The city of Los Angeles is being sued for its wild and unsupported claim that believing the Bible is a mental illness.
Its anti-Christian ideology was revealed in a recent dispute with a city employee who as a Christian objected to the LGBT promotions in his department during June, and asked for permission to work remotely during that time period so as to avoid giving the appearance that he endorsed that agenda.
The fight is being handled by Liberty Counsel, which already has filed a legal action against the city.
“Instead of working remotely, officials suggested he simply use the ‘back door’ or seek ‘mental health counseling’ if the ‘Pride’ flag caused him distress,” the legal team explained.
“[Eric] Batman received the suggestion that his religious beliefs about human sexuality ‘may need counseling’ as overtly hostile toward his religion,” the legal team said.
The legal team pointed out that being allowed to work remotely is exactly the accommodation the city already allows for Muslims when they object to something in their workplace offending their beliefs.
“Eric requested permission to work remotely during one month of the year, performing the same job he had successfully performed from home before. His work could be done remotely without difficulty. In fact, other employees were already doing the same thing,” Liberty Counsel said.
Liberty Counsel founder Mat Staver said, “Forcing employees to violate their faith in the workplace is offensive to the First Amendment. Senior Civil Engineer Eric Batman requested a reasonable religious accommodation with no undue hardship on the county, yet it was unlawfully denied without the required interactive process. The Constitution does not allow the government—or a government employer—to put citizens in the impossible position of choosing between their conscience and their livelihood.
“When the state compels employees to act against their sincerely held religious beliefs, it crosses a constitutional line that courts have repeatedly said cannot be crossed. Viewpoint discrimination is unlawful and violates the First Amendment and religious discrimination violates Title VII.”
The legal team explained the city refused to engage in the interactive process required under Title VII and simply denied whatever Batman requested.
Liberty Counsel said it found “the county’s actions forced Batman to work in an environment that required him to violate his religious convictions, compelled him to ‘affirm a message with which he disagrees,’ and subjected him to unequal treatment compared to employees of other faiths.”
Especially offensive was the city’s suggestion he get counseling, “effectively declaring his Christian beliefs to be a mental illness.”
He’s worked at the city for 24 years.
Liberty Counsel said, “Eric is a Christian. He does not mistreat others, deny anyone dignity, or interfere with his colleagues’ lives. He simply believes that certain messages promoted by the government conflict with his faith. When the county required its employees to participate in overt workplace LGBTQ ‘Pride’ celebrations during the month of June, Eric found himself forced into an impossible position.
So, he did what many of us were taught to do — he spoke respectfully and asked for a modest solution: the religious accommodation rights due him under federal law.”:
Liberty Counsel said it is seeking an injunction against the city’s actions in the dispute. Involved are violations of Title VII, the First and 14th Amendments and California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act.
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