As an Evangelical Lutheran I strongly believe in religious liberty and the right of each person to practice his or her religion.  But when a private or religiously affiliated group performs what is essentially a government function, including child placement and foster care, my faith compells me to speak out that those institutions must not discriminate based on political beliefs, age, physical disability, sexual orientation,  and family status. 

If my religious institution or any other institution chooses of its own free will to act in the state's capacity, these agencies must be held to the same standard as if the state had itself performed the contracted activities.  If the institution cannot perform the function in a non-discriminatory manner, then the Commonwealth must find another institution that can, or the Commonwealth must perform the function directly itself.

Sincerely,

Scott Binde