For eight years, Rabbi Peter Berg has been serving as Senior Rabbi of the Temple in Atlanta – the largest Jewish congregation in Georgia, and Atlanta’s oldest. And even with that long history and impressive size, what really attracted Rabbi Berg to this particular congregation was its role as a major player in social justice movements of the past 150 years.

“All of the Rabbis of the Temple have had, over time, an important voice in the community in raising the bar for social justice and speaking truth to power,” Rabbi Berg said.

Now he follows in their footsteps. A long time activist, Rabbi Berg has been involved in diverse issues – from fighting to help free enslaved Soviet Jews, to mobilizing funds to end homelessness and hunger, to advocacy for universal preschool education.

The Temple recruited him years ago in part because of his community work. “I’m often called upon to speak on behalf of the Jewish community, and I’m proud to do it,” Rabbi Berg said. “My role as Rabbi of the Temple is also to be a Rabbi of the community.”

Today he is taking a stand, as a representative of his congregation and of Georgia’s Jewish community at large, in staunch opposition to the rash of discriminatory religious exemption bills now under consideration by the Georgia General Assembly.

“We have a politically diverse congregation at the Temple of Atlanta, with members from all different political views,” Berg said.

Our members, regardless of their political views, have always been very supportive of LGBT issues and inclusion. For our community, this isn’t a political issue. It’s just the right thing to do.

Rabbi Berg likens the current fight for LGBT non-discrimination in Georgia to the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. In those days, then Rabbi Rothschild actively advocated for racial integration – at a time when it was not popular. The Temple was bombed in 1958 as a result, but he continued to speak out for racial equality.

Rabbi Berg calls on this legacy for inspiration in today’s fight, saying, “We have to work hard. We live in a country where everyone should be entitled to the same freedoms. And when those freedoms are denied to a small group, the larger community must come together and speak out.”

One thing is undeniable: Though America has made incredible strides toward a more inclusive society since same-sex couples nationwide gained the freedom to marry last June, anti-LGBT discrimination is alive and well. Rabbi Berg has been witness to it year after year, in three Temples, across three states—Texas, New Jersey, and now Georgia.

“We have members of our congregation who are in beautiful, loving same-sex relationships. Many are raising children together,” he said, “yet under bills like the First Amendment Defense Act they could be denied certain benefits, that could mean life or death in some cases. They could be refused medical care at a religiously affiliated hospital or the right to spousal visitation at the end of life. God forbid a same-sex couple is kicked out of their home because their landlord doesn’t approve of their relationship, they could then be denied emergency housing, too, at religiously affiliated shelters.

It’s not a stretch to imagine how, if we open the door to LGBT discrimination, this can easily spiral out of control and suddenly Georgia has a human rights crisis on it’s hands.

“This is much bigger than the right to participate in the ceremonial ritual of marriage. There’s this sense of being a second-class citizen. And it has very real, economic and legal consequences that bear serious weight on the people who, at the end of the day, are just trying to live, work, love and practice their faiths freely – just like the rest of us.”

Rabbi Berg is proud to stand with the 300+ clergy, who represent tens of thousands of congregants, in firm opposition to what he calls “unnecessary” religious freedom bills. He urges lawmakers to consider their oath of office and remember that they have been elected to represent all Georgians – not just some.

“Georgia, just like every other state, is made up of a significant LGBT population,” he said. “Georgia lawmakers, regardless of their own religious points of view, have to be sensitive to the fact that there are American citizens who live here and who are entitled to fair and equal treatment.”

CLICK HERE to read the full editorial on the AJC.

By Andre Jackson

If, as the old saying goes, character is what you do when no one’s watching, then leadership can likewise be viewed as what you do when everyone’s looking.

Seen that way, Gov. Nathan Deal showed admirable leadership late last week when he jumped into the divisive dust-up over religious liberty legislation in Georgia. Good for him.

Given Deal’s normally cautious, low-key public style of governing, his comments about the controversial legislation were profoundly surprising. In our view, his measured-yet-passionate words add another powerful, pragmatic voice to what’s been an electric, divisive and emotional debate. If Deal’s viewpoint – and powers of office, if need be — can help keep Georgia’s reputation and economy intact, then he will have served this state well.

