Christian videographers in legal battle to not film same-sex marriages

-

A US Christian couple who own a video production company have filed an appeal against a law that has forced them to create films for same-sex weddings.

Carl and Angel Larsen, from Minnesota, and their company, Telescope Media Group, filed an appeal on Friday to challenge a state law that allows the government to control the stories they tell.

According to ADF International, which is legally representing the couple, the law allows Minnesota to punish the Larsens with fines and jail time "if they create wedding films consistent with their Christian faith while declining to create wedding films promoting contrary views".

ADF added that they asked a federal district court to get rid of the law while their case proceeds. However, the court denied that request and instead ruled in favour of the state's motion to dismiss the lawsuit, which was filed in 2016.

The Larsens have asked the US Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit to reinstate their lawsuit.

ADF Senior Counsel Jeremy Tedesco said: "The government shouldn't threaten artists with fines and jail simply for living in accordance with their beliefs in the artistic marketplace.

"Americans should have the freedom to disagree on significant matters of conscience, which is why everyone, regardless of their view of marriage, should support the Larsens.

"Government is supposed to be freedom's greatest protector, not its greatest threat. That's why we are asking the 8th Circuit to reverse the district court's decision."

Minnesota Department of Human Rights officials have stated that penalties for violation of Minnesota Statutes Chapter 363 include payment of a civil penalty to the state; triple compensatory damages; punitive damages of up to $25,000; a criminal penalty of up to $1,000; and even up to 90 days in jail.

"The Larsens will create films for anyone. They just cannot create films promoting every message," the opening brief for the appeal explained.

“Their decision turns on what a film promotes, never who requests it. This shows the Larsens are no different from ‘a ghost-writer’ who declines to ‘write a book [concerning a person’s protected status] when the writer disagrees with the message the book would convey….’

"According to the district court, that would be objecting to ‘the message of the book, not…the sexual orientation of the customer….’ Yet it refused to accept this same distinction for the Larsens.”

Popular posts from this blog

Ontario Catholic school board to vote on flying gay ‘pride flag’ at all board-run schools

-
Image
A Catholic school board in Ontario will vote next week on a motion to fly the rainbow-colored homosexual pride flag at all board-run schools during the month of June. Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB) Trustee Brenda Agnew gave notice of her motion titled “supporting our diverse school community” during an April 6 board meeting. Quoting Pope Francis along with LGBT talking points about “equity and inclusion,” the motion calls for the Board’s Director of Education Pat Daly to “direct all HCDSB schools including the Catholic Education Centre to fly the Pride flag during the month of June starting with 2021.” The motion is expected to be voted on by the Board at their next meeting on April 20. With nine trustees, the motion requires five votes to pass. A tied vote results in a fail. The HCDSB states on its website that its mission is to provide “excellence in Catholic education by developing Christ-centred individuals enabled to transform society.” The Catholic Church, basing i
Read more

Christian baker must make ‘wedding’ bakes for gay couples, court rules

-
Image
DENVER, CO ,  – A Colorado board has ruled that a Christian business owner must make wedding cakes for homosexual "marriages" despite his religious objections. Business owner Jack Phillips came under legal fire in 2012, when he refused to bake a cake for Dave Mullins and Charlie Craig , who had traveled to Massachusetts for a marriage license, and wanted to celebrate in their home state. They sued on the basis of a state law that prevents the application of religious beliefs if one owns a business. The Commission's ruling, which was issued verbally on Friday, orders Phillips to report every three months for the next two years on anti-discrimination training for his staff, and any customers who are refused service at his establishment. "I can believe anything I want, but if I'm going to do business here, I'd ought to not discriminate against people," said one of the Civil Rights Commission 's seven members in a public statement. Phil
Read more

Australia: Gay Hate tribunals are coming

-
Image
Are Hate Tribunals Are Coming In Canada , it is considered discriminatory to say that marriage is between a man and a woman or that every child should know and be raised by his or her biological married parents.  It is not just politically incorrect in Canada to say so; you can be saddled with tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees, fined, and forced to take sensitivity training. Anyone who is offended by something you have said or written can make a complaint to the Human Rights Commissions and Tribunals. In Canada, these organizations police speech, penalizing citizens for any expression deemed in opposition to particular sexual behaviors or protected groups identified under “sexual orientation.” It takes only one complaint against a person to be brought before the tribunal, costing the defendant tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees. The commissions have the power to enter private residences and remove all items pertinent to their investigations, checking fo
Read more