Pastors could face jail over Mass. anti-discrimination law

[Revmitchell]

Churches in the People’s Republic of Massachusetts have grave concerns about a new anti-discrimination law that could force congregations to accommodate the transgender community – under the threat of fines and jail time.

The law, which goes into effect in October, does not specifically mention churches or other houses of worship. However, the attorney general, along with the government commission assigned to enforce the law, have a different point of view.

Attorney General Maura Healey wrote that places of public accommodation include: “auditoriums, convention centers, lecture halls, houses of worship, and other places of public gathering.”

The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the commission responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination law, reinforced that interpretation in a document titled, “Gender Identity Guidance.”

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2016...e-jail-over-mass-anti-discrimination-law.html

 

[Jordan Kurecki]

Unfortunately it does seem that persecution is right around the corner.

 

[Internet Theologian]

Wonder what they mean by 'accommodate'?

Churches have made services center around decisional regeneration for years, so they shouldn't have a worry as they will have a lost audience to 'accommodate'.

 

[Jerome]

Fuss in Massachusetts fizzles out as it did in Iowa, with clarification that what's being referred to is church buildings being used for public nonreligious functions:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2...sgender-law/fZdVLtj1pOgBAbCLZg2eKI/story.html

"Four Massachusetts churches on Monday dropped a federal lawsuit contending that the state’s new transgender anti-discrimination law violates their First Amendment right to freely practice their religion."

"Alliance Defending Freedom, an Arizona group that represented the four churches, received a letter from the attorney general’s office that stated they had clarified a description of the law on its website, removing the phrase “house of worship” as an example of a place of public accommodation. If a religious facility hosts a “public, secular function,” it can still qualify as a place of public accommodation, Attorney General Maura Healey’s office noted."

"a spokeswoman for Healey’s office said that the transgender law never threatened the exemptions religious facilities receive from public accommodation laws, making the lawsuit unnecessary. The website was changed to clarify the law, she said."

"the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination...stated that 'the law does not apply to a religious organization if subjecting the organization to the law would violate the organization’s First Amendment rights.'"