That this situation is grave enough to compel Deal to take a gutsy stance should, taken alone, give pause to those scrambling to ramrod religious liberty law through the Georgia General Assembly. At essence, the governor’s saying, “this is serious folks,” and that the current scrambling goes far beyond the expected political vaudeville of an election year.

The lawyer Deal nicely summed up things after being asked a question Thursday by an Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter.

“I know that there are a lot of Georgians who feel like this is a necessary step for us to take,” said Deal. “I would hope that … we can keep in mind the concerns of the faith-based community, which I believe can be protected without setting up the situation where we could be accused of allowing or encouraging discrimination.”

Great advice that. Under no circumstances should Georgia pass a law so widely seen as harboring discriminatory intent or potential. We should know better.

Worse, making the wrong call on religious liberty could shred parts of Georgia’s economy. Businesses and workers are likely to leave this state — or avoid it — if legislation passes that’s widely seen as discriminating against gays or others.

That destructive prospect should be an attention-getter in a state that proudly points at every opportunity to its ranking as the best place in which to do business. We burn such goodwill – and the jobs and prosperity it attracts – at our peril.

Yet that line of argument’s been wrestled onto its head as otherwise-rock-ribbed conservatives contend that the business community seeks only to protect commerce — at the expense of trampling freedom of religion that’s been part of the U.S. Constitution since 1791.

We’d agree that religious leaders shouldn’t be forced to officiate at same-sex marriages that violate their beliefs. That’s where the Constitution’s protections come in. Thereafter, things quickly get grayer and murkier. Many believe religious liberty legislation carries a heavy potential dose of unintended — or intentional — consequences. Could such laws apply to divorcees, unmarried heterosexual couples, other people of faith, or people of color?

The courts would assuredly sort out all of that. The danger is that, while judges deliberate, portions of Georgia’s economy could go up in flames.

Deal brought to the debate his own religious justification, one that has merit, in our view. He made a passionate case for finding a path that secures both civil rights and freedom of religion by recounting the New Testament encounter between Jesus and the woman at the well:

“What that says is we have a belief in forgiveness and that we do not have to discriminate unduly against anyone on the basis of our own religious beliefs. We are not, in my opinion, put in jeopardy by virtue of those who might hold different beliefs or who may not even agree with what our Supreme Court said the law of the land is on the issue of same-sex marriage. I do not feel threatened by the fact that people who might choose same-sex marriages pursue that route.”

Deal’s point meshes nicely with one made in the biblical book of Matthew: “Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

This is the first and great commandment.

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Remembering that, and Deal’s words, should help Georgia navigate the risky, tricky path of bridging secular and religious divides as democracy demands of us.

CLICK HERE to read the original op-ed on AJC.

By Jaha Howard

If you’ve been following the action in the Gold Dome around a variety of so-called “religious freedom” bills, you could be forgiven for assuming our state motto is anything but Wisdom, Justice and Moderation.

All three virtues are in short supply in today’s political discourse, and it’s shameful that our lawmakers spend so much time and energy on provisions so far removed from Georgia’s own aspirations – not to mention the basic tenets of the Christian faith.

I myself am a proud Christian who seeks to please and honor God. My faith guides every area of my life. It sets the standard that I strive for as a husband, a father, a business owner and a deacon in my church.

I personally believe that marriage is a divine institution designed for a committed union between a man and a woman. But not all Georgians agree with me, and I respect that. I’m not going to impose my religious beliefs on others by legislating morality.

I’ve looked closely at the so-called First Amendment Defense Act, and HB 757 flat-out discriminates against the LGBT community by empowering bigotry, division and exclusion. Whether you are a person of faith or not, you know that discrimination is wrong. That said, it deeply troubles me to hear many of the loudest voices in this debate cite religion as their prime motivator.

I’m not ashamed of my faith, and I believe the rush to pass the latest iteration of legislative intolerance is both ill-advised and stands in stark opposition to Christ’s teachings. Christ himself intentionally drew near to those most excluded by the Pharisees – the self-righteous community leaders of his day. People of faith are called to include rather than exclude; to speak out against discrimination.

