Liberty Counsel Fights For Right To Tell LGBT Kids They Are Going To Hell

The Liberty Counsel has sent a "warning letter" to Kentucky's juvenile detention system because a local pastor was advised that he is not to tell youthful LGBT offenders that they are hell-bound perverts. The pastor refused and his visitation privileges have been revoked. Via press release:

Pastor David Wells has served as a volunteer for over ten years, faithfully visiting and mentoring juveniles at the Warren County Regional Juvenile Detention Center, under the prison ministry of Pleasant View Baptist Church in McQuady. “Many juveniles are in DJJ custody because of sexual crimes,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. “Pastor 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,” Staver said. “Without it, they cannot provide healing.” Pastor Wells was barred from visiting, counseling, or leading worship services for juveniles based on DJJ Policy 912 IV(H) “Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity,” which states that volunteers: "[S]hall 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."

Mat Staver: "DJJ 912 equates the teaching of Biblical morality with derogatory, biased, and hateful speech. In so doing, the DJJ policy creates an unconstitutional, religious litmus test for DJJ access. The First Amendment prohibits the government from viewpoint discrimination. This detention center may not prohibit the expression of Biblical morality simply because a few DJJ policymakers object to the Bible and its teaching."

See their warning letter.