WND

CATHOLICS COULD BE CRIMINALS FOR TEACHING CATHOLICISM

Proposed law could put 'consumer fraud' label on faith instructions

Concerns have been raised about a California bill that effectively could ban the sale of the Bible.

Critics argue it would designate as “consumer fraud” any seminar, counseling or publication that condemns homosexuality or transgenderism. The bill is supported by the activists who already have passed laws that ban helping children overcome same-sex attractions and require public schools to celebrate homosexual behavior.

Now a report in the Federalist warns that “consumer fraud” law could ban the catechism of the Roman Catholic church, which is taught to children.

The report explains the proposed law would make religious education programs the target of “death by litigation.”

The proposed law states: 

“The following unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices undertaken by any person in a transaction intended to result or that results in the sale or lease of goods or services to any consumer are unlawful: … Advertising, offering for sale, or selling services constituting sexual orientation change efforts to an individual.”

If approved, AB 2943 would become part of the California Business and Professions Code, which already states, 

“Under no circumstances shall a mental health provider engage in sexual orientation change efforts with a patient under 18 years of age.”

But the proposal isn’t limited to counselors. Instead, it defines 

“sexual orientation change efforts” as “any practices that seek to change and individual’s sexual orientation.”

The Federalist reports the only approved practice is therapies that mandate 

“acceptance, support and understanding of clients or the facilitation of clients’ coping, social support and identity exploration and development, including sexual orientation-neutral interventions … and do not seek to change sexual orientation.”

“Under these broad and ill-defined terms, ‘any practice’ could include Catholic catechism classes, commonly known as CCD, in which every Catholic child who attends public school must participate to make First Communion and Confirmation,” the report said.

“Parents pay for their children to attend these classes, so they are purchasing a service. The purpose of these classes is to teach the Catechism of the Catholic Church and to teach the students to live in accordance with the church’s teachings.”

And the catechism leaves no doubt about homosexuality.

“Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that ‘homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.’ They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved,” states one section.

The Federalist said that to the extent the issue of human sexuality is raised in a catechism  class, the catechist is 

“obligated to tell the students what the church’s view on homosexuality is.”

“That would certainly qualify as attempting to ‘change behaviors’ in the context of sexual orientation,” the report said.

The law also would be a threat to parochial schools,

“particularly high schools where issues of sex and sexuality are a major part of students’ lives.”

“Parents at these schools pay tuition and are therefore paying for services and goods. The mission of Catholic schools, like CCD classes, is to educate students in the teachings of the Catholic Church, including Sections 2357 to 2359 of the catechism,” the report said.

“AB 2943 would force teachers at these schools to choose between fully and freely teaching the full catechism, thereby exposing the school to a potential lawsuit under AB 2943, and censoring the portions of the catechism taught to avoid litigation. AB 2943 would chill any discussion of the church’s position on homosexuality and homosexual acts in religious education classes, including debate among students regarding the merits of that position,” the report said.

WND reported last month when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled, in another free speech-related issue, affirmed the right of crisis pregnancy centers not to promote abortion, as California has demanded. 

California’s “consumer fraud” bill not only would regulate speech regarding homosexuality in many contexts, it also would ban printed materials that advocate ways to become free of unwanted same-sex attractions. 

And several experts contend the broadly written proposal could ban sale of the Bible.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said it would prohibit churches “from holding any ticketed events addressing topics of sexuality.”

“But it’s far more reaching than that. This means the sale of any book that states the practice of homosexuality or transgender identification as immoral actions would be illegal in California. … 

This could include the Bible!”

Two sponsors of the bill have been caught on video explaining their motives.

State Assembly member Al Muratsuchi admitting he wants to target people of faith.

The lawmaker argued the First Amendment “does not prohibit banning fraudulent conduct.”

“The faith community, like anyone else, needs to evolve with the times,” he charged.

And in a speech at Google headquarters, LGBT activist Samuel Brinton promised to “figure out” how to stop “pastors” and churches from offering such counseling.

“I may not be able to find every little camp … every pastor, but I can make it something that is culturally unacceptable,” he said. 

“Yes, it’s directly affecting mental health professionals, but by proxy, it’s affecting everyone else.”

http://www.wnd.com/2018/07/catholics-could-be-criminals-for-teaching-catholicism/

My comments: The LEFT is at War with God and His Word. They would like to ERADICATE Chritianity, as that is their only Opposition. They "Hate" Chrsit Jesus because He tells them that what they do is Evil. (John 7:7)