Dozens of leaders are advocating for the Fairness for All proposal, which would match LGBT protections with religious exemptions.
Fifty-seven Black Christian leaders have written a letter to members of the US Senate’s Judiciary Committee expressing support for sweeping LGBT rights but asking for a new bill that includes religious exemptions.
The signers, including representatives of the major black Christian denominations, said passage of the Equality Act would deny federal funding for faith-based programs that profess a traditional view of sexuality. For example, it would end free and reduced-cost lunch programs for children who attend religious schools and revoke federal loan eligibility for tens of thousands of students who attend hundreds of religious colleges.
“…We want to clearly state our support for federal protections for LGBT persons in employment, housing and the like,” the letter states. “We’re committed to embracing and advocating for those safeguards. Unfortunately, the collaborative process and substance of the Equality Act fall well beneath the standard necessary to cultivate a healthy pluralistic society.”
The Equality Act, which passed the Democratic-controlled US House of Representatives on February 25, would amend the Civil Rights Act to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It does not include exemptions for religious groups, and it would override the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which prohibits the federal government from “substantially burdening” individuals’ exercise of religion unless there’s a compelling government interest.
The Senate’s Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the Equality Act on Wednesday. Despite broad Democratic Party support, in its current form the bill probably has no chance ...
from Christianity Today Magazine
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