A Christian Response to the First Amendment Defense Act

One of the most sacred ideas in Christian tradition is that all people bear the image of God, the imago dei. Every single one us.

From this idea emerges one of the cherished principles of politics: all people are created equal. All people are entitled to equal protection under the law. This is a sacred calling of lawmakers, to extend the law's protections to all citizens.

In Georgia, we have struggled over many years to live into this holy calling. If you are a woman in Georgia, you have not always been treated equally under the law. If you are a person of color, you have not always been treated equally under the law. It is still true to this day that if you are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, you are not treated equally under our state's laws. We do not yet provide for all our citizens the protections that they deserve, by right, from God.

This context is important, because it makes it even hard to believe that those currently promoting the "First Amendment Defense Act"- SB 284 (FADA) come not seeking equal protection for Georgia's citizens, but instead seeking special protections for themselves. In a state that does not yet provide freedom and justice for all, FADA supporters are asking for extra justice and extra liberty. When you have freedom, while others in your community do not, and you ask them for extra freedom, it is the height of arrogance and spiritual hypocrisy.

FADA ask the people of GA to grant special protected status to already-powerful institutions as well as individuals. It would take anti-gay discrimination from within churches and legalize it in businesses and in the public sphere.

The First Amendment is not broken and does not need "defending." It provides Georgians ample freedoms of speech and to practice their faith. The supporters of this law are not facing persecution - they are among the most religiously free people on God's green earth.

Why promote this legislation when the First Amendment is not broken? Supporters of the law must be asking for something else. What is it? Yes, they want the freedom to reject gay marriage - and reject gay and lesbian folks in general, without repercussion - AND they want the citizens of Georgia to subsidize their religious discrimination. The law, as it is written, is clear: it's only partially about rejecting gay folks with impunity; it's MOSTLY about protecting the cash flowing into their organizations from government sources.

I am a board member of an area housing nonprofit that receives public money. Our organization would not dream of taking money from the public and denying services to that same public. But that's what this law would do: tell gay and lesbian residents of Georgia that we will take your money, but turn around and tell you that you're not worthy of receiving it. This is a violation of the contract that faith-based nonprofits have with our neighbors. Organizations that discriminate should not be publicly funded.

Lawmakers have a sacred covenant. It is their duty to make laws that respect the God-given dignity of the citizens of the state - laws that expand freedom and magnify justice. The goal is equal protection for all, not special protection for some.

I urge all citizens in Georgia to go now and contact your senator and tell them to reject the First Amendment Defense Act.