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 $1,000 fine for each day they decline to celebrate the same-sex wedding.”
The Alliance Defending Freedom has filed a suit in federal court to stop the city from enforcing the fine and jail sentence, saying in a statement from senior legal counsel Jeremy Tedesco that the government has overstepped its bounds, The Daily Caller reported.
“Many have denied that pastors would ever be forced to perform ceremonies that are completely at odds with their faith, but that’s what is happening here — and it’s happened this quickly,” Mr. Tedersco said, The Daily Caller reported.
But the city sees it differently. As far back as May, city officials were insisting that their ordinance is indeed in line with law.
“If you turn away a gay couple, refuse to provide services for them, then in theory you violated our code, and you’re looking at a potential misdemeanor citation,” said Coeur d‘Alene City Attorney Warren Wilson, to KXLY months ago.
Blow Me is the correct response!
Jail sounds good.
Wrong!!!
What about separation of church and state, at least there will be a lot of religion in the jails!!
If people want to follow the Bible they shouldn’t be able to pick and choose. If they want to use the Bible to be a big it should be forced to follow the entire list of laws outlined in this Bible Old Testament Ave. Laws like stoning Christians that eat pork or work on Sa$#%&!@*ay or try to remarry or masturbator watch porn. List goes on n on and none of these bible followers dare admit they cherry pick bs and ignore the rest.
Dictating……don’t think so.
go to jail and stand for God’s law
GOD MADE man and woman for marriage NOT man & man or woman & woman this is an ABOMINATION and you WILL ANSWER to the LORD GOD for forcing SIN in our country
Leave the Pastors alone!!! Who ever told him that, needs to leave OUR country!!! We all need to Pray for him!! Nothing is too big or too small for God!!
Become a taxable en$#%&!@*y….accept nothing from the state or feds….then you cannot be mandated! Throw the cake makers at me but they are a for profit to the public.