Contact: IFI: 630-790-8370 or desmith@illinoisfamily.org 

CHICAGO-By signing into law SB 3186-a bill that, according to its sponsor, would ban churches from ‘discriminating’ against homosexuals-Gov. Blagojevich is signing away the First Amendment freedoms of churches and anyone who disagrees with homosexuality, Illinois Family Institute Executive Director Peter LaBarbera said today. 

Blagojevich is poised to sign SB 3186 today at noon, and IFI will be leading a counter-protest at 11:30 today at 160 N. LaSalle, the Michael A. Bilandic Building. 

SB 3186 sponsor Sen. Carol Ronen (D-Chicago) is on record stating that the new law should be applied to churches: “If that is their goal, to discriminate against gay people, this law wouldn’t allow them to do that. But I don’t believe that’s what the Catholic Church wants or stands for.” 

“Just because liberal like Gov. Blagojevich, Carol Ronen, and Emil Jones no longer view homosexuality as a sin doesn’t give them the right to take away the freedom of churches and people of faith to disagree-and to make hiring decisions according to their beliefs,” LaBarbera said. “Since when do politicians get to interpret sacred religious teachings for the rest of us?” 

“The governor covets a pro-family image, most recently through his video games proposal,” LaBarbera said. “But today we see his other side. You can’t be ‘pro-family’ and sign this unconstitutional bill that will turn churches and religious schools with more than 15 employees into lawsuit targets for the well-financed ‘gay,’ bisexual and transsexual lobbies.”

The threat is real, he said: The Illinois law firm Ungaretti & Harris, which specializes in labor and employment issues, published an analysis of SB 3186 that states (emphasis added): “While many such municipal prohibitions on sexual orientation discrimination expressly exempt religious organizations from their coverage, the new amendment to Illinois’ Human Rights Act does not. The question inevitably presented by this omission is whether the Bill will be applied to compel religious organizations to set aside convictions about homosexuality when making employment decisions… The measure may ultimately force courts to consider and balance its ban on sexual orientation discrimination with State and Federal constitutional safeguards of religious freedom.” 

“This law is all about government coming down on one side of a heated moral controversy by forcing the acceptance of homosexuality, bisexuality and transsexuality,” LaBarbera said. “It’s about saying that ‘gay rights’ are more important than religious freedoms, and we hope that ultimately it will be struck down in court.” 

SB 3186 was rammed through on the last day of a lame-duck legislative session, following a crafty Christmas holiday lobby campaign by the state’s leading homosexual lobby, Equality Illinois, coupled with legislative arm-twisting by Senate President Emil Jones (D). 

“There is no societal consensus for homosexuality, bisexuality or transsexuality as the basis for civil rights-and certainly none for the idea that the ‘rights’ of homosexual should trump those of churches and people of faith to live our their rational belief that homosexuality is unnatural, wrong, and harmful to those who practice it.” LaBarbera said. 

IFI is a non-profit, non-partisan group proudly affiliated with Focus on the Family, Family Research Council and Alliance Defense Fund that defends marriage, family and life in Illinois.