Hank Hanegraaff Talks ‘Turbulent’ Weeks; Reveals Health Issues, Looking Forward ‘to Another World’

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Christian Post (a site we do not recommend) has the story:

Christian radio personality Hank Hanegraaff, also known as the “Bible Answer Man,” has opened up about the “turbulent” past few weeks in his life, and revealed that he has been diagnosed with unexpected health issues.

Hanegraaff posted a video blog on his Facebook page on Wednesday, where he addressed all his listeners and supporters to inform them of some of the changes in his life.

“The last couple of weeks have been turbulent, to say the least. But somehow, by God’s grace, I have never been in a more peaceful place in the entirety of my Christian life. I just feel surrounded by the love and goodness and grace of God,” Hanegraaff said.

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See also:

Bible Answer Man Hank Hanegraaff Converts to Eastern Orthodoxy

Hank Hanegraaff, Greek Orthodoxy and Patterns in the Cults

Why We Can’t Assume Hank Hanegraaff Is Saved and Why We Should Evangelize Him

‘Bible Answer Man’ Booted from Bott Radio Network

The Heart of the Hanegraaff Hubbub: Dethroning the God of Your Personal Experience

Michael Brown Can’t Defend ‘Sneaky Squid Spirit’–Repeatedly Changes the Subject

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From Museum of Idolatry:

As he always does, Michael Brown says he wants to hear the thoughts of callers so he can “have a conversation,” but he interrupts Chris Rosebrough and totally changes the topic and turns this into a domineering diatribe to prop up his favorite hyper-charismatic doctrines. Brown fully supports crazy false teachers like Jennifer LeClaire, but becomes very ambiguous whenever he’s confronted with the facts. He will not look into a single idiotic false prophecy from LeClaire or anybody else. He never does any actual research on the people he supports; people like Rick Joyner, Bill Johnson and Jennifer LeClaire. He’s a hyper-charismatic cheerleader with a big microphone and a very gullible audience.

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The True Vine and bearing fruit in the Father’s Kingdom

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

1 “I am the true vine and my Father is the vinedresser.” John 15:1 (translated from the NA28 Greek text)

In John 15:1, we have our Lord’s last of His seven “I am” sayings signifying His claim of deity. The word “true” in v1 translates the adjective ἀληθινὴ, which is nominative, singular of ἀληθινός or alēthinos, “unfeigned, trustworthy, true.” The nominative case form, ἀληθινὴ of ἀληθινός means that the metaphor our Lord is making of Him being the “true vine” is subject to the main verb in the sentence with is εἰμι, which, of course, means, in this context, “am.” Therefore, our Lord is saying that the fact that He is deity means that He is the “true vine.” What this means, of course, is that there are “other vines,” but He is the only one who is “true” and God the Father is the γεωργός or vinedresser.  The noun γεωργός or geōrgos, “can refer to the owner of a farm or to those who work the farm.” Here our Lord is using this term metamorphically to refer to God the Father as the owner of a vineyard, the “vinedresser.”  View article →

Kris Vallotton: Prosperity Preacher Exchanging Love for Wealth

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NAR heretic Kris Vallotton actually teaches that God wants His people to be wealthy in spite of all the scriptures that say just the opposite.  Here’s an example of how wealth corrupts people:

Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. — James 5: 1-5

Steven Kozar of Messed Up Church presents the details of Kris Vallotton’s highly unbiblical agenda which includes Vallotton’s list of 8 things that he believes will determine if a person has a poverty mindset or a wealthy mindset.  Kozar writes:

If you want to tickle itching ears with a prosperity/Word of Faith message it helps if you can talk out of both sides of your mouth. Vallotton is an expert. He begins his article by saying:

“Do you know that God wants you to be wealthy? It may be contrary to what we’re usually taught in the church, but I believe that wealth is a sign of God’s blessing in your life, and it’s how we are made to live as children of the living King! Think about it, if your Dad rules the world, then you are royalty on this earth and have access to everything He has access to.”

