The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is making its way toward a vote in the U.S. House. It would prevent businesses and organizations from taking sexual orientation or gender identity into consideration when hiring, promoting or firing. That could spell trouble for Christian business owners, churches and faith-based groups.
Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said if ENDA passes, it would create a crisis for Christians.
“Not being able to hire people based on their agreement with your sense of the principles and values of the institution would be devastating,” he said.
Proponents of the bill quickly point to a "religious exemption" in the bill, but Blunt called it a sham.
“The court has to decide if your purpose is sufficiently religious enough in character," he explained. "Are you a church? Do you have a daycare center?”
And there’s nothing to stop Congress from removing the limited exemption later. Ashley Horne, federal policy analyst for Focus on the Family Action, said gay activists have a goal.
“The real agenda behind the innocuously named Employment Non-Discrimination Act is a push to enshrine homosexuality and transgenderism into national policy,” she told Family News in Focus.
The bill's sponsors aren’t allowing the public much time to respond to the legislation.
“ENDA has been fast tracked," she said. "Constituents haven’t had a chance to weigh in, so we really need to get the word out.”
TAKE ACTION
Contact your U.S. representative and ask him or her to oppose ENDA. It's especially important for lawmakers to hear from Christian business owners and associations.
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