“The majority of Christianity believes that behavior is wrong. With an ordinance like this, they would be coerced by the government to accept that type of behavior and to celebrate it.”In contrast, Rev. Franklin Graham says Pastors Avoiding Gay Agenda Deserve Hell
-- Erik Stanley, Senior Legal Counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF)
“This is an attack on Judeo-Christian beliefs in America. It’s time people of faith become involved in the political arena.”
-- Pastor Rafael Cruz
For background, read 100s Detroit Black Pastors Denounce 'Gay Rights'
Also read how citizens overturned the Gay Agenda ordinance as one Arkansas City Votes Men OUT of Women's Restrooms
Also read how the Gay Agenda attacks Christians one town at a time across America because the homosexualists have been unable to force the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) through Congress.
In addition, read Gay Agenda will be Complete when Christians are Muzzled, Say Homosexualists as well as Senator Ted Cruz Says the Gay Agenda Ends Christian Liberty
-- From "Glendale will not have LGBT, gender identity protections by Super Bowl" by Mark Remillard and Bob McClay, KTAR-FM92.3 (Phoenix, AZ) 1/8/15
Glendale [Arizona] Mayor Jerry Weiers said Wednesday the council had met earlier in the week to discuss the ordinance but, despite word that the council might attempt to ram the ordinance through, the bill would not be signed by the time the big game comes to town.
Religious leaders and others in Glendale had feared that the city council was trying to push the proposal so that it would be approved before the Super Bowl. They oppose the bill, believing that, if it is passed, many Glendale business owners, churches and others would be forced to go against their religious beliefs.
"It really puts people in a dilemma of trying to decide, ‘Do I abide by my religious convictions, or do I face government punishment for standing by those convictions," said [ADF's Erik] Stanley. "That's what the City of Glendale needs to weigh and consider. That's why we're happy that they're going to slow this process down and consider that community input."
"There really is no demonstrated, widespread pattern of discrimination against the LGBT community," Stanley said. "The studies that have been done have shown that there are very, very, very few claims of discrimination under ordinances like this. In fact, Phoenix passed one of these a few years ago. To date, there have only been four claims of discrimination under the ordinance, and all four of those were dismissed as baseless. There's really just no need for this type of an ordinance."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Glendale postpones passing 'non-discrimination' ordinance" posted at Arizona Daily Independent 1/8/15
A number of other communities from Anchorage, Alaska to Fayetteville, Arkansas and Jacksonville, Florida have turned away similar ordinances. Fountain Hills, Arizona recently withdrew its consideration of a law similar to the one proposed in Glendale.
The proposed Glendale ordinance, much like Houston’s so-called “non-discrimination” law, could be fraught with First Amendment problems, according to Alliance Defending Freedom. Activist groups ONE Community and Human Rights Campaign, however, have been pushing the council to pass the ordinance in advance of the Super Bowl for the groups’ own political purposes. The council held a closed-session workshop Tuesday to discuss the proposed law and recommended hiring a facilitator to research the issue before proceeding further.
“The city has historically made decisions quickly that we’ve regretted,” John Kelley, executive pastor of Calvary Community Church and a resident of the Cholla District, recently said in a media interview prior to the council’s decision to delay consideration of the proposed ordinance. “I plead with the council to not hurry but to listen. It will have a tremendous impact on people of faith as well as the rest of the citizens. Please, listen to us and seek our voice in this decision.”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Glendale council discusses gay-rights ordinance" by Jeff Grant, Daily News-Sun (Sun City, AZ) 1/7/15
The items are part of a push begun last fall to improve Glendale’s rating for inclusiveness as determined by a national civil rights organization. The city scored a 36 in the point system assigned by The Human Rights Campaign [a homosexual, transgender advocacy organization]. The scoring is based on a series of criteria, including municipal law policies, benefits and services as they related to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population. Arizona cities scored an average of 68 points in the survey, while the national average score in 2014 was 59.
The seven-member council voted unanimously Dec. 18 to sign a pledge circulated by Arizona’s online community for the state’s LGBT population proclaiming the city’s intent to treat all members of the public equally in hiring, housing and hospitality regardless of sexual orientation.
