See Video. In what could be a huge embarrassment for the online “fact-checker” Snopes, both a lawmaker and an LGBT activist have admitted a California state bill targets “pastors” and members of the “faith community” who insist a man is a man, not a woman, and vice versa.
BY BOB UNRUH AT WMD
The controversy is over a bill that critics have charged effectively would ban the sale of Bibles, because it regards as “consumer fraud” any commercial transaction that affirms Christian beliefs about the nature of the two genders and homosexual behavior.
WND reported Monday Snopes blasted the charge that the bill would ban Bibles as “False” in huge red lettering.
Snopes admits the bill relates to “gay conversion therapy” but states the legislation “does not mention the Bible, Christianity, or religion at all.”
It acknowledges analysts were “not clear whether the text of A.B. 2943 would amount to a blanket prohibition on any and all [Sexual Orientation Change Efforts]” and quotes the homosexual sponsor of the bill saying the Bible itself is not a “gay conversation therapy” manual.
Now, a video has been revealed of California state Assembly member Al Muratsuchi admitting that he wants to target people of faith.
The lawmaker argued the First Amendment “does not prohibit banning fraudulent conduct.”
“The faith community, like anyone else, needs to evolve with the times,” he charged.
He claimed the “science is clear” on the issue, since the California Medical Association, California Psychological Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics all advocate laws establishing special rights for transgendered individuals.
He didn’t mention that other respected organizations take the opposite view.
Muratsuchi said the notion that the First Amendment “can be used as a defense for promoting fraudulent conduct is a fallacious argument.”
Liberty Counsel, one of the first to raise concerns about the bill, explained it is so broad it “bans books, printed materials and advertisements that provide information that a person facing unwanted same-sex attractions or gender confusion can change.”
And further, in a speech at Google headquarters, LGBT activist Samuel Brinton promised to “figure out” how to stop “pastors” and churches from offering such counseling.
“I may not be able to find every little camp … every pastor, but I can make it something that is culturally unacceptable,” he said. “Yes, it’s directly affecting mental health professionals, but by proxy, it’s affecting everyone else.”
Liberty Counsel noted the Bible specifically refers to homosexuality in 1 Corinthians 6:9 then states in verse 11: “And such were some of you.”
Publishing such a passage — which indicates that “through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, people with same-sex attractions or who engaged in same-sex behavior can change” — would “be considered fraudulent business practices under this bill,” Liberty Counsel argues.
Mat Staver, Liberty Counsel’s founder and chief counsel, said his organization is prepared to sue “to stop this outrageous attack on the First Amendment.”
He explained the Bible specifically counsels against same-sex relationships, and citing that verse in any number of ways could be interpreted by California as fraudulent activity.
Staver called it a “dangerous bill that would punish people for their biblical beliefs about marriage, gender and human sexuality.”
“This law is stunning in its breadth. The mask of those supporting this oppressive bill has been removed,” he said. “Their goal is to crush Christianity and any viewpoint that does not align with the state. We stand ready to file suit to stop this assault on freedom if this bill is signed into law.”
Snopes ‘sneaky liar’
Snopes is playing with words, contends a longtime professor of New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Robert A.J. Gagnon, the author of “The Bible and Homosexual Practice.”
His column at The Federalist was titled “Snopes is a Sneaky Liar about California’s Bill to Ban Christian LGBT Talk.”
“If you haven’t already lost significant respect for Snopes as an impartial fact-checker, its analysis of a bill that bans all transactions involved in stating Christian beliefs about homosexual behavior should,” he said.
“That bill passed 50-18 on April 19 and is being considered in the state senate. Snopes’ insistence that California Assembly Bill 2943 would not result in the Bible being banned in California is akin to Snopes calling ‘demonstrably and clearly false’ the claim that Joseph Stalin killed everyone around him,” wrote Gagnon.
“Indeed, so far as we know he never personally killed anyone. But he did have a great many people killed (estimates indicate that he was responsible for the deaths of 20 to 25 million people), sent many others to the Gulag, and generally terrorized both his own country and Eastern Europe for decades.”
