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Tennessee Bill Would Allow Counselors to Deny Services based on religious beliefs
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andthebeatgoeson
Junior Member
Are they doing this to get that protester tourism? Saw that Kim Davis money and got excited?
Gentleman Jack
Member
Christian Values: Give the cold shoulder to a community that is disproportionately represented in annual suicide statistics.
Man, these anti-LGBT bills and laws are popping so quickly recently. It's a bit terrifying.
Hey, I can't blame them, those Christians have been persecuted for awhile now by them gay commie liberal atheists. They're finally getting the freedums they deserve.
Hey, I can't blame them, those Christians have been persecuted for awhile now by them gay commie liberal atheists. They're finally getting the freedums they deserve.
The very fact that they seriously believe they're being persecuted for their chosen religion, while they actually are persecuting a class of people for being born a certain way, is the most sad and pathetic thing I've seen.
This needs to be emphasized more than anything.
Hopefully, all of these recent ridiculous "religious freedom" bills that have been tossed around lately will cause people in general to wake up and realize the importance of mid-terms.
They lost the big fight. They gotta find someway to release their discrimination loads all over the faces of society.
Sho_Nuff82
Member
Couldn't this be readily applied to patients of different faiths? "Sorry, but my God doesn't want me offering my services to Muslims or Catholics. Get lost."
Religious exemptions to the Civil Rights act are inherently ridiculous, because a religion could theoretically exclude any person on the planet based on any number of arbitrary guidelines.
Religious exemptions to the Civil Rights act are inherently ridiculous, because a religion could theoretically exclude any person on the planet based on any number of arbitrary guidelines.
Septimus Prime
Member
"What would Jesus do? ...oh, really? He would? Oh. Well. Oh. Hmm, yeah, he would, huh? Well, fuck it. Let's make this law anyway."
If this bill passes, I going to love hearing cases of therapists refusing blacks because of religious beliefs. Because, eventually, it'll just be brought up to the Supreme Court which will finally make these "Religious Freedom" laws unconstitutional once and for all. Keep walking that thin line, GOP, you're just going to eventually lose and lose again until your party is irrelevant.
The last thing that I would want is to open up about my deepest secrets to a therapist who secretly hates me. However, they could probably refer me to another therapist under most systems for any reason (correct me if I'm wrong) so this is redundant. But we all know the real reason for this.
Lactose_Intolerant
Member
There is probably an organization writing them all.
Anyone who would turn someone away would not be following the ACA code of ethics, and probably should re-evaluate their decision to become a therapist. At the very least the would need to talk to their supervisor about their inability to deal with countertransference and review multicultural literature or take a class related to it. Here's an excerpt:
"C.5. Nondiscrimination
Counselors do not condone or engage
in discrimination against prospective or
current clients, students, employees, supervisees,
or research participants based
on age, culture, disability, ethnicity, race,
religion/spirituality, gender, gender
identity, sexual orientation, marital/
partnership status, language preference,
socioeconomic status, immigration
status, or any basis proscribed by law."
"C.5. Nondiscrimination
Counselors do not condone or engage
in discrimination against prospective or
current clients, students, employees, supervisees,
or research participants based
on age, culture, disability, ethnicity, race,
religion/spirituality, gender, gender
identity, sexual orientation, marital/
partnership status, language preference,
socioeconomic status, immigration
status, or any basis proscribed by law."
davepoobond
you can't put a price on sparks
I think they are all trying to push these through at the same time so its hard for companies to not operate or boycott 40% of the country
SaganIsGOAT
Junior Member
And then Jesus said, "deny assistance to those in need of your help if they are a part of the LGBT+ community"
Violence Jack
Member
How fucked up is it that lesbian, gay, or transgendered that might be seeking therapy and having suicidal thoughts be told "sorry, I can't help you because my religious beliefs matter more than your problems"?
Fucking disgusting. I have a friend that's a counselor in Tennessee, and she's probably livid over this.
Fucking disgusting. I have a friend that's a counselor in Tennessee, and she's probably livid over this.
timetokill
Banned
It's fucked up, but on the other hand I'd have to question the value of the therapy I was getting if the counselor would prefer to not be treating me.
