President Obama applauds himself over promoting the 'LGBT Agenda'

President Barack Obama congratulated himself and his administration over progress he says he has made for what is now called the LGBT Agenda. Among his accomplishments,  the repeal of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy and his administrations failure to defend the Defense of Marriage Act in court. Some of what President Obama seems to pride himself on advancing has implications way beyond what he indicates in his actions and his rhetoric. One of those implications is the potential to create an even more hostile environment for Catholics, other Christians and other people of faith in commerce -and in service relationships- with the Federal Government.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - During a speech on June 17 to the Democratic National Convention's LGBT (Lesbian,Gay,Bisexual and Transgender) Gala in New York, President Obama asked the audience to compare the treatment of gays and lesbians a decade ago, to their treatment today.

His implication was obvious. He prides himself on what he has done to advance what those gathered consider to be the LGBT agenda.

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Obama talked about the 19 states-and Washington D.C.-which have given same sex relationships the legally equivalent status of a marriage. He mentioned the US Supreme Court striking down part of the Defense of Marriage Act, which codified that marriage is solely between one and an one woman. Although it was a Federal Law, the Obama Justice Department refused to defend the Law.

The President discussed lifting the ban which prevented HIV positive people from entering the country and making it illegal to deny health care.

"The conventional wisdom says that all this change is due to young people growing up with different attitudes than their parents and their grandparents had. And anybody who has kids knows that there is some truth to that. The basic attitude is, I'm sorry, what is it that you're talking about here? What's the big deal?" Obama said.

"But what's been remarkable is the way Americans of all age groups are increasingly embracing marriage equality. They understand love is love. And for many people whose minds have changed, it was love that did it-love for the child or the grandchild, or the friend or the co-worker who sat down one day and held their hands and took a deep breath and said, I'm gay."

This speech came one day after Obama said he would sign an executive order, barring federal contractors from discrimination based on what is called "sexual orientation". In effect, the Executive order places "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" in the category of a suspect class under Federal Law.

The effect of this unilateral executive action has many Christian and other faith-based contractors deeply concerned. Its interpretation could have very serious implications.

For example, though the Catholic Church is clear that all men and women should be treated with human dignity, it makes a clear distinction between sexual orientation and homosexual practice. The openly homosexual or lesbian lifestyle is morally disordered.

What will be the result if a Catholic or other Christian contractor, whether a for profit business or a not for profit association or ministry, has a prohibition on active homosexual or lesbian practice? What about a business or ministry which insists upon the unchangeable teaching of the Christian church concerning marriage as solely between one man and one woman? Will they be able to transact business with the Federal Government?

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In addition, the new phrase, "sexual identity" is very different than the word gender. It is already illegal to discriminate on the basis of gender. Men and women must be treated equally.

The phrase "gender identity" is a term now used to support the notion, advanced by some in the LGBT community, that a person being a male or a female are not givens. Rather, one simply can decide whether they are male or female - and can actually change that determination at will. Of course, that has other serious dangers for any Christian business or institution engaged in any business with the Federal Government. 

Some of what President Obama seems to pride himself on advancing has implications way beyond what he indicates in his actions and his rhetoric. One of those implications is the potential to create an even more hostile environment for Catholics, other Christians and other people of faith in commerce -and in service relationships- with the Federal Government.

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