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Indiana Pastors Alliance thanks Pence for LGBT stance

Stephanie Wang
stephanie.wang@indystar.com
Kevin Baird, the field director for the Indiana Pastors Alliance, lowers his head in prayer during the Indiana Pastors Alliance prayer rally at the Statehouse, Tuesday, November 17, 2015.

Surrounded by a flock of supporters, the Indiana Pastors Alliance gathered at the Statehouse on Wednesday afternoon to thank Gov. Mike Pence for standing up for religious rights in his State of the State address.

"We consider that to be an unambiguous, direct statement that he is going to protect the religious liberty of Hoosiers," said Kevin Baird, the alliance's field director.

In his first comments on his stance on rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Hoosiers, Pence said Tuesday night that he would not support legislation that "diminishes" religious freedom.

In LGBT rights debate, Pence urges lawmakers to guard religious freedom

Leaders of the Indiana Pastors Alliance, a group of evangelical Christians advocating against LGBT protections, said they hoped that meant Pence would not allow any kind of extension of civil rights to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

That was echoed by the American Family Association of Indiana, another conservative advocacy group, which wrote in an email newsletter Wednesday: "This should mean that Senate Bills 2, 100, 170 and 344 would all be vetoed if any of them reach the governor’s desk, as every one is a serious threat to the free exercise of religion."

Armed with some 5,500 petitions against civil rights proposals, the Indiana Pastors Alliance laid out its case against extending civil rights.

"We believe that this is a direct challenge — in fact, we would go so far as to say a direct attack — on genuine, sincere Christian business people wanting to just practice their faith in the marketplace, without bigoted motives, without any sense of discrimination," Baird said.

The group said legislation would stifle successful Christian small businesses, force Christians to compartmentalize their faith, discourage Christian businesses from coming to Indiana, infringe on First Amendment rights of religious expression and conscience, and bow to the incremental demands of LGBT rights advocates.

Call Star reporter Stephanie Wang at (317) 444-6184. Follow her on Twitter: @stephaniewang.