Posted on 10/01/2020 7:47:12 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Three Christian schools and a Christian network of pregnancy centers are suing Attorney General Mark Herring (D-Va.) in order to prevent Virginia from implementing two pro-LGBT laws that force “people of faith to adopt a particular government ideology under threat of punishment.” The two laws purport to prevent “discrimination” against LGBT people but, in reality, they force Christian ministries to choose between violating their sincerely held religious beliefs or paying hefty fines, as much as $100,000 per offense.
The so-called Virginia Values Act (S.B. 868), which Gov. Ralph Northam (D-Va.) signed on Holy Saturday (the day before Easter Sunday) in the middle of a pandemic, compels churches, religious schools, and Christian ministries to hire employees who do not share their stated beliefs on marriage, sexuality, and gender identity. A companion law (H.B. 1429) requires ministries and others like them to pay for transgender surgery in employee health care plans, a procedure that violates these ministries’ convictions.
“The faith of many Americans inspires them to act for the good of their neighbors and also requires them to abide by its teachings,” Denise Harle, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), the law firm representing the Christian ministries, said in a statement. “Our clients offer spiritual guidance, education, pregnancy support, and athletic opportunities to their communities because of the religious beliefs that motivate them. But Virginia’s new law forces these ministries to abandon and adjust their convictions or pay crippling fines—in direct violation of the Virginia Constitution and other state laws.”
“Such government hostility toward people of faith has no place in a free society,” Harle argued.
(Excerpt) Read more at pjmedia.com ...
Gee.
I’d like to seem them try this with Moslems.
Yet another reason to get ACB confirmed before the election.
I am embarrassed by what is going on in the Commonwealth.
This is wrong.
What happened to Virginia?
Damn right it will.
Obama happened. He grew the government by so many liberals that they overrule the saner portions of the state.
As a Catholic....where are the Catholic schools and the bishops? Cowering isn’t becoming to God nor satan. Not enough followers of any religion left in the state apparently. Learn from BLM...block the streets around the legislature. Had several months off to do this. What better way to celebrate Easter than outside as a community in love with Christ.
“What happened to Virginia?”
DC metastasized.
True “separation of church and state” should have the government behaving as an agnostic - neither promoting nor acting against the practice (or practices of) religion. The very practice of religion is totally within our freedoms, all our freedoms and the Liberty therein, and made live by our free associations to participate, or not participate in a religion, or church, or other religious related institution.
A person is not forced by the government to work in or with a religious institution that person disagrees with, and a religious institution is not forced to work with a person who disagrees with its teachings. Its that simple, and acting that way is true “separation of church and state”.
If they DON’T impose this on Muslims, Mormons(what would Romney say?) and other religious schools including Jewish-then this won’t stand.Period.
Yes, the demonicrats HATE Christians. Moo
State mandated Religion.
So can leftist Virginia lawmakers be forced to hire Conservatives as employees?
See... Justices Rule Teachers At Religious Schools Aren't Protected By Fair Employment Laws
Government workers in NoVa, heavy minority in Richmond, and Norfolk. Just my humble opinion.
Purity tests are making a comeback
How much Jew is too much Jew? Paper bag test?
A lot of these "denominations" already gladly have such. But there are conservative churches of Christ that will dissolve rather than allow such.
Thanks Coon man this will drive more Christizns to vote for Trump.
Looks like it’s time for a new state. Divide the state into three parts, West, East, Central. At least two of the three would have sane politics.
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