Gagnon explained the bill poses legal jeopardy for a “Bible study or house church leader, member of a parachurch organization working to help people afflicted by same-sex attractions, or indeed anybody who attempts change if goods or services involve an exchange of funds.”
“Read the bill. There is no religious exemption. There is no restriction to mental health professionals. There is not even a restriction to claims about changing a person’s sexual orientation or transgender feelings in whole or part. The bill is quite clear that any ‘efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions’ are included in the ban on attempts to change a person’s ‘sexual orientation,’” he said.
He continued: “So you would be violating the law if you advertise that Christ can empower people not to engage in homosexual practice or not to identify as ‘gay’ or ‘transgender’ because such behaviors and self-identities are morally wrong, or if you offer to engage or actually engage in efforts to persuade people of Christ’s power to transform in this area, you will be in violation of California AB 2943, at least so long as your advertising or efforts involved in any way an exchange of money for goods or services.”
Violations of A.B. 2943 could, he said, include “selling religious or secular books (pamphlets, videos, audios, etc.), holding conferences, teaching courses in a college or seminary where tuition is paid, giving a speech at a paid venue, counseling people for a fee, or perhaps even posting online articles in a site that requires a paid subscription, in which it is asserted (in whole or part) that it is morally wrong for people to engage in homosexual practice or identify as ‘gay’ or ‘transgender.’”
He quoted religious liberties lawyer David French, who agreed, stating it is “a bill that would actually – among other things – ban the sale of books expressing orthodox Christian beliefs about sexual morality.”
Joining him was Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Matt Sharp: “It would be a violation if a pastor encourages a congregant to visit the church book store to purchase books that help people address sexual issues, perhaps including the Bible itself, which teaches about the importance of sexual purity within the confines of marriage between a man and a woman.”
In WND’s previous report, Randy Thomasson, president of SaveCalifornia.com, a leading pro-family group, also criticized the bill.
“How can any legislator voting for this call themselves pro-choice when they’ve voted to wipe out a person’s own choice of a counselor?” Thomasson asked.
“How can any legislator voting for AB 2943 say they support religious freedom when they’ve just threatened church bookstores that sell self-help books about overcoming unwanted same-sex desires? AB 2943 is anti-free-speech, anti-religious-freedom, anti-free-choice, and has no place in a free society. This intolerant bill contains no exemption and no protection at all for religious entities.”
Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2018/04/activists-confess-bible-ban-does-target-faith-community/#OtjohQX0iJwksTjv.99)
That’s why they want our guns, so we can’t take up arms against treason in our own government.
For those who say there is only one sex, and the LGBT community can choose whatever sex they want to be, there is one immutable fact that cannot be changed: it’s in the DNA. Men have an XY chromosome, and women have XX chromosomes. That’s how the sex of a baby is established at the moment of conception. This is a FACT, and not fraudulent. It’s not a matter of choice, or popular public opinion. I fear this is just the tip of the iceberg, soon the bible will be banned as “hate speech” (as it is in Canada) and it will be “open season” on Christians. We are an endangered species.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Diane Gilbert
Amen! “If my people , which are called by my name , shall humble themselves , and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their WICKED WAYS ; then will I hear from heaven, and will FORGIVE THEIR SIN, AND WILL HEAL THEIR LAND. ” 2 Chronicles 7:14 Holy King James Bible. Praying for healing in the land of California through Jesus Christ’s
Mighty Name….Amen.
The blood of Jesus was shed for any and all human beings… that includes these rebellious over enriched self absorbed power drunk people! May the Lord have mercy on California and it’s residence.
What are the actions we can take in addition to praying for and blessing those who perssecure us? Can you post a list of California State Senators?
Another thought is to reach out to California Daughters of the American Revolution chapters and Sons of the American Revolution chapters as well as Patriots and Veterans groups, as the freedom isn’t that so many through the last two hundred plus years have given their life for and those who sacrificed everything in the American Revolution fought for, is under attack.
at a time when I am very upset , because I do care about the State (proper) of California . The Lord speaks to me. From Luke 18:6-8
” Then the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge said. ” And shall God not avenge HIS own elect WHO CRY OUT DAY and NIGHT TO HIM! though He bears long with them.
