Christian man prosecuted for ex-gay testimony awaits ruling

A Christian man in Malta who’s going through potential fines and jail time for giving his testimony in 2022 about leaving the LGBT life-style is slated to obtain a ruling Thursday in his case, which has dragged on for 3 years.

Matthew Grech, 36, was slapped with felony fees in 2022 for allegedly discussing and selling so-called conversion practices in violation of Article 3 of Malta’s Affirmation of Sexual Orientation, Gender and Gender Expression Act. The fees carry €5,000 (over $5,700) in fines or as much as 5 months in jail.

Handed in 2016, the legislation was the primary of its variety in Europe and made it “illegal for any particular person” to “promote conversion practices.” Related laws has since swept different Western nations, comparable to Canada, the place counseling that doesn’t affirm homosexuality or transgenderism carries a possible five-year jail sentence.

Throughout his interview in April 2022 with PMnews Malta, an impartial outlet that invited him to debate his views on conversion remedy bans, Grech mentioned the uncertainty he felt concerning his sexuality in his early years, which led him to take part in gay relationships earlier than turning into a Christian and repenting of such conduct.

At no level throughout the interview did Grech invite anybody to attend remedy to alter their sexual orientation or gender identification, although he was essential of the Maltese legislation. He stated after coming to religion, he got here to consider that homosexuality isn’t an identification, however moderately a sinful observe that he might not proceed as a Christian.

“Similar to each different sin, one can repent from it and ask God for forgiveness and ask Him for power to beat,” stated Grech, who’s a trustee with the U.Ok.-based Core Points Belief, a gaggle that helps “women and men with gay points who voluntarily search change in sexual desire and expression,” in accordance with its web site.

After the interview aired, each Grech and the 2 journalists at PMnews Malta who performed the interview had been prosecuted below the legislation in opposition to promoting conversion remedy.

In 2023, PMnews Malta finally found that the police criticism made in opposition to Grech was from Silvan Agius, an LGBT activist from Malta who performed a job in crafting the laws and has served as a cupboard knowledgeable for EU Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli since 2019.

Christian Attard, a founding member of the Malta LGTBIQ Rights Motion, who has served on the European Fee on Sexual Orientation Regulation, and Cynthia Chircop, who co-chairs the group, had been additionally reportedly concerned within the criticism.

After attending 12 courtroom hearings, Grech is scheduled to lastly obtain a ruling Thursday morning in his case, which his authorized counsel on the London-based nonprofit Christian Authorized Centre (CLC) warns might set a precedent for different Western nations which have conversion remedy bans.

“The true risk right here is not only to Matthew, however to freedom of speech itself,” stated CLC Govt Director Andrea Williams. “Even the broadcasters, who had been sympathetic to LGBT views and overtly challenged Matthew within the dialogue, have been prosecuted. That’s absurd.”

“For Matthew’s sake, for Malta’s sake, and for the sake of free speech worldwide, I hope the courtroom will acquit him now that the proof has been totally heard,” she added. “As this case nears its conclusion, advocates at no cost speech and Christian freedom throughout Europe are watching carefully. The judgment may have implications far past Malta’s borders.”

Throughout a 2023 interview with Fox Information about his story, Grech famous the irony that the primary case of his variety needs to be in Malta, an overwhelmingly majority-Catholic nation that options prominently within the historical past of Christianity because the place the place the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked and miraculously left unhurt by a venomous snake chunk.

Grech likened his state of affairs and that of different Christians who endeavor to obey God whereas battling their sexuality to Paul’s encounter with the snake, which is recounted in Acts 28:1-10.

“That story speaks to us to today, as a result of when Paul arrived in Malta, a hearth was set as a result of it was chilly, and a snake mounted itself in opposition to his arm,” Grech informed the outlet. “He shook it off, informed it the place it must go, and it went again to the hearth.”

“Folks at first thought he was being judged by the gods as a result of that snake mounted itself round his arm, however once they noticed that nothing occurred to him, they modified their minds,” he stated.

Equally, Grech believes God is ready to maintain those that resist the prevailing tradition’s promotion of what he described as idolatry, even whether it is enforced with authorities energy.

“I consider that as we survive this snake that’s making an attempt to poison us and hurt us, as we glance towards God, who is ready to save us and redeem us, folks will shift their perspective,” he stated.

“We consider in the perfect for our nation, however there was an idol that has been arrange, and it wants to come back down,” Grech added. “We face the idol of our era, and we’re saying, ‘We’re not going to bow right down to you, it doesn’t matter what the price.'”

