Tag Archives: religious liberty

rump DOJ Files Supreme Court Brief Against Adoptions By LGBTs

Donald Trump Declares War (Again) on LGBT Citizens with “Religious Freedom Day”

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This morning Donald Trump declared January 16, 2018 as  “Religious Freedom Day” to commemorate the 232nd. anniversary of the Virginia General Assembly passing the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom, the first statute of its kind. Using it as a blatant attack on the LGBT community

Trump wrote:

Unfortunately, not all have recognized the importance of religious freedom, whether by threatening tax consequences for particular forms of religious speech, or forcing people to comply with laws that violate their core religious beliefs without sufficient justification.  These incursions, little by little, can destroy the fundamental freedom underlying our democracy.  Therefore, soon after taking office, I addressed these issues in an Executive Order that helps ensure Americans are able to follow their consciences without undue Government interference and the Department of Justice has issued guidance to Federal agencies regarding their compliance with laws that protect religious freedom.  No American — whether a nun, nurse, baker, or business owner — should be forced to choose between the tenants of faith or adherence to the law.

Trump in his discriminatory missive was the Little Sisters of the Poor’s five-year lawsuit against the Obama-era contraception mandate and the Supreme Court case, Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, of a “Christian” Colorado baker who broke the states non-discrimination law by declining to make cakes for same-sex weddings. Masterpiece owner Jack Phillips and with the help of several LGBT hate groups including the Liberty Counsel and Alliance Defending Freedom have taken the case to the Supreme Court. A case in which if found in the cake shop owners favor will make discrimination legal in all 50 states for any business, large or small which claims “religious liberty” for not providing services to gays and lesbians.

The war against us is under way brothers and sisters . It is time for us to stand up and step away from the computers and fight.   This is not a war that HRC can take on.  It won’t be won by galas and pretty words.

WE ARE UNDER ATTACK: Jeff Sessions Issues Sweeping “License To Discriminate” Rules Against LGBT Americans

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This is not to be taken lightly.

The Associated Press reports:

In an order that undercuts federal protections for LGBT people, Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a sweeping directive to agencies Friday to do as much as possible to accommodate those who claim their religious freedoms are being violated.

The guidance, an attempt to deliver on President Donald Trump’s pledge to his evangelical supporters that he would protect religious liberties, effectively lifts a burden from religious objectors to prove that their beliefs about marriage or other topics are sincerely held.

Under the new policy, a claim of a violation of religious freedom would be enough to override many anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people, women and others. The guidelines are so sweeping that experts on religious liberty are calling them a legal powder-keg that could prompt wide-ranging lawsuits against the government.

“This is putting the world on notice: You better take these claims seriously,” said Robin Fretwell Wilson, a law professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “This is a signal to the rest of these agencies to rethink the protections they have put in place on sexual orientation and gender identity.”

If you ever had any doubt that this administration was out to destroy the LGBT community then this should be a wake up call to you and everyone else

We must all stand up and fight!

 

READ: Presidential Executive Order Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty – FULL TEXT

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READ: Presidential Executive Order Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty - FULL TEXT

 

We’ve finally got the text.

As posted on WhiteHouse.gov:

 

The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
May 04, 2017

Presidential Executive Order Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty

EXECUTIVE ORDER

– – – – – – –

PROMOTING FREE SPEECH AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, in order to guide the executive branch in formulating and implementing policies with implications for the religious liberty of persons and organizations in America, and to further compliance with the Constitution and with applicable statutes and Presidential Directives, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1.  Policy.  It shall be the policy of the executive branch to vigorously enforce Federal law’s robust protections for religious freedom.  The Founders envisioned a Nation in which religious voices and views were integral to a vibrant public square, and in which religious people and institutions were free to practice their faith without fear of discrimination or retaliation by the Federal Government.  For that reason, the United States Constitution enshrines and protects the fundamental right to religious liberty as Americans’ first freedom.  Federal law protects the freedom of Americans and their organizations to exercise religion and participate fully in civic life without undue interference by the Federal Government.  The executive branch will honor and enforce those protections.

Sec. 2.  Respecting Religious and Political Speech.  All executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall, to the greatest extent practicable and to the extent permitted by law, respect and protect the freedom of persons and organizations to engage in religious and political speech.  In particular, the Secretary of the Treasury shall ensure, to the extent permitted by law, that the Department of the Treasury does not take any adverse action against any individual, house of worship, or other religious organization on the basis that such individual or organization speaks or has spoken about moral or political issues from a religious perspective, where speech of similar character has, consistent with law, not ordinarily been treated as participation or intervention in a political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) a candidate for public office by the Department of the Treasury.  As used in this section, the term “adverse action” means the imposition of any tax or tax penalty; the delay or denial of tax-exempt status; the disallowance of tax deductions for contributions made to entities exempted from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of title 26, United States Code; or any other action that makes unavailable or denies any tax deduction, exemption, credit, or benefit.