I TELL YOU that HE WILL! avenge them SPEEDILY.
Nevertheless , when the son of Man comes, will HE really find faith on the earth?.
1.Hear what was said
2, God will answer
3. why are you not crying out to me ?
4. Do you believe I will answer?
I need to ask God to forgive my lack of faith. And cry out to HIM while taking action. It does not matter about sb 2943 , this is an attack the very existence of God by those who think they are god.
arrogant, ” get with the times” ” evolve ” statements from those who have power over man and think they are God. Our God is offended and insulted by the very thought of another god. Remember Dagon.
Will a church service be considered group counseling/therapy and an offering (bank check) a payment? Here again the government will advocate with tax dollars.
They may say that the bill does not mention the Bible or Christianity, but if you give a Democrat an inch he thinks he’s a ruler. They always find ways to expand upon the laws they write.
This video is a clear picture of the churches in California
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jZDQ4Hq71uw
Political correctness running to its logical conclusion. Failure to warn is sin!
About five minutes after the governor signs that dog, I would be prepared for a very powerful earthquake to strike California. Wickedness invites the judgment of God.
“CA Assemblyman Muratsuchi on #AB2943: Christians Must “Evolve With the times””. I recall Hillary saying something similar early in her campaign. The Bible hasn’t evolved and Christians can’t evolve to accept what God does not accept. The world is engaged in so many ungodly practices and hates God because of His holy standards (divorce, fornication, self indulgence, materialism, etc.,)
Hebrews 11:6 speaks to me today: “…for whoever would come near to God…”. Anyone desiring to draw near to God and to make peace with God will desire to know what pleases God. That person will look to the written epistles and to living epistles in their quest to know and please God.
The supporters of AB2943 have no desire to understand what pleases God. In fact, they reject the Word and God and His world view.
This whole agenda against believers is horrifying on it’s own, even though we’ve been watching it come for years, but also appalling is that so much of the church is at least a decade or more behind in discernment on who to trust on the internet! Stunned that Snopes was even mentioned as a source for believers to go to for ‘truth’. Wow! Wake up church! Let’s pray for the binding of the ‘mind blinding spirit’ that has so many in the church held captive! The wolves are laughing all the way to slaughter of the sheep.
Has no one heard of the TruthorFiction.com site? Here they will say if it’s truth or fiction or disputed but they will also give the reasons.
https://www.truthorfiction.com/california-bill-would-ban-the-bible-disputed/
God bless you Mario! Having done all stand brother!
Does anyone remember the christian rapture movie “thief in the night?”
Remember the preacher from the dead denominational church?
The audacity of our legislators to tell us we need to “evolve with the times”, and snidely saying, “you can try to pray the gay away if you want to”, is stunningly appalling. The contempt they have for Christians is glaringly clear. It is time to get involved in politics and get these people out of office. Everyone here appears to be very aware of what is going on. But so many are not. I emailed my entire list about this bill. I received ONE response asking how she could contact her senator. And..she was Catholic. So, I don’t want to hear any more comments against Catholics. When something like this comes up, I have found the Catholics to be right on the front line of the battle, many times. Evangelicals had better wake up or they are going to open their eyes too late one morning and hear someone banging on their door demanding they hand over their Bibles.
Banning the Bible is like Banning God..Pure Foolishness from Man..You cannot Ban God from his Creation. God Created Adam & Eve, Not Adam & Steve..How can two Men or Two Woman Procreate which is a Mandate in the Bible. If you Choose to Pervert God’s Creation and Intention for Mankind, that is on You Alone. You cannot Try to Force Others to Bow down to Your Perversion of the Truth..My Bible is My Weapon to be used against the Lies and Perversion of the World..A War has been Declared in AB 2943..A War is What they will Get..Any Political Perverted Agenda needs to be kept Our of Our School System..Our children need Safe, Sound Wholesome Inspiring Education to Carry them throught their Futures, Not your Politicized Perverted Indoctrination of this world..