Churches barred from 'gay' discrimination

WorldNetDaily ^ | January 22, 2005

[scripter]

Illinois churches are protesting a new state law that bars them from "discriminating" against homosexuals, contending it robs Christians of their First Amendment freedoms.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed the bill into law yesterday amid a demonstration led by the Illinois Family Institute, or IFI, a non-profit group affiliated with Focus on the Family, Family Research Council and Alliance Defense Fund.

The measure adds "sexual orientation" to the state law that bars discrimination based on race, religion and similar traits in areas such as jobs and housing.

The bill was signed to loud cheers and a standing ovation from about 150 homosexual-rights supporters who see it as a human-rights issue.

"This legislation sends a clear message that we will not allow our citizens to be discriminated against," Blagojevich said in a statement.

"What we're doing today is older than scripture: Love thy neighbor," the governor told the audience yesterday, according to the Associated Press. "It's what Jesus said when he gave his Sermon on the Mount: 'Do unto others what you would have others do unto you."'

Illinois is the 15th state to prohibit discrimination based on "sexual orientation."

But IFI Executive Director Peter LaBarbera notes the bill's sponsor, state Sen. Carol Ronen, D-Chicago, is on record stating it should be applied to churches, meaning they would not be allowed, for example, to reject a job applicant who practices homosexual behavior.

Ronen said: "If that is their goal, to discriminate against gay people, this law wouldn't allow them to do that. But I don't believe that's what the Catholic Church wants or stands for."

LaBarbera argues politicians who don't view homosexuality as a sin have no right to take away the freedom of churches and people of faith to disagree.

"Since when do politicians get to interpret sacred religious teachings for the rest of us?" he said.

The law applies to organizations or businesses with more than 15 employees.

LaBarbera points out the Illinois law firm Ungaretti & Harris, which specializes in labor and employment issues, published an analysis of the measure, which says, "While many such municipal prohibitions on sexual orientation discrimination expressly exempt religious organizations from their coverage, the new amendment to Illinois' Human Rights Act does not."

The analysis says, "The question inevitably presented by this omission is whether the Bill will be applied to compel religious organizations to set aside convictions about homosexuality when making employment decisions. ... The measure may ultimately force courts to consider and balance its ban on sexual orientation discrimination with State and Federal constitutional safeguards of religious freedom."

LaBarbera says that with enactment of this law, government is coming down on one side of a heated moral controversy by forcing the acceptance of homosexuality, bisexuality and transsexuality.

"It's about saying that 'gay rights' are more important than religious freedoms, and we hope ultimately it will be struck down in court," he said.

The bill was passed on the last day of a lame-duck legislative session after a campaign by the state's leading homosexual lobby, Equality Illinois.

Commented LaBarbera: "There is no societal consensus for homosexuality, bisexuality or transsexuality as the basis for civil rights -- and certainly none for the idea that the 'rights' of homosexual should trump those of churches and people of faith to live our their rational belief that homosexuality is unnatural, wrong and harmful to those who practice it."

[mlc9852]

I am so outraged by this I don't even know where to begin. Let them try to enforce this with churches. I think the "homosexual agenda" people should prepare for a very strong backlash against them. "And the lamb shall lie down with the lion" but not just yet.

[Windsong]

My sis is in Nashville..a bit different than where she moved from..new orleans. Not as corrupt politically, less rain, and crowded as hell. Most BIG cities like it are breeding centers for socialism though, but i dont think you have to worry about gun confiscation there. No complaints from her end at least.

[mlc9852]

Right...the courts. Don't hold your breath.

[claudiustg]

It's traditional for Americans to seek freedom over the next mountain and around the next bend. If the spirit moves you, I say go for it. My wife and I got out of California this summer and are glad we did.

[Wilhelm Tell]

The Nazis closed down non-compliant churches and sent dissidents to concentration camps. The Nazis took over churches willing to be compliant to Nazi ideology. The Nazis chose who could be a church leader and what could and could not be taught in church, etc. until these churches were just propaganda organs of the Nazi Party.

It is easy to imagine that the state will bring criminal charges against chruches that refuse to have gay "marriages." The possibilities from there are limitless. What if an Islamo-fascist is offended by the doctrine of the Trinity? Will the state officials next forbid that the doctrine of the Trinity be taught in churches because it "discriminates" against other views about God? Will the teaching of Hebrew be banned in synagogues be banned because it "discriminates" against Arabic? Will the state demand that there be a certain number of lesbian priests? Now we are being told that the First Amendment does not apply to religious or political views and only politically-favored groups should enjoy freedom of speech and association. These are criminals and tyrants who have taken their lessons from Hitler. It is no wonder that they are also trying to confiscate firearms.

[Wilhelm Tell]

Something is wrong when Americans have to leave certain states because of a fear of religious or political persecution. If President Bush wants to expand freedom, he should look closer to home and consider what is happening in Illinois.

