Recently, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law SB1172, a law banning “nonscientific therapies” regarding homosexuality. Consequently, many have called and written His Way Out Ministries to inquire how the new law impacts His Way Out Ministries.
Beginning in 2013, anyone under the age of eighteen in the state of California whose personal, family, or religious values are at odds with their homosexual feelings will be forbidden to seek help from a mental health practitioner unless the clinician tells them to accept their homosexual feelings and identify themselves as gay. To do otherwise, says the law, would be harmful and potentially lead youth into depression and self-harm.
It is hard to fathom how Governor Brown and the California Assembly can justify their acceptance of homosexual youth taking part in high-risk sexual behaviors that often lead to HIV, but find it harmful that young people who do not wish to embrace a gay life explore their heterosexual potential through counseling.
While I personally deplore any and all forms of gay bashing and other hate crimes against homosexuals, the extreme medical risks and the fundamental psychological problems often associated with homosexual practice, cannot be undermined or dismissed.
Today, in America, very little is being offered which promotes the truth about homosexuality and the general public is slowly but certainly beginning to believe the many untruths with regard to the topic of homosexuality. This did not happen by accident.
In December 1973, by a narrow vote, homosexuality was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM) by the American Psychiatric Association. The vote was not based upon scientific research but on political pressure from homosexual activists. So much for an individuals right of self-determination to address their unwanted homosexual feelings and behavior. In a nutshell, the problem is the politicization of psychiatry, psychology, and most definitely, the Bible, to the extent that the freedom to investigate and treat homosexuality has been and continues to be under serious attack.
During my 17 years as gay, I personally witnessed far too many lives devastated and some taking their own lives over the celebration of gay. In each and every case the ruin and carnage was not brought about by the individual trying to resolve their same-gender attraction.
Personally, I do support the rights of gays and lesbians to live their lives according to their own values. But to ban a person’s right of self-determination to pursue sexuality within their own values, especially in adolescence, which is a critical time of sexual development, is truly dangerous and harmful. Tragically, the truth that is being suppressed is that some people can and do change their homosexual attractions.
Ultimately, the SB1172 law does not impact His Way Out Ministries in any way since our discipleship method and ministry position rests on the Authority of Scripture versus the interpretations of some of the social sciences. His Way Out Ministries is a Christian ministry rather than a clinically-based organization which utilizes various therapies to help those with unwanted same-gender attraction.
To those that have contacted His Way Out Ministries, we remain grateful for your concern given our focus of ministry. We are here and remain dedicated to effectively and compassionately communicating God’s heart concerning sexual brokenness and wholeness, while disputing the unchangeable nature of sexual orientation.
Pastor Phillip Lee
Executive Director
His Way Out Ministries