Last updated on March 19th, 2024 at 06:01 am
A North Dakota federal judge has ruled that Christian organizations, companies, and groups cannot be compelled by the Biden administration to fund “gender-affirming” care for minors. District Court Judge Daniel Traynor determined that mandates from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) infringe upon the religious beliefs of the Christian Employers Alliance (CEA), leading to this significant verdict.
Judge Traynor wrote that the CEA adheres to the deeply held religious belief that male and female are immutable realities dictated by biological sex, in accordance with Christian values. Consequently, demands to perform or provide health insurance for gender transition services clash directly with these beliefs.
Prior to the ruling, the CEA faced a predicament where compliance with the EEOC and HHS mandates meant violating their religious beliefs or suffering financial penalties and possible civil liability. In his judgement, Traynor supported CEA’s contention that the government was imposing a substantial burden on their sincere religious practice.
Reacting to the ruling, the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), the law firm representing CEA, emphasized that the judgement affirmed that the government can’t disrespect people of faith by enforcing such mandates. CEA President Shannon Royce expressed delight over the ruling, emphasizing that it safeguards the alliance members from having to compromise their faith or face massive costs.
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