Judge: Claiming to cure homosexuality is consumer fraud
By Samantha Michaels, Mother Jones
In a blow to the controversial practice of gay conversion therapy, a New Jersey judge has ruled that therapists who claim that homosexuality is a curable mental disorder are committing consumer fraud.
The ruling, issued on Tuesday by Superior Court Judge Peter F. Bariso Jr., is part of an ongoing lawsuit filed on behalf of four men who say they were subjected to humiliating treatments by therapists affiliated with Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing (JONAH), a gay conversion therapy referral service based in Jersey City. Bariso said it violates the state’s Consumer Fraud Act to advertise conversion therapy services by describing homosexuality as a mental illness, disease, or disorder.
“This ruling makes clear that when conversion therapists lie about the nature of homosexuality in order to lure these vulnerable clients into their services and their programs, they’re committing fraud,” says David Dinielli, deputy legal director of the Southern Poverty Law Center, which filed the lawsuit for the plaintiffs. According to the SPLC, this marks the first time a US court has found that homosexuality is not a mental disease.
Oh, and in recent news- they’re now offering therapy for those unlucky souls who have light skin and blue eyes. “We can convert you…”
Sometimes courts must step in to stop stupid practices like conversion therapy– it’s modern day snake-oil.
“homosexuality is a curable mental disorder” Homosexuality is an incurable mental disorder propagated by the media and Hollywood.
The intolerance of social conservatives is mind boggling. Everyday they scream that THEIR religious rights are being eroded, then out of the other side of their mouth they scream that no one should have the right to do what those social conservatives disagree with or don’t believe in.
Religious fundamentalism is a incurable mental disorder. Raising children in that mentality is a form of abuse. Lucky for us, Misanthropic Angry Sky Man only has control over the people who believe the lie.
As we move forward as a society their ideas will continue to be removed from the decision making process and freedom of religion will include freedom from religion. Their number are dwindling, there is hope.
“The fool hath said in his heart: There is no God, They are corrupt, and are become abominable in their ways: there is none that doth good, no not one.” Psalm 13:1
“For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect.” Matthew 24:24
You can believe whatever you like, as long as it does not interfere with my beliefs. The problem is government and atheists like you are trying to force Christians to support gay marriage and other immoral things against their will. In the private sphere, objecting parents will see their children exposed more than ever to this new “morality,” businesses offering wedding services will be forced to provide them for same-sex unions, and rental property owners will have to agree to accept same-sex couples as tenants. We are expected to accept vaccines, contraception, and abortion, all without complaint. And anyone who objects is fined, ridiculed, and crushed. How long will it be before Christians are being brutally killed by the thousands as they were in the Roman Empire?
Please take a moment to consider who is imposing their beliefs here.
“Misanthropic Angry Sky Man” Why, think you, would God have created the human race if he disliked it so much?
“freedom from religion” I think this isn’t what you want. What you are really saying is “freedom from morals so I can do whatever heinous things I want without remorse.”
When is this demoralization of society going to stop?
The person who equates his personal opinion to undeniable fact, ?!?, now quotes a 2000 year old fictional morality novel as fact? LOFL!
Oh dear, another religious argument with Duke of Prunes and Bigger. Sigh.
Biggerpicture:
“For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect.” Matthew 24:24
Does it not seem odd to you that this is an exact prediction of what is happening today? Fictional? Maybe not.
(1) Some time before 500 B.C. the prophet Daniel proclaimed that Israel’s long-awaited Messiah would begin his public ministry 483 years after the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem (Daniel 9:25-26). He further predicted that the Messiah would be “cut off,” killed, and that this event would take place prior to a second destruction of Jerusalem. Abundant documentation shows that these prophecies were perfectly fulfilled in the life (and crucifixion) of Jesus Christ. The decree regarding the restoration of Jerusalem was issued by Persia’s King Artaxerxes to the Hebrew priest Ezra in 458 B.C., 483 years later the ministry of Jesus Christ began in Galilee. (Remember that due to calendar changes, the date for the start of Christ’s ministry is set by most historians at about 26 A.D. Also note that from 1 B.C. to 1 A.D. is just one year.) Jesus’ crucifixion occurred only a few years later, and about four decades later, in 70 A.D. came the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus.
