Texans respond to liberal-progressive threats
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas These Ban the Bible bills at the Texas Legislature are an aggressive effort to create excessive government control over peoples lives said Jonathan Saenz President of Texas Values.
And just earlier this week the city of Carrolton Texas passed a #BanTheBible ordinance.
Creating more government control and threatening Christians with jail time or fines is putting personal politics over constitutional liberty" Saenz said.
Many of the bills introduced in Texas seek to ban religious beliefs and force people of faith to conform to the personal and political activities of others. Those who do not comply will face fines possible jail time or other criminal charges.
After Texas Values Action sounded the alarm on Democrat bills filed before the Texas Legislature that would effectively #BanTheBible conservatives from across Texas and around the country responded in force. Through NoBibleBan.com Texans sent over 37000 messages and phone calls to Texas Governor Greg Abbott Lt. Governor Dan Patrick as well as State Senators and State House members.
The efforts garnered attention from national news agencies and high profile bloggers. Conservative commentator Erick Erickson discussed the issue and The Federalist published blog pieces about it PJ Media LifeSite News CBN One News Now The Stream and many others also wrote about the highly controversial effort.
More #BanTheBible bills such as HB 978 and HB 1190 were introduced shortly after Texas Values Action called attention to the first round of #BanTheBible bills.
Flying under the disguise of sexual orientation and gender identity" these bills would create new government power and ban the free expression of Biblical beliefs especially its teaching on marriage and sexuality.
Many of the #BanTheBible bills before the Texas Legislature are authored by members of the newly-formed LGBT Caucus which has claimed to unveil a transformative" agenda. This agenda appears to bring divisive legislation to criminalize Christians and people of faith.
HB 978 by Rep. Beckley continues the attacks on Christian views of the family by:
- Eliminating the words man and woman throughout the Family Code when discussing marriage.
- Eliminates the words husband and wife when discussing marriage.
- Eliminates mother and father when discussing both parents in a male/female marriage.
- Deletes father child relationship" in relation to a section of code that says father child relationships may not be determined at birth when issuing a birth certificate. Instead the code will read that parent child relationship" may not be determined at birth.
- Deletes the term husband" from the Health and Safety Code Section 2.06 in regards to female patients and instead adds the term male spouse."
- Allows the government to punish counselors marriage and family therapists psychologists or other mental health providers who work with people from a Christian perspective.
- If these providers in any way discourage homosexual behavior or the desire for a gender transition surgery - including at the request of the client- they face disciplinary action by a regulatory committee.
- It could force a therapist to disclose intimate details of private counseling sessions that are revealed in public court.
- Full List of all #BanTheBible bills at this time:
Full List of all #BanTheBible bills at this time:
HB 244 by Rep. Farrar HB 254 by Rep. Bernal and SB 151 by Sen. Rodriguez
- Amends the Civil Practices and Remedies Code the Labor Code and the Property Code to create sexual orientation" gender identity" and gender expression" protected classes.
- Administer punishments including a Class A misdemeanor and an administrative penalty of $100 per day if there is a violation.
- Forces everyone to support" an individual undergoing a gender transition
- Forces businesses and owners who believe marriage is between one man and one woman including wedding vendors (photographers cake bakers graphic artists) to use their artistic talents for marriage ceremonies that violate their sincerely held religious beliefs.
- Forces government contractors to endorse beliefs contrary to their religious views in order to serve their communities.
- Forces religious homeless shelters colleges and universities to allow biological men to sleep next to women in abuse shelters or dormitories.
- Forces private property owners to allow men access to womens showers locker rooms bathrooms and vice versa.
HB 188 by Rep. Bernal:
- Amends the Property Code to create sexual orientation" gender identity" and gender expression" protected classes.
- Forces religious homeless shelters colleges and universities to allow biological men to sleep next to women in abuse shelters or dormitories.
- Forces property owners and religious groups to allow men access to womens showers locker rooms and bathrooms and vice versa.
HB 517 by Rep. Israel:
- Allows the government to punish counselors marriage and family therapists psychologists or other mental health providers who work with people from a Christian perspective.
- If these providers in any way discourage homosexual behavior or the desire for a gender transition surgery- including at the request of the client- they face disciplinary action by a regulatory committee.
- It could force a therapist to disclose intimate details of private counseling sessions that are revealed in public court.
HB 850 by Rep. Johnson:
- Amends the Labor Code to create sexual orientation" gender identity" and gender expression" protected classes.
- Forces Christian business to pay for same-sex benefits.
- Forces Christian business owners to allow men into womens private facilities.
HB 978 by Rep. Beckley:
- Eliminating the words man and woman throughout the Family Code when discussing marriage.
- Eliminates the words husband and wife when discussing marriage.
- Eliminates mother and father when discussing both parents in a male/female marriage.
- Deletes father child relationship" in relation to the section of code that says father child relationship may not be determined at birth when issuing a birth certificate. Instead the code will read that parent child relationship" may not be determined at birth.
- Deletes the term husband" from the Health and Safety Code Section 2.06 in regards to female patients and instead adds the term male spouse."
HB 1190 by Hernandez:
- Allows the government to punish counselors marriage and family therapists psychologists or other mental health providers who work with people from a Christian perspective.
- If these providers in any way discourage homosexual behavior or the desire for a gender transition surgery- including at the request of the client-they face disciplinary action by a regulatory committee.
- It could force a therapist to disclose intimate details of private counseling sessions that are revealed in public court.
SB 154 by Sen. Rodriguez:
- Forces doctors to make a sworn statement to allow an individual to receive a new birth certificate and other official documents- even if it violates the doctors conscience and religious beliefs on best practices and gender.
- Creates a myriad of other legal issues which arise from the issuance of new official documents relating to ones gender including fraud escaping criminal prosecution disruption of records obtaining of licenses passports social security numbers and proof of identity.
SJR 9 by Sen. Rodriguez:
- Repeals the Texas Marriage Amendment which defines marriage as between one man and one woman in the Texas Constitution.
- Over 75 of Texans voted to implement the Texas Marriage Amendment.
