In the light of the Hobby Lobby decision, some LGBT equality groups pulled their support for ENDA as currently written because of its excessively broad religious exemption. In response, Catholic Archbishop of San Francisco Salvatore Cordileone reiterated the Catholic Church's opposition to ENDA. The post reads in part:
Unjust discrimination against any one – whether that person experiences same-sex attraction or is of a particular religion – harms us all. But ENDA is simply not a good solution to these problems and, as the Bishops explained last November 7, it should be opposed.
Instead of protecting persons, ENDA uses the force of the law to coerce everyone to accept a deeply problematic understanding of human sexuality and sexual behavior and to condone such behavior. The current proposed ENDA legislation is not about protecting persons, but behavior. Churches, businesses and individuals should not be punished in any way for living by their religious and moral convictions concerning sexual activity.
The claim that ENDA protects behavior, not people, is factually wrong. Section 4(a)(1) of ENDA
reads:
It shall be an unlawful employment practice for an employer to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual, or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to the compensation, terms, conditions or privileges of employment of the individual, because of such individual's actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity[.]
Unless "individual" somehow means "behavior", I don't know what the Archbishop is talking about.
Now let's go back to where I added the emphasis on the USCCB's statement. According to them, "same-sex attraction" is "deeply problematic". That's kind of stuff why I find it so hard to believe that any LGBT person, or indeed, just any person with any attraction at all to their own sex, could find acceptance in the Catholic Church.
Not surprisingly, NOM got on board right away. They said:
Bravo to the USCCB for issuing such a beautiful statement outlining the fundamental freedoms that are at stake!
I'd facepalm, but my head hurts from all the other times I've facepalmed.
Speaking of ENDA, President Obama will sign the executive order-equivalent on Monday. It adds gender identity to protected federal employees (sexual orientation is already covered) and adds both sexual orientation and gender identity to federal contractors. The good news is that there are no religious exemptions.
