The government has published its draft bill to ban so-called conversion practices. To be clear, abuse and coercion are already illegal. So what exactly is left to criminalise? The answer seems painfully obvious. The real target is biblical disagreement with the sexual revolution. This draft bill reads like it was written by LGBT activists. It is a Stonewall blasphemy law in all but name.
If passed in anything like its present form, it risks placing ordinary pastoral ministry, biblical counselling, prayer, and even conversations between parents and children under legal suspicion. Of course, Christians should be gracious, compassionate, and utterly opposed to coercion, but we must also have the courage to speak the truth.
Jesus never bullied sinners. But neither did he affirm them in their sin. He called people to repentance because he loved them (Mark 1:15). A society that calls evil good and good evil should not be surprised when it starts calling truth ‘harm’ (Isaiah 5:20).
Defender of faiths
The King’s preference for speaking of protecting faith in a multi-faith nation, rather than defending the Christian faith, is not a surprise. Yet believers should remember that the advance of Christ’s kingdom has never depended upon the support of the Crown or the spiritual strength of the established church. Christ himself is King of kings.
Christians should continue to uphold religious liberty for all. At the same time, respect for freedom of conscience must not be confused with the idea that all religions are equally true. Scripture plainly teaches that salvation is found in Christ alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
As our nation becomes less confident, even embarrassed, about its Christian heritage, the task of faithful churches remains unchanged: to proclaim the gospel faithfully, even when its message may be unpopular.
Carl Trueman