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Humanism Recognized as a Religion by US Government

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It is no secret that humanists are aggressively pushing their secular humanist religion on children. Supposedly humanists are “fighting for kids not to be taught religious beliefs,” says Ken Ham. “In reality, they have brainwashed the nation’s leaders into passing legislation to protect the teaching of the secular humanist religion to America’s children.” Ham reports what atheists are up to in a piece over at Answers in Genesis. He writes:

The Department of Defense recently updated its list of recognized religions from just over 100 to 221—including a formal recognition of humanism as religion. This move reportedly

means servicemen and women who are adherents of small faith groups are now guaranteed the same rights, privileges and protections granted to their peers who are members of larger faith groups.

Apparently the new designation “was lauded by humanist organizations, which have been pushing for full recognition, including their own chaplains, for 10 years.” The Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers is “ready with ‘chaplain outreach’ to help train military chaplains in humanist beliefs and needs.” Of course, a humanist cannot offer any real hope to anyone. They really have no message except that this life is all there is and that the only hope is in humanity (which the Bible describes as desperately wicked and full of sin [Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:23], a fact that is easily seen now and throughout history).

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Smithsonian Channel Spotlights Stone Tablet Believed to Confirm Biblical Tower of Babel

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Christian News reports:

The first episode of the new season of the Smithsonian Channel’s “Secrets” series spotlights a stone tablet discovered in Babylon more than 100 years ago that is believed to confirm the existence of the biblical Tower of Babel as outlined in the Book of Genesis.

“Ancient texts have allowed experts to imagine what the building might have looked like,” a promotional video for the episode outlines, pointing to the Scriptures. “But now, astounding new evidence has emerged. Inscribed on the surface of a privately owned tablet, is an image that sensationally reveals what the Tower of Babel looked like.”

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The Doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints / Persevering Grace

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35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39 ESV)

Probably the number one thing that I have learned while presenting the doctrines of grace is that there are people who simply will not believe nor back away from their own conception of Soteriology. For instance, I have friends, acquaintances, and relatives who smirk and roll their eyes back when the topic of Persevering Grace comes up. I heard one fellow say once that God writes those who are saved in the Lamb’s Book of Life in pencil and that pencil has an eraser. Where in the Bible is that one?    View article →

Irresistible Grace / Efficacious Grace

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As we have seen, Unconditional Election is the work of God the Father. Particular Redemption is the work of Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit, the third member of the Trinity, is also at work in the salvation of the elect. It is His efficaciously gracious work to apply the benefits of Christ’s works to those elect whom Jesus has redeemed. 

The Doctrine of Irresistible Grace refers to the way God calls us to Jesus Christ. However, to some, these words imply that God drags people kicking and screaming into His Kingdom. They also seem to imply that grace is never resisted by us. Obviously it is. However, this doctrine does tell us that no one called can resist effectively. When God calls us to faith in Jesus Christ he calls effectively, always succeeding. The grace of God’s calling is overwhelmingly efficacious, therefore, I prefer to call it “Efficacious Grace.”   View article →

Christian college demands staff sign statement opposing gay marriage, faculty threaten to leave

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According to Christian Today:

Photo credit Montreat College website

Faculty members of a Christian college once attended by Franklin Graham are threatening to resign after they were asked to sign a statement affirming their opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion.

Montreat College, a private Christian arts college in North Carolina, is insisting its staff affirm and live according to the school’s ‘Community Life Covenant’, recently added to staff handbooks.

The covenant affirms ‘the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman’ and the ‘worth of every human being from conception to death’, according to the Citizen-Times.

Montreat’s director of communications, Adam Caress, explained the covenant, which comes out of two years of listening to concerns of students, staff and alumni.

He said in an email: ‘The Community Life Covenant is rooted in core biblical values that have been central to Christianity for 2000 years and central to the college throughout its 101-year history.

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How much should ‘associations’ factor into my assessment of whether a teacher is false or not?

