Southern Baptist Leader Russell Moore Denounces "Ex-Gay" Reparative Therapy

Russell Moore

Between Pope Francis stating that the Bible is not irreconcilable with (i) evolution or (ii) the "Big Bang theory, and the head of the Southern Baptists Convent ("SBC") Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission denouncing "ex-gay" therapy and chiding Baptists for their mistreatment of  gays, it has not been a good day for the Christofascists and their knuckle dragging cohorts.  Some in far right Protestant circles will say that Francis' supposed heresy isn't surprising since he is after all a papist.  But Russell Moore is another story.   The truth is, I suspect, that both Francis and Moore realize that if they do not bring their flocks into the 21st century and start to recognize modern knowledge, their denominations are going to wither and die outside of ignorant parts of the world like sub-Sahara Africa.  Religion News Service has details on Moore's surprising admission of the SBC's past errors.  Here are highlights:

Southern Baptist leader Russell Moore denounced reparative therapy at a conference here, saying the controversial treatment that attempts to change a person’s sexual orientation has been “severely counterproductive.”

Moore, who serves as president of the Southern Baptists’ Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, spoke to a group of journalists Tuesday (Oct. 28) covering the group’s national conference.

“The utopian idea if you come to Christ and if you go through our program, you’re going to be immediately set free from attraction or anything you’re struggling with, I don’t think that’s a Christian idea,” Moore told journalists. “Faithfulness to Christ means obedience to Christ. It does not necessarily mean that someone’s attractions are going to change.”

Moore said evangelicals had an “inadequate view” of what same-sex attraction looks like.

Moore joins a chorus of psychologists and religious leaders who have departed from the once-popular therapy.

In 2009, the American Psychological Association adopted a resolution urging mental health professionals to avoid reparative therapy. Since then, California and New Jersey have passed laws banning conversion therapy for minors, and several other states have considered similar measures.

Earlier this year, the 50,000-member American Association of Christian Counselors amended its code of ethics eliminating reparative therapy and encouraging celibacy instead.

Moore said the ERLC is working with parents of those who are gay and lesbian.  “The response is not shunning, putting them out on the street,” he said. “The answer is loving your child.”

Not surprisingly, AFA's Bryan Fischer and similar hate merchants were quick to condemn Moore.