The Queensland government signalled late last year that it would introduce legislation into parliament to outlaw "gay conversion therapy" refereed to by some as "gay shock treatment", well the time has come. Unfortunately some religious groups have opposed this legislation, wanting to retain their right to use this kind of "treatment" on gay people. The Queensland Health Minister Steve Miles described the practice as ""harmful and unnecessary". Religious bodies have expressed concerns that banning conversion therapy would prevent Christian counsellors and health professionals from expressing their beliefs. LGBTIQ+ conversion therapy is opposed by the Australian Medical Association, the Australian Psychological Society, and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.
At times "gay Conversion Therapy" has included; hypnosis, testicle transplantation, castration, electroconvulsive therapy, lobotomies, implanting of electrodes directly into the brain, also prostitutes and heterosexual pornography being used to “change” the sexual orientation of gay men.

Like burning at the stake, today's religious will tell you "we no longer do that sort of thing." Really!

plenty of people previously practicing homosexuality repenting and choosing a better way. Not sure what is mean't by conversion therapy. Warmist would know all about brainwashing others into their 'religion' using pseudo science.

Despite what the PC crowd are constantly telling us, sexuality is neither boolean nor entirely fixed. I'm not claiming gay conversion therapy is likely to succeed; but preventing people from trying is an unacceptable infringement into our civil liberties. EVERYONE should oppose such legislation.

Trying to use electric shocks to do so is a different matter. I think it's also a strawman, as AFAIK nobody wants to use such cruel (and ineffective) methods to alter their patients' (or their own) sexuality. But for health and safety reasons, a ban on that is justified.

For shame!

This powerful mafia of conventional Western medical practitioners as represented by the AMA, already has extraordinary legal powers which it uses to persecute others who do not share their belief-system that relies on atheistic/materialistic Western science. The state hands them many billions of dollars per-annum but not a cent for other systems of health/medicine. Every now and then we hear of them banning this or that "alternative" competing method.

Now being gay is a political orientation - has anyone suggested to prohibit political parties and other interested bodies from attempting to convert people's political orientation? Can minds be changed only one way, only in the way the AMA or the ruling party wants?

Medical doctors themselves keep modifying bodies, cutting and pasting them to suit the whims of their clients, it's called "cosmetic surgery" and is often "harmful and unnecessary", so why is it not prohibited? but of course because it would go against the financial interests of doctors!

Dear Runner,

Religious groups ought to oppose this very control over our life by the atheist believers in Western materialistic science - instead they only seletively oppose it in these petty cases where the science seems to contradict their particular scripture. This is what tragically allows the AMA to divide and conquer.

You will need to accept that no one religious group can make it on their own.

Let there be a plain level field where everyone can freely and equally practice their own system of health/medicine according to their own philosophy.

Unfortunately runner, religious wackos have manipulated vulnerable people who have been battling with their sexuality into believing they are sinful evil persons, possessed by the devil, heading for eternal damnation. These religious fruitcakes instead of offering positive help to those battling with their sexuality, convince these troubled people to undergo their extreme "gay conversion therapy". Instead of a positive outcome for troubled people as you claim "a better way", many after the so called treatment suffer mental breakdown, and some even resorting to suicide. Which method of choice did your religious mob choose to "covert" homosexuals...electric shock treatment?

With all the genders these days you would need a quantum computer to perform such a thing, so obviously the practitioners are frauds.

It is easy to find barbarity in the past with a past to enlighten.

I won't comment on the technology or the methods used to do these conversions or corrections, which is what they are, but I say that any form of intervention that heals or cures or repairs, is a most welcome thing.
Anyone who wants to take a subjective and emotional stance on the matter can abstain from doing so, because these people are ill, there is no doubt of that, and so it is that intervention is not only needed, but demanded, by any mature, thinking person with a reasonable amount of objectivity.
There is no cure for many born outside the typical model of homo-sapiens.
Such as dwarfism, gigantism, and many others, but gaiz suffer from a chemical imbalance, and this is probably why the medical profession has decided they can help them.
They would not say they could help if they knew they could do nothing.

'Which method of choice did your religious mob choose to "covert" homosexuals...electric shock treatment?'

