Here is further evidence of the dominant position into which the practisers and promoters of the perverted lifestyle of the sodomites and their evil associates have come.
The charge against this man is made despite it being reported that, “he has protested that all he did was share his experience as a former homosexual who “left homosexuality”.
Mr Grech said he does not agree with the term ‘conversion therapy’ and that he left his homosexual identity after becoming a Christian – without any type of therapy.
“I understood that in the Bible, homosexuality is not an identity as we make it nowadays. And neither is it a feeling, but a practice…” he said.
This sounds very like the confession of one who has truly experienced God’s deliverance from this evil lifestyle.
He is being supported by UK campaign group, Christian Concern/The Christian Legal Centre, which insists at no point during the programme did Mr Grech invite any listener to attend therapy.
It will be interesting to see the reaction of the The Stormont Department of Communities which it is stated is ‘working with LGBT groups and colleagues in other jurisdictions on legislation “to ban conversion practices in Northern Ireland’.
The full report may be read on the ‘Belfast Newsletter’ website.
Sincerely in Christ’s name,
Ivan Foster
The first person in the world to be prosecuted for promoting ‘gay conversion therapy’ is a trustee of Co Down ex-gay charity Core Issues, according to the campaign group defending him.
Matthew Grech, 33, is a trustee of the Co Down ex-gay charity Core Issues Trust. He lives on the Mediterranean island state of Malta, which is also an EU member.
He was charged after giving an interview to PMnews programme on the island, the Times of Malta reported.
Grech, along with two presenters, will appear in a Maltese court on 3 February, charged with breaching Maltese laws banning the promotion of ‘conversion therapy’.
Matthew Grech, a trustee of Co Down ex-gay charity Core Issues Trust, is thought to be the first person in the world to be charged with promoting ‘gay conversion therapy’.
If found guilty, they face up to €5,000 in fines or up to five months in prison.
However he has protested that all he did was share his experience as a former homosexual who “left homosexuality”.
Mr Grech said he does not agree with the term ‘conversion therapy’ and that he left his homosexual identity after becoming a Christian – without any type of therapy.
“I understood that in the Bible, homosexuality is not an identity as we make it nowadays. And neither is it a feeling, but a practice…” he said.
He is being supported by UK campaign group, Christian Concern/The Christian Legal Centre, which insists at no point during the programme did Mr Grech invite any listener to attend therapy.
The group believes Malta blazed a trail for other nations by being the first to implement a legal ban on promoting such therapies and that Mr Grech is therefore the first person in the world to be charged with the offence.
Co Down man Dr Mike Davidson, CEO of Core Issues Trust, said the prosecution is “probably a test case where the freedoms of speech, conscience and religion are being attacked”.
Dr Davidson, who identifies as “ex-gay”, argued that governments which promote “monocultural viewpoints” on LGBT issues “are denying those unwilling to identify as LGBT the right to leave identities and practices no longer relevant to them”.
He added that “without ideological diversity in any life issue, democracy is denied checks and balances and descends to totalitarianism”.
Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, added: “If a precedent is set by this case in Malta we will see similar cases in the UK unless robust action is taken.”
But UK LGBT rights campaigner Peter Tatchell warned that conversion therapy is harmful and should be banned.
“According to all of Britain’s leading medical, psychological and counselling organisations, conversion therapy is unethical, harmful and it does not work,” he said. “These three grounds justify a ban.”
However he also insisted the prosecution was wrong.
“Matthew Grech should not be prosecuted. He did not undergo conversion therapy, practice conversion therapy or advertise conversion therapy services. As far as I am aware, he simply told his life story and expressed his point of view. I disagree with him but he is entitled to freedom of expression. It’s a guaranteed human right. What Matthew said should be challenged but not criminalised. In a free and democratic society, a conversion therapy ban should criminalise actions, not opinions.”
The Stormont Department of Communities said it is working with LGBT groups and colleagues in other jurisdictions on legislation “to ban conversion practices in Northern Ireland”.
The Rainbow Project in Northern Ireland was also invited to comment.