Religious leaders issue statement denouncing anti-discrimination laws

Over 75 religious leaders came together to sign a statement to affirm religious freedom and oppose government coercion or censorship of citizens who holds different views about sexual orientation and gender identity.

The formal statement, titled "Preserve Freedom, Reject Coercion," was released by the Colson Center for Christian Worldview last Wednesday, according to report from the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB).

The signatories include NRB President and CEO Dr. Jerry A. Johnson, Lousiana College President Rick Brewer, Best-selling author Eric Metaxas, Master's University & Seminary President John MacArthur, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission President Russell Moore, and Care Net President & CEO Roland C. Warren.

The statement addresses the efforts to add sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) as protected classifications in law.

It argues that the proposal threatens basic freedoms of religion conscience, speech and association and it also violates privacy rights.

"In recent years, we have seen in particular how these laws are used by the government in an attempt to compel citizens to sacrifice their deepest convictions on marriage and what it means to be male and female—people who serve everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, but who cannot promote messages, engage in expression, or participate in events that contradict their beliefs or their organization's guiding values," the statement reads.

"Under SOGI laws, people of good will can face personal and professional ruin, fines, and even jail time, and organizations face the loss of accreditation, licensing, grants, contracts, and tax-exemption," it continued.

The statement asserted that SOGI laws are being used by the government to silence or punish Americans who exercise their freedom to live and work peacefully according to their convictions.

The signatories contend that the SOGI laws pose a serious threat to fundamental freedoms that are guaranteed to every person and it should be rejected at the federal, state and local levels.

The Family Research Council (FRC) recently released a list of cases in which Christian business owners were punished or threatened with punishment for not complying with anti-discrimination laws.

One such case was that of Aaron and Melissa Klein, owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa. They were fined $135,000 by the state's Bureau of Labor and Industries in 2013 for refusing to bake a gay wedding cake due to their religious convictions.

Some of the cases listed by the FRC are not yet settled and still going through court battles.