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Ex-Fire Chief Dismissed for His Faith Testifies at Religious Liberty Hearing

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A former Atlanta fire chief let go for his biblical beliefs on marriage is speaking out. Kelvin Cochran told his story to lawmakers and religious liberty leaders on Capitol Hill Tuesday.

Cochran was fired in January 2015 after Atlanta city leaders took issue with a men's Bible study he wrote. In the study, Cochran talks about sexual immorality. His book was given to a gay city council member who then complained to the mayor and city leaders.

Cochran was suspended and an investigation launched. Investigators ultimately found he had never discriminated against anyone in the LGBT community, but he was fired anyway.

On Tuesday, Cochran explained to Congress his responsibilities as a fire fighter and as a Christian.

"My faith does not teach me to discriminate against anyone," Cochran testified. "But rather, it instructs me to love everyone without condition and to recognize their inherent human dignity and worth as being created in the image of God and to lay down my life, if necessary, in the service of my community as a fire fighter. I would even do it today if it was necessary even in this very room."

Cochran is suing the city of Atlanta and its mayor.

He's also throwing his support behind the First Amendment Defense Act, a legislative measure designed to protect Americans from discrimination based on their religious beliefs on marriage.

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