A Christian man in Malta who’s going through potential fines and jail time for giving his testimony in 2022 about leaving the LGBT life-style is slated to obtain a ruling Thursday in his case, which has dragged on for 3 years.

Matthew Grech, 36, was slapped with felony fees in 2022 for allegedly discussing and selling so-called conversion practices in violation of Article 3 of Malta’s Affirmation of Sexual Orientation, Gender and Gender Expression Act. The fees carry €5,000 (over $5,700) in fines or as much as 5 months in jail.

Handed in 2016, the legislation was the primary of its variety in Europe and made it “illegal for any particular person” to “promote conversion practices.” Related laws has since swept different Western nations, comparable to Canada, the place counseling that doesn’t affirm homosexuality or transgenderism carries a possible five-year jail sentence.

Throughout his interview in April 2022 with PMnews Malta, an impartial outlet that invited him to debate his views on conversion remedy bans, Grech mentioned the uncertainty he felt concerning his sexuality in his early years, which led him to take part in gay relationships earlier than turning into a Christian and repenting of such conduct.

At no level throughout the interview did Grech invite anybody to attend remedy to alter their sexual orientation or gender identification, although he was essential of the Maltese legislation. He stated after coming to religion, he got here to consider that homosexuality isn’t an identification, however moderately a sinful observe that he might not proceed as a Christian.

“Similar to each different sin, one can repent from it and ask God for forgiveness and ask Him for power to beat,” stated Grech, who’s a trustee with the U.Ok.-based Core Points Belief, a gaggle that helps “women and men with gay points who voluntarily search change in sexual desire and expression,” in accordance with its web site.

After the interview aired, each Grech and the 2 journalists at PMnews Malta who performed the interview had been prosecuted below the legislation in opposition to promoting conversion remedy.

In 2023, PMnews Malta finally found that the police criticism made in opposition to Grech was from Silvan Agius, an LGBT activist from Malta who performed a job in crafting the laws and has served as a cupboard knowledgeable for EU Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli since 2019.

Christian Attard, a founding member of the Malta LGTBIQ Rights Motion, who has served on the European Fee on Sexual Orientation Regulation, and Cynthia Chircop, who co-chairs the group, had been additionally reportedly concerned within the criticism.

After attending 12 courtroom hearings, Grech is scheduled to lastly obtain a ruling Thursday morning in his case, which his authorized counsel on the London-based nonprofit Christian Authorized Centre (CLC) warns might set a precedent for different Western nations which have conversion remedy bans.

“The true risk right here is not only to Matthew, however to freedom of speech itself,” stated CLC Govt Director Andrea Williams. “Even the broadcasters, who had been sympathetic to LGBT views and overtly challenged Matthew within the dialogue, have been prosecuted. That’s absurd.”

“For Matthew’s sake, for Malta’s sake, and for the sake of free speech worldwide, I hope the courtroom will acquit him now that the proof has been totally heard,” she added. “As this case nears its conclusion, advocates at no cost speech and Christian freedom throughout Europe are watching carefully. The judgment may have implications far past Malta’s borders.”

Throughout a 2023 interview with Fox Information about his story, Grech famous the irony that the primary case of his variety needs to be in Malta, an overwhelmingly majority-Catholic nation that options prominently within the historical past of Christianity because the place the place the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked and miraculously left unhurt by a venomous snake chunk.

Grech likened his state of affairs and that of different Christians who endeavor to obey God whereas battling their sexuality to Paul’s encounter with the snake, which is recounted in Acts 28:1-10.

“That story speaks to us to today, as a result of when Paul arrived in Malta, a hearth was set as a result of it was chilly, and a snake mounted itself in opposition to his arm,” Grech informed the outlet. “He shook it off, informed it the place it must go, and it went again to the hearth.”

“Folks at first thought he was being judged by the gods as a result of that snake mounted itself round his arm, however once they noticed that nothing occurred to him, they modified their minds,” he stated.

Equally, Grech believes God is ready to maintain those that resist the prevailing tradition’s promotion of what he described as idolatry, even whether it is enforced with authorities energy.

“I consider that as we survive this snake that’s making an attempt to poison us and hurt us, as we glance towards God, who is ready to save us and redeem us, folks will shift their perspective,” he stated.

“We consider in the perfect for our nation, however there was an idol that has been arrange, and it wants to come back down,” Grech added. “We face the idol of our era, and we’re saying, ‘We’re not going to bow right down to you, it doesn’t matter what the price.'”

