Quick Takeaways

• True parental authority means protecting your child from proven harms, not outsourcing care to practitioners who profit from family fear.

• Conversion therapy has been ruled consumer fraud in court, with a New Jersey jury finding providers liable for unconscionable business practices.

• Laws protecting minors from conversion therapy do not force any particular worldview; they prevent licensed professionals from practicing techniques every major medical organization deems harmful.

• Christian parents can honor both their faith and their children without turning to unproven, damaging interventions.

• Real family protection means keeping relationships intact, not choosing practices that divide parents from children.

Christian parents today face difficult questions about how to guide children through confusion about gender or same-sex attraction. When you hear phrases like "parental rights under attack," it naturally raises concern. As a parent, you want to protect your child and make decisions rooted in faith and love.

But before accepting that framing, it helps to understand what the conversion therapy debate is actually about and what Christian parents should consider before pursuing these practices.

What Is the Conversion Therapy Debate Really About?

The conversation around conversion therapy often gets framed as a battle between parental rights and government overreach. Some advocacy groups argue that state laws banning conversion therapy for minors infringe on parents' ability to seek care aligned with their values.

Here is what those arguments often leave out: conversion therapy has been ruled consumer fraud in court. In the landmark 2015 case Ferguson v. JONAH, a New Jersey jury unanimously found that claims to convert clients from gay to straight violated consumer fraud protections. The jury determined the practices were "unconscionable," and the organization was ordered to shut down permanently.

The court also declared that offering "success statistics" for such therapy is fraudulent because no factual basis exists for calculating them. Even witnesses called to testify as "success stories" admitted they still experienced same-sex attraction.

Does Protecting Minors Mean Limiting Parental Authority?

Laws protecting minors from conversion therapy do not tell parents what to believe or how to practice their faith. They prevent licensed therapists from using techniques that cause documented harm.

Consider this parallel: You cannot choose to have your child treated with medication proven ineffective and dangerous. You cannot send your child to a facility using abusive techniques, even if that facility calls it "therapy." Basic child protection already limits certain practices, not because parents lack authority, but because some interventions cause harm regardless of intention.

Real parental rights mean making informed decisions. When someone sells you a service that does not work, charges thousands of dollars, and leaves your child worse off than before, that is not healthcare. That is a scam. Parents deserve the truth before making these choices.

What Do Christian Families Who Have Experienced Conversion Therapy Say?

The families who have walked this road offer the clearest warnings.

Linda Robertson, a devoted Christian mother, sought conversion therapy for her son Ryan after he came out at age 12. She followed guidance from trusted pastors and programs recommended by Focus on the Family. Her son tried everything asked of him for six years. Nothing changed except that he learned to hate himself. Ryan died in 2009 from what Linda calls "a death of despair."

Brandon Boulware, a Methodist minister's son, spent years trying to force his transgender daughter to conform. He later testified before Missouri lawmakers that he had been teaching her to deny who she was. The day he stopped, she transformed instantly into a different child, one who actually smiled.

These are not activists. They are Christian parents who thought they were protecting their children and later discovered they were causing harm.

What Does Faithful Parenting Actually Look Like?

Scripture calls parents to protect their children and preserve family bonds, not to outsource that sacred responsibility to practitioners who profit from fear.

True parental authority means:

Gathering accurate information before making decisions. It means recognizing when someone is exploiting your vulnerability as a parent. It means choosing approaches that strengthen your relationship with your child rather than fracturing it.

Faith-based alternatives exist that help Christian families navigate these questions without resorting to practices proven harmful. The Family Acceptance Project offers research-based resources specifically designed for religious families. FreedHearts provides support for parents reconciling faith with love for their children. These approaches have been shown to reduce depression and suicide risk while strengthening family connections.

You do not have to accept the premise that your rights are "under attack" simply because the law prevents licensed professionals from harming minors.

Moving Forward as a Christian Parent

The conversion therapy debate is not really about parental rights at all. It is about whether families deserve accurate information or whether practitioners should be allowed to sell false promises while children pay the price.

Christian parents already have the authority that matters most: the authority to love their children, walk with them through difficult seasons, and keep their families together. No law threatens that. What threatens it are practices that divide families, blame parents, and leave lasting scars on children who simply needed their mom and dad to show up with patience and presence.

If you are navigating questions about your child's identity, you are not alone.

FAQs

What is conversion therapy, and why is it controversial among Christians? Conversion therapy refers to practices that attempt to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. It is controversial because while some groups frame it as faith-aligned care, courts have ruled it consumer fraud, and every major medical organization considers it harmful and ineffective.

Do laws banning conversion therapy violate parental rights? 

These laws do not limit what parents can believe or teach at home. They prevent licensed professionals from practicing specific techniques deemed harmful. Parents still have full authority to guide their children spiritually; what they cannot do is pay a therapist to harm their child, just as they cannot consent to other dangerous treatments.

What do Christian parents who pursued conversion therapy say about their experience? Many Christian parents who pursued these practices describe profound regret. They report damaged relationships with their children, wasted money, and lasting trauma. Some have lost children to suicide. 

Are there faith-based alternatives to conversion therapy? Yes. Organizations like the Family Acceptance Project, FreedHearts, and Fortunate Families offer research-based resources designed specifically for religious families. 

How can Christian parents support a child questioning their identity without conversion therapy? Christian parents can support questioning children by maintaining open communication, seeking trustworthy pastoral guidance, and focusing on family connection rather than trying to change who their child is.