UK: Christian therapist threatens to sue peers over their opposition to conversion therapy
by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – A Christian therapist in the UK has threatened to sue a number of British counseling and psychotherapy bodies for their endorsement of the 2017 Memorandum of Understanding that opposes “conversion therapy” and would deny therapy to people seeking help for unwanted same-sex attraction, Christian Today (CT) reports.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) states that “conversion therapy” is “the term for therapy that assumes certain sexual orientations or gender identities are inferior to others, and seeks to change or suppress them on that basis.” The Memorandum says such therapy is “unethical, potentially harmful and is not supported by evidence,” CT reports.
Supported by the UK’s Christian Legal Centre, Dr Mike Davidson, is a therapist who counsels people with unwanted same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria, CT. Deeply concerned about the impact of the MoU on vulnerable patients, he has sent pre-action letters to seven UK bodies over their endorsement for the document.
Asserting that, in any event, he does not practice “conversion therapy, Davidson told the UK bodies that the MoU creates “a de facto ban on therapeutic choice for those seeking help for undesired same-sex attractions…Thousands of persons who are both-sex attracted are being denied the opportunity to work towards their goal of choice. We call on the end to ideologies represented by the MoU that masquerade as science, to be made accountable.” Moreover, Davidson said, the MoU violates articles 8, 9, and 14 of the European Convention of Human Rights and is therefore illegal.
In a statement of support for Davidson, Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: “The MoU gives no recognition to the hundreds of men and women who have voluntarily sought support for their unwanted same-sex attraction and have benefited from it. This memorandum sends the message to anyone wanting support that they must stay gay.”
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