Obama’s America.
Via LifeSiteNews:
Supporters of now-former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran, who was fired last week over his Christian beliefs, rallied at the Georgia State Capitol Monday, while homosexual activists are praising the controversial firing, and some are warning about the case’s implications for religious freedom.
Hundreds of Christians and faith leaders held a January 12 rally to support Cochran and religious freedom legislation currently under consideration in the Georgia House. The gathering started out at the Georgia State Capitol before participants marched to Atlanta’s City Hall to present 28,000 signatures to the mayor’s office in support of the bill.
Cochran was fired by Mayor Kasim Reed January 6 after a 30-day suspension stemming from Cochran’s authoring a Bible study for men that discussed the Christian definition of sexual purity in two segments of the 160-page book. The brief passages touch on homosexuality along with other things, and their frankness upset homosexual supporters.
Reed continues to maintain that Cochran was fired for poor judgment and insubordination, and not his personal religious beliefs, and he has strongly disputed the notion that religious freedom is at issue.
Cochran, a longtime firefighter with a distinguished professional record, and an African-American Baptist church deacon, issued a statement via the Alliance Defending Freedom, which is representing him.
“I am heartbroken that I will no longer be able to serve the city and the people I love as fire chief, for no reason other than my Christian faith,” Cochran said.
“It’s ironic that the city points to tolerance and inclusion as part of its reasoning,” said Cochran. “What could be more intolerant and exclusionary than ending a public servant’s 30 years of distinguished service for his religious beliefs?”