Corporations hammering states passing religious freedom laws and bans on transgenders’ use of the opposite-gender restrooms have been asked to reconsider their position.

In the wake of those recent actions by state officials, major corporations and sports organizations began threatening states such as North Carolina, which bans transgendered men from using women’s restrooms; and Mississippi, which provides religious freedom for businesses, pastors and individuals who opposite homosexuality on religious grounds.

The reaction from around the U.S. has been passionate on both sides of the debate. OneNewsNow spoke withTexas Values president Jonathan Saenz about one particular response. Saenz says Texas State Representative Scott Sanford, author of that state’s Pastor Protection law, last week wrote a letter to the corporate opponentsof the various bills.

“He was joined by over a hundred state legislators from across the country who have sent an open later to the NFL commissioner, the Big 12 Conference commissioner, the CEO of the NCAA, the CEO of Marvel, and also the CEO of Disney requesting that these corporations reconsider their recent threats against states that are passing religious freedom laws,” the attorney explains.

The signers of the letter respect the fact that there are varied opinions on the subject, and also give the corporate leaders “the benefit of the doubt” that they may have been “misinformed and misguided” before staking out their position.

Nevertheless, says Saenz, “it’s time that those people [criticizing the states’ actions] also respect the convictions of others as well, especially those who are under attack by the government for their religious beliefs. And that’s what these laws are all about: trying to limit or keep the government from punishing people of faith and people that want to just ensure safety and privacy.”

The letter also points out that 32 states currently have similar legislation or court decisions with the same effect – and others are in the process of adopting the same. “If you were to remove your events and other economic activities from every state [with similar laws],” the lawmakers warn in the letter, “you will find yourselves operating in an increasingly shrinking pool of states.”

Those signing the letter so far comprise lawmakers from a dozen states ranging from Maine and Pennsylvania to Tennessee and Florida. The letter appears on a Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation letterhead.

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Copyright American Family News. Reprinted with permission.

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