NJ bans reparative therapy; Gov. Christie’s office emphasizes disagreement with Catholic teaching
August 20, 2013
Following California’s lead, New Jersey has enacted a ban on reparative therapy for youths with same-sex attractions.
After signing the bill, the office of Gov. Chris Christie, a Catholic, issued a statement emphasizing that the governor disagrees with the Church’s teaching on homosexuality. The statement quoted a 2011 interview in which Christie said:
Well my religion says it’s a sin. I mean I think, but for me, I’ve always believed that people are born with the predisposition to be homosexual. And so I think if someone is born that way it’s very difficult to say then that’s a sin. But I understand that my Church says that, but for me personally I don’t look at someone who is homosexual as a sinner.
“His action on this bill is consistent with his belief that people are born gay and homosexuality is not a sin,” the statement added.
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Further information:
- Chris Christie Signs Bill Banning 'Gay Conversion' Therapy (ABC News)
- Gov. Christie Signs Bill Banning Gay Conversion Therapy On Minors (State of New Jersey)
- NJ Governor Signs Bill Banning Conversion Therapy; Says He Disagrees With Church's View of Homosexuality As Sinful (Religion Clause)
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Posted by: [email protected] -
Aug. 21, 2013 2:49 PM ET USA
Chris Christie is another of the so called catholics who wishes to interpret Church doctrine his way. Homosexuality in and of itself is not a sin but the practice is. He like many show their weakness in the faith and caving to the agenda. Next will be the approval of pedophilia. For him to get between someone's doctor and patient is totally wrong. It is again the tyranny of government showing their power as in abortion and Planned Parenthood.
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Posted by: Bernadette -
Aug. 21, 2013 1:08 PM ET USA
Christie has shown his true and ignorant colors. Aside from that, this is all part of the plan to usurp the authority of parents and to destroy the family. Homosexuality is not something one is born with. There is no DNA gene for homosexuality. Studies have proven this. Environmentally, there could be contributing factors and predispositions; however, one need not act on them. Check out the following web site: narth.com or the National Association for Reparative Therapy for Homosexuals.
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Posted by: -
Aug. 21, 2013 10:01 AM ET USA
Why did the Governor of NJ say such a thing? Because he was never properly taught Catholic doctrine. There are milions of Catholics who have such notions because they are convenient fallacies that are fostered by a certain agenda. As a former prosecuting attorney, did Christie ever consider that because someone has a predisposition to something (murder, fraud, etc.), they are allowed to commit an illegal act? I'd love to hear his response on that!
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Posted by: Chestertonian -
Aug. 21, 2013 12:04 AM ET USA
Christie is another cafeteria Catholic, who thinks feelings are equal to both doctrine and science in validity. He 'feels' that people are born with s/s attraction, therefore it must be fact, and must be tolerated. This is what happens when we rely on volunteer CCD/Religious Ed teachers for all catechizing after 8th grade, and also stop requiring that philosophy and logic make up part of the core curricula in colleges/universities. Ignorance is no excuse, but it certainly is the cause.
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Posted by: St.John Neumann -
Aug. 20, 2013 7:04 PM ET USA
I think that the culture wars in the US and other western countries are over and we lost. The radical secularists control politics, the judiciary, media, education, health care,business, etc.etc. What we have is a form of totalitarianism, without the concentrations camp, so far. We only have Jesus Christ and Him crucified and Our Blessed and Holy Mother. The more they attack us, the stronger our faith. As their spiritual poverty is revealed, the brighter shines our spiritual wealth. Christ lives
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Posted by: TheJournalist64 -
Aug. 20, 2013 6:28 PM ET USA
What happens when a young man or woman comes into one of the clergy's offices for counseling and wants prayer for deliverance from this Satanic obsession? Does the priest go to jail?
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Posted by: unum -
Aug. 20, 2013 4:32 PM ET USA
This confirms that Gov. Christie is not too Catholic, something we have suspected all along. Catholics who are trying to follow the teachings of Christ's Church don't usually equate sexual orientation with sexual behavior. If he is a candidate for President, I can only hope he is defeated. The last thing we need is another Catholic in an elected position in Washington who believes they know more than the Doctors of the Church about Catholicism and are willing to broadcast their ignorance.
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Posted by: Defender -
Aug. 20, 2013 3:05 PM ET USA
The bishops haven't been doing their jobs, as evidenced by this governor (let alone New York's) - it's acting on homosexuality that's a sin. A predisposition towards homosexuality is one of the usual things homosexuals say but cannot prove (though the shrinks voted on it in the '70s).
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Posted by: shrink -
Aug. 20, 2013 1:41 PM ET USA
Christie's statement is malicious, and undoubtedly directed to fundraising from the gay lobby in NJ. That being said, the ban is certainly unconstitutional, but it may never be challenged because of the unwillingness of an injured party to step forward.
