An ENDA to Religious Liberty?

By: American Decency Staff

According to Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Authority,  “the Hebrew and Greek words for amen appear hundreds of times in the Bible and have several uses. The verb form occurs more than one hundred times in the Old Testament and means to take care, to be faithful, reliable or established, or to believe someone or something. On nearly seventy occasions in the Gospels, Jesus introduces his teaching by saying amen lego humin that is, "truly I say to you.”

Amen – affirming something faithful and true.  Contrast that definition with the discordant use of the term at a recent White House signing ceremony. 

On July 20 President Obama used his pen (not his phone) to once again usurp the role of Congress, mandating an executive order banning federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

 As the law by authoritarian decree was signed to the cheers from homosexual activists gathered in the room, someone shouted:  “Amen!” to which President Obama responded.  “Amen! Amen! We have the amen corner here! Don’t get me started preaching.” 

What our president “preaches” certainly isn’t gospel truth.  There is no good news in our government affirming a lifestyle that leads to destruction.  (Romans 1)

In essence this edict from President Obama mandates that all federal contractors and subcontractors — regardless of their religious and moral convictions — give special treatment to homosexuals, transgenders, and cross-dressers in the workplace.   Such legislation – referred to as ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) – has long been coveted by LGBT activists.  

This puts sexual behaviors on the same level of immutable characteristics as race and ethnicity.  It also elevates LGBT affiliation over and above the first amendment freedom of religion and the free exercise of those religious beliefs.

Just weeks earlier the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the religious freedom of the Green family, the owners of Hobby Lobby, to not provide abortifacients to their employees (required under ObamaCare) due to their Christian convictions.

Now with a stroke of his pen, President Obama mandated that an employer doing any type of work with the federal government must leave his religious beliefs at the door.  Homosexuality trumps religious liberty. 

Yet if this presidential fiat applies only to those doing business with the federal government, how much will it really impact religious freedom?  In answer, CBS reported that it "impacts an estimated 28 million workers, or one-fifth of the U.S. workforce."  And as Gary Bauer reports, many federal contractors are in fact religious charities and faith-based organizations performing social services and disaster relief work for the government.   They will not be able to continue serving as they are now doing unless they compromise their religious beliefs.

And despite pleas from religious leaders, President Obama refused to include an exemption for religious groups.   Even the Senate Democrats in their proposal of similar ENDA legislation included a  religious exemption.

 In a letter to President Obama signed by many prominent religious leaders, they wrote in part: 

“Our identity as individuals is based first and foremost in our faith, and religious beliefs are at the foundation of some of America’s greatest charities and service organizations that do incredible good for our nation and for the world. In fact, serving the common good is one of the highest expressions of one’s religious liberty outside of worship. The hiring policies of these organizations— Christians, Jewish, Muslim and others—extend from their religious beliefs and values: the same values that motivate them to serve their neighbors in the first place.

… we still live in a nation with different beliefs about sexuality. We must find a way to respect diversity of opinion on this issue in a way that respects the dignity of all parties to the best of our ability.”

Not only will this executive order require the employment of those identifying as LGBT in order to receive federal contracts, but, as Family Research Council also points out,  it “gives activists a license to challenge their employers and, expose those contracted employers to threats of costly legal proceedings and the potential of jeopardizing future contracts. The order further burdens contractors by stripping away their right to set dress and grooming standards.”

Peter Sprigg, Senior Fellow for Policy Studies at the Family Research Council states:  "If religious organizations cannot require that their employees conduct themselves in ways consistent with the teachings of their faith – then, essentially, those organizations are unable to operate in accordance with their faith.  This level of coercion is nothing less than viewpoint blackmail that bullies into silence every contractor and subcontractor who has moral objections to homosexual behavior.”

Yet what is even more concerning is the precedent this sets.  As Robert Jeffress, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, warns:  “The problem with this executive order is that it paves the way for the next one – which could withhold the tax-exempt status or broadcast licenses for religious organizations holding biblical beliefs with which the administration disagrees.”

What will be the impact as our religious liberty is further stripped away?  And even more importantly, what will be our response?  As greater discrimination and even persecution comes, may you and I not bow to Nebuchadnezzar, but stand for what is faithful and true.  Do I hear an Amen?

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