A coalition of church leaders has written to the Scottish government urging it to re-think plans to ban "conversion practices".
The church leaders warn that the proposed language is so broad that it risks criminalising "innocent Christians for teaching what Christians have always taught".
The letter to Minister for Equalities, Emma Roddick, which has been signed by 20 church leaders, says that banning the teaching of the Christian perspective of sexuality and gender identity would be "deeply repressive" and a violation of religious freedom.
The Scottish Government has promised to bring forward a Bill by the end of the year and a consultation is expected in the near future.
The church leaders note that many of the "grotesque" abuses covered by the proposed ban, like 'corrective rape' or electric shock 'therapy', are already illegal, and say that the Scottish government would be "profoundly mistaken to conflate orthodox Christian teaching on sexuality and gender with abuse".
"However, a 'conversion therapy' ban would go far beyond outlawing abuse and coercion; instead it would criminalise ordinary Christians and church leaders for expressing mainstream, orthodox belief," the letter reads.
It continues, "The process of becoming a Christian – through repentance, that is, turning from sin and accepting Jesus Christ as Lord – is usually described as 'conversion'. By using this Christian language of 'conversion', therefore, the proposed legislation strikes at a central tenet of Christianity itself.
"This means it will be very hard to avoid criminalising the ordinary work and witness of churches. Indeed, for some of those calling for a ban, this would seem to be the express purpose."
Signatories of the letter include Professor David Galloway, Chairman of Logos Scotland and former President of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, who said, "As church leaders, we want to be free to share the good news of the gospel with all people, including LGBT people.
"We could never support abuse or coercion, which are completely at odds with the Bible's teaching. But we have a duty to lead our congregations in living for Christ, in the way He has taught us. And that means teaching what the Bible says about all areas of life – including sexuality and gender.
"An evidence-based case for a new law has not been made and no gaps in existing law have been identified. Yet the Scottish government is continuing to press ahead with a law that could see ordinary Christians criminalised for merely expressing their beliefs."
The letter also raises serious concerns about some of the recommendations from the Scottish Government's 'Expert Advisory Group on Ending Conversion Practices'.
In a report last October, the group suggested that teaching "the importance of marriage" should be covered by the ban and recommended "the modification or even withdrawal" of parental rights "where parents or guardians have engaged in conversion practices".
For clergy or other members of a religious institution who violate the ban, the legal consequences "may include the withdrawal of the perpetrator's professional licence as a faith leader or removal of their ability to work within Scotland in the said institution, or withdrawal of the institution's charity status where the institution is not regulated".
"Religious and cultural obligations play a huge part in why people may suppress being LGBT+. These norms are enforced and embedded from early childhood, often in subtle ways which impact significantly," the group claimed.
Elsewhere, the report says that those suspected of engaging in conversion practices should receive "targeted education", and concludes that a ban on conversion practices "does not lead to an unlawful restriction of freedom of religion".
"Freedom of religion is not an absolute right; it meets its restrictions where it unduly infringes the human rights of others," it states.
Rev Dr William Philip, minister of The Tron Church in Glasgow and co-signatory of the letter to Ms Roddick, said the recommendations of the 'Expert Advisory Group' were "alarming".
"The presentation – as a law to protect LGBT people from abuse – is disingenuous; all such abuse and coercion is already, quite rightly, illegal," he said.
"It is these proposals which are abusive towards ordinary people, including loving parents protective of their children – by criminalising simply speaking with them, praying for them, or daring to disagree with LGBT ideology.
"Threatening to punish church leaders and churches for upholding Christian teaching; terrorising mothers and fathers with the spectre of removing their parental rights for simply trying to help their children navigate normal adolescence – are these really the marks of a free and tolerant society?"