(2) In approximately 700 B.C. the prophet Micah named the tiny village of Bethlehem as the birthplace of Israel’s Messiah (Micah 5:2). The fulfillment of this prophecy in the birth of Christ is one of the most widely known and widely celebrated facts in history.
(3) In the fifth century B.C. a prophet named Zechariah declared that the Messiah would be betrayed for the price of a slave—thirty pieces of silver, according to Jewish law-and also that this money would be used to buy a burial ground for Jerusalem’s poor foreigners (Zechariah 11:12-13). Bible writers and secular historians both record thirty pieces of silver as the sum paid to Judas Iscariot for betraying Jesus, and they indicate that the money went to purchase a “potter’s field,” used—just as predicted—for the burial of poor aliens (Matthew 27:3-10).
(4) Some 400 years before crucifixion was invented, both Israel’s King David and the prophet Zechariah described the Messiah’s death in words that perfectly depict that mode of execution. Further, they said that the body would be pierced and that none of the bones would be broken, contrary to customary procedure in cases of crucifixion (Psalm 22 and 34:20; Zechariah 12:10). Again, historians and New Testament writers confirm the fulfillment: Jesus of Nazareth died on a Roman cross, and his extraordinarily quick death eliminated the need for the usual breaking of bones. A spear was thrust into his side to verify that he was, indeed, dead.
(5) The prophet Isaiah foretold that a conqueror named Cyrus would destroy seemingly impregnable Babylon and subdue Egypt along with most of the rest of the known world. This same man, said Isaiah, would decide to let the Jewish exiles in his territory go free without any payment of ransom (Isaiah 44:28; 45:1; and 45:13). Isaiah made this prophecy 150 years before Cyrus was born, 180 years before Cyrus performed any of these feats (and he did, eventually, perform them all), and 80 years before the Jews were taken into exile.
(6) Mighty Babylon, 196 miles square, was enclosed not only by a moat, but also by a double wall 330 feet high, each part 90 feet thick. It was said by unanimous popular opinion to be indestructible, yet two Bible prophets declared its doom. These prophets further claimed that the ruins would be avoided by travelers, that the city would never again be inhabited, and that its stones would not even be moved for use as building material (Isaiah 13:17-22 and Jeremiah 51:26, 43). Their description is, in fact, the well-documented history of the famous citadel.
(8) The prophet Moses foretold (with some additions by Jeremiah and Jesus) that the ancient Jewish nation would be conquered twice and that the people would be carried off as slaves each time, first by the Babylonians (for a period of 70 years), and then by a fourth world kingdom (which we know as Rome). The second conqueror, Moses said, would take the Jews captive to Egypt in ships, selling them or giving them away as slaves to all parts of the world. Both of these predictions were fulfilled to the letter, the first in 607 B.C. and the second in 70 A.D. God’s spokesmen said, further, that the Jews would remain scattered throughout the entire world for many generations, but without becoming assimilated by the peoples or of other nations, and that the Jews would one day return to the land of Palestine to re-establish for a second time their nation (Deuteronomy 29; Isaiah 11:11-13; Jeremiah 25:11; Hosea 3:4-5 and Luke 21:23-24).
This prophetic statement sweeps across 3500 years of history to its complete fulfillment—in our lifetime.
(9) Jeremiah predicted that despite its fertility and despite the accessibility of its water supply, the land of Edom (today a part of Jordan) would become a barren, uninhabited wasteland (Jeremiah 49:15-20; Ezekiel 25:12-14). His description accurately tells the history of that now bleak region.
(10) Joshua prophesied that Jericho would be rebuilt by one man. He also said that the man’s eldest son would die when the reconstruction began and that his youngest son would die when the work reached completion (Joshua 6:26). About five centuries later this prophecy found its fulfillment in the life and family of a man named Hiel (1 Kings 16:33-34).
(11) The day of Elijah’s supernatural departure from Earth was predicted unanimously—and accurately, according to the eye-witness account—by a group of fifty prophets (2 Kings 2:3-11).
(12) Jahaziel prophesied that King Jehoshaphat and a tiny band of men would defeat an enormous, well-equipped, well-trained army without even having to fight. Just as predicted, the King and his troops stood looking on as their foes were supernaturally destroyed to the last man (2 Chronicles 20).