Sec. 3.  Conscience Protections with Respect to Preventive-Care Mandate.  The Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall consider issuing amended regulations, consistent with applicable law, to address conscience-based objections to the preventive-care mandate promulgated under section 300gg-13(a)(4) of title 42, United States Code.

Sec. 4.  Religious Liberty Guidance.  In order to guide all agencies in complying with relevant Federal law, the Attorney General shall, as appropriate, issue guidance interpreting religious liberty protections in Federal law.

Sec. 5.  Severability.  If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any individual or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its other provisions to any other individuals or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.   

Sec. 6.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or 

(ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

DONALD J. TRUMP

THE WHITE HOUSE,
May 4, 2017.

 

As for how much of this Executive Order which is actually enforceable and legal is up in the air since the language is very vague.

As for ” Respecting Religious and Political Speech.”  The Johnson Amendment that stops religious organizations from preaching political opinions because of thier non-profit status was introduced and voted into law by Congress and only a vote in Congress can repeal it.

Loving Christian and FRC Hate Group Leader Tony Perkins Lauds Trump's Budget Plan To Stop Feeding The Elderly

FRC Hate Group Leader Tony Perkins Says Its “Fake News” That A Religious Liberty EO Would Discriminates Against Gays

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Via press release from Family Research Council President and KKK connected Tony Perkins:

The Left’s cabal is in an uproar over word of new religious liberty protections potentially coming from the White House. What they consistently refuse to recognize, however is just how much of this fundamental first freedom we need to restore in the wake of the Obama regime.

The hysteria stems from word of a draft executive order that was leaked to The Nation, who claims that the order would create “wholesale exemptions for individuals and organizations who claim religious objections to same-sex marriage, premarital sex, abortion, and trans identity.” Like most of the Left’s fake news, this is more about advancing their anti-Christian agenda than it is reporting real news.

What would the executive order on religious liberty do and why is it needed? It would create a general directive for all federal agencies to adhere “to the extent permitted by law” to religious freedom laws and principles in agency actions, regulations or policies. It properly recognizes that religion should not be confined to a home or house of worship alone, but to “all activities of life,” such as those that involve social services, education, health care, employment, obtaining “grants or contracts,” or otherwise participating in the “public square.”

Religious expression has every right to exist in the public square as do other forms of expression. The order also directs federal agencies to implement the protections of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, along with the Title VII religious protections for federal employees, religious organizations, and schools.

As I said yesterday, President Trump has been very clear on the importance of religious liberty. The free exercise of religion has suffered greatly under the policies and orders of President Obama. I am confident that the Trump administration will protect this first and most fundamental freedom.

 

“Christian” Federal Worker Refuses To Watch LGBT Diversity Video “I’m not going to certify an abomination.”

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"Christian" Federal Worker Refuses To Watch LGBT Diversity Video "I'm not going to certify an abomination."

 

David Hall, a Social Security Administration employee in  Illinois, says that he’d rather be fired than be forced to watch a workplace diversity video about the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Hall claims that by doing so violates his religious beliefs.

Hall a 14 year employee of the SSA ,was told in April  to watch a 17-minute training video on LGBT diversity and inclusion and certify they’d done it afterward. Hall claims the department has never made a video mandatory before.

He was given direct orders on June 2 and again on June 24 and he refused both times. Hall said he is a Christian — “not anti-anyone or anything,” but “for God, for Jesus” — and believes the Bible teaches that homosexuality is a sin. He asked for religious accommodation but was denied. An official reprimand was placed in his file and he was suspended without pay for two days.

After the suspension, he was told he’d receive further discipline if he didn’t watch the video.

“I think this is an issue they are prepared to go to the mat with, but I’m not going to give up my faith or compromise my beliefs just to go along and get along. I don’t believe God wants me to do that,” Hall said.

“They wanted me to certify that I had completed the training,” says Hall. “I’m not going to certify an abomination.”

“I’m not judging the LGBT community … But I believe tolerance is a two-way street,” Hall said. “Unfortunately, I believe they’re wrong. But neither of us should lose our jobs or livelihood for our beliefs.

Doug Nguyen, communications director for the SSA’s Chicago region, wrote in a statement that “in support of an inclusive work environment, as well as exemplary customer service, the Social Security Administration recently announced a diversity and inclusion training on the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Community to our employees.