I understand the concerns many conservative Christians have about possible infringement on their rights, along with the uncertainty many feel about our changing state. But those concerns are largely premised on exaggerations, distortions and outright lies about the need to protect rights that are already fully enshrined in the Constitution. Indeed, Georgia’s strength grows because of our diversity.

I suspect millions of citizens feel the same way and have grown tired of the polarizing voices that shape our public discourse. I believe the Georgia we should want to be is made up of people of decency and faith, people who stay true to our values and work hard to make our state a welcoming place where businesses and people from all walks of life can thrive.

At my office, I hire staff and serve patients regardless of their background, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status. Our practice’s success stems in large part from our unwavering commitment to the God-given dignity of each individual. In short, we try to look at people the same way God sees them. It sickens me to think this bill could be used as a tool to justify diminishing someone’s dignity – and to do so using God’s name.

From a Fortune 500 CEO to your neighborhood baker, any business leader worth their salt will tell you that a firm commitment to diversity is actually good for business, whether in the workplace or as a matter of public policy. Frankly, Georgia’s lawmakers would be surprised at how positively people respond to being affirmed as equals, known as individuals, and celebrated as a diverse community.

It’s ironic that the self-proclaimed champions of the Constitution, by supporting the First Amendment Defense Act, are actually the perpetrators of a direct assault on the First Amendment itself. Religious freedom protections have been enshrined in the Bill of Rights for nearly 225 years. Moreover, HB 757 represents a clear violation of the 14thAmendment’s equal protection clause, whereby no state may “deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

So it’s time to tell the truth about this bill and its shady legislative cousins – along with the broader movement to “restore religious freedom.”

Under the guise of protecting religious and constitutional freedom, HB 757 amounts to state-sponsored discrimination against the LGBT community. This bill is immoral, unnecessary, unconstitutional and just plain bad for business. It represents both a departure from our values and a likely departure of jobs and investment from Georgia’s economy. And that’s not just my opinion; that’s the position of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and business leaders from all across the state.

It’s time to abandon this misguided effort and get back to doing the people’s business.

Conservative opposition to discriminatory so-called “religious freedom” bills has been mounting in the past week, culminating yesterday with comments from Governor Nathan Deal saying he would reject any legislation that “allows discrimination in our state.”

In a legislative session that has been dominated by bills aimed at scaling back the hard-earned rights of LGBT Georgians and granting “license to discriminate” under the guise of protecting religious freedom, Governor Deal’s announcement marks a major victory for the LGBT community.

The Governor’s remarks came one day after Georgia Unites hand-delivered 75,000 constituent letters to his office urging him to reject the anti-LGBT so-called First Amendment Defense Act and take necessary steps to address discrimination in the state.

In a move aimed at bringing anti-LGBT lawmakers into the fold of mainstream Georgia, the Baptist Governor used religious rhetoric to make his case against religious exemptions bills, saying:

New Testament teaches us that Jesus reached out to those who were considered the outcasts, the ones that did not conform to the religious societies’ view of the world. I hope we can all just take a deep breath, recognize it is important that we protect fundamental religious beliefs but we don’t have to discriminate against other people in order to do that.

Other prominent Republicans have also voiced their opposition to legislation that would give discrimination legal cover in the state.

Former U.S. Department of Justice Official under Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush, Joe Whitley, reviewed the anti-LGBT First Amendment Defense act and called it an unnecessary overreach of powers:

This legislation likely will cause more in the way of intolerance. Georgia does not need to enact a law such as this to maintain the freedom of religion or protect deeply held religious beliefs, which the Constitution and Bill of Rights already protect. Moreover, no person should have religious beliefs imposed on them without their consent.

Opportunity.US, a young conservative group led by the grandson of former Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen Jr., has also voiced opposition to the discriminatory FADA legislation.

While Marisa Flores, the Hispanic outreach liaison for former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum’s presidential campaign in Georgia, issued scathing rebuke of lawmakers’ seemingly singular focus on discriminatory legislation that could set the state back billions of dollars, writing: “For the first time in eight years, Georgia’s unemployment rate fell last month to pre-recession levels. Things were looking up for the state, finally. And then the Georgia General Assembly convened.”

