A 2014 policy by Kentucky’s Department of Juvenile Justice forbids counselors from calling homosexuality “sinful,” and a long-time volunteer prison minister has been barred for refusing to sign a statement agreeing to the policy. David Wells’ status as a counselor was revoked on July 7 by the Warren County Regional Juvenile Detention Center. He has more than 10 years experience working as a volunteer under the prison ministry of Pleasant View Baptist Church, McQuady, Kentucky. DJJ Policy 912 on “Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity” says that staff and volunteers “shall not refer to juveniles by using derogatory language in a manner that conveys bias towards or hatred of the LGBTQI community. DJJ staff, volunteers, interns, and contractors shall not imply or tell LGBTQI juveniles that they are abnormal, deviant, sinful, or that they can or should change their sexual orientation or gender identity.” Liberty Council, which is representing Mr. Wells, has demanded that he be reinstated and that the state of Kentucky stop imposing a religious test on volunteer pastor counselors. Liberty Council’s Mat Staver says that by equating the teaching of biblical morality with “derogatory,” “biased,” and “hateful” speech, “DJJ policy creates an unconstitutional, religious litmus test for DJJ access” (“Kentucky Juvenile Department Bans Biblical Counseling,” Liberty Council, Jul. 24, 2015). Staver says, further, “Many juveniles are in DJJ custody because of sexual crimes. David Wells must be able to discuss what the Bible says about matters of sexuality with the juveniles he is trying to help. To remove the Bible from a pastor’s hands is like removing a scalpel from a surgeon’s hands. Without it, they cannot provide healing.” (Friday Church News Notes, July 31, 2015, www.wayoflife.org, [email protected], 866-295-4143) Comments are closed.
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