Posted on 01/21/2005 10:24:51 PM PST by 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."
Leaving insanity in Oregon this year, moving to TEXAS.
Sounds like the real reason for this anti-discrimination legislation is to start a process of banning the bible and considering some scripture as hate speech.
How can a pastor who practices that life style lead his flock?
God said that lifestyle is wrong (leviticus 18:22, Romans 1). We are to love the sinner, not the sin. In order not to embrace the sin, do not embrace the lifestyle. Do not accept the lifestyle but accept the person.
""What we're doing today is older than scripture: Love thy neighbor,""
Yes - Love Your Neighbor, absolutely correct.
However, loving your neighbor, and blindly 'tolerating' his or her immoral and destructive behavior are two entirely different things.
Give them the gospel - a belief in Christ is the only thing that will save them from their sin. Helping to save their eternal soul - that's love. Looking the other way in the name of 'tolerance' as they destroy themselves is NOT love.
In the Western part East of the Rockies the weather is actually MILDER than here in IL. Even in the 'famous' city Cut Bank the high today will be 45o and 50's are forecast for the week. And if you like open prairies, there's Miles City in the Eastern part - which has one of the lowest Crime Rates in the USA. There the weather there is like IL (almost equal for today), but ZERO humidity in the summer. Then there's Hardin, its a tad East of Billings and near the Custer Battlefield.
In case you can't guess, some day (not quick enough) I'm gettin' out of this hell-hole called IL too! I have been checking out MT for a few years now.
That being said, a freeper posted last week the Mississippi has almost ZERO gin control laws, so if that's a primo important issue for you, MS might be it. BTW, I have a cousin that moved from IL to MS a few years back (job relocation) and he loves it.
Perhaps this is a plea for the New Madrid fault superquake to strike sooner than later.
mobve across the border to indiana they have fairly lax gun laws and we just got a republican governor for the first time in 16 years they property taxes are a little screwy but over al l its a pro freedom state as long as you stay out of south bend that place is turning into mini chicago curroption wise and indianapolis is getting kinda bad every place else is alright to live in and raise children in
Precisely. Hopefully, the court will overturn this statute's application to religious institutions on Constitutional grounds.
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."
Exactly. Since those pushing the homosexual agenda can't see the difference, or don't care, we must:
Wow...you can never have enough gin....
The good people of Illinois are now going to learn the true meaning of the terms: equality, tolerance, diversity, rights etc.
Yes, I am quite aware of how the state is divided. There is Chicagoland, a cesspool as you say, and then there is the rest of the state, which is mostly populated by conservative, patriotic Americans. Judging by my impressions as I have traveled around IL, it would be hard to find a more typical heartland-America red state if Chicago and it's corrupt Democrat machine could be politically separated from the rest of the state.
Eventually I may have to say the same about my own state of GA if Atlanta continues to grow like a noxious weed. When I was married 45 years ago Atlanta's metro area population was 1 million, now it's 5 million and growing. Fortunately for us, much of the new population growth has been in the suburban areas which are solidly conservative and Republican, at least on the north and west sides of town. But inside the I-285 perimeter political corruption, crime, moral degeneracy, and runamuck liberalism is as prevalent as it is in most other large urban areas today. Any congressional district that will send someone like Cynthia McKinney to represent it in Congress again after her previous disastrous terms has to be among the top 3 or 4 most ultra-liberal and idiotic districts in the US.
ping
"How's Nashville? "
Tennessee is a good state, if there still is one. Still no state income tax.
I was born and raised in Memphis, but stay away from west Tennessee.
Anything east of the Tennessee river is nice, pretty countryside, too.
I would pick the area in the east third of the state,
heavy Republican there.
May God have mercy on us all.
Remember Cardinal George's declaration that the Church would have to go underground.
"Leaving Los Angeles, CA this summer and headed for Flagstaff, AZ myself."
***
Warning: Flagstaff is a "blue" area of Arizona; most of the state went "red" for Bush. I believe that's because Flag is filled with New Agers and "artist" types.
I think the USSC boy scout case will be used to carve out exemptions for the church.
I don't believe this law will be able to force the IL boy scouts to place homosexual with young boys so the same would apply to churches.
HOWEVER homosexuals will be able to discriminate against hetersexuals in order to create "enclaves" within cities for neighborhood purposes.
And let us also hope at a minimum the Church prelates in Illinois are not satisfied with an exemption compromise alone.
"Finally, where a matter of the common good is concerned, it is inappropriate for church authorities to endorse or remain neutral toward adverse legislation even if it grants exceptions to church organizations and institutions. The church has the responsibility to promote family life and the public morality of the entire civil society on the basis of fundamental moral values, not simply to protect herself from the application of harmful laws (cf. No. 17)."
Homosexual Agenda Ping - another article about the homosexual agenda takeover in Illinois. What is Illinois, California east, without the secenery and climate?
When freedom of religion, association, expression and conscience are outlawed, only outlaws will have such freedoms. It is not in your imagination.
Let me and DirtyHarryY2K know if anyone wants on/off this pinglist.
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