Wednesday, August 21, 2013

NJ bans reparative therapy; Gov. Christie’s office emphasizes disagreement with Catholic teaching

CWN - August 20, 2013
 
Following California’s lead, New Jersey has enacted a ban on reparative therapy for youths with same-sex attractions. After signing the bill, the office of Gov. Chris Christie, a Catholic, issued a statement emphasizing that the governor disagrees with the Church’s teaching on homosexuality. The statement quoted a 2011 interview in which Christie said:   
Well my religion says it’s a sin. I mean I think, but for me, I’ve always believed that people are born with the predisposition to be homosexual. And so I think if someone is born that way it’s very difficult to say then that’s a sin. But I understand that my Church says that, but for me personally I don’t look at someone who is homosexual as a sinner.
“His action on this bill is consistent with his belief that people are born gay and homosexuality is not a sin,” the statement added.

Source for article: http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=18781&amp
 
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More from USA Today:
Supporters of same-sex marriage say they have greater hope New Jersey will soon allow it after Republican Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation Monday banning the controversial practice of "conversion" therapy for gay youth.

New Jersey is only the second state in the nation, after California, to forbid licensed therapists from using therapy to try to change the sexual orientation of minors. But the state is the only one in the Northeast not to allow gay couples to marry: Christie vetoed same-sex marriage legislation last year.
Christie said that while he is concerned about "government limiting parental choice on the care and treatment of their own children,'' he sided with expert opinion from the American Psychological Association that so-called conversion therapy can lead to depression, suicidal thoughts and substance abuse in teenagers.

The conversion therapy law "sets a national precedent on not allowing this abuse to go forward,'' said Troy Stevenson, executive director of Garden State Equality, which supported the ban.

Supporters of same-sex marriage say they have greater hope New Jersey will soon allow it after Republican Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation Monday banning the controversial practice of "conversion" therapy for gay youth.

New Jersey is only the second state in the nation, after California, to forbid licensed therapists from using therapy to try to change the sexual orientation of minors. But the state is the only one in the Northeast not to allow gay couples to marry: Christie vetoed same-sex marriage legislation last year.
Christie said that while he is concerned about "government limiting parental choice on the care and treatment of their own children,'' he sided with expert opinion from the American Psychological Association that so-called conversion therapy can lead to depression, suicidal thoughts and substance abuse in teenagers.

The conversion therapy law "sets a national precedent on not allowing this abuse to go forward,'' said Troy Stevenson, executive director of Garden State Equality, which supported the ban.

Read the rest here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/08/19/chris-christie-gay-conversion-therapy-new-jersey/2671197/

2 comments:

  1. I’m impressed, I have to say. Really hardly ever do I encounter a blog that’s both educative and entertaining, and let me inform you. you might have hit the nail on the head. Your idea is outstanding; the problem is something that not sufficient people are speaking intelligently about. I am very joyful that I stumbled across this in my seek for something referring to this.
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  2. Do you think Gov. Christie has actually read the catechism? From his statement it would appear not. Plus, how is this stance any different from any other "cafeteria Catholic " position? So Christie is now his own Pope?

    ReplyDelete