Texas is Trying to Pass Religious Freedom Protections: Google, Amazon, Are Trying to Stop Them

Calvin Freiburger : Mar 29, 2019
LifeSiteNews.com

"When we see what we may perceive as immoralities, those people who hold those beliefs should be able to defend their faith ... without fear of losing their livelihood and their license." -Sen. Charles Perry

(Austin, TX)—[Lifesitenews.com] A coalition of business interests is descending on Texas lawmakers to pressure them to abandon several pieces of pending legislation that would protect various professionals in the state from being forced to engage in practices that violate their consciences on issues such as abortion and sexuality. (Image: Pixabay)

The Texas Legislature is currently considering a handful of religious-freedom bills, the Austin American-Statesman reports.

They would bar state licensing agencies from limiting professionals' ability to act on a "sincerely held religious belief," let medical professionals refuse to provide non-emergency treatments such as abortions, let Texans choose not to provide goods, services, or participation to same-sex "weddings," let judges refuse to perform "marriages" that conflict with their religious beliefs, protect businesses' right to segregate bathrooms based on biological sex, and allow religious groups including university organizations limit hiring, renting, or membership to individuals who abide by the group's religious tenets.

Authored by Republican State Sen. Charles Perry, the bill regulating licensing agencies (SB 17) was the focus of public scrutiny this week, with most of the nearly 60 people who testified Monday before the Senate State Affairs Committee opposed. Foes of the bills claim they authorize "discrimination" against homosexual or gender-confused Texans. Yet SB 17 cleared the committee 7-1, with Democrat state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. joining every Republican member... Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

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