So Much for our 1st Amendment Right of Religious Liberty

Today’s political correctness is ruling over that of our constitutional Bill of Rights.

In Illinois, a Christian businessman has been fined $80K for his religious convictions.  Writing for the Illinois Family Institute, Laurie Higgins explains that, “Another Christian business-owner has been persecuted for his faith.  Jim Walder, owner of an Illinois bed and breakfast, has been fined $80,000 by the Illinois Human Rights Commission for refusing to rent his facility to homosexual couple – Todd and Mark Wathen – for their civil union ceremony.”  Higgins continues, “Even more outrageous, the Illinois Human Rights Commission has ordered that Jim Walder ‘[o]ffer the Wathens access to the facility, within one year, for an event celebrating their civil union.’  You read that right.  This unelected, quasi-governmental commission has mandated that Jim Walder not only pay a fine for not accepting a request that violated his religious beliefs but also to offer to violate his religious beliefs.  Such a mandate clearly violates Mr. Walder’s constitutionally protected religious liberty.”  Not only was Walder found guilty of a punishable offense for simply practicing his faith, but he was fined the ridiculous amount of $80K … as if this couple literally experienced almost $100,000 in personal damages.  What’s more, he is now being told that he is required to violate his faith and host a homosexual civil union celebration.

In Wisconsin, a Catholic university has extended the suspension of a tenured professor for expressing his commitment to the academic freedom of students to express their Catholic moral values in class.  In November, 2014, after Cheryl Abbate, an instructor at Marquette University, informed a student that he could not express his opposition to same-sex marriage in class, encouraging him to drop the “Theory of Ethics” course.  Political science professor John McAdams, blogged his disapproval in reasonable and rational terms; and in response, rather than disciplining the instructor (Abbate), Marquette suspended McAdams … now extending his suspension until he apologizes.

Note: Apparently it is not enough to fine or suspend individuals of faith; there must be coercion.

David French, writing for the National Review, writes, “My former colleagues at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) are right to label the forced apology ‘an age-old inquisitorial tactic used to violate freedom of conscience through compelled speech.’  [Professor McAdams has refused to apologize.]  French concludes, “I would say that it’s astonishing that a Catholic university punish a professor for defending the right of students to advocate the church’s teaching on marriage, but politically correct nonsense is par for the course even (especially) at many religious colleges.  McAdams should be applauded — and supported — for his lonely, courageous stand.”

In Georgia, Governor Nathan Deal caved into political correctness when he vetoed a bill that, as explained by Ryan Anderson, “would have safeguarded clergy from having to officiate same-sex weddings, prevented faith-based organizations from being forced to hire someone who publicly undermines their mission, and prohibited the state government from discriminating against churches and their affiliated ministries because they believe that marriage is between a man and a woman.”  To add insult to injury, earlier in the month, Governor Deal pointed to the ethics of Jesus to justify his actions.

In Virginia, Governor Terry McCauliffe vetoed legislation aimed at protecting opponents of same-sex marriage, saying “it would legalize discrimination of the LGBT community and hurt the state’s economy.”  He went on to stated, “We cannot have fear and persecution, people being demonized, we’re not going to tolerate that.”  By doing so, he fosters the persecution and demonizing of Christians, bowing down at the altar of homosexual activism rather than honoring the constitutional rights of Virginians to enjoy their religious liberties, claiming that protecting those liberties would hurt the state’s economy.

In North Carolina, after the state legislature and Gov. Pat McCrory overturned Charlotte’s infamous bathroom bill, simply requiring people to use the bathroom that corresponds to their birth certificate, the ACLU launched a lawsuit in response.  Attorney General Roy Cooper, himself a gubernatorial candidate, refused to defend the law, despite his responsibilities as Attorney General to defend the laws of the state.  Cooper, claiming that the law was a “national embarrassment,” said, “We’ve got to remember here the overriding concern that this new law provides for broad-based discrimination.”

Listen: If we believe in gender distinction and want to keep men out of women’s bathrooms and locker rooms, also keeping the door closed on heterosexual predators who will use that law to their advantage, we are guilty of “broad-based discrimination.”

And we can’t forget New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo, joining the mayor of San Francisco in banning non-essential state travel to North Carolina for the terrible sin of keeping men out of women’s bathrooms.

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel