Posted: Oct. 10, 2019
This fall, Pope Francis has signaled his support for multiple pro-LGBTQ priests, including Fr. James Martin. So why are American bishops still promoting conversion therapy, the dangerous idea that LGBTQ people can "pray the gay away"?
The archbishops of Philadelphia, Kansas City, and Denver have all supported local Living Waters conferences this year to tackle the "sexual brokenness" of LGBTQ people "facing sexual identity problems." Living Waters founder Andrew Comiskey is known for repeating the lie that people cannot be born gay.
Conversion therapy is not Christian: LGBTQ persons are made in the image of God and should be accepted, not pressured to become straight. The American Psychiatric Association also says conversion therapy can lead to "depression, anxiety and self-destructive behavior."
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops can't control individual dioceses, but it can prevent the spread of dangerous misinformation by clarifying that church teachings do not support conversion therapy. The lives of LGBTQ Catholics may depend on it.
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