A group of young conservatives called Georgia Republicans for the Future, who are working to modernize the party brand in efforts to drive the millennial vote, firmly rejects any bill that promotes discrimination in the state as an obstacle to winning Republican seats in the elections.

This dissent among younger, conservative voters reinforces a recent Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) survey that shows a strong 78% majority millenials support non-discrimination protections, while 59% Republicans are in support.

With conservative opposition to these bills—which are directly correlated to devastating economic downturns and poor voter turnout—stronger than ever before, lawmakers should drop the anti-LGBT religious crusade and turn their attention to more pressing issues—like, for example, addressing much-needed non-discrimination protections.

CLICK HERE to read the original blog post on AJC.

By Leon Stafford

In-coming Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian on Friday praised Gov. Nathan Deal’s signal that he will reject a controversial “religious liberty” bill if it legalizes discrimination.

“Delta applauds Governor Deal for his leadership and clear message that discrimination of any kind is unacceptable,” Bastian said in a release.

“With a diverse workforce that includes more than 30,000 employees across Georgia, we fully support Governor Deal rejecting a bill, including Bill 757, that would do anything other than uphold equality and ensure Georgia remains a welcoming state for everyone,” Bastian said.

Deal, in speaking about House Bill 757 on Thursday, said it is not necessary to discriminate against others to protect one’s faith and urged religious conservatives not to feel threatened by gay marriage.

Opponents of the bill say it allows faith-based organizations and individuals to discriminate against gays and lesbians. The legislation’s supporters, however, say it is needed to protect those with sincerely held religious beliefs from coercive government action.

Delta is a member of Georgia Prospers – a coalition of businesses, leaders and organizations that have banded together to oppose the legislation.

CLICK HERE to read the original article on Raw Story.

By Arturo Garcia

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal (R) broke ranks with his state’s conservative lawmakers on Thursday in speaking out against a proposed “religious freedom” bill, Towleroad reported.

“I think what the New Testament teaches us is that Jesus reached out to those who were considered the outcasts, the ones that did not conform to the religious societies’ view of the world and said to those of belief, ‘This is what I want you to do,’” Deal said after a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Atlanta. “We do not have a belief — in my way of looking at religion — that says we have to discriminate against anybody. If you were to apply those standards to the teaching of Jesus, I don’t think they fit.”

The measure, which was passed with bipartisan support in the state Senate, would allow clergy to opt out of performing same-sex marriages, and protect “a person or faith-based organization who believes, speaks, or acts in accordance with certain sincerely held religious beliefs” from incurring any penalties from the state government.

The bill has already drawn comparisons to heavily-criticized measures in Arkansas and Indiana which were ultimately walked back. But despite stating his belief that marriage is between a man and a woman, Deal has said that this type of legislation is “not one of those issues that I have been pushing.”

We are not jeopardized, in my opinion, by those who believe differently from us,” Deal said. “We are not, in my opinion, put in jeopardy by virtue of those who might hold different beliefs or who may not even agree with what our Supreme Court said the law of the land is on the issue of same-sex marriage. I do not feel threatened by the fact that people who might choose same-sex marriages pursue that route.”

CLICK HERE to read the original article on AJC.

By Greg Bluestein and Aaron Gould Sheinin

Gov. Nathan Deal on Thursday issued a powerful biblical appeal against “religious liberty” legislation in the General Assembly and said he would reject any bill that legalizes discrimination.

His statement and those of other legislative leaders, businesses and religious groups have given gay rights supporters confidence that they may soon be able to move from defense to offense in pursuit of expanded legal protections for gays and lesbians in Georgia.

The governor said he is not interested in any bill that “allows discrimination in our state in order to protect people of faith,” and he urged religious conservatives not to feel threatened by the legalization of gay marriage. Asked whether that meant he would reject such legislation, and aide to the Republican governor said he would.

Deal also called on his fellow Republicans pushing for the measure to take a deep breath and “recognize that the world is changing around us.”

