The Catholic Church in Scotland has warned that a planned ban on so-called 'conversion therapy' could serve to sow division within families and “weaken trust within the home”.
The warning from the Catholic Parliamentary Office (CPO) comes in response to a motion at the party conference of the governing SNP.
The statement reiterated the view of many critics of proposed bans across the UK that existing law already prohibits abuse within counselling and therapy settings.
The SNP motion “proposes a prohibition of exceptional breadth”, the CPO said, impacting on family, religious and healthcare settings. The proposals even extend to situations in which a person has specifically sought assistance with issues like sexuality or gender identity.
“Such an approach risks treating ordinary conversations, conscientious guidance and supportive care as suspect simply because they engage questions of identity, relationships, faith or personal conduct," it said.
The CPO added that parents and carers were responsible for the care of their children and this involved not only support and reassurance but also boundary setting and encouraging reflection.
“A broadly framed ban could create uncertainty about whether a parent may ask questions, encourage patience, seek professional advice or discuss the family’s moral and religious convictions without fear that such conversations might later be characterised as unlawful," it said.
“This uncertainty could weaken trust within the home. Children and young people benefit when they can speak openly with those who know and love them best, without family members feeling compelled either to affirm immediately every stated view or to withdraw from sensitive discussion altogether.”
The statement also affirmed that those in pastoral ministry were called to “listen without condemnation” but should also be free to give honest and compassionate advice or care, in line with the teachings of their faith.
If there must be a new law, the CPO said it should include “clear protections for freedom of thought, conscience and religion, freedom of expression, private and family life, and the voluntary giving and receiving of pastoral care”.
