Late Friday, the religious right revealed just how low it's willing to sink in order to derail California's ban on conversion therapy (aka "pray away the gay"). Liberty Counsel filed an emergency appeal to block the law from taking effect next month. Among its objections--it would enable more monsters like Jerry Sandusky.
“If a young boy molested by the likes of a Jerry Sandusky develops severe emotional distress and unwanted same-sex sexual attractions, this law will force the counselor to tell the boy that his feelings are normal and good,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. Staver continued, “If the counselor seeks to reduce or eliminate the stress caused by his client’s molestation, the counselor will commit an ethical violation. That is child endangerment!”
A 2001 study in the Archives of Sexual Behavior found that 46% of homosexuals were molested in childhood. Without counseling, these victims often act out the very same sexual behavior used in their molestation. Staver said, “Jerry Sandusky would welcome a law like SB 1172. Minors who are sexually molested will face even more damage when they are told that their unwanted same-sex sexual attractions or behavior are natural and normal. This law is an outrage and it will destroy many lives and wreck the counseling profession,” said Staver.
Staver goes on to say that if the law takes effect, California would effectively be telling kids who feel gay attractions that what a child molester does to them is normal.
Liberty Counsel doubles down on this disgusting line in its actual filing (warning, PDF), saying that if a minor were to be abused by a Sandusky and experiences same-sex attractions as a result, the law would not allow a counselor to tell him that he should seek to rid himself of this behavior.
Let's say it all together as a group--Sandusky was not gay. He was a pedophile. And if Staver bothered to do any research, he'd know that the pro-pedophilia activists were kicked out of the gay rights movement a long time ago.
Sadly, the notion that Sandusky was trying to recruit his victims into the gay lifestyle appears to be an article of faith among fundies. For instance, the American Family Association's Pennsylvania chapter has filed every statement it has made on the Sandusky scandal under the tag "Homosexual Agenda." And earlier this year, its president, Dianne Gramley, joined Liberty Counsel's Matt Barber in claiming Sandusky's crimes were enabled by greater acceptance of homosexuality. Additionally, Charisma magazine--the self-proclaimed mouthpiece of the pentecostal/charismatic movement--has Liberty Counsel's press release quoted almost verbatim on its Website. If you have a Facebook account, mosey over there and let Charisma know that it's absolutely disgusting they're parroting this false and hurtful line.