In a last ditch effort by the LGBTW community to stop Mississippi’s new religious freedom law that protects Christians from persecution from going into effect, they are now begging the Supreme Court to put a hold on the law at the very least:
FOX NEWS – Supporters of gay marriage in Mississippi are planning to file an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court in a last-ditch bid to stop a sweeping religious freedom law from taking effect next week.
House Bill 1523, also known as the Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act, was passed and signed into law last year. Its implementation was delayed after court challenges, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit has refused to keep delaying the law.
The measure is considered one of the most far-reaching state laws of its kind, after same-sex marriage became legal more than two years ago.
The law would protect court clerks who use religious objections to recuse themselves from issuing marriage licenses to gay couples. It also would protect businesses who deny services to the LGBT community. Republican Gov. Phil Bryant says it aims protect those who fear being punished for their religious beliefs.
Religious beliefs and moral convictions protected by the act include the beliefs that marriage is defined as a union between a man and a woman, that sex should only take place in such a marriage, and that a person’s gender at birth cannot be changed.
“As I have said from the beginning, this law was democratically enacted and is perfectly constitutional,” Bryant said in a statement to Fox News. “The people of Mississippi have the right to ensure that all of our citizens are free to peacefully live and work without fear of being punished for their sincerely held religious beliefs.”
The Mississippi Center for Justice along with Lambda Legal, a national legal organization that advocates for the civil rights of the LGBT community, are now in the process of appealing the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The law will go in to effect on Oct. 10 unless the high court decides to intervene. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit earlier declined to continue delaying the law because plaintiffs could not prove they were harmed, according to court documents.
I love how the media portrays this law. This is from three months ago when the 5th Circuit decided to let the law continue:
You don’t have to watch much to see that they are describing this law in such a way as to suggest it gives people the ability to discriminate against gays and lesbians. Ugh.
Look this is a zero sum game here. When the government manufactures the right to marry for same-sex couples out of thin air and then gives it to gays and lesbians, in doing so they are essentially taking away a God-given right from Christians to disagree by acting in their lives and livelihoods in accordance with their faith. It’s as simple as that. What Mississippi is trying to do is protect the constitutionally-protected God-given right from being taken away people which would result in Christians being persecuted for acting out on their beliefs.
Yes it means Christians will be able to deny services to gays and lesbians, like wedding cakes and wedding photography. After all same-sex weddings are the real problem for Christians. But it could also mean a Christian adoption agency could turn down gays couples on that very basis. Look there’s nothing to stop a gay couple from going to another bakery or another photographer or even another adoption agency. That’s what the free market is there for, to provide alternatives for consumers.
I really hope the Supreme Court rejects this appeal and lets the ruling of the 5th circuit stand. Mississippians shouldn’t have to deal with this attack on Christians any longer.