Michigan political and civil rights activists have launched a petition initiative to expand protections for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.

The proposed language would broaden the definition of “sex” in the Michigan Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act of 1976 to include gender identity and sexual orientation. The group needs 340,047 petition signatures by the end of May to qualify for the November 2020 ballot.

Their drive will cost $3 million.

Trevor Thomas, co-chair of that LGBT initiative, went on record stating that one of the key oppositions to his Michigan initiative comes from Gary Glenn, president of the Michigan American Family Association. Glenn has been a well-respected champion for faith-based family rights and he co-authored the same-sex marriage ban that was passed by Michigan voters in 2004.

Michigan Republican Mike Shirkey, state Senate majority leader, said the proposal will be heavily contested. Republican state House Speaker Lee Chatfield has questioned the need for new LGBT anti-discrimination protections. He said that, where those laws have been passed, there has been reverse discrimination against people of faith.

A national bill similar to the Michigan initiative is the Equality Act (HR 5) which has run into a roadblock in Washington, D.C. HR 5’s purpose is also to give expanded rights to the LGBTQ community.

In a March 13, 2019 Washington, D.C. press event, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with other Democratic leaders, introduced HR 5. The act would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in education, employment, housing, credit, federal jury service, public accommodations, and the use of federal funds. HR 5 was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on May 17, 2019 and delivered to the U.S. Senate for consideration on May 20, 2019.

The Senate immediately said whoa, not so fast!

The Senate then began serious questioning on how the act would negatively impact churches and America’s religious freedom. Instantly, influential Christian leaders, pastors, and pro-family activists began loudly voicing their genuine concerns about the discrimination in the act directed at Christians and the Bible.

Franklin Graham called it an atrocious act that would raise tremendous legal problems for Christians and churches. Mr. Graham said, “This legislation will have catastrophic consequences for competitive sports, along with churches and faith-based nonprofits who would lose all protections to hire people who adhere to their biblical statements of faith. Christians will be persecuted for their sincerely held beliefs as never before. The clear teachings of the Bible on the sins of homosexuality and abortion will no doubt be considered ‘hate speech.’ It will be a nightmare from which this nation may never recover.”

The act could cause Christians to be criminally prosecuted for “hatred.” Biblical truths on morality and gender would be totally renounced. The Heritage Foundation spoke out on how the Equality Act “would lead to the dismantling of sex-specific facilities, sports, and other female-only spaces.” Employers and workers would be forced to conform to new sexual norms or lose their businesses and jobs.

James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, said the Equality Act is a thinly veiled attempt to finish off religious liberty in America once and for all. Dobson said the religious component is staggering and would impact everything from Christian colleges to banks, retailers, federal programs, and health services.

An open letter was also sent to Congress opposing the Equality Act by over a dozen top Christian leaders, including Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council. Their letter adamantly opposed HR 5 because it is incompatible with God’s Word, the historic teaching of the church, and it is riddled with threats to religious liberty and the sanctity of human life. They stated the act falsely equates one’s sexual conduct with immutable characteristics like skin color and ethnicity, and it would lay the groundwork for that lie to be taught in schools.

It is important to understand that the LGBTQ community is already covered by existing laws, and they have the undivided attention, support, and resources of the Democratic Party. God’s Word, however, calls their lifestyle a sin and an abomination that will deliver them straight to the gates of Hell. The Bible declares that there are only two sexes, which are male and female. God’s Word is the main obstacle they see standing in their way.

Many Christians have not yet awakened to those realities, but they will. If the Equality Acts are passed, those Christians will awaken from their slumber to a discrimination and nightmarish hostility. At that point, the Christian persecution will have commenced in America.

Mike Westfall is the regional representative and spokesman for the American Family Association of Michigan.