‘We Are People Of Ethics’: Marcus Bachmann Defends His Christian Ex-Gay Therapy Clinics

Marcus Bachmann slams the “far left” while defending his work attempting to change people with “same-sex attraction” in this audio.

Marcus Bachmann has an interesting educational background.

The husband of the soon-to-be-former U.S. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, Dr. Bachmann has a “a doctorate in clinical psychology,” according to the New York Times, from Union Institute & University, which seems to be an online and “limited residence” college, and received his “master of arts in community counseling from what was then CBN University – now Regent University — in Virginia Beach, Va.

The school, established by Pat Robertson, the founder of the Christian Broadcast Network, describes itself as “founded on faith and charged with a unique mission: to equip the Christian leaders of tomorrow to fulfill their calling.”

Dr. Bachmann has repeatedly come under fire and been accused of practicing harmful “ex-gay” or “reparative” therapy, which nearly every major medical institution around the world has denounced.

The goal of “ex-gay” therapy is to turn someone who is gay into someone who is straight, a ridiculous undertaking, and one that is considered impossible.

States, from California to New Jersey are passing laws prohibiting harmful ex-gay therapy to be attempted on minors.

But Dr. Bachmann, with his wife, own two Christian clinics which practice just that.

In a radio interview with anti-gay radio hosts and activists Jan Markell and Jill Martin Rische, Marcus Bachmann defended his work while attacking the left – and, by extension, the modern psychiatry world.

“How is a Christian counseling agency as being pro-life, pro-family, pro-marriage controversial?,” Bachmann asked his hosts.

Calling it “the unforgivable sin by the left,” he then blamed Michele Bachmann’s work trying to ban same-sex marriage in the Minnesota State Senate and her work on social issues in Congress for the attacks by the left.

“We are people of ethics” Bachmann insists, who would never coerce patients to try to become straight.

But he adds that his responsibility is “to speak truth,” apparently Biblical truth, ignoring science in the process.

“Once the far-left understood that we were actually creating a safe place, a place where people who said I have this issue with same-sex attraction, this desire. I’m a believer, I’m a person of faith and it’s conflicting with my values systems. “

And he claims it is “blasphemous” to the left to bring into “alignment” the values and beliefs a gay Christian has with Church teachings. 

“Anyone who would walk alongside and then encourage that person’s values systems and their beliefs and bring that in alignment, that is like blasphemous to the other side. How dare you even consider being involved in someone who has decided or is desiring that to influence in any way shape or form another side in the book on this one?”

Of course, ex-gay therapy doesn’t work, it’s snake oil at best, and likely expensive snake oil at that. Worse, it is harmful and dangerous.

Listen:

 

Image via Flickr
Hat tip: Right Wing Watch

 

Related At The New Civil Rights Movement:

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Michele Bachmann Dodges Capitol Hill Reporter’s Ex-Gay Therapy Questions

Marcus Bachmann Speaks: I Never Called Gays Barbarians

MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts Explores Marcus Bachmann’s Ex-Gay Therapy

Bachmann Ex-Gay Counseling: Actual Hidden-Camera Video Of A Real Session

10 Questions Bachmann’s Husband Must Answer About “Christian Counseling”

Hidden-Camera Investigation: Bachmann Clinic Practices Ex-Gay Therapy