Liberty law school conference takes on 'homosexual agenda'

Liberty University’s School of Law took on the legal implications of what law school dean Mathew Staver called the “homosexual agenda” during a two-day conference that kicked off on Friday.

“That agenda ultimately impacts individuals who do not accept homosexuality as a normal variant of life,” Staver said. “It affects them in the counseling world, and it affects them in free speech concerns.”

The conference, the conservative law school’s first on homosexuality, drew a crowd of about 50 people for Friday’s panel discussion entitled “Understanding Same-sex Attractions and their Consequences” in the school’s Supreme Courtroom.

It also drew the scrutiny of Mel White, a Lynchburg resident and co-founder of the gay rights organization Soulforce, who attended the event to show his solidarity for the gay community and to learn what his adversaries are saying. Through “relentless nonviolent resistance,” White said he hopes to spread the message that it’s possible to be gay and a Christian.

“It’s a tragedy to pass this on to the kids, that you can’t be Christian and be gay. No matter how gently that’s said, it’s still said, and it’s what drove me into the closet for 40 years of suffering,” White said.

Among the speakers was Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International, a nonprofit organization that promotes the message that people can overcome homosexuality through the “power of Jesus Christ.” Chambers, who also spoke to an audience of about 10,000 Liberty undergraduate students Friday morning, gave personal testimony about his decision to forsake his homosexual past and practical advice for mobilizing the church.

“Change-based counseling,” a faith-based approach to helping mental health patients overcome homosexuality, was another topic tackled by speakers.

LU law professor Rena Lindevaldsen examined what she called the biases of the American Psychological Association’s conclusion that change-based counseling is usually ineffective and can involve harm to the patient.

Afterward, Julie Harren-Hamilton — a licensed therapist and president of the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality — offered a scientific response that attempted to debunk the APA’s findings with alternative research.

Tim Clinton, president of the American Association of Christian Counselors, argued that change-based counseling is effective for some clients and has a place in the mental health profession.

“I really believe the value here is to believe in God and His word, and His power to change and sustain should be honored and respected within mental health and the church.”

The conference continues today with a law-focused session entitled “Homosexual Rights and First Amendment Freedoms: Can They Truly Exist?”

Faculty members from Liberty’s law school will take on issues like “will the advancement of homosexual rights silence others” and “how homosexual rights and privileges have eroded employer’s rights and destroyed religious freedom.”