(13) One prophet of God (unnamed, but probably Shemiah) said that a future king of Judah, named Josiah, would take the bones of all the occultic priests (priests of the “high places”) of Israel’s King Jeroboam and burn them on Jeroboam’s altar (1 Kings 13:2 and 2 Kings 23:15-18). This event occurred approximately 300 years after it was foretold.
Since these thirteen prophecies cover mostly separate and independent events, the probability of chance occurrence for all thirteen is about 1 in 10^138, figured conservatively. Of course, it’s just fiction!
I quote my personal opinion as undeniable fact, with evidence to back it up. You quote your personal opinion as undeniable face, provide no logic or evidence, then ridicule anyone who doesn’t agree.
And the atheists continue to deny fact, because they want to be free from any restraint, something that they need in order to take over the world with their foul ideas.
Secret society, or just plain ignorant atheist? You tell me!
Nice to see Tahoe posting under another name. Homeschooled, antivaxing, homophobic kid. Great just what we need.
As a person with a ton of GLBT friends I find your rants offensive.
“Homosexuality is an incurable mental disorder propagated by the media and Hollywood.”
?!?, please backup your above statement with “proven fact”, with sources please. And Bible verses don’t count as indisputable fact.
?!?
On another story people, including yourself, asked if one person was using multiple names.
While people do change their “names”, you are the only only doing so right now. You have also gone by “Tahoe” and “ahem”. You have said you are 16 years old.
Anything else you would like to know?
LTN staff
“You have also gone by “Tahoe” and “ahem”. You have said you are 16 years old.”
Yes, I would like to know who Tahoe and ahem are, and who said I was 16 years old. Is someone else posting using my email address? You may reply to my email. Thank You for alerting me of the problem.
“homeschooled” nope!
“antivaxing” nope!
Don’t know where you are getting that from.
Also, way to go New Jersey! These awful camps should absolutely be illegal.
Thank you for the heads up, everyone. Someone else has been using my email to post comments on this site. Problem taken care of.
Aside from the religion concern part of this, if someone seeks therapy for a cure of a condition it would seem to me that the “problem” lies with their own free choice and they made it. People seek all kinds of cures for all kinds of things and this looks like a false morality play by the judge because if the people have the free will to chose to enter into this or not then where is the problem? False advertising? Of what? Something that is subjective. The judge can think and state many things, that isn’t as important as free will to contract services that are legal. These people were not being held against their will that I can see and would be free to leave. I don’t trust anything from the SPLC as being legitimate.
!?! LOMAO, how ignorant of Christian Theology and clearly you know nothing of Torah, Haftorah or the Talmud. Christian Theology is an extension of the Jewish traditions.
Every 100 years or so, some overly zealot Christian numnut predicts of the end by misquoting the christian bible and treating it as a fact based document. I noticed you seem to skip over the numerous inconsistencies between the various gospels that have been extremely well documented. Also not forgetting the fact that you are reading a translation and not the original Ancient Hebrew (not today’s Hebrew – the Hebrew my family speaks today is not what Mosses spoke) and Biblical Aramaic.
So forgive me if I trust biblical scholars over you.
Rick
“Every 100 years or so, some overly zealot Christian numnut predicts of the end by misquoting the christian bible” Exactly, and misinterpreting it as well.
“Christian Theology is an extension of the Jewish traditions” absolutely not. Are you a Jew?
“I noticed you seem to skip over the numerous inconsistencies between the various gospels that have been extremely well documented” If you would point these out to me, I would gladly explain why they aren’t inconsistencies.
That said, my original point was about gay marriage, and Duke started the religion war. Maybe we could end it?
I guess I missed something. I could have sworn that the article was about ‘conversion therapy’. Justice – the scariest part of this practice is parents putting their children through it. Not all that go, do so voluntarily.
Interestingly, we are still teaching false American history that only goes back less than 400 years yet people insist the religious history from 2000 years ago is accurate to the letter.
