Arkansas Senate Passes Religious Freedom Bill

Current Events

This morning the Arkansas Senate passed H.B. 1228, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

This good bill is modeled on federal law as well as laws in 21 other states. It simply affirms the traditional understanding of the free exercise of religion and prevent religious liberty from further erosion.

The bill passed with 24 senators voting for it; 7 senators voting against; 2 senators not voting; and one senator voting “Present.”

The bill now goes back to the Arkansas House of Representatives for concurrence in the amendments made to it in the Arkansas Senate; after that, it will go to Governor Hutchinson, who has said he will sign it.

You can see how your senator voted here.

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Help Stand for Religious Liberty in the Military

Current Events,

The following is by Family Council staff member Deborah Beuerman.

The persecution and hostility against Christians in the U.S. Military is strong.  Both gay activists and atheists have been allowed register complaints resulting in punitive action and even dismissal from the military for Christian members.

Military chaplains are particularly under attack as evidenced this week by the removal from duty of U.S. Navy Chaplain Lt. Commander Wes Modder, who has served 19 years with great distinction.

Credentialed by the Assemblies of God, Chaplain Modder was accused of “failing to show tolerance and respect the rights of individuals.”  This by the base commander who had just weeks before commended Chaplain Modder as “the best of the best.”  Under the pretext of curiosity about the chaplain’s beliefs, a young officer newly assigned as a chaplain’s assistant visited with him in private numerous times.  Chaplain Modder expressed his biblical view on sexual morality–including homosexuality.  Never disclosing that he himself was gay and married to a man, the officer appeared one day with 2 Equal Opportunity representatives and a 5-page complaint which could result in the chaplain being forced out of the military.

Chaplain Modder was simply doing what he is trained and directed to do: offering spiritual guidance in accordance with his faith. His right to do so is legally protected. In fact, according to military policy, if he does not adhere to the tenets of his faith, he could lose his ability to remain a chaplain.

Federal law and military regulations forbid the Navy from taking adverse action against a chaplain based on his faith, making the Navy’s actions against Modder unlawful.

Below are links for signing two petitions to the Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and the Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus calling for Chaplain Modder to be fully restored and all charges against him to be dropped. Family Research Council and Liberty Institute will deliver your petitions to them to show them that the American people will not stand for hostility toward faith in their military.

http://www.frc.org/alert/another-chaplain-needs-your-help

https://www.libertyinstitute.org/modderfacts

you can also contact your members of Congress.  American Family Association has provided this link that allows you to easily send emails:

http://www.afa.net/activism/contact-elected-officials/

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Gym Bans Woman Who Complained of Man in Locker Room

Current Events, ,

Planet Fitness in Michigan has revoked the gym membership of a woman who complained and told other members about a man using the women’s locker rooms.

According to various sources, the gym revoked Yvette Cormier’s membership because she violated their “judgment free” conduct policy.

In response to the situation, Planet Fitness released a statement saying,

“Our gender identity non-discrimination policy states that members and guests may use all gym facilities based on their sincere self-reported gender identity.”

Ms. Cormier told CNN the policy was “something they [should have] pointed out when I signed up.” She told another news outlet, “I wouldn’t have signed up for this gym if I knew that ahead of time” and that the gym is “failing to protect me if anything happens in those locker rooms with a man.”

Fortunately for Ms. Cormier, she can still take her business to a gym that does not let biological males who claim to be female use the women’s locker rooms; however, under some of the so-called “nondiscrimination” laws and ordinances filed around the country, all “places of public accommodation” (including fitness gyms) would be forced to let a man use the women’s locker rooms, showers, and changing areas if he claims to be a woman.

This was a concern many people raised about the ordinance the Fayetteville City Council passed last year; that ordinance was repealed at a special election, but the Eureka Springs City Council hastily passed an even broader ordinance last month.

The issue is one of public safety, which Ms. Cormier summed up very well in her interview with CNN:

“This is all new to me. I didn’t go out to specifically bash a transgender person that day. I was taken aback by the situation. This is about me and how I felt unsafe.”

You can read more about this situation here and here.

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