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What do Billy Graham, Ravi Zacharais, Beth Moore and David Jeremiah have in common? They’ve associated with wolves who lead the sheep astray and they’re unrepentant about their associations.  Elizabeth Prata lays out why Christian leaders must not be careless when it comes to their associations.  As a Berean it’s up to you to check out the people evangelical celebs choose to associate with.  For example, when it comes to any sort of gathering, who’s name will appear on the marque with a person you admire? Prata advises

when we look at a leader or teacher’s associations, don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater. We have to take a prayerful & measured look when we’re looking at secondary circumstances like who is hanging around our author or preacher or teacher.

Elizabeth Prata has a lot more to say on this subject over at The End Time blog:

A woman asked me recently whether she should read a certain book because the preface to the book was written by a false teacher, though the book itself was written by a solid teacher.

I’m glad that people are aware that associations can harm a reputation and can also be an indicator of future doctrinal problems in a leader or teacher. Associations do matter.

The pure and the polluted share nothing in common ultimately. And the people of God cannot form intimate relationships with those who don’t belong to God. All relationships like that are superficial. You cannot make a meaningful relationship with an enemy of the gospel. They live in a different world with a different and completely hostile and antagonistic leader. Separating from Unbelievers part 1

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Encouraging or Empty? Faith-Based Groups Divided Over Impact of Trump’s Religious Freedom Executive Order

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Christian News reports:

Faith-based groups across the nation are divided in their opinions over how much of an impact that President Trump’s newly-signed executive order will actually have on the protection of religious liberty in the nation.

“Federal law protects the freedom of Americans and their organizations to exercise religion and participate fully in civic life without undue interference by the federal government. The executive branch will honor and enforce those protections,” the order reads in part.

“In reality, what Trump issued today is rather weak,” Ryan Anderson of the Heritage Foundation wrote in a commentary for the Daily Signal following Thursday’s signing. “All it includes is general language about the importance of religious liberty, saying the executive branch ‘will honor and enforce’ existing laws and instructing the Department of Justice to ‘issue guidance’ on existing law.”

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Limited Atonement / Particular Redemption

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26 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 27 “Now on the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present a food offering to the Lord. 28 And you shall not do any work on that very day, for it is a Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. 29 For whoever is not afflicted on that very day shall be cut off from his people. 30 And whoever does any work on that very day, that person I will destroy from among his people. 31 You shall not do any work. It is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. 32 It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict yourselves. On the ninth day of the month beginning at evening, from evening to evening shall you keep your Sabbath. (Leviticus 23:26-32 ESV)

Yom Kipper, also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the year for the Jewish people. It takes place on the 10th day of the seventh month (Tishri) on the Jewish calendar. Please carefully read the passage I placed at the top of this post. Do you see the serious emphasis God places on the need for His people’s atonement? What is this atonement? Biblical atonement is the act of God canceling the debt of His people’s sin. Without it God’s wrath against their sin could not be appeased.    View article →

Firestorm brewing as scientists work to create synthetic human DNA

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“The fouled ethics of creating synthetic human DNA will not deter them from going ahead with it. Technocrats invent because they can. However, Transhumanists are vitally interested in creating super-men who can conquer immortality.” — Technocracy News

According to CNBC:

As synthetic DNA is being researched, ethical questions are coming to surface  

Last May a seemingly commonplace meeting kicked off a firestorm of controversy. More than 100 experts in genetics and bioengineering convened at Harvard Medical School for a meeting that was closed to the public — attendees were asked not to contact news media or to post about the meeting on social media.

The same group is getting back together in New York City next week.

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U.S. House Votes to Reduce Planned Parenthood Funding for One Year Under Republican Healthcare Bill

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Christian News reports:

The U.S. House of Representatives voted 217 to 213 on Thursday to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, reducing—but not completely eliminating—funding for the abortion and contraception giant Planned Parenthood for one year in the process.

The American Health Care Act (AHCA) will strip Planned Parenthood of $390 million of the more than $450 million it receives in federal funding each year. Speaker Paul Ryan said in January that the funding would be redirected to community health centers, which do not perform abortions.

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ObamaCare replacement bill approved in House

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According to Fox News:

House Republicans on Thursday narrowly approved their sweeping health care bill aimed at fulfilling a campaign promise to upend ObamaCare, after resuscitating legislation that had flatlined on the floor not six weeks earlier.