How are people being “lured in” if they aren’t using their free choice to engage in these services? “Claiming a cure” doesn’t it require those seeking this service as a choice or free will? Minors? Aren’t they usually under parental supervision according to law and unable to contract? “Therapy” can consist of many things like 1st Amendment issues of free speech. I would like to know first if these were adults engaged in free choice or some people recruited to do this by the SPLC. Then I would like to see the “promise of cure” made as it relates to a consumer issue as it relates to the purchase or contract of services for therapy as it seems odd someone would promise or guarantee a therapy service which in dealing with human choices and behavior is very unpredictable as an outcome.
“Yet she increased her prostitution, remembering the days of her youth when she engaged in prostitution in the land of Egypt. She lusted after their genitals – as large as those of donkeys, and their seminal emission was as strong as that of stallions.”
“You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them.”
That stuff is also in your silly book.
“Thank you for the heads up, everyone. Someone else has been using my email to post comments on this site. Problem taken care of.”
BS BS BS. You know what your book says about lies, right?
This is hilarious: This sad dude replying to himself, complimenting himself, and lieing about it here.
https://www.laketahoenews.net/2015/01/editorial-ban-personal-belief-exemption-for-vaccinations/
HAHAHA what a JO.
Thank you…for your unsolicited opinion!
!?! – Really, you re clueless.
Yes I am Jewish. Keep in mind, Jesus was a Jew and never once proselytized to gentiles, he only preached to Jews. In the end the Jews were not amused and his disciples decided to carry the message to someone else as the larger Jewish community ignored him. The Christian Old testament (2/3 of the Christian Bible), is in fact the Jewish Torah and Haftorah, so yes Christianity is simply an offshoot of Judaism.
You are simply a zealot that carries on the tradition of misinterpreting your bible – there are numerous translation errors that are being discovered all the time by biblical scholars.
So distrust anyone who claims to or tries to use the bible to justify it as proof of God or Christianity – that is simply a tautology. There were hundreds of “gospels” written and only a small number of them were adopted by the early church as the New Testament to tell the story the early leaders wanted to tell- hence why the bible is rather inconsistent if you actually read it.
So should I stone my neighbor for mixing cloth?
Rick
Now your comments make so much more sense, Rick.
Thank’s for letting me know to ignore your banter…
http://www.zionismontheweb.org/antizionism/Zionist_take_over_the_world.htm
“Translational errors” Are not contradictions.
Excuse me, but what is going on here? You are all getting very much excited, and I’m not sure why. Some judge in New Jersey said that claiming to cure homosexuality is fraud, which it probably is. So what? Why is everyone talking about religion? What is going on with “?!?”?
?!?/Tahoe/Ahem,
GO OUTSIDE! It is way too nice for a 16 year old to be a keyboard warrior indoors! Go ride a bike or grab your ski’s and get off the computer.
!?! ahh now I get it. Your an antisemite – and as most bigots, uneducated.
Translation errors often lead to inconsistencies; simply one form. But even without translation errors, if you have taken any time to actually read the Christian bible, you will know the gospels contradict each other in some significant ways. Biblical scholars have spent lifetimes pointing out the inconsistencies. But that would require setting aside your preconceived notions and actually do some research. Something you have proven you are incapable of. thanks you saved me wasting time responding to someone as dumb and ignorant as you in the future. Hope you can keep your job at McDonald’s.
Rick
Confused Person: You are absolutely correct in your assessment. A judge reached a fair ruling on modern day snake oil salesmen. Enough said.
Rick
I’m not an antisemite, I’m opposed to what the Jews are doing in the world. You know, kinda like you’re opposed to Christians? You are still failing to point me to the “significant contradictions” you refer to.
You go to hell and I’ll go to Texas.
some of you folks seem to have a lot of Hate for Christians.
it would be interesting to know what happened to you to make you form that opinion.
the Bible says that God has allowed the LGBT folks to follow their own Lusts.
that is why they are going in that direction.
This therapy issue is going to be appealed and will land in the Supreme Court, no doubt, and until then this ruling will be one of many.
Chief Slowroller is right. But just because God has allowed them to follow their own lusts, doesn’t mean they are correct.
Kae, that screwball post that the “question marks” 16 year old posted looks like something he ripped off the Citizen’s Action Network on Facebook.
Don’t know much about the plagiarism laws, or the copyright laws, but he (she?) posted without giving credit to the source. Obviously, it wasn’t him (her?). Hope that doesn’t cause trouble for you.
