The evangelical leader is also against the legislation because it expands civil rights protection on the vague basis of perception. In other words, an employee can sue their employer based simply on "perceived" sexual orientation.
Adding to Jackson's comments, Colin A. Hanna, founder and president of the conservative grassroots organization Let Freedom Ring, pointed out that the current ENDA legislation includes some provision to exempt churches but no language for the exemption of parachurch organizations or pro-family movements.
An organization "whose entire focus" and "reason for being" is to promote a particular social view based on scripture would be forced to hire a person with a "diametrically opposing" view on the issue, Hanna contended.
"That is about as upside-down and about as perverted a reading as what the first amendment is about as I can imagine," he said.
Hanna contends he is not opposed to non-discrimination laws but rather opposed to "perverting" the language of discrimination to enable the further "political aims" of the homosexual agenda.
"That is where our objection is based," he said.
Others raised questions on how human resource managers would apply the bill in the real world. They emphasized that someone can easily be identified as black, female or of a particular religion, but there is no way to identify someone's sexual orientation besides a confession by the individual.
As a result, it would be difficult to distinguish if a person was fired because of their poor performance or for their sexual identity.
"It (ENDA) is not needed, all that is needed is men and women to decide who they are and go to work everyday and do their job," stated the Rev. Rick Scarborough who heads Vision America - a grassroots movement to restore Christian values in society.
The Baptist preacher said his organization is opposed to the bill morally, on biblical grounds, and because it is "insanity" and will "wreck the economy of this country."
Others who spoke in opposition to the legislation included former homosexual Randy Thomas, vice president of Exodus International - the world's largest Christian ministry promoting freedom from homosexuality.
"The liberal democrats, who support the advancement of the homosexual agenda, cannot agree on this," concluded Tony Perkins, president of the influential Washington-based Family Research Council. "Even they think this is a bridge too far, policy too radical and there is disagreement in the rank."
Perkins added, "I believe the vast majority of Americans would come to the realization that this will take us to a place that we do not want to go."
The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote on ENDA on Wednesday.
