Black Community News News and Commentary for Christians
Christian Healthcare Centers in Michigan is a non-profit ministry that wants to actually operate as a Christian ministry. That means it seeks to hire employees who share the tenets of its faith.
But under civil rights laws in the state, they would have to hire people who don’t share their faith, prescribe “transitioning” drugs, and refer to men as “she” or “her,” and vice versa.
The Bible condemns cross-dressing and teaches that lying and homosexuality are sins.
The Michigan Supreme Court in 2022 ruled that discrimination on the basis of “gender identity” is illegal under the state’s civil rights laws. Christian Healthcare filed a lawsuit after it realized the state could retaliate against the organization for operating in a way consistent with its faith.
Christian Health sued to protect its First Amendment rights. Alliance Defending Freedom (AFL) represents the ministry. AFL last week filed an opening brief at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
The legal firm contends that the civil rights laws also bar Christian Healthcare from explaining that they want to hire only Christian employees and don’t want to prescribe “transitioning” hormones because of religion. From AFL:
Christian Healthcare Centers is a nonprofit medical provider that offers high-quality healthcare to all of its members—including several members who identify as LGBT—while substantially reducing prices for patients with lower incomes who cannot afford quality care elsewhere.
“Christian Healthcare Centers should be free to continue its vibrant outreach to the communities it serves through its low-cost, high-quality medical care,” said John Bursch, ADF Senior Counsel and Vice President of Appellate Advocacy. “We urge the court to allow it to continue without fear of government punishment.”
