Attorney for Fire Chief terminated for Christian views next on FOT

Chief Kelvin Cochran

Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran who authored a book which is being sold on Amazon, is entitled “Who Told You That You Were Naked?” which is centered on God’s question to Adam following his disobedience in the Garden of Eden, and parallels the matter with those who are now “clothed in Christ,” was fired from his job by Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed.

“Uncleanness [is] whatever is opposite of purity; including sodomy, homosexuality, lesbianism, pederasty, bestiality, all other forms of sexual perversion,” Cochran wrote. “Naked men refuse to give in, so they pursue sexual fulfillment through multiple partners, with the opposite sex, the same sex and sex outside of marriage and many other vile, vulgar and inappropriate ways which defile their body-temple and dishonor God.” Many criticized the book as promoting discriminatory and anti-gay views.



Kevin Theriot

Earlier, Chief Cochran had been suspended without pay and ordered to undergo sensitivity training. He was fired after returning to work at the end of his suspension.

Mayor Reed called the book discriminatory. “I was surprised and disappointed to learn of this book,” he stated. “I profoundly disagree with and am deeply disturbed by the sentiments expressed in the paperback regarding the LGBT community. I will not tolerate discrimination of any kind within my administration.” The incident has been turned into a fight over religious liberty and free speech rights.

Tuesday, Chief Cochran’s attorney, Kevin Theriot will join Deacon Mike Manno and Gina Noll to discuss the case and its implications on religious freedom.

Mr. Theriot serves as vice president of the Center for Religious Liberty with Alliance Defending Freedom and oversees its Education and Church Projects, as well as legal matters involving freedom of expression in the public square. Since joining Alliance Defending Freedom in 1993, Theriot has been successful as lead counsel or co-counsel in numerous cases preserving religious freedom.

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