Many states in Australia have now enacted anti-conversion legislation which are touted to be needed to stop abusive practices aimed at changing someone’s sexuality or gender identity. In decades past some medical professionals have used methods such as shock therapy to ‘heal’ someone, for example, who was homosexual. Unfortunately, it seems Christians have at times been guilty of trying to deal with hurting or confused people with manipulative and perhaps harmful practices including exorcism rituals that most believers would consider excessive or even abusive. We completely reject that any such behaviour should be condoned or tolerated.

However, while such examples may be the pretense for passing new laws, in reality there has been no known use of such medical interventions for more than 40 years in Australia and, even historically, were relatively uncommon. Spiritual excesses would be confined to a very small number of fringe extreme or cultish groups. So, the question arises, why is this legislation really needed?

Proposed anti-conversion laws in the state of Tasmania are considered by Christian lobby groups and many respected legal experts as the most extreme attack on the Christian faith of any existing similar laws in the country. In summary, these laws would criminalise any activity seeking to “convert” a person from any sexual orientation or gender identity, that is outside the traditional understanding of biological sex or Christian teaching of sex being confined to heterosexual marriage between a man and a woman for life. This includes pastoral care or prayer for someone who seeks advice or direction. A pastor could be criminalized even if a person requests counselling, makes no complaint and “the practice causes no harm”.

While this article does not seek to delve into the numerous legal issues of any proposed Bill, we do wish to highlight the underlying foundations for why we are now effectively seeing attempts to criminalise Christianity in Australia. At its core is the deviation from fundamental truths like, as Jesus Christ the author of our faith said: “in the beginning God made them male and female” (Matthew 19:4). Not just the male and female part but the fact that “God made” them. If God made us, then He has every right to instruct how we should use our bodies. Homosexuality, adultery, transgenderism and many other deviations from the created foundation are therefore outside His plans, are part of mankind’s rebellion against Him and are therefore considered sin in the Christian understanding. No amount of human outrage will change that fact, and no amount of theological juggling will change this foundation. The Christian faith is very inclusive: “For ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Which brings us to the fundamental divide in worldviews. Regarding your sexuality, the world says you can choose your gender irrespective of the biological reality determined at birth. Gender fluidity is largely a social contagion, a belief encouraged by progressive advocates and lacks credible scientific evidence and backing. We acknowledge that some people genuinely feel drawn to those lifestyles but the apostle Peter declares there is a battle at hand:
“Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11).

So basic Christian understanding is that we all fall short of God’s perfect design and that we are all called (not just LGBTQ+ groups) to abstain from the fleshly lusts that assault us as if in war. Therefore, when the outlined principles of the proposed legislation directly contradict Christian principles and then outlaw anyone who does not abide by them, it is clearly a direct attack on Christianity. Looking at the proposed legislation, one of the Bill’s guiding principles states:

“a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity is not broken and does not require fixing, changing or suppression” – Sn 8c Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill 2026.

This principle maybe what the world sees as acceptable and “not broken” but it is in direct conflict with what the Bible teaches. It also demands that unbiblical sexual orientations or gender identities do not require “changing or suppression”. Our verse from 1 Peter is in direct conflict and calls Christians to “abstain” from these lusts, which is to fix, change and abstain from them.

Furthermore, the legislation’s fourth principle says:
“no sexual orientation or gender identity constitutes a disorder, disease, illness, deficiency or shortcoming.” – Sn 8d Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill 2026.

Most Christians would accept that there is no disorder, disease or illness involved but we cannot resile from the fact that we do believe there is a deficiency or shortcoming. As our verse from Romans highlights, “all have sinned and come short….”. Sin is a shortcoming. It is a deficiency from God’s perfect ways. Perhaps extremely difficult for a person caught up in it, but if they are seeking counseling on God’s perfect and just ways from a Christian understanding, the contradictory principle is that we must abstain (suppress) from fleshly lusts that war against the soul because we fall short of God’s ways. Most of us are born adulterers, whose basic instinct is to lust after others in some way or another, but as Christians we are called to abstain from those behaviours. If the proposed legislation passes, Christian counsellors will be breaking the law if asked to give their honest Biblical response to a person seeking counselling on these matters. As difficult as our sins are to battle or abstain from, and thus for us to find the path to salvation, Jesus Christ said, “for men this is impossible but for God all things are possible” Matthew 19:26).

For those who disagree with Christian teaching, you are permitted in our country to ignore it. Our warning, however, is that one day all will stand before the Creator, who is the appointed judge, and give an account of our lives. There is only one way to avoid eternal separation from the giver of life and that is by believing in Jesus Christ. True believers will seek to live according to His ways and that involves abstaining from sin that wars against our souls.