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 $1,000 fine for each day they decline to celebrate the same-sex wedding.”
The Alliance Defending Freedom has filed a suit in federal court to stop the city from enforcing the fine and jail sentence, saying in a statement from senior legal counsel Jeremy Tedesco that the government has overstepped its bounds, The Daily Caller reported.
“Many have denied that pastors would ever be forced to perform ceremonies that are completely at odds with their faith, but that’s what is happening here — and it’s happened this quickly,” Mr. Tedersco said, The Daily Caller reported.
But the city sees it differently. As far back as May, city officials were insisting that their ordinance is indeed in line with law.
“If you turn away a gay couple, refuse to provide services for them, then in theory you violated our code, and you’re looking at a potential misdemeanor citation,” said Coeur d‘Alene City Attorney Warren Wilson, to KXLY months ago.
Let me know which cell is mine.
I would go to jail fill them up Pastors please dont give in.
The Gov CANNOT do it. They are UNCONSTITUTIONAL and forming their OWN GOV. religion and are not allowed to do that .
Check out ACLJ They work with legal issues or check out free legal help places in your state as many law students have to do some pro bono work, even lawyers who p$#%&!@*ed the bar exam and are practicing lawyers will do pro bono work. fy.i. pro bono is Latin (as in what the Romans spoke) basically for free.
Up yours Idaho!
We are losing our Freedoms Daily under the Obama Admin.
That’s a fight! God’s been here longer than your law.
I think we need to remember all the businesses who used to post their Right To Refuse Service To Anyone. For any reason. Who says you can’t be busy that day? No reason needs to be given.
getting close to the end time of Church dispensation. Jesus is coming again soon!
It is a right that we all got from God to have our own opinions , and the Bible tells all of us that being gay? is not right in his eyes. So they do not think of God do they. their life stye is not right any way one looks at it. They do not need to force any one to believe in their life style, as all it does is cause dislike and hatred to wards them selves.