“This mandatory video training reminds our employees of their responsibility, as representatives of the agency, to provide the highest levels of service to our customers,” Nguyen went on to say. “The training includes a brief session on tips for increasing cultural awareness in a diverse and inclusive environment. We are unable to comment on specific personnel matters.”

Hall has hired Chicago attorney Jason Craddock . He previously represented the owner of a bed and breakfast that refused to host same-sex weddings for religious reasons. The B&B turned down a couple’s request to hold a civil-union ceremony in 2011 and the judge ordered the B&B to pay $30,000 in damages to the couple and $50,000 in legal fees.

 

Donald Trump Vows To Uphold “Religious Liberty” At FRC Hate Group’s Values Voters Summit In D.C.- Video

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Donald Trump and his henchmen like to falsely promote the fact that DT is a“best friend to the gays”. But yesterday  Trump took center stage at the Family Research Council’s extreme right-wing Values Voter Summit, where he will spoke to a room packed with anti-LGBT activists and hate groups, some of whom advocate for the criminalization of homosexuality, dangerous and torturous conversion therapy, and  the loss of civil rights. His first statement was vowing the protection of “Religious Liberty” aka. The Right To Discriminate.

Watch below.

 

Mississippi Senate Passes Most Bigoted Anti-LGBT “Religious Freedom” Law In The Country

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Mississippi Senate Passes Most Bigoted Anti-LGBT Law In The Country

 

On Wednesday the Mississippi Senate voted 31-17 to pass House Bill 1523, which protects people, businesses, and religious organizations that refuse to service LGBT people if doing so violates their “sincerely held” religious beliefs.

Such “sincerely held” beliefs include the conviction that:

(a) Marriage is or should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman;
(b) Sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage; and
(c) Male (man) or female (woman) refer to an individual’s immutable biological sex as objectively determined by anatomy and genetics at time of birth.

The bill protects so many acts that it’s almost impossible to sum them up. Among them are religious organizations declining to perform a marriage; religious organizations refusing to hire, firing, or disciplining individuals for “violating” their religious beliefs; religious organizations choosing not to rent or sell property; religious organizations that provide foster care or adoptive services (including state-funded ones) declining service; any person or business choosing not to provide counseling or medical treatment; and any person or business refusing to provide wedding services such as photography, dress making, or floral arrangement.

In addition, under the bill any person or businesses can impose “sex-specific standards or policies concerning employee or student dress or grooming,” and can police bathroom use as they so choose. State employees who issue marriage licenses or any other service would also be able to deny their services and express their religious beliefs without consequence.

Furthermore, these protections extend even if the disagreement does not involve the government as a party. In other words, anybody can cite their religious beliefs to justify their discriminatory behavior if sued by the victims of that discrimination. When they do, they are entitled not only to victory in court, but compensatory damages as well.

Mississippi Republicans Senator Jennifer Branning in a speech to her colleagues that. “It takes no rights away from anyone. It gives protection to those in the state who cannot in a good conscience provide services for a same-sex marriage.”

But state Democrats argue that it does much more than that — they maintain that it’s overly broad and protects religious discrimination in too many settings. “They say it’s about same-sex marriage,” said Senator John Horhn. “If that’s the case, why does it include adoptions? The why does it allow discrimination in medical services? The reason we are so adamantly opposed to it is because we have already been there. We don’t need to put another stain on Mississippi.”

The bill passed the House 80-39 in February, but because it was amended slightly in the Senate, it will now return to the house for concurrence

Governor Phil Bryant. Bryant has said that he didn’t think the bill was discriminatory.

FRC Hate Group Leader Tony Perkins: God Did Not Make Mayor Pete Gay!

FRC’s Tony Perkins Has Epic Hissy Fit Over NFL Boycotting Georgia Over Anti-LGBT Bill

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Tony Perkins

 

“In the NFL’s offseason, league officials are trying to invade someone else’s turf: Georgia’s. In the ongoing scrimmage over the state’s deflated religious freedom bill, the National Football League is using a familiar playbook to frighten Gov. Nathan Deal (R) out of signing H.B. 757, a shell of a measure that — in its old form — would have shielded Christians from the heavy hand of the government. Now, days after the proposal was gutted of any meaningful conscience protections, the NFL, NBA, and MLB are pulling out all the stops to kill a bill that’s actually less inclusive than the First Amendment!

“Unlike the original version, only a fraction of faith-based groups and churches will have safe harbor from the government’s ruthless attacks on Christians. But instead of actually reading the bill, the NFL and other businesses seem quite content to take the media’s misleading word for it. While activists at the Human Rights Campaign resort to lies to defeat the measure, the reality is that H.B. 757 doesn’t offer even the barest of buffers for people like Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis, bakers Aaron and Melissa Klein, or Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran. If anything, it does as much to quarantine faith as it does to defend it.

