Ruling in Marriage and Filmmaking Case a Victory for Religious Freedom
The Story: A recent federal appeals court ruling is a significant victory for free speech and religious freedom. The Background: Carl and Angel Larsen are professional storytellers who use film and their artistic abilities to help their clients tell their own stories. The Larsens wanted to bring their talents to the wedding industry and use their gifts to promote their religious beliefs about marriage—but Minnesota’s government refused to let them do so. According to state officials, a Minnesota law mandates that if the Larsens tell stories that are consistent with their beliefs about marriage (i.e., that marriage is between a man and a woman), then they must tell marriage stories that violate their beliefs as well (e.g., that same-sex couples can be legitimately married). If they decline to do so, the Larsens would face steep fines and even up to 90 days in jail. The couple has challenged the law in federal court, but their case— Telescope Media Group v. Lindsey —was ini