Christian conservative Franklin Graham
has condemned a proposed federal law that would prohibit therapies
that attempt to alter the sexual orientation or gender identity of
LGBT individuals.
Such therapies go by names such as
“conversion therapy,” “reparative therapy” or “ex-gay
therapy.”
Introduced last week, the bill has no
Republican backing in either the House or Senate.
(Related: Democrats
introduce bill seeking to ban “ex-gay” therapy.)
In a Facebook post, Graham, the son of
televangelist Billy Graham, attacked Democrats for proposing the ban.
“Now Democrats are proposing a bill
to ban conversion therapy in the United States, saying that LGBTQ
people were born perfect. Actually, they are very misled. We were all
born imperfect, with sinful natures – yet loved by God who offers
us forgiveness and wholeness through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ,”
Graham wrote.
“Homosexuality is defined by God as
sin, an abomination to Him. There’s one ‘conversion therapy’
that works for all sin, and that is asking Jesus Christ to come into
our hearts. He can transform and heal our lives, making us new. The
Bible tells us, ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come’ (2
Cor. 5:17),” he added.
(Related: Franklin
Graham's alma mater forcing staff to pledge opposition to gay
marriage.)