic based Courage International) that encourages the same-sex attracted to live celibate lives (as Christianity does with everybody else who are not ‘husband and wife’), would get people into legal trouble.
The proposed bill would appear to be to a serious attempt to legally ban the Christian articulation of traditional Christian teachings on sexuality (or in this case homosexual practice).
Yes quite right Mary.
Its really an admission on the part of the homosexual et al lobby that people are often very unhappy in these lifestyles., and that they do seek help and escape. otherwise, why would they try so hard to suppress alternative voices?? They would rather people commit suicide than be healed. And they know that Christianity provides the only real freedom. They wont go after muslims, I can guarantee you that. No freedom there! There is one thing they can be absolutely sure of-tthe gospel of freedom will NOT be suppressed-EVER!! ‘God sits at the circle of the earth and laughs’… at them!
Thanks for this article, Bill. In the “gay law reform” days, we were told that “what consenting adults do in private is none of the government’s business”.
Therefore, what patient and counsellor talk about in private is none of Mr Andrews’ business!
Ben Williams… very well said. Would you mind if I copied your letter to send to Victoria parliament?
A good article here at https://mercatornet.com/victorias-conversion-therapy-bill-is-a-violation-of-human-rights/68587/
This action, once again, proves how insane the Labor government is and how little regard they have for basic human rights and the actual science that shows that sexuality, especially in children, is fluid and that there are physiological and psychological issues related to both homosexuality and transgenderism and that the causes are overwhelmingly sociological.
Both of these conditions are often shown to be associated with abuse, often sexual, at a young age and this seems to be what the Labor government is attempting to hide from people i.e. the evidence of what actually causes homosexuality and transgenderism.
While they and the public media attempt to make a huge issue when apparent conservatives are supposed to be involved in child abuse, to the extent of accusing and attacking innocent people, they completely ignore the fact the the vast majority of these cases are not like that and that divergent sexual conditions actually do have sociological causes the consequences of which, of course, can be ameliorated through therapy.
This proposed law is a very obvious attack on very basic, fundamental human rights and will, if introduced, have an obviously detrimental effect on our entire society but especially on those in greatest need.
So let’s see if I have this right:
Apart from the onerous and dictatorial attempt to make something ‘illegal’ that for all effective intents and purposes:
The extreme examples haven’t happened in decades,
was over 99.9% voluntary (and is certainly offered that way now),
that over 99.9% never did real harm (despite the claims of activists who regularly use a double standard for that term),
that was used more in secular contexts anyway –
they advocate for ‘transitioning’ practices that are Frankensteinian in their ‘science’,
feed children claims about sexual identity that are as about as truthful as claiming doctors can turn you into a cat or giraffe,
are effectively responsible for the real surgical mutilation of healthy bodies and chemical harm that is proportionally exploding amongst children (especially girls) that can render them sterile for life,
and thus deeply hypocritical about cruelty and inhumane practices,
they simultaneously make it legal to destroy the unborn for all nine months of pregnancy –
they then seek to attack and unjustly punish those who offer life eternal and peace through Christ for people made male or female in the image of God to walk in the light of truth, whilst they in turn offer some swiss-cheese level legal justifications of various distorted caricatures of meaningless purpose for empty and chemically assisted sexual practices that diminish pleasure and full function of the human body that are really only ugly bags of mostly water plus a few random molecules that will have no meaning after death.
One struggles to imagine how more upside-down all this could be. I feel almost sorry for those who believe this tangled mess of self-contradictions, hollow rationales, abuses of power and threats to simple freedoms of others for simply existing in order to live in direct opposition to basic common sense, as if any of this will solve their problems. But then, Jesus did say: “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.” (John 3:19-20)
I will happily stand up for the Imago Dei model of male and female as the shining light of truth of sexual identity against the ever-increasing darkness of this world because I 100% know that history, science and the holy judgment seat of God will render it so. The extremists might have their day… but then they won’t, and they will never get it back; everything they thought they had will be dust. In contrast, I will have eternity in light and freedom. Those who set themselves against the Creator – especially in this realm, knowing nothing of how to build sexual reproductive function unlike He can – cannot succeed, they can sadly only destroy themselves.
I would add that I find the overall paradigm of the secularists personally baffling as it effectively claims people such as myself cannot exist – that living celibate from sex for decades is a very real option and indeed, delayed gratification is a healthy practice to follow in life. For some reason people will readily celebrate Olympic gold medallists and competition champions in professional team sports – some of whom would’ve made hard commitments to sacrifices and ongoing training – but try to dissuade others from making similar choices about things that matter a great deal more. The cheering from a Grand Final win fades and many Olympic venues turn to dust, but a life standing on God’s disciplines that bring life, peace and freedom is worth much more! The idea this kind of thing is ‘harmful’ is not just laughably false, it is offensive. But unlike when they take offence, I can walk away from that toxicity without feeling the need to leverage the arm of government to bully and coerce others who would generally leave me alone, even when I know I have the truth.
Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,
“Let us break their chains
and throw off their shackles.”
The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
He rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
“I have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.” (Ps 2:1-6)
“The Bill also puts in place strong criminal sanctions for people who subject others to change or suppression practices that cause injury or serious injury”
It would be great to mount legal action against the Government & LGBT because they are those “who subject others to change or suppression practices that cause injury or serious injury” and “harm & trauma” occurs directed at Christians, as per the Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commissioner!
The Commissioner stated:
“This Bill makes clear that a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity is not a disorder, disease, illness or shortcoming. It affirms to all LGBTQ Victorians that they are not broken and do not need fixing – directly countering the harmful messages that sit at the core of LGBTQ change and suppression practices,” said Commissioner Hilton.”
From her statement the Commissioner is GUILTY of “suppression practices” – surely some legal action could be taken to catch them in their own trap???
Also, if the Bill is passed, the Government & the LGBTQ become guilty of “suppression practices”
Many thanks guys. See my latest piece on this: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2020/11/28/you-are-forbidden-from-getting-help/
And I have been writing on bans on “conversion therapy” since at least 2013. So many places are now seeking to legalise this, that I have had to start a new section on this (under my “Law and Legal Issues” category). It has 23 articles, with more to come: https://billmuehlenberg.com/category/law-and-legal-issues/conversion-therapy/