Earlier this week, Pax Christi USA endorsed and signed onto the following letter, circulated by Faith in Public Life.
As evangelicals, mainline Protestants and Catholics we are alarmed by the pending Mississippi bill that would allow virtually anyone, including businesses, to discriminate against customers in the name of religious liberty. We call on Mississippi and all states to abandon legislation that threatens democracy, civil rights and religious freedom itself.
These misguided efforts eerily echo Jim Crow laws that robbed African Americans of their basic human dignity. Businesses once barred not only blacks, but Jews and Asians from buying homes in certain neighborhoods or eating in restaurants even after Supreme Court rulings overturned segregation laws.
We must not allow faith to be used in the service of discrimination.
When we seek to codify legislation that discriminates against any class of people—no matter our diverse theological beliefs about marriage—we tarnish the treasure of religious freedom and the highest ideals of our democracy. Most of all, we are complicit in violating the Golden Rule that unites us as Christians—to love God and our neighbor as we love ourselves.
Thanks to Pax Christi USA and its leadership for taking this prophetic stand to protect the dignity of all people. You truly reflect the unconditional love that Jesus lived and called is disciples to emulate. I pray that your compassion and courage take root in our Church and in the hearts of those who claim to be our leaders.
I echo Tom’s gratitude to PCUSA for its definitive statement. I only regret that I don’t hear the same sentiments from our Church leaders unfortunately. I will also pray that such sentiment takes root in our Church (clerical and lay members).