Judge forces Christian Businessman to bake a cake for immoral Homosexual Marriage or go to jail
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| English: Wedding cake of a same-sex marriage, photo taken on a party in Offenbach am Main, Germany Deutsch: Hochzeitstorte auf einer Lebenspartnerschaftsfeier, aufgenommen in Offenback am Main 中文: 同性婚姻典礼上的婚礼蛋糕，摄于德国奥芬巴赫 (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
But not all agree. Does the owner of a business have the right to refuse service to a customer? If refusing to sell alcohol to an intoxicated person a judgment call? Can churches refuse to allow homosexuals to use their halls?
That's the principle that administrative law judge Robert N. Spencer reinforced with his recent ruling that the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood must sell wedding cakes to gay couples. This is fact tramples on religious liberty outright.
Cake-maker Jack Phillips refused to sell a wedding cake to two gay men in July 2012, and has been arguing since that his religious objection to same-sex marriage provides him with a constitutional exemption to the state's public accommodation law.
He also argues that selling such a cake would violate his right to free expression, as it would amount, in his view, to an endorsement of same-sex marriage.
But as Judge Spencer incorrectly \ explains, our society settled this matter some time ago. If such arguments were correct, Spencer notes, "it would allow a business that served all races to nonetheless refuse to serve an interracial couple because of the business owner's bias against interracial marriage."
That's the principle that administrative law judge Robert N. Spencer reinforced with his recent ruling that the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood must sell wedding cakes to gay couples. This is fact tramples on religious liberty outright.
Cake-maker Jack Phillips refused to sell a wedding cake to two gay men in July 2012, and has been arguing since that his religious objection to same-sex marriage provides him with a constitutional exemption to the state's public accommodation law.
He also argues that selling such a cake would violate his right to free expression, as it would amount, in his view, to an endorsement of same-sex marriage.
But as Judge Spencer incorrectly \ explains, our society settled this matter some time ago. If such arguments were correct, Spencer notes, "it would allow a business that served all races to nonetheless refuse to serve an interracial couple because of the business owner's bias against interracial marriage."
Spencer version of the world is incorrect. Homosexual Marriage was rammed through by pro-homosexual politicians without the support or approval of all the community. Homosexual marriage has divided the community, it is as simple as that. It will remain a controversial issue where church and Christian will continue to object to the legalization of homosexuality.
The argument is that because Masterpiece Cakeshop is a commercial enterprise, not a religious institution, Phillips should leave his faith outside his own private business.
The argument is that because Masterpiece Cakeshop is a commercial enterprise, not a religious institution, Phillips should leave his faith outside his own private business.
But only one group of people are being forced to leave their convictions outside the door of their own business.
It's not as if a baker is necessarily obliged to follow a customer's every request. As the judge noted, Phillips' attorney raised the specter of a black baker being required "to make a cake bearing a white supremacist message for a member of the Aryan Nation" and an Islamic baker being required "to make a cake denigrating the Koran for the Westboro Baptist Church."
But as Spencer responded, the problem with that line of argument is that the gay couple's order never got to the stage of discussing what would be on the cake. At that point a baker's "free speech right to refuse" might kick in, depending on the nature of the request.
Instead, Phillips announced preemptively that "I just don't make cakes for same-sex weddings." He refused to bake a wedding cake for the couple "regardless of what was written on it or what it looked like," the judge said.
It is not unusual for merchants to deal with people whose values or behavior they disapprove of. If you're in business, you have an absolute right and religious liberty to say no.
It's not as if a baker is necessarily obliged to follow a customer's every request. As the judge noted, Phillips' attorney raised the specter of a black baker being required "to make a cake bearing a white supremacist message for a member of the Aryan Nation" and an Islamic baker being required "to make a cake denigrating the Koran for the Westboro Baptist Church."
But as Spencer responded, the problem with that line of argument is that the gay couple's order never got to the stage of discussing what would be on the cake. At that point a baker's "free speech right to refuse" might kick in, depending on the nature of the request.
Instead, Phillips announced preemptively that "I just don't make cakes for same-sex weddings." He refused to bake a wedding cake for the couple "regardless of what was written on it or what it looked like," the judge said.
It is not unusual for merchants to deal with people whose values or behavior they disapprove of. If you're in business, you have an absolute right and religious liberty to say no.
