CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS
Reverend Mehl pointed out the Constitutional crisis we are in at this time. When elected officials knowingly and brazenly break their oath to uphold The Constitution, with the example of his (former) representative Bierman boldly proclaiming his desire to stifle free speech and religious speech, specifically the testimony of redemption and sanctification by faith in Jesus Christ. Representative Bierman doubles down on his Constitutional oath breaking here: https://youtu.be/1_pbg3YNTCQ
LEGISLATION PASSED COMMITTEE
The horrendous piece of legislation HF2156 that was passed through committee today on party lines (Democrats Yay, Republicans Nay) is harmful to the Christian community we are called to minister to when licensed therapy is necessary. When working with individuals in pastoral care situations, it sometimes becomes clear someone is suffering from past traumatic sexual abuse or other significant events in their life that requires licensed talk therapy practitioners, and so we would refer for additional care.
LICENSED THERAPY AT RISK
It is often times the right thing to refer for the mental health and spiritual growth of the individual. However, in good conscience, we cannot refer to a licensed therapist who would knowingly work against the best interest of the Christian disciple by affirming them in a false identity other than what God planned for them.
Because every person holds a religious worldview bias, licensed therapists included, it is necessary to know that a referral therapist would be willing to allow a Christian disciple their self directed goals of diminishing sinful behavior or seeking to align their behaviors to their beliefs.
This legislation would prevent any referral to licensed therapy because every therapist would have to deny the Christian clients goal of seeking their authentic identity as created by God. It would also discriminate against Christian therapists by forcing them into a LGBTQ religious belief system which denies our Creator. It would be precluding them from working in a direction of their clients choosing, deny parents’ rights to direct their children in medical and spiritual care, and prohibit access to therapy based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
CONSUMER FRAUD LANGUAGE
On a final note, this bill is particularly dangerous to the rights of Agape First Ministries (and churches in Minnesota) to host our conferences and sell our discipleship materials in Minnesota. The language in the bill infringes on our Constitutional rights by prohibiting what they call promotion, sales, services of ‘conversion therapy’, which they’ve made clear includes our ministry conferences, books, and pastoral care sessions.
MORE INFO
Agape First Ministries encourages everyone who loves their neighbor and desires to love God to write to their Minnesota representatives, senators, and even the Governor of Minnesota, and let them know your concerns about the harm the bill will have it is passed into law.
Bill Information: (It exists as two bills, different numbers in House and Senate)
HF2156 on Minnesota House of Representatives website
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF2156&ssn=0&y=2021
SF1871 in Minnesota Senate Website
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?f=SF1871&y=2021&ssn=0&b=senate
The full hearing can be viewed here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gSlcDYZmKs
The full audio can be downloaded here:
http://ww2.house.leg.state.mn.us/audio/mp3ls92/prehealth030222.mp3
All of the information provided as testimony for the hearing is provided here:
Audio & Video Archive – Minnesota House of Representatives
Daren Mehl Written Testimony:
Daren Mehl Testimony – Minnesota HF2156
Daren Mehl Spoken Testimony:
Daren Mehl Spoken Testimony HF2156
Nate Oyloe Written Testimony:
Nate Oyloe Testimony HF2156
Dr. Laura Haynes IFTCC Testimony:
Dr. Laura Haynes Testminoy HF2156