In all the non-discrimination laws religious organizations can discriminate to their heart’s content, but when you are receiving public funding or when you open and event to the public or you own a company that is licensed to be open to the public such as apartments you cannot discriminate.
Yes, it says “Even a church could be seen as a place of public accommodation if it holds a secular event, such as a spaghetti supper, that is open to the general public.” Let’s see is a spaghetti supper a religious service? I guess if you are Italian some may think so, but no, it is not religious and two, they say it is open to the public so therefore it is a “Public Event” and not a “Religious Event” but that distinction seems to be ignored by those who claim their religious freedom is being violated.
In Hartford every year a Greek Church has their “Greek Festival” every year the same time as the Out Film Festival and it is open to the public, they advertise it as a food festival and they do not say “only for church members” and by advertising the festival in secular newspapers it is a public accommodation that is serving Greek food with Greek music.
ANOTHER STATE ISSUES TRANSGENDER RULES FOR CHURCHESSo let’s take a look at the guidelines…
Open restrooms, censoring members' comments, massive liabilities all on the table
World New Daily
By Bob Unruh
Published: September 10, 2016
President Obama’s transgender agenda has taken huge leaps forward in the last year or so. There have been orders for public building managers, for colleges and even for public schools to allow a male who says he’s female to use locker rooms and restrooms set aside for women.
The privacy and feelings of the biological females who are in those facilities are of no account.
Now a second state has decided that churches, too, are bound by the agenda.
The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination this month released a “Gender Identity Guidance” that imposes its demands on society.
“The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination enforces [state law on discrimination]. The MCAD developed this guidance to educate the public about discrimination based on gender identity, to describe what evidence may be submitted to support a claim of gender identity discrimination, to inform individuals of their rights, and to assist employers, providers of housing, mortgage services, and owners, managers and agents of places of public accommodation in understanding their obligations.”
The conflict arises under the instructions for “places of public accommodation.”
D. Places of Public AccommodationOh wait a minute did I see something about churches?
A place of public accommodation is defined as “any place, whether licensed or unlicensed, which is open to and accepts or solicits the patronage of the general public.” G.L. c. 272, § 92A. This definition includes a wide variety of private and public places, such as retail stores, restaurants, malls, public agencies, public parks, beaches and public roads. The statute includes businesses that provide services and is not restricted to a person's entrance into a physical structure. Businesses that provide services that have been found to be covered by the public accommodation law include loan companies 9, cab services 10, and insurance companies,11 companies that provide long term disability benefits 12, and businesses that actively provide testing services. Currier v. National Board of Medical Examiners, 462 Mass. 1 (2012). The law also covers denying an individual access to a public place, benefit, process or proceeding. For example, a public agency that denies an individual the opportunity to apply for a taxi driver’s license based on the person’s protected class would be in violation of G.L. c. 272. MCAD & Adam Apache v. City of Springfield Police Department, 34 Mass. Discrimination Law Rptr. 59 (2012) (dismissed on other grounds).
Under G.L. c. 272, § 98, places of public accommodation may not discriminate against, or restrict a person from services because of that person’s gender identity. For example, a hotel or motel may not refuse to book a room for a person because of the person’s gender identity. Even a church could be seen as a place of public accommodation if it holds a secular event, such as a spaghetti supper, that is open to the general public.13 All persons, regardless of gender identity, shall have the right to the full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities and privileges of any place of public accommodation. 14 For example, if it is a supermarket’s practice to bag the customers’ groceries, the store may not refuse to bag a person’s groceries because of the customer’s gender identity. Moreover, it is a violation of the law for any individual to aid or incite another in making a distinction, discriminating against or restricting an individual from a place of public accommodation on the basis of gender identity.15
Yes, it says “Even a church could be seen as a place of public accommodation if it holds a secular event, such as a spaghetti supper, that is open to the general public.” Let’s see is a spaghetti supper a religious service? I guess if you are Italian some may think so, but no, it is not religious and two, they say it is open to the public so therefore it is a “Public Event” and not a “Religious Event” but that distinction seems to be ignored by those who claim their religious freedom is being violated.
In Hartford every year a Greek Church has their “Greek Festival” every year the same time as the Out Film Festival and it is open to the public, they advertise it as a food festival and they do not say “only for church members” and by advertising the festival in secular newspapers it is a public accommodation that is serving Greek food with Greek music.
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