{"id":2208013,"date":"2024-03-28T06:51:01","date_gmt":"2024-03-28T10:51:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gender-identity-law-spells-the-end-of-religious-liberty-in-minnesota\/"},"modified":"2024-03-28T06:52:31","modified_gmt":"2024-03-28T10:52:31","slug":"gender-identity-law-spells-the-end-of-religious-liberty-in-minnesota","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gender-identity-law-spells-the-end-of-religious-liberty-in-minnesota\/","title":{"rendered":"New &#8216;Gender Identity&#8217; Law Threatens Religious Freedom in Minnesota"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgender-identity-law-spells-the-end-of-religious-liberty-in-minnesota%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2208013&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The 2023 addition of &#8220;gender identity&#8221;\u200c to the\u2064 Minnesota Human Rights \u200dAct without\u2064 a corresponding religious \u200bexemption poses a threat to\u200b religious freedom in the state. Efforts to amend this omission were unsuccessful. Concerns\u2062 arise about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/attorneys-general-warn-financial-institutions-of-antitrust-violations-over-climate-activism\/\" title=\"AGs warn banks of antitrust breaches due to climate activism.\">potential legal implications<\/a> on speech, parental\u200d rights, and employment within religious institutions. The law signifies a shift towards enforcing specific beliefs, impacting religious liberties.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-content\">\n<p>In 2023, the Minnesota Legislature and governor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kttc.com\/2024\/03\/26\/minnesota-republicans-ask-exemptions-gender-identity-section-human-rights-act\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">added<\/a> a new category of so-called human rights, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/cplaction.com\/index.php?page=acymailing_front&#038;ctrl=fronturl&#038;task=click&#038;urlid=881&#038;userid=3516&#038;mailid=318&#038;noheader=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">gender identity<\/a>,\u201d to the Minnesota Human Rights Act. They included no corresponding religious exemption, however, demonstrating their intent to deny religious freedom to Minnesota citizens, churches, and schools and to engage in persecuting Christians and some other religious bodies.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If the state can tell churches and schools what they cannot say or do on \u201cgender identity,\u201d then it can tell churches and schools what they cannot say or do on other subjects too.<\/p>\n<p>In an attempt to correct this egregious law, Rep. Harry Niska, R-Ramsey,\u00a0in this current session <a href=\"https:\/\/cplaction.com\/index.php?page=acymailing_front&#038;ctrl=fronturl&#038;task=click&#038;urlid=882&#038;userid=3516&#038;mailid=318&#038;noheader=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">introduced an amendment to correct this violation<\/a>\u00a0of First Amendment rights.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2-long d-flex justify-content-center\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-390224838\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1379703300879-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-13a883e1558502371358634e7b236e1e fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-13a883e1558502371358634e7b236e1e\"><\/div>\n<p>\u201cMy amendment language simply restores the religious exemption in the MHRA protecting religious organizations and faith-based schools against claims of gender identity discrimination. The exemption ensures that religious organizations and faith-based schools can, among other things, hire teachers and ministers consistent with their mission and values,\u201d Niska said of his proposed amendment. \u201cAlready, at least one faith-based school is facing an employment complaint at the department of human rights because of the removal of the exemption.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>However, in <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/HarryNiska\/status\/1763601446484779259\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">February<\/a> and then again in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.house.mn.gov\/members\/profile\/news\/15608\/49280\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">March<\/a> of this year, the Niska amendment was voted down in House and Senate committees, leaving the nullification of religious liberty in effect. <\/p>\n<p>This leaves us with concerning questions. For instance, does this new law criminalize using truthful pronouns in speaking or writing, rather than false \u201cgender identity\u201d pronouns? If pastors, teachers, or any other Minnesotans speak or write in opposition to the use of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doctors-biden-administrations-dangerous-push-for-trans-treatments-for-kids-falsifies-science\/\" title=\"Doctors: Biden Administration\u2019s Dangerous Push For Trans Treatments For Kids Falsifies Science\">wrong-sex hormones<\/a>, transgender surgery, or puberty blockers for minors, can they be charged with a crime under state law? If parents try to protect their minor children from such practices, can they be charged with a crime? Can their minor children be removed from their custody if parents refuse to follow such laws? And can a transgender-identifying person be denied employment by a Christian school, church, or other Christian organization, such as counseling centers, charities, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sen-hawley-says-biden-abortion-policies-are-an-insult\/\" title=\"Sen. Hawley says Biden abortion policies are an insult\">pro-life groups<\/a>?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Minnesota government has crossed the Rubicon with this law. With similar laws in the past, the state has protected religious liberty by including an exemption clause. No more. The legislature has clarified by its actions that those days are over. Democrat legislators are now working to force the acceptance of homosexuality and other such beliefs on us the same way.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-d24530dac39800cd5fa82047267105ae fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-6\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-d24530dac39800cd5fa82047267105ae\"><\/div>\n<p>What shall we do? Christians cannot comply with this law since we are to \u201cobey God rather than men\u201d (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Acts%205%3A29&#038;version=ESV\">Acts 5:29<\/a>). First, we need to pray to the one true God to remove this persecution from us and to guide us to deal with it in accordance with His will. <\/p>\n<p>Second, we must lobby our legislators and governor, asking them to remove this religious persecution and to follow the U.S. Constitution. That founding document, and specifically the First Amendment, protects our God-given right to practice our Christian faith as we wish. In addition, the Declaration of Independence states that the purpose of government is to secure this and other rights for all our citizens.\u00a0The Minnesota Legislature still has the opportunity to adopt a religious exemption amendment before it adjourns at the end of May. <\/p>\n<p>Third, if no exemption is adopted, we should then file suit against the state to repeal this unconstitutional law.\u00a0Additionally, churches should formulate a unified response among not only their own members but also like-minded congregations. It is critical to, as much as possible, coordinate with and support one another in this difficult time.<\/p>\n<p>Last but not least, we will put our trust in the God of heaven and earth, being confident that He will always be with us and looking forward to the day when He welcomes us into His victorious kingdom. There we will find no more pain or sadness, for the former things will have passed away.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-26a3a9e96a722a216d5b890352dc90ed fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-10\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-26a3a9e96a722a216d5b890352dc90ed\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-cbdcd9d7fda0ff9f2b7e8d3fa56eb704 fdrlst__b89e9-after-post-content\" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-cbdcd9d7fda0ff9f2b7e8d3fa56eb704\"><\/div>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">    \t\t\t\t\t   \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In 2023, the Minnesota Legislature, alongside the governor, introduced &#8220;gender identity&#8221; as a new protected category under the Minnesota Human Rights Act. This addition lacked a religious exemption, indicating a move to restrict the religious freedoms of Minnesotans. This change could potentially lead to persecution of Christians and other religious groups in the state<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3006,"featured_media":2208014,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Women-in-Locker-Room.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2208013","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Women-in-Locker-Room.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2208013","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3006"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2208013"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2208013\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2208014"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2208013"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2208013"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2208013"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}