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Open Letter to 140 Virginia Legislators on the Issue of Religious Freedom and The First Amendment Defense Act

By July 20, 2015Virginia
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Do you wonder what kind of America your children and grandchildren will know? I see this phrase on social media from time to time, “You will be made to care.” Are we there yet?

Americans who once settled on untilled soil, fought off adversaries, and ate only the food they harvested are now claiming they are incapable of paying for their own birth control. This year, we will add more than a trillion dollars to our debt and murder nearly four million unborn babies. And next year, and the year after. But still, America is asleep.

Perhaps the most frightening cultural decline is the recent Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage. Obergefell v Hodges has codified religious intolerance. In the decision, the Justices said we will be able to advocate and teach our beliefs, but the black-robed lawyers made no reference to our First Amendment Right to the “free exercise of religion.”

I am asking that you do your part to encourage our U.S. Congress to pass The First Amendment Defense Act. We must protect the religious freedom of those who will continue to regard marriage as only the union between one man and one woman.

I am asking for your help to safeguard our liberties by rejecting any law that would infringe on religious liberties, often masquerading as non-discrimination ordinances on the state level. For examples of how these ordinances on the state and local level play out, check out the baker, photographer, florist and event planner.

To paraphrase Martin Niemoeller in today’s culture: “First they came for the wedding photographer, but I did not speak out because I did not photograph weddings. Then they came for the baker, but I did not speak out because I was not a baker. Then they came for the florist, but I said nothing because I was not a florist. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.”

Sincerely,

Janet Robey
State Director
CWA of Virginia
director@virginia.cwfa.org
va.cwfa.org