The revised American Health Care Act passed on a 217-213 vote.

The passage marked Republicans’ biggest step yet toward replacing the Affordable Care Act. The bill heads next to the Senate, however, where it faces an uncertain fate.

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Trump Signs Order to Ease Ban on Political Activity by Churches

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Newsmax reports:

President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order on religious liberties designed to ease a ban on political activity by churches and other tax-exempt institutions.

Trump’s executive order also mandates regulatory relief to religious employers that object to contraception, such as Little Sisters of the Poor.

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The Hottest Thing at Church Today

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According to a new study, what people want in a church is changing.  Blogger, author and book reviewer Tim Challies expresses his concern that pastors will give their congregants what they want but “they will do so not on the basis of biblical convictions, but on the basis of pragmatism.” In other words, pragmatism or “whatever works” to get people to come to church, will be what drives preachers to adopt what appears to be a hot new trend in the visible Church. Challies writes:

According to a new study by Gallup, the hottest thing at church today is not the worship and not the pastor. It’s not the smoke and lights and it’s not the hip and relevant youth programs. It’s not even the organic, fair trade coffee at the cafe. The hottest thing at church today is the preaching. Not only is it the preaching, but a very specific form of it—preaching based on the Bible. And just like that, decades of church growth bunkum is thrown under the bus. As Christianity Today says, “Despite a new wave of contemporary church buzzwords like relational, relevant, and intentional, people who show up on Sundays are looking for the same thing that has long anchored most services: preaching centered on the Bible.” Praise God.

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How This Tiny Baby Gave of Herself to Others

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Katie Nations of LifeZette has the story:

Imagine carrying a child knowing she will be born only to die almost immediately.

That’s exactly what Royce and Keri Young of Oklahoma chose to do for their daughter, Eva. The Youngs’ unborn daughter was diagnosed with anencephaly when Keri Young was 19 weeks pregnant. The unborn baby had no brain.

Rather than terminating the pregnancy, which would have been heartbreaking but, to some, understandable — Royce and Keri Young chose life. They saw the opportunity to give others a chance through organ donation. They embraced the opportunity to allow their Eva — a name that means “giver of life” — to grow to term.

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Energy Drinks Worse for Your Heart Than Caffeine Alone

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NBC News reports:

Drinking 32 ounces of energy drink is associated with potentially harmful changes in blood pressure and heart function that are beyond those seen with caffeine alone, according to a new study.

There are more than 500 energy drink products on the market, and their increased popularity is matched by a significant rise in energy drink-associated emergency department visits and deaths.

Manufacturers and fans of these products claim they are as safe as caffeine, but there is little evidence to support that claim.

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Total Inability / Total Depravity

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

Those of us who dearly love Reformation Theology often use the acronym “T.U.L.I.P.” to represent the five points. I will be posting a 5 part series on the 5 points. One of my favorite books about this is The Doctrines of Grace by James Montgomery Boice and Philip Graham Ryken. I will use this book extensively in this series along with others by R.C. Sproul, John Owen, and Martin Luther. However, my primary source will be The Bible.

The “T” in our acronym stands for “Total Depravity.” The name for this point is unfortunate. While what it implies is true, it also lends a definition to this point that gives many people the wrong idea about what we are saying when unregenerate Man is totally depraved. That makes it sound like all outside of Christ are monsters. In a spiritual sense that is true, but in our experience in this world, some people are better than others. There are horrible criminals to be sure, but there are also very charitable people who do good works who would be insulted if you called them Christian.    View article →

The Courage to Be Reformed

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According to Burk Parsons of Ligonier Ministries, those who are truly Reformed will find it impossible “to remain a ‘closet Calvinist,'” and “impossible to remain Reformed without anyone knowing it—it will inevitably come out.” Parsons states his reason for saying this in a piece he wrote for Tabletalk magazine.  He writes:

When we come to grasp Reformed theology, it’s not only our understanding of salvation that changes, but our understanding of everything. It’s for this reason that when people wrestle through the rudimentary doctrines of Reformed theology and come to comprehend them, they often feel like they have been converted a second time. In fact, as many have admitted to me, the reality is that some have been converted for the very first time. It was through their examination of Reformed theology that they came face-to-face with the stark reality of their radical corruption and deadness in sin, God’s unconditional election of His own and condemnation of others, Christ’s actual accomplishment of redemption for His people, the Holy Spirit’s effectual grace, the reason they persevere by God’s preserving grace, and God’s covenantal way of working in all of history for His glory. When people realize that ultimately, they didn’t choose God, but He chose them, they naturally come to a point of humble admission of the amazing grace of God toward them. …  It’s only then, when we recognize what wretches we really are, that we can truly sing “Amazing Grace.” And that is precisely what Reformed theology does: it transforms us from the inside out and leads us to sing—it leads us to worship our sovereign and triune, gracious, and loving God in all of life, not just on Sundays but every day and in all of life. Reformed theology isn’t just a badge we wear when being Reformed is popular and cool, it’s a theology that we live and breathe, confess, and defend even when it’s under attack.

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Study Shows Only 10% of Americans Have a Biblical Worldview

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Avery Foley of Answers in Genesis has the report:

Despite the growing number of religiously unaffiliated people, over 70% of Americans still claim to be Christians. Yet only 46% of US adults would say they have a biblical worldview. But do almost half of Americans really possess a biblical framework through which they view the world?

Survey: Do You Think and Act Biblically?

The American Culture and Faith Institute (ACFI) recently conducted nationwide surveys of over 6,000 people to determine how many Americans have a biblical worldview—that is, how many Americans use the Bible as their filter for reality, to determine right from wrong, and to shape their beliefs, attitudes, and actions. Research shows that nearly half of Americans believe they have a biblical worldview, but, not surprisingly, this in-depth ACFI study showed that a substantially smaller number than 46% actually hold to basic biblical beliefs and practice what God’s Word teaches.

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Limbaugh Presses Pence: Sick of This ‘We’ll Get ‘Em Next Time’

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Newsmax reports:

Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh drilled down on Vice President Mike Pence over budget bill concessions to Democrats on funding for a border wall, sanctuary cities, and Planned Parenthood.

When Pence called into Limbaugh’s daily show Tuesday to defend the $1 trillion budget deal, Limbaugh scolded the vice president, saying: “You guys were sent there to drain the swamp.”

“If I’m the Democrats, $21 billion, $15 billion for defense that was not originally authorized — that’s a small price to pay for continuing to fund refugee resettlement, continuing to fund Planned Parenthood, continuing to fund sanctuary cities, continuing to fund the [Environmental Protection Agency], and not build the wall,” Limbaugh said.

He railed President Donald Trump’s agenda is virtually ignored in the funding deal.

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Election

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

 

13 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. 14 It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 (NASB)

So many Christians are afraid to use the term “election” or to refer to the Body of Christ as “the elect.” The Bible does not have this problem. To “elect” means to select or choose. The Bible clearly says that before creation God selected from the human race those whom he would redeem, justify, sanctify, and glorify in Jesus Christ (Romans 8:28-39; Ephesians 1:3-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 14; 2 Timothy 1:9, 10). The divine choice is an expression of free and sovereign grace. It is not merited by anything in those who are chosen. God owes sinners no mercy of any kind only condemnation; so it is a wonder that he should choose to save anyone. View article →

US Supreme Court Declines to Hear Challenge to Ban on Helping Youth Struggling With Homosexuality

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Christian News reports:

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a pastor’s appeal challenging California’s ban on “conversion therapy” and counseling youth to resist romantic desires toward the same sex.

The nine justices did not comment in rejecting the case, which has been battled in the court system for the past five years.

As previously reported, in 2012, as the ban was being contemplated in the legislature, Gov. Jerry Brown remarked that he hoped reparative therapy would be forever heaved into “the dustbin of quackery.” The bill’s author, Democratic Sen. Ted Lieu of Torrance, claimed that counseling and therapy aimed at helping youth turn from the homosexual lifestyle is the equivalent of “psychological child abuse.”

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