[Coldwater Creek]

Nashville is very blue. Knoxville would be better.

[IrishRainy]

And Scottsdale is even better! **shameless plug**

[Bogolyubski]

There won't be any riots and violence. Was there any in Sweden? in Canada? in California (the faux-Republican Schwarzenegger signed a similar measure into law there this past fall)? No. Step by step, the left takes over. They've been working relentlessly for decades to achieve this end. They control most of the wealth in this nation, and the money they've spent on marketing the religion of 'tolerance' has done its work. Even many of the people of this forum hold to liberal principles in one way or another.

Barack Obama, a man who can best be described as a monster (he opposed outlawing the killing of infants who survive an abortion by sme miracle), was elected to the US Senate with 70 percent of the vote. The state is run by criminals who are voted in year after year by a stupid, doped-up, indoctrinated electorate - proof that democracy is useless in the hands of fools. The so-called opposition party is as hoplessly corrupt as the Dhimmicrats are. The party chief, a despicable corrupt RINO named Judy Barr Toopinka, marched in Chicago's Gay Pride parade. Illinois is going to become another Massachusetts - a place where you an vote for any candidate you wish as long as they are liberals.

[Major_Risktaker]

It's traditional for Americans to seek freedom over the next mountain and around the next bend.

Were running out of mountains and bends which to tuck tail and run to. It's time to make a stand.

I just found this on the net looking for Anita Bryant information. My mother stood up for Anita a long time ago when I was a kid. Anita's career was crushed by the media and big business let her go.

Were all being attacked by the homosexual agenda one way or another.

Sorry for the picture. http://www.brumm.com/gaylib/images/anitacure.gif

http://www.brumm.com/gaylib/anitabryant1977_2.html

Here's one more:

The Link:

[dagogo redux]

Best place I ever lived is Casper, Wyoming, Dick Chenney's home town.

[ROTB]

>"What we're doing today is older than scripture: Love thy
>neighbor,"

Too bad such logic is not applied to, "Thou shalt not steal."

And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made [them] at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Matthew 19:4-6

[NYer]

Catholic Ping - please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

[Lost Highway]

How's Nashville? Anyone live there?

Lived in and around Nashville for 15 years. (Since college). Great place to raise a family, really friendly. Big enough to do "city" things (football, hockey) but still has a small town feel. Best of all. NO INCOME TAX!

[Romish_Papist]

If the cities must burn to restore our Republic to what it was once and was meant to be, so be it.

[cherry]

"What we're doing today is older than scripture: Love thy neighbor," the governor told the audience yesterday, according to the Associated Press. "It's what Jesus said when he gave his Sermon on the Mount: 'Do unto others what you would have others do unto you."'

so basically, the governor is just saying that his religion is better than anybody else's and that's that....

freedom of religion...as long as its mine......

[dannyboy72]

I'll tell you why. Because 85% of the population of southern illinios is made up of lawyers. In Illinios it is LEGAL for lawyers to contribute to the re-election campaigns of sitting judges, even judges who preside over their cases.

In East St. Louis, Democrats openly pay five dollars for every vote. We've tried to stop this, but the courts are literally owned by Democrats.

In Belleville, it has become some communistic that they created the "Good Government Party". One of their new "innovations" is to hold inspections for each property in the city and if someone needs to have repairs, they must use one of the city's contractors or face fines. They've taken cronism to a new high.

I've lived here most of my life (except college in Champaign). I've seen conservatives work themselves to death just to get an even shake. It will not happen.

Now you have the Chicago Daley Machine poster boy in office and he's importing drugs from Canada with no regard for what it does to our local businesses, no problem with undermining the American economy. Then, he's calling the desire to have gay sex a civil right.

If we've come to the point where our desires must be catered to, then I'll expect my carton of cigarettes in the mail each week. Oh, Blagoyebit$h also is adding to gun restrictions, having his aids take his kids to school, etc. And our local congressman has had three members of his family hired for 50K+ positions while the state was in a hiring freeze.

Sorry for the rant, but I'm fired up and I could go on forever.

[esoxmagnum]

Well, ummm, I live here in Illinois, in the far far suburbs of Chicago, and I can tell you this.... Chicago sets the mandate for this entire state, and Chicago is a cesspool of homosexuals and liberals (yes there are a some conservatives in Chicago, but most live in the suburbs).

Entire neighborhoods are gay (boys town is the largest), Dennis Rodman was a icon to this town, the CrowBar is the elite bar to go to, etc.

Anyone with any assemblage of morality fled Chicago and Cook county years ago.

The problem is... we will soon have to leave the state, because of the dems now redistricting for judges, they will even be able to control the Republican counties from Chicago, and the Governor is just a shill for His Highness Mayor Daily.

Make no mistake, if Chicago was not in Illinois we too would be a blue state (look at county to county elections). Its just too bad that the city can set mandates for the entire state from the state school unions to religion, it just doesn't stop.

[ViLaLuz]

ping