Why does H.R. 5 – the Equality Act of 2021 matter to you if you follow Christ?
Why would it matter to the general public who care about religious freedom?
These are significant questions. The US House of Representatives on February 25
According to the Washington Post, the paper described the passage of this bill with this summary:
The House voted Thursday to pass the Equality Act, a far-reaching measure that has been decades in the making and would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
The House voted 224 to 206 for the measure, with three Republicans joining all Democrats to vote yes. This legislation would amend federal discrimination laws significantly. The Washington Post both accurately reports when it calls it “far-reaching” but severely minimizes its effect when saying it will simply prohibit discrimination.
This bill stands to threaten religious freedom for every American – evangelicals, Jews, Catholics, Muslims, and Mormons. Furthermore, it redefines sex making it a construct of gender while disassociating it from one’s biology. In addition, this legislation forces churches, schools, hospitals, and public business to change its practices without any recognition of religious conscience.
To put it as simply as possible, do not believe anyone who suggests this does not have significant impact on all religious liberty on various levels.
This legislation sits at the top of President Biden’s goals for his first 100 days in office. Furthermore, with its passage in the House, the Democratic controlled Senate will strive to pass it as well with his support.
Below you will find two brief summaries of articles which help define and clarify the issue. The first from Christianity Today by Ed Stetzer describes the bill; the second from the Heritage Foundation which identifies 11 myths related to this bill. Links will take you to either one for further research.
Swinging the Pendulum Too Far
Stetzer suggests that all Americans regardless of religious practice should desire for the protection of any person made in the image of God against discrimination. However, the way this bill defines and articulates that discrimination threatens religious freedom more than any in generations.
Highlights from Stetzer’s article:
- An article by the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) stated in May 2019, “If the measure became law, many religious schools and charities would have to change their faith-based policies and practices, or face sanctions that could force them to close their doors.”
…NAE president Leith Anderson wrote a letter to congress arguing the following are likely outcomes if this becomes law:
Houses of worship and other religious spaces will be turned into places of “public accommodation”; Federal funds will be denied to thousands of houses of worship, schools and charities that currently receive them; Religious adoption and foster care providers would be devastated, harming innocent children and families; Many privately funded shelters for the homeless and victims of domestic violence would be rendered illegal, ripping a hole in the social safety net; Core rights would be stripped from religious colleges and universities; Houses of worship, religious charities, and religious individuals will lose the protection of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act; and Religious individuals would be forced to take part in weddings and funerals that violate their religious beliefs.
- …although the act on the surface will expand the 1964 Civil Rights Act to further forbid discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation, the Equality Act will go beyond it:
“Indeed, contrary to how it is often portrayed, the Equality Act wouldn’t simply amend the Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The Equality Act would go a step further — and herein lies the radical rub — by cutting off avenues of appeal for any penalties imposed under the act.
Specifically, it would override the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which gives people a way to challenge government requirements that they feel impinge on their religious rights.”
- University of Virginia law professor Douglas Laycock spoke about this unbalanced impact of the Equality Act as well: “It protects the rights of one side, but attempts to destroy the rights of the other side,” he said. “We ought to protect the liberty of both sides to live their own lives by their own identities and their own values.”
11 Myths about H.R. 5, The Equality Act of 2021
The Heritage Foundation produced a downloadable PDF document (this link) or you can link to it online here. This is a well-worded and specific document related to this newly passed legislation. Again, the devastating effects on religious freedom and reverse discrimination weigh heavy. Here are the 11 Myths from the Heritage Foundation.
The article summarizes its conclusions in this way:
The proposed Equality Act of 2021 (H.R. 5) would make mainstream beliefs about marriage, biological facts about sex differences, and many sincerely held beliefs punishable under the law. The Equality Act makes discrimination the law of the land by forcing Americans to conform to government-mandated beliefs under the threat of life-ruining financial and criminal penalties. Presented as a bill with commonsense and decent protections against discrimination, H.R. 5 is anything but. The Equality Act politicizes medicine and education and demolishes existing civil rights and constitutional freedoms.
Here are the 11 myths presented by the authors:
Myth 1: The Equality Act Simply Punishes Discrimination Against People Who Identify as Gay or Transgender
Myth 2: The Equality Act Preserves Religious Freedom
Myth 3: The Equality Act Does Not Expand the Scope of Federal Civil Rights Law
Myth 4: The Equality Act Is Irrelevant to Abortion
Myth 5: The Equality Act Is Good for Women and Upholds Title IX of the Education Amendments Act, Which Prohibits Sex Discrimination Against Girls and Women
Myth 6: Safety and Privacy in Sex-Specific Spaces Will Not Be Diminished
Myth 7: The Equality Act Treats All Students Fairly, Promotes Inclusion, and Cannot Affect School Curricula
Myth 8: Doctors Will Not Be Forced to Perform Sex-Change Operations or Prescribe Hormones for “Gender Affirmation”
Myth 9: Parental Rights Will Remain Unchanged
Myth 10: The Equality Act Helps Children in Need of Foster Homes and Adoption
Myth 11: The Supreme Court’s Decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, Requires the Equality Act’s Changes to Civil Rights Law
What Should You Do?
For all of us who do care about discrimination against anyone who is in the image of God – including LGBTQ+ identifying people, we should diligently pray about this issue. We do not support discrimination. However, religious conscience and religious freedom are Constitutional rights. Therefore, we need to research this bill, consider its implications, and support or not support it based upon that said research. No doubt, I am not for it. As Stetzer implied, this bill as written may seek to protect one group but severely impacts the other through reverse discrimination. As Americans, this is unacceptable as well. After prayer and thoughtful research, you might send a note to your Senators letting them know what your opinion is. Senators do enjoy hearing from their constituents. Votes such as this should not simply be according to the will of the leaders of any particular party.
Image Credit Gagan Kaur
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