Deal has already called on lawmakers to make changes to House Bill 757, which originally said no pastor would be forced to perform a same-sex wedding ceremony. It was amended in the Senate to include provisions that would allow individuals and organizations to deny service to same-sex couples or gays and lesbians if it violates their religious beliefs.

The Senate amendment has led to an outcry from gay rights activists and business leaders. The bill is back before the House, where it could be taken up at any time. Lawmakers have nine days left in this legislative session and next meet Monday.

House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, said Thursday that he agrees with the governor.

“Speaker Ralston appreciates and shares Governor Deal’s sincere commitment to protecting religious liberties while ensuring that Georgia continues to welcome everyone with genuine Southern hospitality,” Ralston spokesman Kaleb McMichen said.

Supporters of the bill, however, say it is not intended to legalize discrimination but to prevent government from forcing religious believers to act in a way that violates their deeply held religious beliefs.

Mike Griffin, the head of public affairs for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, said the times are changing, but not everything is.

“God’s word is not changing,” Griffin said. “When it comes to the issue of marriage, while that’s changed, God’s definition has not.”

HB 757, Griffin said, “does not seek to disenfranchise anyone, it doesn’t seek to discriminate against anyone.”

“It protects people of faith from discrimination by the government coercing them into actions that violate their religious beliefs,” Griffin said.

But Deal said his religious faith tells him there are other ways.

“What the New Testament teaches us is that Jesus reached out to those who were considered the outcasts, the ones that did not conform to the religious societies’ view of the world. … We do not have a belief, in my way of looking at religion, that says we have to discriminate against anybody,” he said. “If you were to apply those standards to the teaching of Jesus, I don’t think they fit.”

Deal quoted the Gospel of John that showed Jesus reaching out to an outcast.

“What that says is we have a belief in forgiveness and that we do not have to discriminate unduly against anyone on the basis of our own religious beliefs,” Deal said. “We are not jeopardized, in my opinion, by those who believe differently from us. We are not, in my opinion, put in jeopardy by virtue of those who might hold different beliefs or who may not even agree with what our Supreme Court said the law of the land is on the issue of same-sex marriage. I do not feel threatened by the fact that people who might choose same-sex marriages pursue that route.”

Griffin, however, turned to a different verse from the Bible: Matthew 19: 4-6. “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’[a] 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’[b]? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

The bill, Griffin said, “just narrowly defines this one area of marriage.”

But, as Deal and Ralston, along with powerful businesses such as Delta Air Lines, Home Depot and tech-giant Twitter, have called on Georgia’s leaders to embrace diversity, gay rights activists see an opportunity.

“Governor Deal has powerfully articulated a message of unity for Georgia,” Jenner Wood, chair of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, said. “His words will spread far and wide to affirm our reputation as a welcoming state that celebrates both our faith traditions and our diversity.”

Wednesday, after he delivered 75,000 emails calling on the governor to veto HB 757 should it reach his desk, Georgia Equality Executive Director Jeff Graham said he is increasingly optimistic.

“Over the last week we’ve seen an outpouring of concern,” he said. “The eyes of the nation are on Georgia. It’s really a pivotal time. (Lawmakers) need to decide if they’re going to cling to the bias and discrimination of the past or keep Georgia an open, fair, hospitable place to live and do business.”

After Deal’s latest comments on Thursday, Graham agreed there are ways to protect those on all sides of the issue.

“A comprehensive civil rights law in Georgia can protect all communities and groups from discrimination and can reinforce our state motto of wisdom, justice and moderation,” Graham said.

Chad Griffin, president of the Washington-based Human Rights Campaign and no relation to Mike Griffin, said it’s time for Georgia to move forward.

“We want to not just kill the bad legislation that hurts Georgians but now move forward with legislation that protects LGBT Georgians,” he said.

A House panel earlier this year rejected a plan to do just that. But a bipartisan group of lawmakers has filed a resolution that would create a House study committee that could spend the months between legislative sessions examining the conundrum from all sides and propose a solution before lawmakers return in January.

“I’m hopeful,” said state Rep. Stacey Evans, D-Atlanta, the primary sponsor of House Resolution 1513. “I have formally requested a hearing this morning.”