Let's be frank, any therapist who actually refuses LGBT people who are suffering from suicidal depression under the guise of their religious beliefs would probably not care if an LGBT person kills themselves, they probably are much happier they are dead.
Escape Goat
Member
Ricky Ricardo
Member
They'll say "But Lord, we did all this in your name!"
"Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity."
"Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity."
Count of Monte Sawed-Off
un33dab@dpu$$y
This is what I'm thinking. The Bill might be a good thing, just not in the way the author intended. It could direct people who need help, to people who actually want to help them. Not everyone in TN is a piece of shit.
Although overall, the idea of the bill is shitty.
Gentleman Jack
Member
Except this also thins out the list of accessible counselors to a vulnerable segment of the population where the next 'nearest' option is practically unreachable.
It's the culture that's using the religion in this case. I grew up in a conservative megachurch, and as I got older I started noticing how many times the pastor had to "explain" what Jesus meant when it was plain as day. The most notable example is the whole "give your possessions to the poor" and "it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" thing. The pastor would read those passages, then proceed to spend the next hour explaining how Jesus didn't really mean that. (This same church was also "persecuted" for distributing voting guides to it's members)
There's also a real mental gap for a lot of people raised in these environments. I was so sheltered that I didn't know that LGBTQ+ people even existed until I was about 13. This is when we all started using the word "gay" in a derogatory fashion. Then add on to that the demonizing of all sexuality outside of straight marriage sex, and it takes a LOT of time, effort, and luck to undo everything you've ever learned about morality. I can't count the number of times I wept in regret at the things I had believed and the things I said in the past. It can be a painful experience, and while I can't imagine it's even close to what the LGBTQ+ community has experienced, facing that kind of pain and engaging with that kind of self reflection is a difficult choice to make. There's no excuse, but I think it's worthwhile to remember that bigots are people too, and they can change.
All that said, there are an enormous amount of Christian churches that don't have these issues. You don't hear about them often, because they tend to support and aid everyone in their community without drawing attention to themselves.
BreezyLimbo
Banned
What is up with the renaissance of bigotry lately? That is, it seems like it's a daily thing that these 'religious belief' bills are being introduced.
Escape Goat
Member
Just the conservative reaction to LGBT civil rights advances.
BreezyLimbo
Banned
That's the thing, i can't think of any major advances made in the past month that would warrant this reaction.
It's like...it's election year, better start the bigotry machine at full force.
Vicetrailia
Member
Don't you already avoid those who offer faith based therapy anyway?
echoshifting
Banned
Any therapist who would take advantage of this is in the wrong field, full stop.
Nestled_Grizzly
Member
But why? Having this bill pretty much goes against what it means to be Christian. I swear people are so silly with this crap.
Escape Goat
Member
Also, Im not sure if its the same in all states, but you can only introduce bills during certain times of the legislative session.
FireAndBlood
Member
I wonder if we will see a bill where doctors or policemen can refuse service based on religious beliefs.
I was about to make this post. Where will it end?
I'm thankful I want nothing to do with religion. Religion is rules and intolerance. Christianity is actively preventing something in my life. Good job Jesus!
hodayathink
Member
Also, they could be appealing to the base to make sure they don't get primaried by someone further right than them.
Mrs. Manky
Banned
There /are/ LGBTQ people of faith out there. Faith based therapy, sans the bigotry, could be an option for them if needed.
ValkyrUser
Member
Counselors?! That's really sad. Counselors are people who you should always be able to turn to for help. Shame that's not reality...
diffusionx
Gold Member
If there is anybody I want going into a field dedicated to helping people out, it's those who would refuse to help people don't they agree with.
BreezyLimbo
Banned
That's quite a torch to hold. Let it goooo
Makes sense. 'HEY DON'T FORGET TO VOTE FOR US, WE'RE THE BIGGEST ASSHOLES AROUND'
iMAGINATION
Banned
It's not, people bend religion to their will.
Yup, I went to a catholic high school. My religion teacher was gay and everyone knew about it, he would openly talk about his partner and no one cared. I know some parents complained but for the most part no one treated him any differently because he was gay.
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