Posted on 09/05/2007 7:01:34 AM PDT by presidio9
Congress may soon call on religious institutions ranging from summer camps to charities to declare up-front whether they are unwilling to hire gay employees.
A bill that, if passed, would become the first federal law to prohibit employment discrimination against gays contains a broad exemption for religious organizations. But to qualify for that exemption, religious groups would have to declare "which of its religious tenets are significant" and must be adhered to by employees. Lawyers say this requirement could put pressure on religious organizations to state a doctrinal prohibition against homosexuality in order to continue to legally exclude gay job applicants.
"This is something new," a law professor at George Washington University, Ira Lupu, said. The effect of such a law, Mr. Lupu said, would be that "there is no more First Amendment right to be exempt unless you want to tell us that making us hire these people is really in conflict with our religious commitments."
In many congregations, there are deep divisions about what their religion says regarding homosexuality. Across the nation there would likely be divisions within individual congregations about whether church funds should be used to hire homosexuals. In congregations such as these, the new bill would require a firming up or a rapid formulation of such policies.
"These organizations may be perfectly happy with a sort of don't ask and don't tell policy," the general counsel of the American Jewish Congress, Marc Stern, said, "but this may force groups to take one side or the other."
If passed, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act would carry a blanket exemption for the hiring practices of religious congregations,
(Excerpt) Read more at nysun.com ...
FedGov meddling in religious institutions...
Driving Christian believers into the underground. I never really expected to see this in my lifetime.
Focus on the Family will overwhelm this legislation with calls and angry voters if they find out about it. Anyone know if they are on it already or have a contact there?
Bring it.
Follow the money, I could see churches loosing tax exempt status if they do not comply with the demands of big brother....The sad thing is many churches will go along with big brother of it all.
This is just the State pushing their faith on the the Churches.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof....
Hummmm, the answer for Christians would be all those tenets which appear between Chapter 1 of Genesis and Chapter 22 of Revelation.
THIS is what Jefferson was referring to in his infamous “separation of church and state” phrase.
The state must be prohibited from interfering with the church,
NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
What about a private citizen who has strnog religious beliefs? This piece of crap legislation says the First Amendment is only valid if you’re a religious organization, not a religious individual? Such tyranny deserves only the sternest response.
=========================
Bears repeating again and again!
snip
26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as “normal, natural, healthy.”
27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with “social” religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a “religious crutch.”
28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of “separation of church and state.”
/snip
http://www.uhuh.com/nwo/communism/comgoals.htm
communism, soviet rule, islamic law, no matter what name you use it is still socialism
Here’s another one: “Render under Caesar’s what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” “Caesar” is getting close to blurring that line too.
God defines homosexual activity as ‘detestable’. He is willing to forgive those who change their behavior, but in the end, that is the real end of the world, Jesus is quoted as saying in Rev. 22:15 that people who are “sexually immoral” will be refused entrance to the Holy City, a metaphor for eternal life.
(The real Greek word used here is ‘dogs’, a Jewish cultural euphemism to male prostitutes.)
God does does not respect, nor will He bless, any church that cannot accept the plain words of scripture. Churches will just have to decide who is more important to them- God or Caesar.
Would Gay organizations be willing to hire an evangelical Christian pastor who disagrees with their lifestyle?
Would they give said pastor an opportunity to lead the organization at some point?
Or, would they restrict opportunities for advancement to only those who agree with them?
Religious organizations SHOULD be open about it if they are doctrinally against hiring homosexuals, but it should NOT be legislated that they MUST be.
Actually I think this a great idea. It’ll prevent groups like the ELCA, Methodists, and American Baptists from walking the weasel-like line they’ve walked for so long. Same thing holds true for the Catholics as well.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.