This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
The United States, with its First Amendment protections for religion and speech, probably protects prayer by citizens more than anywhere else in the world, even though there are some organizations in America that regularly complain prayers should not be protected speech, and it should be regulated or even banned.
Those demands for censorship often claim that counseling, including prayers, regarding a person's issues with the LGBT agenda, including their unwanted same-sex attractions, should be banned, and they have worked toward that censorship goal. Actually, some jurisdictions have adopted such limits through laws that now are under challenge.
Actually, according to the American Center for Law and Justice, American leaders from the White House down periodically have called for voluntary prayer in times of tragedy, disaster and more.
"Those who signed the Declaration of Independence believed that God hears and answers prayer, as they 'appeal[ed] to the Supreme Judge of the World for the Rectitude of [their] intentions,'" the organization confirmed. "The First Amendment protects the right to pray in public."
Court cases have affirmed a public school coach's right to pray privately on the football field after a game, the right to pray before legislative meetings, and much more.
However, one of America's allies, Australia, has turned the other direction, threatening citizens with five years in jail if they pray at the wrong time and about the wrong subject.
A report at the Washington Stand explains, "The government of the Australian state of New South Wales explains the newly enacted Conversion Practices Ban Act 2024 allows 'prayer' or expression of any 'religious belief' only if it is not 'directed to changing or suppressing an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity.'"
The government presumes the ability to determine when speech is "attempting to change someone's LGBTQIA2S+ status."
The law actually revolves around mind control, as it warns that "praying with or over a person with the intent to change or suppress their sexuality or gender identity is unlawful. It is unlawful even if that person has asked you to pray for them to be able to change or suppress their sexuality or gender identity," according to a state report in Australia.
There, even Christian pastors must mind their words, as they have permission to make "statements of belief or principle about gender, sexuality, marriage, celibacy or homosexuality in documentation or on a website."
But those are allowed only if "the statement is not targeted at an individual to change or suppress their sexual orientation or gender identity."
Arielle Del Turco, of the Center for Religious Liberty at Family Research Council, told the Stand, "This is a terrible new law in this Australian state, and they aren't even trying to hide it. According to the state government's own admission from their website, this law will prevent a pastor or any believer from praying with someone who is asking for prayer for freedom from gender identity issues."
Promoters of the law claimed it is to help children, since they should not be told "something is wrong with them and that they need to be fixed."
But it actually is a "radical apostasy law – criminalizing conversion one way while promoting it the other," Christian website writer Kurt Mahlburg, said.
The ideological agenda is being pursued in Australia just as U.S. Vice President JD Vance has warned of the West's decision to back away from conscience rights.
He cited threats by the Scottish government to residents whose prayers, in private places, "can be seen or heard" near abortion business outlets.
Del Turco also documented how eight British Christians were arrested for praying outside abortion businesses.
In the U.K., the Christian Institute multiple times has battled such censorship agendas.
The Stand reported, "A total of 22 U.S. states make it illegal to practice reparative therapy: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, and Washington. So does the District of Columbia. But thanks to the First Amendment, none do — or can — presume to regulate the content of people's prayers."
