Christians will need to continue to make the case for religious freedom and demonstrate in our lives that religious Americans are the best citizens. The schools, colleges, hospitals, churches, sports leagues, and charities established by Christians benefit everyone, and are therefore indispensable pillars supporting a limited government. The ascendent cult of sexual orientation and gender identity offers none of these things. It only results in a bigger and more intrusive government less concerned with the common good than the goals of ideologues.
The question constantly repeated by those who pushed to redefine marriage a decade ago was, “How will my gay marriage hurt you?” More recently, from those demanding full legal and social recognition for transgender identities, it has been, “How does me being my true self hurt you?” The answers to those questions have been clear for some time.
LGBTQ dogma is not a “live and let live” vision of reality. It constantly demands that dissenters—especially the religious ones who are allegiant to the Creator, whom their ideas deny—be rooted out and punished. Christian business owners, public and private company employees, nonprofits and even parents have felt the demand to comply and agree, or else …
Recently, a few cases have helped right some wrongs against religious freedom. The latest battle involves an attempt by activists to keep students from using federal assistance to attend religious schools. Thankfully, this case went the right way.
In Hunter v. U.S. Department of Education, Alliance Defending Freedom successfully argued that “Title IX allows students to use federal financial aid at private religious schools that operate according to their beliefs,” specifically their beliefs on “gender and sexual morality.”
Since 2021, Title IX has been interpreted to prohibit “discrimination” on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, with religious institutions receiving exemptions. ADF represented three Christian institutions—two universities and a seminary—that welcome students who receive government help with tuition but operate according to biblical convictions about sexuality.
Activists argued that this violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment by involving the government in funding religion.
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