Date: March 25, 2019
Host: Jim Schneider
Guest: Mat Staver
MP3 | Order
This Crosstalk discussed a piece of legislation that is targeting every church in America. Included is every Christian entity including schools, colleges, Bible camps, adoption agencies and rescue missions. The ‘reach’ of this legislation will affect every business, school, parent, childcare center, foster care agency, sport and every vocation imaginable.
According to the guest on this program, this legislation is an extreme threat to religious freedom, to speech, to privacy and even to women’s rights. He believes it will be used as a wrecking ball to churches and religious organizations.
The legislation is HR-5, the so-called Equality Act. Joining Jim to revisit this issue was Mat Staver. Mat is the founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel.
When Jim asked Mat if he had overstated or sensationalized the impact of this legislation in his opening remarks, Mat indicated that he hadn’t. In fact, with regard to women’s rights alone, if a man can be treated with the legal equivalent of being a woman just by saying or thinking they’re female, it undermines everything. In the context of sports, men who claim they’re women, are breaking records and depriving women of their ultimate opportunity to be the best in that area of sports they compete in.
Examples like the previous one are important because of what this legislation would codify into law. Jim communicated that this legislation equates sexual orientation and gender identity to race. Mat noted that what you can’t do legally respecting race, you will not be able to do legally respecting LGBT. This means that since it’s a federal violation to have racially segregated restrooms, the same idea applies to LGBT accommodations. In other words, you must let a man use the women’s restroom if use of that restroom is their own subjective choice no matter how they may look externally. Also, it won’t matter if the business is non-profit or for-profit, that business must comply with the law.
Doesn’t the Religious Freedom Restoration Act provide protection from just such a law? According to Mat it doesn’t. This bill expressly states that the RFRA (that was signed into law by then President Clinton), doesn’t apply. You will not be able to use that as a defense and claim that you have a religious free exercise right just because it’s part of your doctrine or sincerely held religious beliefs.
Jim and Mat have more to say on this issue and listeners weighed in as well. Become informed by reviewing this important edition of Crosstalk.
More Information
202-224-3121 (Senate)–Also www.senate.gov
202-225-3121 (House)–Also www.house.gov
202-456-1111 (White House Comment Line)
407-875-1776
