Part of the concern with the legislation is the impact it will have on gay and transgender students. Current and former students are dismayed by the bill.
Critics of the bill also say disabled people could be targeted by those who see disability as evidence of sin.
Sam Drummond, a lawyer and disability advocate, says Christians have frequently offered to pray for him, even when he did not want them to.
"What I don't want to happen, but what this bill might allow to happen, is for me to be in a workplace and for someone to tell me that not only their prayers are with me, but I'm being punished somehow by the devil."
With the religious discrimination bill a key component of the government's pre-election agenda, Scott Morrison is now left to make deals with the moderate and conservative elements of his party to keep the legislation alive.
For some Coalition members, the bill does not go far enough. For others, it goes too far.
Tasmanian Liberal MP Bridget Archer has already made it clear she does not support the compromise that gay students would be protected from being expelled, but transgender pupils would not. She spoke against it in Parliament during debate on Tuesday night.
"In 2022, I can't believe we are even having this conversation. As an elected representative, my job is to come here and vote on legislation that I believe will best serve my community. This bill is an overreach, and I cannot use the role that I have here to endorse a bill that erodes the rights of so many in my community that they already enjoy."
Detailed information about this can be obtained by clicking on 'Speaker' in the photo above.
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