U.S. President Barack Obama signed on Monday an executive order  that prohibits federal discrimination of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) employees, but religious advocates fear the new law is a threat to religious freedom.

Obama's executive order does not have a provision that exempts religious organizations, in contrast to the Employee Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which is yet to be passed by Congress.

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Religious liberty advocates feel this could hinder religious groups from practicing their faith, according to a report by The Daily Caller.

Presbyterian Layman Committee president Carmen Fowler LaBerge believes the newly signed executive order will discriminate against the federal contracts of religious entities.

An advocate of traditional marriage, she disregarded her ordination after the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. allowed gays and lesbians to become ministers in 2010.

In an interview on Monday, LaBerge said Obama pushed the executive order ahead of the Congress' approval of the ENDA bill to achieve what he wants.

She said the absence of religious exemption puts Obama's order in conflict with ENDA.

Peter Sprigg, senior fellow for policy studies at the Family Research Council, said religious groups surely have a reason to be alarmed by Obama's executive order.

He said it denies religious organization the power to require employees to live in line with their faith, especially in the area of morality and sexual behavior.

In other words, it prohibits people from exercising their freedom of religion.

Sprigg explained that the lack of religious liberty has significant repercussions in the economy.

He said Obama's policies "strangled" the health and financial industries with his health care act that took away the freedom of employers.

The issue of religious liberty does not only involve Christians, but religious Americans, Jews, and Muslims as well, LaBerge said.

Therefore, he stressed, religious groups must address it at both personal and legislative angles.