“True diversity is respecting everyone’s opinions — not a vocal few who refuse to practice the same tolerance they preach. The NFL went even further, threatening (not so subtly) to pull the city from Super Bowl consideration in in 2019 and 2020. “NFL policies emphasize tolerance and inclusiveness, and prohibit discrimination based on age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other improper standard,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy said. “Whether the laws and regulations of a state and local community are consistent with these policies would be one of many factors NFL owners may use to evaluate potential Super Bowl host sites.”

“Of course, we saw this same bullying in Houston, where voters overwhelmingly rejected an ordinance that would have censored Christians. Despite the League’s big talk, it backed down, leaving plans in place for the championship game next year. Clearly it was nothing more than a corporate head-fake meant to placate the LGBT crowd. But if the NFL is so anti-freedom that it will pick up its ball and play somewhere else, let them. Who believes these entertainers are actually credible voices on the issue anyway? This country was built on religious liberty — not the narrow mockery of it made by this bill, but an all-inclusive privilege meant for every citizen everywhere.” – Hate group leader Tony Perkins having a histrionic meltdown of biblical proportions via press release.

“Unlike the original version, only a fraction of faith-based groups and churches will have safe harbor from the government’s ruthless attacks on Christians.”  Not really, but nice try Tony.  Even with the tweaking H.B. 757 would still allow religious owned schools, hospitals and businesses to discriminate.

And as for bringing up The KKKlein’s and Kim Davis……..

 

Tony Perkins beats a dead horse. AGAIN!

 

ACLU Sues Louisianna Governor Piyush “Bobby” Jindal Over Religious Freedom Executive Order

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Piyush Jindal Lawsuit

 

The Louisiana ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), along with the American Equality Foundation and six New Orleans residents are suing GOP Governor Piyush “Bobby” Jindal over the religious freedom executive order he released in May that is aimed at protecting “Christians” who oppose same-sex marriage.

“[The lawsuit] is over the fact that the governor didn’t have the authority to do this in the first place,” said Marjorie Esman, head of the ACLU of Louisiana, in an interview and contends that Jindal exceeded his executive authority in issuing the order, claiming that only the Louisiana Legislature has the power to create a “substantive right” as the Jindal executive order claims it does.

“Gov. Jindal has violated the Louisiana Constitution by setting up special protections for those who share his belief system. In our country no one is above the law, including the Governor,”

In a statement following notice of the lawsuit Jindal wrote:

“This Executive Order protects religious liberty.  The ACLU used to defend civil liberties, now it appears they attack them.  The Left likes to pick and choose which liberties they support at any given time, and it seems to me that religious liberty has fallen out of favor with them. Religious liberty is fundamental to our freedom as Americans, and I will not back down from defending it.”

You can read the ALCU’s  legal challenge here 

 

FRC Hate Group Pres. Tony Perkins: “Today We Are All (Anti-Gay Bigoted) Hoosiers”

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Tony Perkins Nazi2

 

From Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council hate group via email blast:

Dear  XXXX,We can’t take for granted our freedom of religion; the freedom to believe and to live according to those beliefs. Given to us by God, and recognized by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, religious freedom is crucial to the life of our democracy. If the government punishes people for living their faith, there are no limits to what government can control.

If religious freedom falls in one state, it is endangered everywhere. Where states and leaders advance religious liberty, we need to encourage them to stand. Please read the following petition in support of Indiana Governor Mike Pence, and if you agree, please join me in signing it. Those who stand for freedom need others to stand with them.

Indiana Governor Mike Pence recently signed into law a Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) that protects people who live their daily lives according to their faith against government discrimination. This law reflects polling that shows 81% of Americans support the freedom to live out one’s beliefs. The Indiana law is like the federal RFRA that was signed by President Bill Clinton in 1993, and RFRAs in 19 other states.

Now, a leftist-driven movement has spread misinformation about the law, threatened boycotts and fomented false rhetoric in the media and online. Even in our day, the price of freedom is steep, and Governor Pence is standing strong for freedom despite the cost. Efforts are about to pressure Governor Pence to support changing or amending the law to weaken it. All Americans who live according to their religious beliefs should be free from fear of government punishment. I stand with Governor Pence in his support of religious freedom as stated in the Indiana RFRA, and urge him to oppose all efforts to change the law.

Click here to sign the petition and stand for religious freedom with Gov. Pence!

Sincerely,

Tony Perkins
President

P.S. Please forward this alert to friends, family and fellow church members, and post to your favorite social networks.