Why some say courts shouldn’t let faith override child safety

# **Free Speech or Harmful Practice? The Fight Over Conversion Therapy**

A recent court decision has reignited the debate over whether preventing harmful practices—like conversion therapy—could violate free speech. The case centers on a therapist who argued that Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy infringed on her ability to practice according to her beliefs. Yet there’s a glaring issue: **conversion therapy doesn’t work**, and for decades, major medical and psychological organizations have condemned it. The real question isn’t about speech—it’s about **protecting children from a discredited method that increases depression and suicide risks**.

### **Faith vs. Fact: Why Religion Can’t Justify Harm**
Some claim the Bible sanctions conversion therapy, but this argument relies on **cherry-picking**—ignoring the broader context of scripture. The same text that supposedly condemns homosexuality also bans tattoos, shellfish, and mixed fabrics, while advocating stoning for adultery. Most Christians don’t follow those rules today. Meanwhile, **Jesus’ teachings emphasize love and acceptance**, not cruelty toward LGBTQ+ youth. So why does this harmful idea persist under the guise of faith?