HomeMy WebLinkAboutNon-Discrimination Ordinance Public Comment from Matthew Buenrostro 2-14 -Ned IBC
II
Mr Mayor and Members of the Council
Bozeman City Council GRACE BIBLE CHURCH
Re: Non-Descrimination Ordinance February 10, 2014
1 am speaking both as a resident of Bozeman and as the Administrator and official representative of the
leadership and 1400 people who attend Grace Bible Church in Bozeman.
Our concern about the establishment of a so called 'non discrimination ordinance' is twofold:
First, similar legislation in Missoula, Helena and in other states has resulted in significant discrimination -
or grounds for discrimination- against individual Christians for living according to their faith. Case in
point, in 2013 a Christian baker' in Denver was ordered by the court to make a wedding cake for a gay
couple or face significant fines. Liberty Ridge Farm2 in New York is currently facing a human rights
complaint after refusing to host a lesbian wedding in 2012. The same has happened in Oregon', New
Mexico4, New Jerseys. It has happened in lowa6, in Vermont', and all these cases are well documented.
In state after state, Christians have been fined, ostracized, run out of business and run out of town
because of their unwillingness to go against their Christian faith by enabling, celebrating and promoting
so called 'gay rights'. NDOs are not about seeking equal protection under the law; that is there already.
NDOs are about giving the LGBT community special rights, which supersede and trample on the rights of
the general public.
Second, the operation of any religious organization, although I specifically refer to bible-believing
Christian churches, is compromised by an NDO. In Helena, where supposedly an employer exemption
was granted to religious organizations, the exemption was nullified if any "accommodations or services"
were "available on a non-membership basis."$ In other words, if you allow anyone who isn't a member
inside the building for whatever purpose, you could not then reject an employment application on the
grounds that the candidate was living in contradiction to the Biblical requirements of a church
leaderlo&ii NDOs effectively require the state to legislate what happens inside a religious organization,
in direct violation of the 15t Amendment prohibiting Congress from making law(s) respecting an
establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.""'
In brief, Non-Discrimination Ordinances as recently adopted at the instigation of the LGBT community
serve only to further and promote the interests of the LGBT community above the interests of-and to
the detriment of-anyone else.
Thank you
o uu
Matthew Buenrostro
610 Fieldstone Drive
Bozeman, MT 59715
Administrator of
Grace Bible Church
3625 South 19th Avenue 1 Bozeman, MT 59718-91081(406) 586-9782 (Office)*(406) 586-3107 (Fax)♦info Cgbcmr.org 4 http://ghemt.org
I http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2013/1207/Colo.-fudge-orders-Christian-baker-to-bake-gay-wedding-
ca ke.-W i I 1-h e-say-n o-vi d eo
2 http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/198881/new-vorks-gaV-marriage-law-is-being-tested
3 http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/01/`21/christian-bakery-guilty-violating-civil-rights-lesbian-couple
a
httP://www.breitba rt.co m/Big-Govern ment/2013/08/22/N ew-M exico-Cou rt-Ch ristia n-Photogra pher-Ca nnot-
Refuse-Gay-Marriage-Ceremony-Next-Stop-U-S-Supreme-Court
5 http://www.Iifesitenews.com/news/fudge-rules-christian-facility-cannot-ban-same-sex-civil-union-ceremony-on
6http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/08/iowa-gay-wedding-lawsuit- n 4066241.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/`23/wildflower-inn-vermont-gaV-marriage-lawsuit n 1826218.html
8Chapter 8, 1-8-2: Definitions from Helena Non-Discrimination-Ordinance "EMPLOYER:An employer of one or
more persons or an agent of the employer, but not including a fraternal, charitable, or religious association or corporation
unless the association or corporation is organized either for private profit or to provide accommodations or services that are
available on a nonmembership basis.
10 1 Timothy 3:1-7, New American Standard Bible It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office
of overseer,it is a fine work he desires to do.ZAn overseer,then, must be above reproach,the husband of one wife,temperate,
prudent, respectable,hospitable,able to teach,3 not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle,peaceable,free from the love
of money.4He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity'(butif a
man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?),6 and not a new convert,
so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil.7And he must have a good
reputation with those outside the church,so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
11 Titus 1:5-9 New American Standard Bible 'For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what
remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,6namely,if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife,
having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion.7 For the overseer must be above reproach as God's
steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious,not fond of sordid
gain,8 but hospitable,loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled,9 holding fast the faithful word which is in
accordance with the teaching,so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.
11First Amendment to the United States Constitution "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of
religion,or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;or abridging the freedom of speech,or of the press;or the right of the people
peaceably to assemble,and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."