A local pastor in Tennessee has spoken in defence of the controversial religious freedom laws, saying that they do not discriminate against specific groups or individuals.

Instead, it is a means to safeguard people of faith from having to violate their own religious beliefs.

"I see it as a law that protects all citizens of all faiths from having the government pave over our consciences and coercing us to do things that are in conflict with our religious conviction," Englewood Baptist Church's Jordan Easley told WBBJ 7.

Tennessee has its own religious freedom law that the state's legislative body passed in 2009 to protect businesses from lawsuits that refuse to serve customers because of their religious beliefs. It is one of the 20 states in the United States that have such laws in place.

The state's lawmakers also attempted to pass a new bill that would have allowed school counsellors to withhold mental health services from students on religious grounds. The bill, which was also called 'Mini-Indy,' was shelved on March 31 due to strong opposition as well as the backlash against the controversial Indiana religious freedom law, WSMV-TV reported.

Indiana state Governor Mike Pence signed into law on March 31 the state's Religious Freedom Restoration Act that aimed to prevent the government from pursuing legal action against persons who deny services to people that violate their religious beliefs.

The law was widely criticised, with opponents alleging that it provides a licence for discrimination against LGBT in the workplace. Several businesses including SalesForce and Indianapolis-based Angie's List threatened to pull investment from Indiana because of the law, while event organisers wrote to the governor threatening to cancel their events for fear of discrimination against participants.

The law was subsequently amended on April 2 to state that no person or business may discriminate against members of the LGBT community.

Pence's move to amend Indiana's religious freedom law was criticised by former Speaker of the House Tom DeLay, who told Newsmax's Steve Malzberg that the governor showed "great weakness."