A Bishop in the UK has described the process of becoming transgender as a ‘sacred journey’ in a letter urging the nation’s government to ban trans ‘conversion therapy’.
One UK Bishop has demanded that the UK government implement a ban on trans “conversion therapy”, describing the process in which people become transgender as a “sacred journey”.
The clergyman’s comments come as Britain moves to ban so-called “conversion therapy” for homosexuals, though those who identify as “transgender” will not be covered by the proposed legislation.
Many are not happy about this exclusion however, with a number of activists expressing outrage over the government’s decision, despite attempts by the UK Conservative Party to appease the country’s LGBT lobby.
One of those unhappy with the exclusion is Rowan Williams, an Anglican Bishop who previously served as the Archbishop of Canterbury, considered to be the most senior clerical role in the Anglican church.
Williams has since written a letter to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson urging him to implement a ban on trans conversion therapy.
“Conversion to Christianity is the event or process by which a person responds joyfully to the glorious embrace of the eternally loving and ever-merciful God,” The Telegraph reports Williams as writing in the letter, which is also signed by a number of other Anglican bishops.
“It has nothing to do with so-called ‘conversion therapy’ – pressure put by one person on another to fit their expectations; the attempt to induce vulnerable and isolated people to deny who they truly are,” he continued.
“To be trans is to enter a sacred journey of becoming whole: precious, honoured and loved, by yourself, by others and by God,” the former senior cleric also wrote.
Britain’s incoming ban on so-called “conversion therapy” has prompted significant fears regarding the right to free speech in the country, with many religious people fearing that the law will curb their ability to pray.
“It shouldn’t be illegal for Christians to teach their faith, or for people to pray for their friends,” argued the Christian Institute regarding the ban. “But that’s clearly what the campaigners want.”
This claim by the Christian think-tank does not appear to be all that farfetched, with some close to the halls of power in the UK seemingly thinking that the banning of non-coercive Christian prayer would not be a potential design flaw of the legislation, but a feature, with one former member of the UK’s LGBT+ advisory panel demanding such prayer be banned for resembling hate speech.
“All prayer that seeks to change or suppress someone’s innate sexuality or gender identity is deeply damaging and causes immeasurable harm,” former government advisor, Jayne Ozanne, claimed.
“Prayer isn’t prayer if it causes you to hate yourself for being LGBT!” she also claimed. “It’s actually ‘Hate prayer.’”
“It is dangerous, damaging & must be included in a bill to [ban conversion therapy],” she went on to claim.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.