Action Alert: Religious Liberty Still Under Attack!
This morning I was joined by faith leaders, representatives of churches and religious schools, and already-victimized individuals for a Religious Liberty Press Conference to voice our concerns over radical legislation that seeks to cripple churches and religious organizations, all to advance an LGBTQ agenda.
Each speaker raised critical concerns about legislation (especially HB 1049, HB 1663 and SB 868) that will undermine the fundamental rights of individuals and organizations to freely exercise their deeply-held religious convictions. Visit The Family Foundation Facebook page to watch the press conference!
This press conference could not have been more timely because tomorrow, February 19, the Senate General Laws committee will hear HB 1049 (D-Levine), one of two major bills that will be heard in that committee that elevates the fluid concepts of “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” (SOGI) to specially protected classes in public and private employment, housing, public accommodations, public contracting, the Virginia Human Rights Act and other areas.
Click HERE to urge your Senator to OPPOSE HB 1049!
To be sure, the primary objective of HB 1049, along with similar bills (HB 1663 and SB 868), is to punish faith-based employers/employees, businesses, and non-profit organizations (including churches) for not adhering to the state’s new favored dogma on human sexuality. It’s extremely important that you understand just some of the consequences these bills will have on Virginians:
Christian colleges, like Liberty University, Regent, and Christendom College, will be forced to allow same-sex couples into their married dormitories – against their faith-based policies.
It will weaponize the government to be able to punish those who continue to maintain the biological, historic, and orthodox view of human sexuality. (For example, cake artist Jack Phillips in Colorado and florist Barronelle Stutzman in Washington, were punished for declining to lend their artistic talents to celebrate same-sex weddings. Already in Virginia, owners of a wedding photography and videography business, Brett and Alex Sandridge, received major backlash after politely declining their services to a same-sex couple.)
Faith-based agencies and non-profits who want to partner with the state to provide needed humanitarian services (like foster care and adoption agencies, refugee care, etc.) will be required to enact LGBTQ-affirming policies as a condition for continued contracts – forcing some to leave and even shut their doors.
All employers will be required to permit biological males who identify as female to have access to women’s bathrooms, locker rooms, showers, and other private spaces.
All employers will likely be required to include gender “reassignment” procedures in their employee health plans.
All employers and employees will likely be compelled to affirmatively use a person’s preferred pronouns even if different from their biological sex. (See “The Firing of Peter Vlaming” about a VA High School teacher who was fired after a similar policy was passed by the school board, because he would not agree to use male pronouns for a female student.)
And countless others…
Virtually every situation involving non-discrimination laws based on one’s “sexual orientation” or “gender identity” results in intolerant applications that punish people of sincere religious faith who maintain Biblical and historic views on marriage and sexuality.
Because these bills have received bipartisan support, it’s vital that you continue to contact your legislator and urge them to oppose any non-discrimination that elevates the erroneous notions of “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” above the truth about human design as male and female, and the inalienable right to religious liberty.
Click HERE to urge your Senator to protect Religious Liberty!
