Cali Lawmakers No Longer Content with LGBT Tolerance, Call on Pastors To 'Counsel on LGBTQ Matters'
California Assembly Concurrent Resolution 99 is the talk of the town in the “The Golden State” — and it’s really, really bad.
According to the California Family Council, Assemblyman Evan Low and three dozen other lawmakers are working to push ACR 99 through the legislature, which aims to tell religious leaders what they can and cannot preach from their pulpits about LGBT individuals — even if it goes against their faith.
The resolution denounces religious figures in the state who promote the idea that same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria is “unethical,” “harmful” or leads to high rates of suicide, according to CBN News.
“This measure would call upon all Californians to embrace the individual and social benefits of family and community acceptance, upon religious leaders to counsel on LGBTQ matters from a place of love, compassion, and knowledge of the psychological and other harms of conversion therapy,” the resolution says.
Pastors Ken Williams and Elizabeth Woning, two individuals who used to be gay, plan to speak out against the “discriminatory” resolution.
They escaped their LGBT identities after following their newfound faith in Jesus Christ. Together, they lead a ministry that helps other individuals who are looking to find fulfillment in life — a ministry known as “Equipped to Love,” according to CBN News.
“For us, walking out our faith with biblical conviction means life and hope. Our faith has saved us from suicide and given us freedom to live with clear consciences,” Woning said.
“We too would like to be acknowledged and affirmed … Instead, activists attack our efforts to care for like-minded friends by promoting dangerous counseling restrictions and stifling our free speech.”
Williams added, “For years, I believed that even God hated me because of my behavior.”
“But in my early 20s, I encountered a God who loved me despite my sins and temptations. Today, I love my life. I have been married to my beautiful wife for 13 years, and we have created four incredible children together. To someone like me, California Assemblyman Evan Low’s proposed resolution, ACR-99, feels like an unfair and direct attack.”
Ordained pastoral counselor Pastor Joe Dallas joined their fight against ACR 99 with an article entitled, “Pride of Ownership.”
“While warning against the dangers of so-called Conversion Therapy, ACR 99 restricts much more than counseling, which attempts to change internal sexual responses,” he wrote.
He argued that the resolution also prevents pastors from teaching their religious beliefs that homosexuality is a sin.
“It, in fact, dictates to pastors that they cannot teach that homosexuality is a sin, nor can they encourage homosexually-attracted people who hold a traditional Biblical view to live in accordance with their own faith,” Dallas added.
“The politicized LGBTQ movement is showing its hand pretty brazenly, ACR 99 being only the latest exhibit. Today’s seemingly benign resolution paves the way for tomorrow’s stringently enforced law, and only the most naive will believe that the California Assembly wishes only to express, but not eventually enforce, its opinion of traditional Christian values,” Dallas concluded.
The Bible is very clear about the cultural and political pressure put on Christians, as evidenced in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
The liberals of the California legislature essentially represent the world and despite their many attempts to force the LGBT agenda on Christians, churches and religious leaders, they cannot change what the word of God says.
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