Where Did Religious Freedom Go?

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, November 18, 2016 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

For years, large sections of the United States, including the state of Georgia, were known as the Bible Belt, but things are a-changin’ and religious freedom has been targeted for extinction, even in the Bible Belt.

On Monday, October 3rd, Henry County teachers at East Lake Elementary School received this memo: “You are hereby directed to remove all items which contain religious symbols, such as crosses, printed Bibles, angels, Bible verses, printed prayers, and biblical quotations from the common areas, hallways, classrooms, and office of East Lake Elementary School.”

A Henry County Schools spokesman defending those instructions said, “That is a federal law that we’re abiding by. We just sent out these reminders and things to be aware of and we’ve been doing that for the past two decades.” Since all the prohibited symbols are Christian and the prohibited quotations are from the Bible, parents in Henry County should require the local school board to amend the memo to prohibit other religious symbols, such as hijabs, burkas, and prayer rugs and quotes from the Quran, or rescind the prohibition against Christian symbols.

On October 26th, a press conference was held at the Georgia capitol to announce that Dr. Eric Walsh would not hand over his sermons to the state that had served him with legal papers demanding that he give state officials copies of his sermon notes and transcripts. Soon after the press conference, the state rescinded the demand that should never have been issued. Continue reading →

Why Deal Vetoed RFRA

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, May 13, 2016 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

On March 28, 2016, Governor Nathan Deal explained his veto of H.B. 757 that was introduced as the Pastor Protection Act, and became an issue to him when it was amended into the more comprehensive religious liberty bill that passed.

In the complete transcript of his explanation about the veto, Governor Deal referred to cases in other states. Concerning the New Mexico photographer who refused to photograph a same-sex wedding, the governor explained that New Mexico’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act was NOT used in that decision, because it did not apply to the case.

However, New Mexico’s Human Rights Act was used to determine the outcome of the photographer’s case. But, Georgia has NO Human Rights Act that could require a business to compromise religious beliefs to satisfy customers.

Then he cited the bakery case in Colorado where Colorado’s Public Accommodation Act prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation. Georgia has NO public accommodations act prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. We dodged THAT bullet this year, when H.B. 849 whimpered and died in committee, but the issue is far from dead. Continue reading →

The Equality Act is an Anti-RFRA Bill

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, November 20, 2015 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

While people of faith expect religious freedom to continue in all walks of life, a Democrat congressman from Rhode Island introduced H.R. 3185 on July 23rd and named it “The Equality Act.” He didn’t define it as an anti-religious freedom restoration act, but that’s what it is. He also didn’t explain it would codify and legitimize moral behavior that has been illegal from the beginning of time, but it will. Nor did he explain that everyone would be forced to accept the false notion that sexual identity is a mind-set that is not determined biologically, while sexual activity is a choice.

The day after H.R. 3185 was introduced, Andrew T. Walker, Director of Policy Studies for the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, published a thorough analysis of its drastic effects on culture.

It would erode religious liberty; it would transform public opinion on sexuality; and it would harm the public perception of anyone who believes in traditional or biblical sexual morality. In fact, the Equality Act is much more harmful than the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which Congress refused to pass. Continue reading →