A Christian man in Malta who’s going through potential fines and jail time for giving his testimony in 2022 about leaving the LGBT life-style is slated to obtain a ruling Thursday in his case, which has dragged on for 3 years.

Matthew Grech, 36, was slapped with felony fees in 2022 for allegedly discussing and selling so-called conversion practices in violation of Article 3 of Malta’s Affirmation of Sexual Orientation, Gender and Gender Expression Act. The fees carry €5,000 (over $5,700) in fines or as much as 5 months in jail.

Handed in 2016, the legislation was the primary of its variety in Europe and made it “illegal for any particular person” to “promote conversion practices.” Related laws has since swept different Western nations, comparable to Canada, the place counseling that doesn’t affirm homosexuality or transgenderism carries a possible five-year jail sentence.

Throughout his interview in April 2022 with PMnews Malta, an impartial outlet that invited him to debate his views on conversion remedy bans, Grech mentioned the uncertainty he felt concerning his sexuality in his early years, which led him to take part in gay relationships earlier than turning into a Christian and repenting of such conduct.

At no level throughout the interview did Grech invite anybody to attend remedy to alter their sexual orientation or gender identification, although he was essential of the Maltese legislation. He stated after coming to religion, he got here to consider that homosexuality isn’t an identification, however moderately a sinful observe that he might not proceed as a Christian.

“Similar to each different sin, one can repent from it and ask God for forgiveness and ask Him for power to beat,” stated Grech, who’s a trustee with the U.Ok.-based Core Points Belief, a gaggle that helps “women and men with gay points who voluntarily search change in sexual desire and expression,” in accordance with its web site.

After the interview aired, each Grech and the 2 journalists at PMnews Malta who performed the interview had been prosecuted below the legislation in opposition to promoting conversion remedy.

In 2023, PMnews Malta finally found that the police criticism made in opposition to Grech was from Silvan Agius, an LGBT activist from Malta who performed a job in crafting the laws and has served as a cupboard knowledgeable for EU Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli since 2019.

Christian Attard, a founding member of the Malta LGTBIQ Rights Motion, who has served on the European Fee on Sexual Orientation Regulation, and Cynthia Chircop, who co-chairs the group, had been additionally reportedly concerned within the criticism.

After attending 12 courtroom hearings, Grech is scheduled to lastly obtain a ruling Thursday morning in his case, which his authorized counsel on the London-based nonprofit Christian Authorized Centre (CLC) warns might set a precedent for different Western nations which have conversion remedy bans.

“The true risk right here is not only to Matthew, however to freedom of speech itself,” stated CLC Govt Director Andrea Williams. “Even the broadcasters, who had been sympathetic to LGBT views and overtly challenged Matthew within the dialogue, have been prosecuted. That’s absurd.”

“For Matthew’s sake, for Malta’s sake, and for the sake of free speech worldwide, I hope the courtroom will acquit him now that the proof has been totally heard,” she added. “As this case nears its conclusion, advocates at no cost speech and Christian freedom throughout Europe are watching carefully. The judgment may have implications far past Malta’s borders.”

Throughout a 2023 interview with Fox Information about his story, Grech famous the irony that the primary case of his variety needs to be in Malta, an overwhelmingly majority-Catholic nation that options prominently within the historical past of Christianity because the place the place the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked and miraculously left unhurt by a venomous snake chunk.

Grech likened his state of affairs and that of different Christians who endeavor to obey God whereas battling their sexuality to Paul’s encounter with the snake, which is recounted in Acts 28:1-10.

“That story speaks to us to today, as a result of when Paul arrived in Malta, a hearth was set as a result of it was chilly, and a snake mounted itself in opposition to his arm,” Grech informed the outlet. “He shook it off, informed it the place it must go, and it went again to the hearth.”

“Folks at first thought he was being judged by the gods as a result of that snake mounted itself round his arm, however once they noticed that nothing occurred to him, they modified their minds,” he stated.

Equally, Grech believes God is ready to maintain those that resist the prevailing tradition’s promotion of what he described as idolatry, even whether it is enforced with authorities energy.

“I consider that as we survive this snake that’s making an attempt to poison us and hurt us, as we glance towards God, who is ready to save us and redeem us, folks will shift their perspective,” he stated.

“We consider in the perfect for our nation, however there was an idol that has been arrange, and it wants to come back down,” Grech added. “We face the idol of our era, and we’re saying, ‘We’re not going to bow right down to you, it doesn’t matter what the price.'”

