Nothing says “tolerance” like imposing
a travel ban in an attempt to force another state to require religious groups
to violate their deeply held beliefs.
Two weeks ago, the California (CA) Attorney
General (AG) announced the state will soon ban state-funded and state-sponsored
travel to Oklahoma (OK) … because of its allegedly “discriminatory” adoption laws.
In May, OK approved legislation that
ensures “no private child-placing agency shall be required to perform, assist,
counsel, recommend, consent to, refer, or participate in any placement of a child
for foster care or adoption when the proposed placement would violate the
agency’s written religious or moral convictions or policies.” The purpose of the law is to protect
faith-based adoption agencies—which, in many states, remain vital players in
helping thousands upon thousands of kids find permanent homes every year—from
being compelled to participate in activities that contradict their values.
Because some religious groups believe
they have a moral and religious responsibility to place children in homes with
a married mother and father—as opposed to with single parents, transgender
parents, or gay couples—CA has determined OK’s law protecting these groups is
“discriminatory” and a form of “bigotry.”
“California will not use state
resources to support states that pass discriminatory laws,” CA AG Xavier
Becerra said. “The law enacted in
Oklahoma allows discrimination against LGBTQ children and aspiring LGBTQ
parents who must navigate the adoption process.”
OK is now the ninth state subject to CA’s
ban, joining Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Dakota,
Tennessee, and Texas.
CA social justice warriors like
Becerra say they “are taking a stand against bigotry and in support of those
who would be harmed by this prejudiced policy.”
In reality, all they are doing is
trying to score political points with their far-left-wing supporters, to the
detriment of parentless kids everywhere.
CA lawmakers might not like it, but tens of millions of Americans
worship God and support faith-based community initiatives meant to help those
in need, including children without homes. These organizations, of which there are
thousands across the country, must adhere to their religious beliefs. If they are forced to violate their values,
most of them will inevitably close their doors, leaving millions of people
without services these charities are compassionately providing.
Although Becerra and
others currently running much of CA’s government won’t admit it publicly,
shutting down all faith-based services—or forcing them to abandon their most
unpopular beliefs—is exactly what they want. And they are more than willing to sacrifice
the countless kids who are waiting to find families in Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist,
Presbyterian, Muslim, and other religious homes on the Left’s altar of political
correctness.
OK Gov. Mary Fallin (Republican)
noted, OK’s religious liberty law is absolutely not discriminatory. OK “will not be in any way restricting
current practice allowing LGBTQ individuals and couples fostering or adopting,”
Fallin explained. “It does not ban
same-sex adoption or foster care in Oklahoma.
Instead, the bill will help continue Oklahoma’s successful placement of
children with a broad array of loving families and basically maintain the
status quo by setting forth in statute practices which have successfully worked
for the best interest of Oklahoma children.”
Contrary to the claims made by Becerra,
OK’s law, like other similar state laws, is merely meant to protect religious
groups by guaranteeing their right to follow their conscience. It’s no different than the laws that permit
the Amish to escape having to participate in a slew of government programs and
mandates they disagree with. Or the laws
that allow pacifists to avoid the military draft. Or the exemptions that protect Roman Catholic
nuns from paying for abortion. Or the
laws that protect some religious groups from having to swear oaths.
Listen: If Leftists have it their way,
the Amish would be forced to abide by the same rules, taxes, and regulations everyone
else must adhere to. Pacifists would be forced
to participate in drafts and fight and die on battlefields. Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim clergy
would be required to pay for abortions. In
other words, all religious beliefs would be abolished from the public square
because of their “discriminatory” nature. And who gets to decide what is “discriminatory,”
anyway? Well, the majority of people in
society would be at risk of being forced to live in ways they vehemently
oppose.
One of the primary reasons America has
become so successful is its commitment to religious tolerance. Tens of millions of people from around the world
have come to the U.S. A. to worship their God.
The Left is, apparently, incredibly
frightened by this religious freedom, and many Leftists are working to end it forever
and enact instead a completely unoriginal, uniform, dull society composed of
single-minded drones. Rather than
embrace tolerance, Leftists in CA and elsewhere are seeking to destroy it. And, ironically, they are engaging in this
attack on religious liberty in the name of protecting “diversity.”
Don’t be fooled: The
far Left doesn’t want diversity. It’s
probably the thing they are most afraid of.
Rev.
Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.
Chaplain
(Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel
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