Legislation that would prevent employers from discriminating against workers based on sexual preference has been reintroduced into Congress after sustaining a narrow defeat two years ago. Pro-family groups oppose the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA), calling it a threat to religious freedom.
The bill lost in the Senate in September 1996 by a vote of 50 to 49 (CT, Oct. 28, 1996, p. 80). But now homosexual activists believe support from moderate Republicans in the Senate makes ENDA's passage possible. Although the bill has 158 cosponsors in the House, support there remains too shallow to ensure its passage.
Kim Mills of the Human Rights Campaign says, "We need a federal law to make a level playing field," even though more and more companies are offering "gay-friendly policies."
"It's not about civil rights, it's about crushing dissent," says Robert Knight of the Family Research Council. He says the most worrisome part of the bill is the religious organization exemption. The current wording exempts religious organizations except for their commercial or for-profit activity. Knight says the wording is too weak to protect churches and Christian businesses from being forced to hire individuals in violation of their beliefs.
Currently, ten states have laws similar to ENDA.
Copyright © 1998 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.
Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here.
Our digital archives are a work in progress. Let us know if corrections need to be made.
Annual & Monthly subscriptions available.
- Print & Digital Issues of CT magazine
- Complete access to every article on ChristianityToday.com
- Unlimited access to 65+ years of CT’s online archives
- Member-only special issues
- Learn more
More from this Issue
Read These Next
- TrendingAmerican Christians Should Stand with Israel under AttackWhile we pray for peace, we need moral clarity about this war.
- From the MagazineCharisma and Its CompanionsChurch movements need magnetic leaders. But the best leaders need more than charm.
- Editor's Pick‘Wildcat’ Is as Unsettling as Flannery O’Connor Would Have WantedEthan Hawke has made a movie as scandalous as one of the writer’s short stories.