Posted Apr 20, 2018 by Michael L. Brown

Two weeks ago, we warned you about the implications of California’s “Must Stay Gay Bill” (see here and here). Now others are sounding the alarm about the full weight of this onerous bill, which could literally mean the banning of certain religious books. If we don’t stop this, what’s coming next?

On April 17, David French noted that this bill “would actually — among other things — ban the sale of books expressing orthodox Christian beliefs about sexual morality.

“Yes, ban the sale of books.

“Assembly Bill 2943 would make it an ‘unlawful business practice’ to engage in ‘a transaction intended to result or that results in the sale or lease of goods or services to any consumer’ that advertise, offer to engage in, or do engage in ‘sexual orientation change efforts with an individual.’”

In other words, it would be illegal for a bookstore to sell my book, Can You Be Gay and Christian?  And that would apply all the more if the book was sold to someone with unwanted same-sex attraction. Yes, it would be illegal. Against the law. Punishable by the law.

With no hyperbole (really, with some understatement), French wrote: “This is extraordinarily radical.”

You say, “But no one in their right mind would consider voting for such a bill. That’s totally insane.”

Well, think again.

An April 19 headline on the California Policy Council website announced, “Assembly votes to violate the 1st Amendment.”

Yes, “AB 2943 bans books, conferences, counseling advocating Muslim, Jewish, and Christian views on gender and sexual orientation.”

As the story explains, “The California Assembly approved a bill today 50-18 that tells churches and other[s] with traditional beliefs about gender and sexual orientation that advocating for their views could get them sued. AB 2943, declares ‘advertising, offering to engage in, or engaging in sexual orientation change efforts with an individual’ is illegal under state’s consumer fraud law.”

And note the carefully the vote in the Assembly: 50 to 18 in favor of the bill. Talk about insane!

As many have made clear in the weeks leading up to this vote, the bill is wide-ranging in its scope and intention, which is why I dubbed it the “Must Stay Gay Bill.” (It could also rightly be called the “Must Stay Gender Confused” bill, but that is not as pithy as description. Either way, the bill is a nightmare.)

To be totally candid, part of me wants to say to California and the nation, “Go ahead. Pass your radical bills. Outlaw our most fundamental freedoms. Consign struggling people to their struggles. Muzzle our religious rights. Go ahead and do your thing, and we’ll watch the whole country crumble.”

Perhaps then the church (and other people of conscience) will wake up. Perhaps then they’ll understand why we’ve been warning for years that those who came out of the closet want to put us in the closet. Perhaps then they’ll see the utter intolerance of the radical left.

But at what cost? At what price to our kids and grandkids? At what expense to the very fabric of our country? Some things leave irreparable damage in their wake.

So, while one part of me says, “Go ahead and ignore our warnings,” another part of me says, “Don’t let it come to that! It’s not too late to stand and act. It’s not to late to debunk the myth that homosexuality is innate and immutable. It’s not to late to expose the lies that there is no such thing as ex-gay (or ex-trans). It’s not too late to get the truth out to the world.”

Yes, it’s not too late – but it is getting later by the second. The window is closing rapidly.

Of course, I already hear the mockers who say, “You’re a nutcase! You’re a religious fanatic! No one is going to burn your silly books!”

I remind these mockers of four things.

First, these same mockers once said to me, “No one wants to put you in the closet.” A few years later, they changed their mantra to, “Bigots like you belong in the closet!”

Second, these same mockers rejoiced when Kim Davis was put in jail, saying she got what she deserved.

Third, these same mockers have likened Christian conservatives to ISIS and the Taliban and Al-Qaeda and the Nazis, holding signs saying that we should be thrown to the lions.

Fourth, and most tellingly, these same mockers think this new California bill is a great thing.

California and the nation, it’s time to wake up! You ignore this bill at your own peril.

 

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Kimboy posted a comment · Apr 21, 2018
Thank You So Much MY DEAR Friends Dr. Michael Brown For Speaking Out Against This Madness! TEE! HEE! Talk About Crosbys Nash & Young's Song *Long Time Gone* "Speak Out. You Got To Speak Out Against The Madness. You Got To Speak Your Mind If You Dare." I Love My Country Very Much. However, IT APPEARS To Me That Our Country's Morals Seem To Be Getting Flushed Down The Toilet! I Am Just SO APPALLED That The Supreme Court Could Legalize Same Sex Marriage As Of Friday June 26th 2015! It Turns My Stomach Into Knotts When I Have To Learn That We Now Have These Transgender Restrooms! Give Me A Friggin Break.. I Repeat.. GIVE ME A FRIGGIN BREAK!!! I Never Thought For The LIFE Of ME That I Would Say This, "I Think It's Becoming A Mad, Mad, Mad World!" Plus, "I'm Mad As He'll And I'm Not Going To Take It Anymore!" This Whole World Needs More People Like You & Me Michael Brown! Contact Me Michael Leisure [email protected] Thank You For Being Born! Thank You For Taking A Stand!
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Dmeyer posted a comment · Apr 20, 2018
I'm not a lawyer and I know what the intent of the law is, but with the way it is written couldn't this law be used the challenge those who counsel someone who wants to transition to a gay life style. If there is someone who has been living an obviously heterosexual life style for years, say a mother or father, couldn't this law be used to take the license of a counselor who is "Advertising, offering to engage in or engaging in sexual orientation change efforts" with an individual like that? It would be fun to see the mental gymnastics that would take place trying to say "that's not the same thing." I know the definition talks about attractions "toward individuals of the same sex", but the phrase "Advertising, offering to engage in or engaging in sexual orientation change efforts with an individual.", in the hands of a good lawyer, could be very entertaining.
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[email protected] posted a comment · Apr 20, 2018
Dr Brown, Let them pass the repressive bills and let the persecution come. Persecution is good business for Christianity! Rather than trying to stop it, you should be preaching about embracing it. This is the very foundation of our faith: Matthew 5:10 - 12 "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." You should also remember Proverbs 9:7 -8 "He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee." People have been warned and are now scorners who should be left to their devices. The Christian community is also to blame, we are the one who started it by trying to capture state institutions and trying to pass legislation to ban activities that are clearly none of our business. What 2 adults do in the privacy of their homes is between them and God. Now the tables have been turned, the radical left has captured the state and are applying the same tactics that were applied to them.