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Gov. Nathan Deal Archives – Concerned Women for America

Oct 27 2016
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Gov. Nathan Deal’s Georgia: “Pastors, Turn Over Your Sermon Notes.”

By | Georgia | No Comments

The witch hunt against people of faith in Georgia is on the rise. Remember Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran? He was fired by the City of Atlanta for writing a book on the Biblical view of marriage on his own time (read here, here, and here). In 2014, Dr. Eric Walsh accepted a job in Georgia as a district health director with the Georgia Department of Public Health (GPH). However, within a week of being hired, the GPH abruptly fired Dr. Walsh for his religious beliefs (read here and here).

You see, not only is Dr. Walsh a public health expert; he is also a lay minister. According to First Liberty Institute, who filed an anti-discrimination lawsuit in 2014 against the State of Georgia on behalf of Dr. Walsh, shortly after hiring Walsh, “state officials requested copies of his sermons and searched online for others. His sermon topics included following Christ, having compassion on the poor, health, marriage, sexuality, world religions, science, creationism, and more.”  Dr. Walsh was not fired for anything he said or did at work. Dr. Walsh was fired because of what he said outside of work. 

Jeremy Dys, Senior Counsel for First Liberty, said: “If the government is allowed to fire someone over what he said in his sermons, then they can come after any of us for our beliefs on anything. We must ensure every American has the right to talk about their faith at church without getting fired or being barred from public service.” Read First Liberty Institute’s background on the case here.

Fast forward to today.  CWA of Georgia State Director Tanya Ditty attended a press conference (read CWA press release) yesterday at the Georgia State Capitol and listened as First Liberty Institute release this chilling information in their ongoing lawsuit against the State of Georgia, “the State of Georgia served a Request for Production of Documents on Dr. Walsh, which requires Dr. Walsh to surrender copies of all his sermon notes and transcripts.”  In this blatant government overreach by the State Attorney General’s office, the State gave no date limit or specific sermon topic to this request. What this means is that Dr. Walsh must turn over any and all sermon notes, whether written or typed, with no specific time period given. Any notes in Dr. Walsh’s Bible(s), journals, PowerPoint presentations, or even scribbled on a notepad is fair game for the Attorney General’s office.

This should concern all Georgians!  No one in Georgia should be fired from their job over their religious beliefs or over something they said in their church. Should a public school teacher lose his or her job simply because they teach a Sunday school class?  Should employees who work at the State Capitol be fired because they choose to lead a Bible study in their own home? Should an employee with the Department of Juvenile Justice be fired because they work with at-risk youth through a church-sponsored program? Should a receptionist at any state agency be fired for teaching ESL at their church?  According to the State of Georgia, yes they can.

Take Action Today!
Contact Gov. Nathan Deal and urge him to do the following:

  1. Take whatever action is necessary to settle Dr. Walsh’s case.
  2. Instruct the Attorney General not to demand sermon notes.

Phone: 404-656-1776 | Online contact form

Contact the State Attorney General’s Office and urge the Attorney General to withdraw the “Request for Production of Documents” that demands sermons and sermon notes.
Phone: 404-656-3300 | Email

Pray that Gov. Deal and the Attorney General will be God-fearing and recognize that they are accountable to Him for each decision and act. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding” Proverbs 9:10.

Additional press conference articles and videos:

Jeremy Dys, an attorney with First Liberty Institute, speaks in defense of Dr. Eric Walsh at a press conference at the Georgia Capitol building. GERALD HARRIS/Index

Jeremy Dys, an attorney with First Liberty Institute, speaks in defense of Dr. Eric Walsh at a press conference at the Georgia Capitol building. GERALD HARRIS/Index

Mar 07 2016
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Urgent! Gov. Nathan Deal sides with global corporate giants and against religious liberty.

By | Georgia | No Comments

Malachi 3:6 “For I, the LORD, do not change…”

Gov. Nathan Deal has aligned himself with global corporate giants, such as Coca Cola, Home Depot, Delta Airlines and against people of faith in Georgia. Just last week Gov. Deal went public on how he feels about the religious freedom bill pending in the Georgia legislature. Here is one of the Governor’s comments, “I hope that we can all just take a deep breath, recognize that the world is changing around us, and recognize that it is important that we protect fundamental religious beliefs,” he said. “But we don’t have to discriminate against other people in order to do that. And that’s the compromise that I’m looking for.”

What Gov. Deal fails to understand is that the Word of God does not change no matter what the culture declares as “truth.” Jesus said this of marriage, “And He answered and said to them, ‘Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning “made them male and female,” and said, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh”? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.'” Matthew 19:4-6

Scripture tells us in Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Isaiah 40:8 testifies to the unchanging word of God, “The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”

Mike Griffin, Public Affairs Representative with the Georgia Baptist Mission Board said this in response to Gov. Deal’s comments, “Christians and other people of faith love and serve any and all customers without discrimination, but should not be forced to promote or participate in behavior that conflicts with their religious faith.”

CWA of Georgia continues to support HB 757 (First Amendment Defense Act) as passed in the Senate, and calls on the Governor and Speaker to put their support behind the bill as well. Individuals, non-profits and businesses need First Amendment Defense Act (FADA) protections and should not be targeted or penalized for speaking and acting on the foundational religious belief that marriage is solely for one man and one woman.

Time is running out. With the legislative session ending on March 24, it is imperative that calls and e-mails be made NOW to Gov. Nathan Deal, Speaker David Ralston and your state representative.  Urge them to support HB 757 (First Amendment Defense Act) as passed in the Senate. If you have already contacted their offices, please contact them again. They are obviously not listening.

Gov. Nathan Deal
Phone: 404-656-1776 | E-mail

Speaker David Ralston
Phone: 404-656-5020 |E-mail

Click here to find your state representative.

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