Conversion Therapy
Summer 2022
“Such were some of you: but ye are washed…in the name of the Lord Jesus…” (1 Corinthians 6:11).
Our world is reeling under the weight of sin as every form of sinful activity is taking its toll on people from every walk of life. The biblical definition of good is what humanity calls bad and vice versa. Tragically, our leaders are rejecting every vestige of God and His Word.
On January 7, 2022, Bill C-4 Banning Conversion Therapy passed into Canadian law, having been pushed through the Canadian parliament and senate with Royal Assent and no debate. The passing of this legislation makes it a criminal offense to ask another person to undergo “conversion therapy”, which includes promoting, advertising, or receiving financial or other material benefit from the provision of conversion therapy.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted, “It's official: Our government's legislation banning the despicable and degrading practice of conversion therapy has received Royal Assent--meaning it is now law. LGBTQ2 Canadians, we'll always stand up for you and your rights.”
In an article from the Reformed Perspective on December 24, 2021, Chris Deboer wrote: “The ban on conversion therapy legislation passed in silence and was celebrated with loud clamor. This was a sad day in Canada’s history, and we pray that the Lord will stem the growing tide of secularism that is filling our land.”
So, what is conversion therapy?
Conversion therapy is defined as any attempt to change a person’s homosexual/lesbian orientation to that of heterosexual or a transgender orientation from that of their biological or birth gender. So, if you were born a female and you self-determine you are a male, it is now illegal in Canada to take any steps to influence your thinking or behavior, even if you desire the change.
The shame and disappointment of what happened in the Canadian parliament and the senate in December 2021, is that on both occasions conservative members introduced a motion for unanimous consent, which means that if only one member had opposed it, it would have failed to pass. This is astounding, as just months ago, more than sixty MP’s voted against a similar bill.
This unusual unity among politicians from all parties paved the way for this legislation to be fast-tracked, not allowing any time for debate, review, clarification, or consideration of the implications it will have. Those opposed to the bill for moral and religious reasons and those who are personally seeking help with their questions about sexual and gender orientations are now silenced.
A glaring omission in this legislation is that there is no mention of the counselling, persuading, manipulating, coercing, or indoctrinating of young children and teens toward a homosexual, lesbian, or transgender lifestyle foisted on them through current public-school, sex-education curricula as well as the promotion of “gay clubs” in schools, and the influence of the entertainment industry. These are not recognized as detrimental.
And what about the abusive and medically irresponsible prescription of hormone-blocking drugs and irreparably damaging sex-change surgeries that children and teens are encouraged to receive? The failure to even mention the emotional and physical damage caused by these abuses is an intentional omission from this legislation.
Shame is upon the nation of Canada, as its government takes another giant step in the willful rejection of truth, decency, and protection of the vulnerable. Jesus said that it would be better for a person to have a millstone hung around the neck and be cast into the depth of the sea than to offend (lit. scandalize) a child.
Conversion therapy also has a negative side in its long history which has included objectionable treatments such as electric shock therapy, lobotomy, and medication, all of which cannot be condoned, especially where coercion has been used. But to include questionable medical practices and forced behavioral treatment along with medical counselling, parental direction, and pastoral care, is to swing the pendulum far to the other side.
In a 2019 policy report on conversion therapy, the Association for Reformed and Political Action (ARPA) stated: “Unlike body-affirming counselling, sex-change treatments are physically invasive, and worryingly reminiscent of the pharmaceutical and surgical forms of conversion therapy practiced in the mid-1900s. They do irreparable physical and psychological harm.” The fact is that the biological makeup of humanity comes in two forms: male and female. The DNA cannot be altered no matter how many drugs or surgeries are prescribed.
Ryan T. Anderson, PhD of the Heritage Foundation wrote, “Sex reassignment doesn’t work. It’s impossible to reassign someone’s sex physically and attempting to do so doesn’t produce good outcomes psychosocially. Changing sexes is a metaphysical impossibility because it is a biological impossibility.”
The issue at the forefront of the controversy today is not so much related to the “objectionable practices” of conversion therapy, but the complete rejection of any need to change a person’s homosexual thinking or from denying their birth gender. People justify their thinking by claiming they were “born this way”; however, the issue is not genetic but moral. Mankind suffers from the universal problem of total depravity which permeates the entire person: body, soul, and spirit. Every human being is morally, mentally, and physically under the impact of a totally sinful nature.
“It becomes clear then, that this Bill is not about banning conversion therapy, it is about allowing conversion therapy in only one direction – the unbiblical direction. Being gender fluid, transgender, homosexually active, etc. are celebrated and promoted in so many different ways in public schools and communities...This isn’t about creating a safe space for struggling youths – it is about creating a cultural revolution where the standards of God’s Word are continually being tossed aside” (Chris Deboer, Reformed Perspective).
We argue that this legislation not only fails to stop reverse solicitation by the LGBTQ community, it promotes it. The public education system is already targeting children and youth, teaching them to question their gender. Kindergarten boys are encouraged to pretend to be girls and cross dress. Impressionable primary children are being exposed to books and media about such things as “drag queens” and “gay pride” in cross-gender activities. This is an evil abuse of trust.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian Christians who had been converted to Christ, changed from their immoral, homosexual lifestyles and were now new creatures in Christ. He reminded them: “Such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” There is hope in Christ for every sinner. Jesus said, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”, which is a call for all mankind to turn from sin and embrace the free gift of salvation only found in Him as Savior.
What the homosexual person needs is the same as the adulterer, the thief, the liar, and the so-called “good living” person. It is repentance, healing, and a radical change—the true conversion therapy of the Holy Word of God.
The Implications of this Law for the Church of Christ
Bill C-4 creates two major problems for Christians. First, it rejects the clear biblical teaching that God created man in His own image in two distinct, unchangeable genders: male and female (Genesis 1:27), and that the homosexual lifestyle is sinful and will bring the judgement of God as will all immorality (Romans 1:26-32). Second, that any counselling or advice given to people to “convert” from such lifestyles is deemed a criminal offense.
The implications are serious because there is no allowance in this legislation for pastoral counseling or the preaching of the gospel which calls people to repent of their sinful lifestyles. How it will be prosecuted is yet unknown for it has not been challenged in court. Indeed, it is one more attack against the truth of Christ. It is also a further attempt to silence the evangelist, the gospel preacher, and the Christian personal worker.
The question arises: Who is really being indicted with a criminal charge? Who is the one on trial in the court of Canada? It is the One who gave the Moral Law. It is the Holy Spirit who through conviction of sin, brings a person to conversion in Christ. And this conversion is so profound that God says, “If any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold all things become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The threat to our freedom of expression and right to practice our faith and teach the Word of God purely and without hindrance is real. The gospel freedoms Canada once enjoyed and the blessing of God are in the balance. Canada and its political leaders have set themselves against the Lord and His Word. This does not bode well for the future of the nation.
What are we to do?
Be informed about the issues.
Be compassionate towards sinners of every kind and pray for their salvation.
Be willing to take your stand for truth.
Pray to the Lord for His intervention.
Rev. Larry Saunders | Minster, Toronto FPC,ON