Editor, Times-Union: Some facts about the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) that the liberal media are not telling us and many may not know: • The original RFRA came at the federal level in 1993 and passed unanimously in the House and Senate. Some of the sponsors? Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and Ted Kennedy. Signed into law by Bill Clinton. Also supported by then-senator Barak Obama in Illinois. • The bill does not allow discrimination. Never has. Sixteen law professors stated to the Indiana Senate Judiciary Committee: “The most common charge opponents make against RFRA legislation is that it is a ‘license to discriminate.’ It is no such thing.” • Indiana simply caught up with 30 other states with similar laws. (You wouldn’t know that from what the liberal media and Hollywood has been saying, would you? And, if conventions can’t come to Indiana because of this law, then they can’t go to 30 other states.) • This law has been around since 1993 and NOT ONE single case of it being used to justify discrimination against a homosexual has been recorded. • This law protects religious freedom, plain and simple. It protects individuals and businesses from government forcing them to violate their beliefs or put them out of business. (Should a homosexual baker be forced by the government to print a cake that reads, “If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable.” - Lev. 20:13?) • Some benefits of this law: It protects businesses from being forced to pay for abortions in their health insurance policy. (See Hobby Lobby case.) Pastors and churches can not be forced to perform same-sex marriages. Should pastors be forced by the government against deeply held religious beliefs to marry one man to another man? Or three men? This law protects them from being fined and sued. What is wrong with that? What about our rights? Truth be told, most businesses do “discriminate.” They have signs posted that clearly say, “No Shoes. No Shirt. No Service.” Why aren’t the homosexual activists and Hollywood crowd going after them for “discrimination” against shoeless, shirtless people? Because this is really about people who want to promote homosexuality and ‘sexual orientation’ – including men using women’s restrooms and locker rooms – OVER religious freedom. They are trying to impose their view of sexuality and saying, “If you don’t agree with us, we are going to punish you.” That’s what it comes down to. They want a government stamp of approval on their behavior. The great news is that the One who rose from the dead, conquering death, Hell and the grave, invites us ALL to come to Him and receive forgiveness of sin, new life here on earth and eternal life in the world to come. He is alive, and coming again. “He'll take over the running of the world.” (Isaiah 9:6, Message) Pastor Timothy Morbitzer North Manchester, via email