In any case, it’s not something he spent more than 30 seconds on the computer researching. And is ultimately irrelevant anyway.
In his defense, there have been sillier declarations of “faith,” so he doesn’t have the record.
Looks like you’re busted ?!?. Commenting under multiple names just isn’t acceptable.
“some of you folks seem to have a lot of Hate for Christians.”
just the dangerously ignorant ones. i wouldn’t even call that guy a christian. there are christians, and angry sky man cretins, it is mutually exclusive.
It saddens me that, too often, what starts as readers expressing opionions on an issue becomes a forum for name-calling and personal attacks. I don’t always agree with the opinions of my fellow posters, but, if they express their opinion with respect I defend their right to do so. Even when I agree with another poster’s viewpoint, if they express their opinion in an inflammatory manner I am turned off. Sadly, it becomes too easy to hide behind screen names (or multiple screen names) to spew bigotry, racism, anti-semitism, homophobia and other types of hatred toward individual posters and groups of people. Kae, I wonder if you would consider publishing, and enforcing, a rules of posting policy to bring some civility back to these discussions. I know you have posted this in the past, but I think it might be helpful to have the policy clearly shown at the beginning of every comments section. Violators to those published policies could be blocked from future posting. I would even go so far as to suggest that posters must use their actual names when they post, rather than screen names. It is a lot harder to spew offensive commentary when you have to be held accountable for it. I love reading LTN and I appreciate the opportunity for respectful dialogue about issues. Thank you Kae.
What we need is a cure for stupid
David, I am with you. But, apparently “religion” isn’t the answer. The idea of quoting the Bible as relevant to a court decision is absurd. That isn’t how it works, “… that isn’t how any of this works”.
Further, if homosexuality is a “condition”, why isn’t it covered by medical insurance? The nonsense just gets worse when you add notions of religion as “undeniable fact”. One must consider the source. They constantly show their complete inability to discuss anything with rational argument.
Chief, did God give us free will or not? Who are you to decide what God intends? Especially considering His admonition against judgement of others.
The real issue is men and women learned in the law passing judgment on an issue of physiology, psychology, and human nature.
My own personal believe is that an individual is born of nature with nurturing a major modifier.
I spent almost 28 years working in West Hollywood and Studio City and found all my friends and acquaintances to be good people from all walks of life and persuasions.
We not only have to think was is best for the individual but also what is best
for society as a whole.
Dennis Prager a conservative and religious philosopher has written extensively on the subject. He is on radio station 1380 in Sacrament from 9-12 AM.
He provides large amounts of food for thought.
Spouters of hatred and divisiveness advocating cultural, social, economic and psychological violence doing so in the name their loving, just God is the epitome of hypocrisy.
Hmmm, I’m sorry you feel that way.
Manage this world(sneer). Right.
When the arguments about homosexuality come up, I am reminded of one of Doctor Dean Edele’s radio programs. He cited a study that has been done repeatedly with the same results. A group of men is asked to indicate on a questionnaire whether they are pro homosexuality, neutral on homosexuality or adamantly against it. The men were then wired in such a way that sexual excitement could be quantified. The men who exhibited the most arousal in these studies were the men most against homosexuality. Go figure. When when I encounter someone who wants to rid the world of gays I think hmmmmm……….
@?!?-You changed your post. And…You’re going to Texas? Good. Stay there.
@Bluejeans-who me? Nah-I am ok with gays…it’s their freedom.
I’m thinking ?!? may have multiple personalities…no doubt due to childhood trauma or demon possession, or both.
I don’t think homesexuality is a mental disorder. I also don’t think it is something that has only come about due to the media. It’s been around, but because of the taboo believe that it is wrong people have only done it in secret and behind closed doors.
Homosexuality is not a “mental illness, disease or disorder”. And it can’t be “cured”. My brother is gay and I got no problem with that( okay he did become a far right libertarian, that I have issues with, apologies to Dogula).
Over the years I’ve had many gay friends, and still do now. Ones sexual preference should not be how people are judged. And to “cure” them? They are born that way!
If you want to cure something start with cancer or something as simple as the common cold, or maybe cure the religous fanatics that believe in a bunch of made up stories! OLS