No More Right to Same-Sex Attraction Therapy?

A Jewish counseling center will defend its right to help clients with unwanted same-sex attraction in a New Jersey courtroom this week.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, which is representing four plaintiffs in Ferguson vs. Jonah, say their clients were tricked into believing the center Jews Offering Alternatives for Healing (JONAH) could relieve them of unwanted sexual orientation.

Their lawsuit charges that the center violated state consumer fraud law, stating that no one has been helped by this therapy.

"That's just not true. There are at least a half a dozen clients who are going to testify with compelling stories of how much the counseling they received through organizations, like JONAH, helped them," Maggie Gallagher, Chairwoman of the Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund which represents JONAH, said.

"Some of them are living chaste lives as Christians or as Jews. Some of them are living married lives," she continued. "It's not clear what every single person can do, but everyone can gain control and orient their sexual desires to their higher values. And people with religious identities have the right to do this - no one has the right to interfere."

"They've already said they will take aim at 70 other Christian and other religious counseling groups who help people with same sex attraction," Gallagher added.

"In a pro-choice nation, you're allowed to choose anything," she added. "One thing you're not allowed to choose is to seek help for living your life the way you choose according to Biblical values."

How could this case impact freedom of conscience and those who counsel in the future? CBN New's Heather Sells spoke with Maggie Gallagher, chairwoman of the Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund, which represents JONAH, about this and more.