ONE Community President and founder Angela Hughey at the time praised the council’s action but urged it to take the next step by adopting an ordinance. “We just would love to see Glendale truly open for business to everyone,” she told the governing body.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Foes of Plano’s equal rights ordinance rally to push petitions" by Wendy Hundley, Dallas Morning News 1/7/15
[Pastor Rafael] Cruz was one of several clergymen who spoke at the event to rally support for a petition drive to overturn the ordinance passed [by the Plano (Texas) City Council] Dec. 8 that prohibits discrimination in housing, employment and businesses, such as stores, restaurants and hotels [based on sexual orientation, sexual identity, etc.].
Opponents say the ordinance is unnecessary and infringes on the religious rights of citizens, particularly business owners, such as florists or wedding planners who may not believe in gay marriage.
“Today, if you refused [to do business with] a same-sex couple, you would be violating the ordinance,” said Jeff Mateer, general counsel for the Liberty Institute, a Plano nonprofit legal organization that defends religious liberty.
Plano resident Melody Pokorny, who was in the audience Wednesday, criticized the council for enacting the ordinance without adequate public notice. The council agenda that included the proposed ordinance was posted on the city’s website four days before the Dec. 8 meeting.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Plano's Equal Rights Ordinance faces petition, criticism" by Lindsey Juarez, Community Impact Newspaper 1/7/15
Plano church leaders are asking residents to sign a petition against the city’s expanded Equal Rights Ordinance, saying it violates religious freedoms.
Dave Welch, Texas Pastor Council executive director, said the signature gathering process is organic and he’s unsure how many signatures have been collected so far.
Welch said if enough signatures aren’t gathered or if the ordinance isn’t repealed, a lawsuit will be filed against the city.
State Rep. Matt Shaheen, R-Plano, also said he and the other state legislators who represent Plano will file joint legislation that would nullify the city’s ordinance.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Mississippi town repeals anti-discrimination resolution in secret" by Laura Conaway, MSNBC 1/8/15
Just a few weeks ago, the town of Starkville, Mississippi, was being praised nationally as a surprising example of progress in the South. Starkville is home to Mississippi State University, where the football team’s amazing run this season capped off a period of cultural and civic transformation for the town itself. As the New York Times noted in November, Starkville had even passed an anti-discrimination resolution that included sexual orientation and identity.
Starkville was the first place in Mississippi to take that step, in January 2014. Their aldermen led the way for other cities in the state to debate and pass resolutions of their own. In September, Starkville added a policy that extended health benefits to domestic partners of city employees. After that second move, the pressure from local religious leaders to overturn those decisions – “to move the policies and positions for this city back to a Judeo-Christian position,” as one pastor told the board – began immediately.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Wiseman: Aldermen offered no explanation for LGBT-related policy discussions in executive session" by Carl Smith, The Dispatch (Columbus, MS) 1/7/15
Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman slammed aldermen Wednesday for removing LGBT-friendly policies without public debate and began the process vetoing the board's action.
Five aldermen repealed the city's equality resolution - a non-discrimination policy that included language protecting lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender employees - and ended its plus-one insurance option available to workers' same-sex partners after three hours of closed-door deliberations.
Wiseman vowed to veto the actions, but the 5-2 breakdown will overturn his order if an override vote is called.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "MS city rescinds ordinance applauded by homosexual activists" by Charlie Butts, OneNewsNow.com 1/8/15
American Family Association spokesman Buddy Smith says the Human Rights Campaign, the powerful homosexual lobbying group, went into Starkville last year and convinced the city's mayor, Parker Wiseman, to push for the ordinance.
"And I just think he hoodwinked the board," Smith says of the mayor. "They didn't know what they were passing. You know it's all dressed up in 'discrimination language,' saying that Starkville wouldn't discriminate against gender identity and gender expression."
The ordinance passed last year at the same time the Human Rights Campaign is pouring $8.5 million in "Bible Belt" states Arkansas, Alabama and Mississippi to sway citizens and their government leaders to accept the homosexual lifestyle.
Smith says of the organization: "We all know that the mission of the Human Rights Campaign is to create special rights for those who are choosing the homosexual lifestyle - to kind of force this as something that's good and natural among those that don't believe that that's good behavior."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read myriad examples of discrimination against Christians by local government.
Including Houston's lesbian mayor punishing pastors for asking citizens to vote against her Gay Agenda ordinance giving sexual predators access to women's restrooms.
And read how "transgender rights" are being forced through public schools nationwide.
