Coeur d‘Alene, Idaho has created an ordinance that forces pastors to marry gays or go to jail and get fined.
This follows the legal battle in the same town with ministers Donald and Evelyn Knapp, who refused to marry a gay couple last year and now face a $1000 per day fine and up to 180 days in jail.
With this the government has decided that religious freedom is subservient to the sexual preference of others.
A federal judge recently ruled that the state’s ban on gay marriage was unconstitutional, while the city of Coeur d‘Alene has an ordinance that prevents discrimination based on sexual preference.
The Supreme Court’s recent refusal to take on gay rights’ appeals from five states has opened the doors for same-sex marriages to go forth.
The Knapps were just asked by a gay couple to perform their wedding ceremony, The Daily Caller reported.
“On Friday, a same-sex couple asked to be married by the Knapps, and the Knapps politely declined,” The Daily Signal reported. “The Knapps now face a 180-day jail term and a $1,000 fine for each day they decline to celebrate the same-sex wedding.”
The Alliance Defending Freedom has filed a suit in federal court to stop the city from enforcing the fine and jail sentence, saying in a statement from senior legal counsel Jeremy Tedesco that the government has overstepped its bounds, The Daily Caller reported.
“Many have denied that pastors would ever be forced to perform ceremonies that are completely at odds with their faith, but that’s what is happening here — and it’s happened this quickly,” Mr. Tedersco said, The Daily Caller reported.
But the city sees it differently. As far back as May, city officials were insisting that their ordinance is indeed in line with law.
“If you turn away a gay couple, refuse to provide services for them, then in theory you violated our code, and you’re looking at a potential misdemeanor citation,” said Coeur d‘Alene City Attorney Warren Wilson, to KXLY months ago.
All nations (and states) that forget God Shall be Turned Into Hell. I’ve Notice there’s a lack of Rain on whole west coast. California’s on fire better get your shovels ready!!!
FU!!!
Better build a jailhouse addition
If people didn’t think this entire same sex marriage wasn’t all about destroying ‘freedom of religion’ then they were just being what we’ve seen for 40yr now, Americans being dumb-asses bkz it’s convenient for them. Let’s not think about what’s really going on and just try to be fair and get along! eshh Changing of definitions of words & institutions of over a thousand years & they want to call it being fair & that’s all there is to it! WOW get your heads out of the sand folks.
Never in America?
Better to obey God than man
No real pastor will go against his beliefs!
More Jihad from Obama ..
who gave them that power …i thought this was a free country ..at least it was before obama
That’s a violation of rights.