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.
It’s all about votes for the Demo Rats. This is sickening.
Why is being forced to be fair and equal in your treatment of the members of the public while providing a public service unfair ?
Be fair and equal or just don’t serve the public
not going to happen
Somebody needs to gather a Christian rights organization. If black people, women or gays can have their organizations, then we should too. Its time for Christians to stand up and fight for their rights!
they gays have a right to their religious freedom, too – to get married like everyone else gets to
Stop doing Marriages…..and let every one go to the Court House. Problem solved.
Idaho sucks. Freedom of religion. Screw gays. Find a pastor who will, creeps. Find a gay oriented cake shop. ETC.
Actually if the church went under 501c3 the state is legal in doing that. The sad part is churches think they need that code from the irs, when in actuality they are already exempt.
I was exercizing my freedom of speech in 2011 when i made fun of President Obama on Facebook with the consequence that USAID contractors burglarized my house in Guatemala, and i am still waiting for the Department of State to make it up to me. I was even told by a White House representative that i got President Obama furious at me. Because of this i haven’t been able to sell nor rent out my house since March 2012.
That was really a stupid move from the US government for i am a pretty good psychic advisor, and now the US government has lost my source of information.
In November 2010 during a phone conversation with President Obama i managed to give the tip of the location of Osama bin Laden.
Regards,
Vincent Schollen