One way Paul is to recommend they keep their kids away from your deviant mardi gras where sickos flaunt their devious behaviour often dressed as nuns and priests. Maybe they were once nuns and priests.

ALTRAV, you might possibly be suffering from stuipism. Homosexuality is not a condition that requires medical intervention. What this legislation is targeting is religious nutters, who because of their moral convictions, believe homosexuality is an abomination in the eyes of their god. Therefore these religious fruitcakes try to intervene in often the most disgusting of ways to "correct" what they perceive as the work of the devil. They might see this unwarranted intervention into the lives of often vulnerable people, who have issues with their sexuality as necessary, but the reality is this intervention is baseless, and extremely dangerous for many of their victims, including suicide.

Paul,

Using any method other than advice/reasoning (which may or mayn't be reasonable) is a mediaeval abomination; you and I can agree on this.

Hi Issy, welcome back.

If someone troubled by their sexuality, has issues and seeks help from even well meaning amateurs, this can have disastrous consequences. My youngest son is gay, he's now 36, and comfortable with his sexual orientation. Both his mother and myself were supportive of his situation growing up, his older brother was not that comfortable with it. In his early 20's, he had personal issues, and he did for a short time become religiously involved, which although the church, a well known group today of happy clappers, was "understanding" to a degree, they did try to influence him through counselling and prayer. The underlying inference was that he needed to change his sexuality for the grace of god. He didn't last long in the church, a few months, and did not suffer any long term ill effects from the religious experience.

Paul, sorry about your son, but we can't talk about our own as if they are strangers.
I would give my life for any of my boys, but I wouldn't give a toss for someone else's.
Anyway, you know my stance on people with "a socially awkward condition".
I find NO evidence that compels anyone to tolerate such people.
I have been challenged with comments like, "what harm are they doing me"?
The question should be are they affecting me negatively in any way?
And the answer is YES!
Now you might say, as others have, too bad that's your problem not theirs.
To which I say, NO if someone is doing something I find repulsive or objectionable, it is affecting ME! ME!
So another person has no right to tell anyone to suck it up and just accept it.
So you can see how gaiz do affect, upset or even intimidate people.
This is no different than a known thug is walking towards you, and you have to cross the road because you feel threatened by him.
He hasn't done anything to you, so why feel threatened or scared of him?
Well Paul it's a thing we all possess, it's human nature, or probably just plain human to react negatively towards things which we don't like or understand, but what makes queers different is they flaunt their difference as if to say we know we're different and we know you don't like it, but FU anyway we're going to play on that fact if we feel we are getting the upper hand, and by doing so making us uncomfortable and sometimes sick to the stomach.
Just because there are SOME people who submit to not being affected or distressed or upset by queers, does not mean the rest of us have to accept the wishes of the very few, weak minded.

the whole term 'conversion theraphy' seems to be the latest trigger word. The gospel message has always involved being converted from a sinner to a saint. Christ died a horrible death so sinners could be forgiven. The bible is clear that anyone involved in sin including adultery, fornication, homosexuality etc etc can be forgiven but no longer practice that lifestyle. I have known a few women who have had kids and then decided that they 'hated' all men and chosen to live in a lesbian relationship. If 'conversion theraphy' is just another deceitful method of silencing calling wrong wrong and right right then I for one won't be complying with that law.

ALTRAV,

How do you feel about people with other socially awkward conditions such as blindness, profound deafness or Downes Syndrome?

Issy, I feel just as sorry for them too.
Why is there some parallel or commonality?
I thought I had covered the definitions and the distinctions between the various faults and flaws of homo-sapiens.
Some are curable or fixable, some aren't.
What is the point or basis of your question?

ALTRAV,

If you can't see it, forget it.

My grandfather felt shame and embarrassment for his illegitimacy. My transgender niece lives a happy and fulfilling life. I think acceptance and inclusion a great strength of our civilisation, not a path to damnation.

Fester, you conveniently forget that people are all different and we all have different beliefs for so many reasons.
Just because someone feels or doesn't feel good about themselves is irrelevant.
Unfortunately, too many things today define and direct us, whether by social demands or legal dictates.
Anyone living in isolation can call or define themselves any way they want.
BUT, when interacting in the community at large, they are obliged to behave in a manner not causing discomfort or distress, otherwise we would have much more social unrest or division than we get today.