Reverend Franklin Graham has expressed concern over the renewed efforts to push for the passage of a "non-discrimination" ordinance in Charlotte, North Carolina, led by new city Mayor Jennifer Roberts of Charlotte, North Carolina and two new City Council members.
Last year, in a victory for Christians, the Charlotte City Council voted down the highly controversial proposal which it had considered for years that would have added sexual orientation and gender identity to protected categories.
"There's no question, this is a dangerous idea. This literally opens the doors — the bathroom doors — to predators and sexually perverted people," writes Graham on his Facebook page.
The evangelist notes that each section of the proposed ordinance has wording to include "gender identity." To determine gender identity, according to the proposed legislation, all an individual has to do is "feel" what his or her gender is "regardless of the biological reality."
"So any man can say they feel like a woman that day and enter the women's restroom at any public facility or the showers at public gyms by mandate of law. That's absurd!" says Graham.
He believes that the so-called "non-discrimination" measure is being used to discriminate against Christians. This is exactly what happened to bakers Aaron and Melissa Klein, florist Barronelle Stutzman, and many others who were "shut down or face fines for following their faith."
"LGBT activists are trying to hook their caboose to the 'freedom train' and drag their immoral agenda into our communities by claiming that this is a civil rights issue. Civil rights issues are very real and important — but don't be fooled, this isn't one of them," says Graham. "I heard one African-American minister say recently that 'the freedom train doesn't stop at Sodom and Gomorrah.'"
The ordinance will be up for discussion again at the Feb. 8 City Council meeting, according Graham. The council might possibly vote on the ordinance on Feb. 22.
Graham is praying fervently that "Charlotteans by the tens of thousands will show up to stand against this."
