NEW: The Evangelical Alliance, representing 3,500 churches in the UK, has urged the PM not to ban conversion therapy in all forms.
"It is essential that those who experience same sex attraction are free to pursue & receive support to help live in accordance with their beliefs."
"It is essential that those who experience same sex attraction are free to pursue & receive support to help live in accordance with their beliefs."
The letter says a ban "would place ministry leaders at risk of arrest for encouraging young people to maintain chastity until marriage".
And "criminalise a member of a church who prays with another member when they ask for prayer to resist temptation".
Some MPs share this view.
And "criminalise a member of a church who prays with another member when they ask for prayer to resist temptation".
Some MPs share this view.
The Evangelical Alliance has long supported conversion therapy - a declaration on its website states so. The Alliance has declined our requests for interview in the past, but has decided to go public as debate intensifies over what form a 'ban' on conversion therapy should take.
Responding, @JayneOzanne says:
"Here is clear proof that there are those who wish to continue the conversion therapy with impunity, deaf to the cries of the multitude of people they've harmed. The govt has a clear choice - to side with perpetrators or protect vulnerable victims"
"Here is clear proof that there are those who wish to continue the conversion therapy with impunity, deaf to the cries of the multitude of people they've harmed. The govt has a clear choice - to side with perpetrators or protect vulnerable victims"
Winners Chapel, which we investigated in 2018, is a member of the Evangelical Alliance. A pastor there told our undercover reporter than he was "under the control of Satan" and God could "fix" his sexuality.
(Winners wasn't an EA member at the time.)
(Winners wasn't an EA member at the time.)
https://twitter.com/PaulBrandITV/status/1062035923033096193?s=20
Full write up on the letter from @EAUKnews to the Prime Minister and the broader context of this story here:
itv.com/news/2021-03-1…
itv.com/news/2021-03-1…
LATEST: Evangelical Alliance member @SteveChalke condemns their letter.
"Oppressive practices are most dangerous when they are dressed up as ‘pastoral support’...based on the misguided and damaging belief that the sexual or gender orientation of LGBT+ people is an ‘illness’."
"Oppressive practices are most dangerous when they are dressed up as ‘pastoral support’...based on the misguided and damaging belief that the sexual or gender orientation of LGBT+ people is an ‘illness’."
WATCH: “Would you condemn an exorcism?”
Evangelical Alliance say it’s up to the government to define conversion therapy, as I try to ask them where they draw the line between prayer and abuse.
Evangelical Alliance say it’s up to the government to define conversion therapy, as I try to ask them where they draw the line between prayer and abuse.
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