A resolution bill that Christian Action Network President Martin Mawyer Friday called hubris on a grand scale, the California legislature would ask Christians and Churches to stop converting homosexuals and to accept the LGBTQ agenda as not sinful instead.
Mawyer characterized the move, if churches and ministers respond like California legislators want, as an abandonment of Biblical beliefs.
What the California legislators by an unassailable majority believe regarding the politically powerful “LGBTQ” movement is spelled out in the text of resolution ACR99 as it states reasons for the request of “all Californians,” but specifically of “religious leaders.”
A committee vote Friday ran 9-2 to forward the ACR99 bill, with one not voting, advancing it to a vote in the full chamber.
First, the legislators clarify that they take the cause of lesbians, homosexuals, bisexuals and transgenders as a matter of civil rights, wanting conformity across all of society to accept their behaviors as normal and not sinful.
The preamble to ACR99 notes, “This measure would call upon all Californians to embrace the individual and social benefits of family and community acceptance, [and call] upon religious leaders to counsel on LGBTQ matters from a place of love, compassion and knowledge.”
Mawyer said Christian church leaders should stand firm on scriptural instruction, and also to mark this occasion because when the asking ends, laws with punishments will come next.
“It is such hubris on a grand scale that we see here, and it only gets more demanding,” Mawyer said. “Their beliefs are corrupt. We know these sexual sins are exposed in scripture, and we are clearly to stand against such corruption.”
Mawyer added a warning that the state of California is practically pronouncing the sexual lusting of men for other men, women for other women and others for any assortment of sexual partners as a civil rights cause.
And ACR99 is aimed at what the text notes as, “religious leaders,” directly, asking that they alter Biblical teaching to be in conformity to the views of the text of the bill instead.
For instance the bill declares, “The California State Legislature has found that being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender is not a disease, disorder, illness, deficiency or shortcoming.”
Mawyer explained, “In other words, it is not sin. They are proclaiming the debate to be over, and for now they are asking, just asking, that we trade our scriptural stand for their worldly views.”
The bill notes state law as precedent, adding, “California law recognizes that performing conversion therapy on young persons is ineffective, unethical, and harmful.”
ACR99 pivots from professional counseling circles to address Christian outreach programs and ministers who seek to impact the lives of youth, many noting the hope that they find power and forgiveness – conversion – in Christ.
“Practices or therapies that attempt to create a change in a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity are often referred to as conversion therapy,” the bill states.
what The California legislature wants is for Christianity to conform
Martin Mawyer, Christian Action Network President
Caregivers often seek such practices from trusted faith-based communities and ministers, according to the California legislators that authored and co-sponsored ACR99.
“The stigma associated with being LGBTQ [is] often created by groups in society, including therapists and religious groups,” ACR99 reads.
This, “has caused disproportionately high rates of suicide, attempted suicide, depression, rejection and isolation amongst LGBTQ,” it adds.
Out of a compelling interest to protect them, ACR99 asks Christian ministers to stop any exposure to efforts to change anyone from a path of sexual disorientation or sin.
“People differing along spectrums of political and religious perspectives share a common responsibility of protecting the health and well-being of all children and vulnerable communities,” ACR99 states.
“We call on the people of California, especially its counselors, pastors, religious workers, educators and legislators, and the institutions of California with great moral influence, especially its churches, . . . activist groups and religious centers, to model equitable treatment of all people of the state.”
“In other words, it is ‘do what we say, not what the Bible says,’ plain and simple,” Mawyer concluded. “What the California legislature wants is for Christianity to conform.”
