News Release
For Immediate Release:  August 22, 2011
Contact:  Diane Gramley  1.814.271.9078 or 1.814.437.5355

Homosexual Law Attacks Religious Liberties and Children are the Losers Again

(Harrisburg) — An August 18th decision handed down by a Sangamon County, Illinois circuit judge again shows that even civil union laws with nice sounding names threaten the religious freedoms of traditional organizations.  The American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA) continues to warn of the dangers of passing any homosexual special rights law because they will ultimately lead to a loss of freedoms for those who believe engaging in homosexuals acts is sinful.

“On January 31st Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed the Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act into law.  At that time the bill’s sponsors and homosexual activists said the law would not affect religious social service or adoption agencies because the new law did not change the Adoption Act.  By July they’d changed their tune and the state refused to renew their contract with Catholic Charities because they would not comply with the new civil union law.  How low will homosexual activists and their political allies stoop to remove religious freedoms in this nation,” questioned Diane Gramley, President of the AFA of PA.

At this point Catholic Charities, which has contracted with Illinois for 40 years, is out of the foster care and adoption business.   When Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriage, Catholic Charities was also forced to stop their adoption services because they would have been required to place children with homosexual couples.

Even the primary sponsor of the Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act, Sen. David Koehler, was appalled by what he saw happening after the bill was signed.  In April he introduced an amendment which clearly spelled out the meaning of religious freedom and who was protected in his bill.  The amendment failed in Senate Executive Committee by a 7-6 vote.

“What we see happening in Illinois should send shockwaves throughout the traditional religious community.  One clear message it sends is that homosexual activists are willing to run roughshod over the Biblical teachings about the sin of homosexuality and thus run over the institutions which voice those teachings.  This should also send a message to politicians who hide behind the ‘equality’ and ‘fairness’ mantras of the proponents of counterfeit marriage — they will take advantage of you even as they did Illinois Senator David Koehler,” noted Gramley.

One argument homosexual activists use in pushing for civil unions or same-sex marriage is that it will better protect the children that are being raised in same-sex households.  What about the 2,000 children who are going to immediately be impacted in a negative way by Catholic Charities being forced to drop their adoption and foster care services?  This is again proof that the homosexual agenda is one driven by the desires of adults not the real needs of children.

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