In 2013, Chief Cochran penned a book entitled "Who Told You That You Were Naked?" taking his title from the question God asked Adam in Genesis 3:1 after the world's first man ate fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The committed Baptist is a Bible study leader, a Sunday school teacher, and a deacon at Elizabeth Baptist Church (SBC) -- who just happens to be Atlanta's top fireman. The book, focusing on traditional Biblical morality, was the result of his attempting to answer God's question to Adam for his Sunday school class.

In the book, Chief Cochran wrote a mere two paragraphs in his 160-page tome that set the stage for conflict.

"Uncleanness -- whatever is opposite of purity; including sodomy, homosexuality, lesbianism, pederasty, bestiality, all other forms of sexual perversion," he 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."

The LGBT crowd cried "Foul!" lamenting that the self-published book was "anti-gay". The fire chief was immediately branded as "homophobic."

In November 2014, one full year after the initial publication of "Who Told You That You Were Naked?" Chief Cochran was suspended, without pay, by Mayor Reed. He was also ordered to attend a sensitivity training class and prohibited from distributing the book on "city property."

News reports state that the fire chief was primarily suspended because he "violated" City of Atlanta rules by not seeking and receiving approval to publish his book. However, it was also reported that he did discuss the manuscript with Atlanta's Ethics Officer Nina Hickson, an attorney and former judge in her own right, who gave "permission" to continue with the publication of the work.

Mayor Reed countered that as mayor he was the one to pass critical judgment on Chief Cochran's ability to publish his writings. The mayor also felt that the views held in the book affected his fire chief's leadership ability and management decisions.

Earlier this week, following the original suspension, Chief Cochran was axed from the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department (AFRD). He was initially hired as Atlanta's fire chief in 2008. At the time, he was fire chief at the Shreveport Fire Department in his native Louisiana.

When Chief Cochran was first suspended, Atlanta Mayor Reed turned to social media to vent his feelings.

"I profoundly disagree with and am deeply disturbed by the sentiments expressed in the paperback regarding the LGBT community," Mayor Reed wrote on Facebook. "I will not tolerate discrimination of any kind within my Administration."

That is the crux of the problem -- discrimination -- in this case reverse discrimination.

"I want to be clear that the material in Chief Cochran's book is not representative of my personal beliefs, and is inconsistent with the Administration's work to make Atlanta a more welcoming city for all of her citizens -- regardless of their sexual orientation, gender, race and religious beliefs," wrote Mayor Reed who is listed as United Methodist.

Christians are openly discriminated against because of their beliefs and living out their lives according to what they believe, so they are forced to stand down or pay the consequences. Chief Cochran is learning that hard lesson first hand as his boss, the Mayor of Atlanta, does not welcome his religious beliefs.

In a recent interview with FOX News, the beleaguered fire chief stated. "The LGBT members of our community have a right to be able to express their views and convictions about sexuality and deserve to be respected for their position without hate or discrimination," Chief Cochran said. "But Christians also have a right to express our belief regarding our faith and be respected for our position without hate and without discrimination. In the United States, no one should be vilified, hated or discriminated against for expressing their beliefs."

The Executive Director of the Georgia Baptist Convention, Robert White, also defended Chief Cochran's right to have personal religious opinions.

"It's a frightening day in the United States when a person cannot express their faith without fears of persecution following," White said. "It's persecution when a godly fire chief loses his job over expressing his Christian faith."

Ultimately, the gay rights agenda is designed to chip away at traditionally-held Judeo/Christian values through targeted intolerance and intimidation; the slow legalization of homosexuality; the promotion of gay pride parades; the demanding of non-discrimination laws; the insistence of homosexuals' right to adopt children; the pushing of the homosexual agenda in schools; the forcing of "gay marriage" on society; the demanding of public funding to deal with increased homosexual-related social problems; the promotion of the transgender agenda; by fostering a large-scale loss of free speech; by banning of counseling for kids confused by homosexual issues; and by a direct attack on churches and God-fearing Christians.

"The Homosexual Agenda is a self-centered set of beliefs and objectives designed to promote and even mandate approval of homosexuality and homosexual ideology, along with the strategies used to implement such," online Conservapedia explains. "The goals and means of this movement include indoctrinating students in public school, restricting the free speech of opposition, obtaining special treatment for homosexuals, distorting Biblical teaching and science, and interfering with freedom of association. Advocates of the homosexual agenda seek special rights for homosexuals that other people don't have, such as immunity from criticism. Such special rights will necessarily come at the expense of the rights of broader society."

The City of Atlanta and its mayor have discriminated against Kevin Cochran -- a Christian. As a follower of Jesus Christ, he has been penalized for vocalizing his Biblical beliefs in print and has consequently lost his job. As Atlanta's top fireman, Chief Cochran has not only been involved on the local level in fire prevention and protection by overseeing nearly 1,000 firefighters in 34 fire station houses, but he has also won recognition at national and international levels. He has definitely earned his chief's stripes. On the national level, he has been named Fire Chief-of-the-Year. He has even won the respect and admiration of President Barack Obama who once appointed him as U.S. Fire Administrator under FEMA. On a personal level, the chief is also an active member on the Salvation Army Board; involved with the Boy Scouts of America; and associated with the Alliance for Education and Volunteers of America.

Chief Cochran's firing is a great loss to the City of Atlanta and a greater loss to all Christians..

In the United States of America we Christians are losing the Freedom of Speech battle as our First Amendment rights to freely express our Christian faith in the marketplace are sbeing eroded away.

Mary Ann Mueller is a journalist living in Texas. She is a regular contributor to VirtueOnline