A Christian man in Malta who’s going through potential fines and jail time for giving his testimony in 2022 about leaving the LGBT life-style is slated to obtain a ruling Thursday in his case, which has dragged on for 3 years.

Matthew Grech, 36, was slapped with felony fees in 2022 for allegedly discussing and selling so-called conversion practices in violation of Article 3 of Malta’s Affirmation of Sexual Orientation, Gender and Gender Expression Act. The fees carry €5,000 (over $5,700) in fines or as much as 5 months in jail.

Handed in 2016, the legislation was the primary of its variety in Europe and made it “illegal for any particular person” to “promote conversion practices.” Related laws has since swept different Western nations, comparable to Canada, the place counseling that doesn’t affirm homosexuality or transgenderism carries a possible five-year jail sentence.

Throughout his interview in April 2022 with PMnews Malta, an impartial outlet that invited him to debate his views on conversion remedy bans, Grech mentioned the uncertainty he felt concerning his sexuality in his early years, which led him to take part in gay relationships earlier than turning into a Christian and repenting of such conduct.

At no level throughout the interview did Grech invite anybody to attend remedy to alter their sexual orientation or gender identification, although he was essential of the Maltese legislation. He stated after coming to religion, he got here to consider that homosexuality isn’t an identification, however moderately a sinful observe that he might not proceed as a Christian.

“Similar to each different sin, one can repent from it and ask God for forgiveness and ask Him for power to beat,” stated Grech, who’s a trustee with the U.Ok.-based Core Points Belief, a gaggle that helps “women and men with gay points who voluntarily search change in sexual desire and expression,” in accordance with its web site.

After the interview aired, each Grech and the 2 journalists at PMnews Malta who performed the interview had been prosecuted below the legislation in opposition to promoting conversion remedy.

In 2023, PMnews Malta finally found that the police criticism made in opposition to Grech was from Silvan Agius, an LGBT activist from Malta who performed a job in crafting the laws and has served as a cupboard knowledgeable for EU Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli since 2019.

Christian Attard, a founding member of the Malta LGTBIQ Rights Motion, who has served on the European Fee on Sexual Orientation Regulation, and Cynthia Chircop, who co-chairs the group, had been additionally reportedly concerned within the criticism.

After attending 12 courtroom hearings, Grech is scheduled to lastly obtain a ruling Thursday morning in his case, which his authorized counsel on the London-based nonprofit Christian Authorized Centre (CLC) warns might set a precedent for different Western nations which have conversion remedy bans.

“The true risk right here is not only to Matthew, however to freedom of speech itself,” stated CLC Govt Director Andrea Williams. “Even the broadcasters, who had been sympathetic to LGBT views and overtly challenged Matthew within the dialogue, have been prosecuted. That’s absurd.”

“For Matthew’s sake, for Malta’s sake, and for the sake of free speech worldwide, I hope the courtroom will acquit him now that the proof has been totally heard,” she added. “As this case nears its conclusion, advocates at no cost speech and Christian freedom throughout Europe are watching carefully. The judgment may have implications far past Malta’s borders.”

Throughout a 2023 interview with Fox Information about his story, Grech famous the irony that the primary case of his variety needs to be in Malta, an overwhelmingly majority-Catholic nation that options prominently within the historical past of Christianity because the place the place the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked and miraculously left unhurt by a venomous snake chunk.

Grech likened his state of affairs and that of different Christians who endeavor to obey God whereas battling their sexuality to Paul’s encounter with the snake, which is recounted in Acts 28:1-10.

“That story speaks to us to today, as a result of when Paul arrived in Malta, a hearth was set as a result of it was chilly, and a snake mounted itself in opposition to his arm,” Grech informed the outlet. “He shook it off, informed it the place it must go, and it went again to the hearth.”

“Folks at first thought he was being judged by the gods as a result of that snake mounted itself round his arm, however once they noticed that nothing occurred to him, they modified their minds,” he stated.

Equally, Grech believes God is ready to maintain those that resist the prevailing tradition’s promotion of what he described as idolatry, even whether it is enforced with authorities energy.

“I consider that as we survive this snake that’s making an attempt to poison us and hurt us, as we glance towards God, who is ready to save us and redeem us, folks will shift their perspective,” he stated.

“We consider in the perfect for our nation, however there was an idol that has been arrange, and it wants to come back down,” Grech added. “We face the idol of our era, and we’re saying, ‘We’re not going to bow right down to you, it doesn’t matter what the price.'”