5 Things Every Christian Should Know About the Equality Act
Veiled schemes against morality are often neatly packaged with a bow made of nice-sounding names. Abortion is packaged as “pro-choice” or “health care,” the steering away from righteousness is “progressive,” and promoting homosexuality is “tolerance.”
A new and neatly packaged evil has emerged on the scene using a similar word we all consider to be good—“equality.” But make no mistake, the “Equality Act” is anything but good. It is both radical and highly controversial, and is the greatest threat to your religious freedoms of all time. As you review the items included, it becomes clear that this legislation is less about promoting equality and more about punishing dissenters.
What is the Equality Act?
Here are five things every Christian should know about the Equality Act, H.R. 5—116th Congress (2019-2020).
- The Equality Act Would Amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act to Include Sexual Orientation
The Equality Act falsely equates one’s sexual conduct with immutable characteristics like skin colour and ethnicity—and openly contradicts the scriptural mandates we were given for our good (1 Thess. 4:3-8). It aims to cover sexual orientation or gender identity for the purposes of employment, housing, public accommodations, jury service, education and federal programs, and to punish those who do not comply.
- The Equality Act Is the Greatest Threat to Religious Freedom Ever Proposed in America
The Equality Act would invade every area of American life and is the greatest threat to religious freedom ever proposed in America. Here is just a sampling of who would be affected and targeted for discrimination:
- Teachers can be fired for refusing to use a student’s “preferred pronoun.”
- Shelters for women who have been abused by men will be forced to admit any man who “identifies as female.”
- Parents and foster parents can be forced to help a child “transition” to another gender.
- Teachers could be forced to teach the LGBTQ+ lifestyle as a healthy and legitimate option.
College students would be forbidden from using their federal tuition assistance at schools that “discriminate” on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
- The Equality Act Would Change Who Churches Can Hire
Under its changes to the employment nondiscrimination provisions in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, some houses of worship would be barred from ensuring their leaders and other employees abide by their beliefs about marriage, sexual behaviour and the distinction between the sexes.
- The Equality Act Would Harm Faith-Based Adoption Agencies
Faith-based organisations in the adoption and foster care system generally receive government funding to help them carry out their work. This funding would be threatened if they did not comply with the Equality Act, including adopting children to homosexual couples, promoting gender transition treatments, and affirming these lifestyles.
- The Equality Act Would Threaten Religious Employers
Ministries and other faith-based organisations could be forced to offer insurance coverage for hormone therapy, sex reassignment surgery or other procedures that violate their consciences and, more importantly, the Bible.
These are only some of the sobering truths about the Equality Act and its threats to our religious freedoms. When you go to the polls in 2020, it is imperative that you consider who you are selecting to represent you as a Christian. Every Democrat in the House of Representatives voted IN FAVOUR of this bill, and almost every Democrat in the Senate is expected to do the same. On the other hand, nearly every Republican has and is expected to OPPOSE it. What can you do? Think. Pray. VOTE. And do so knowing what those you vote for really represent.