It was not ‘gay conversion therapy’ but rather the conversion of a sinner, by the grace of God

The article in your edition of January 26 (see link below) regarding the online post by Nelson McCausland, concerning the conversion of Beckett Cook highlights the ignorance of the various respondents quoted in your article.

What Mr McCausland identified was a work of “conversion” — the work of God by His Holy Spirit,— whereby Mr Cook underwent, in his own words “a road to Damascus moment”.

This had nothing whatever to do with “gay conversion therapy” as quoted by those opposed to the post. It was quite simply, and quite wonderfully, the conversion of a sinner, by the grace of God.

God ( if I may speak reverently) was not concerned with whether Mr. Cook was gay or not. The Bible does not distinguish people by their lifestyle, but rather by the fact that “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God “ (Romans 2 vs. 23).

God saved a sinner when He saved Mr Cook. His hitherto gay lifestyle was inconsequential at that moment in time. Those who defend the LGBTQ rights are too sensitive, to the degree that they see every mention of God and gay people as homophobic, as criticism, as a danger! They need an understanding of God, and His Word, and His work of salvation.

This event in this man’s life had nothing to do with anyone attempting to “convert” him from his lifestyle.

Mr Cook attended a church meeting and, it seems clearly obvious, he underwent conviction of sin, the work of God’s Holy Spirit,and was converted. There should be rejoicing that a lost sheep has been found.

Instead we hear calls for Nelson McCausland to “resign”, that he should be “ashamed of himself”, that he is “advocating for ‘so called gay conversion therapy’”.

There is no such thing as ‘gay conversion therapy’. The only One Who can convert the sinner (every member of society) is God. So let’s not get carried away here!

Social media is replete with stories of conversion of sinners. It would be good to hear the same critics of McCausland/Cook rejoicing over other stories of conversion on social media, instead of jumping on the one most likely to allow them to inflame passions over perceived wrongs.

Was Nelson McCausland careless in all his comments? Perhaps his words weren’t best chosen.

But let’s not lose the real story here. A story of God’s grace at work. Would that it were repeated over and over again, in this by-and-large Godless society we live in.

Gordon McNeill, Portadown

Petition begun to unseat DUP’s Nelson McCausland over ‘gay conversion therapy’ post

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