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.
People never fail to amaze me, first of all this world has gone to total and complete s**t. And people on all sides need to start looking in the damn mirror, stop pointing fingers and blame and look at the part you are playing in it. Most are not better than the next! All the racist, homophobic, religion bashing individuals need to get a damn clue. Stop the ignorant c**p, it doesn’t matter what color your skin is, or what gender you prefer, what religion you chose to have faith in … You ALL bleed RED, white or black or in between neither make you better than the other… Same with wars on religion Christian, Jewish, Catholic, who gives a damn??? Gay? Straight? Crooked? Again WHY DO PEOPLE feel the need to take such interest in the way others chose to live? Or the color of another’s skin?? And I want you to ask yourself who in the hell made you ANYBODY to judge another human being?
However, I do not agree with someone being FORCED to be made to take part in things they feel are wrong. Look at it like this, say you have a crowd of people, on one side they all believe in the right to be able to feely marry whom you wish, to love and be with who ever you so chose, and the other side they believe it’s wrong, its against everything they believe in….what makes one side ANY better than the other??? … NOTHING does, its all on the views of others, nothing makes one side more right than the other but neither should be stripped of their rights, their way of life … Just as gay marriage is now legal, its their right and their life and choice to do what they believe is right for them. Now other side, same rules should apply to any person who believes its a sin, and should be their right to refuse to take part in marrying two of the same sex… There are plenty of other ministers, priests, JPs, etc that can do that ceremony, why strip a human of their beliefs simply to make another “belief” able to take place? Why is one side FORCED to bypass their way of life and freedom of their beliefs yet the other are free to go as they wish with no repercussions?
I’ll also add (so no one comments that I’m some anti gay/anti religion hating hillbilly) that I have no opinion on either, as no one else should either. What others people chose to do in their lives is just that their lives why is it any of my business? Who am I to point a finger? What makes me better? Not a damn thing, maybe if more people would open their mind and eyes up this world would have a chance.
Go to hell.
Liberals, go back to the pot you crawled from. We will not bend to you
Karma
I would violate my beliefs for any government, I pray these guys don’t either! Freedom of religion overrides here, just sayin!
Your choices:
1 Become a slave of the NWO
2 Fight as a minority against an all powerful government
3 Come join the Sovereign Texas Republic and help us fight for God and Cons$#%&!@*ution
Marriage is a religious ceremony in most churches, there is no problem or hindrance, they can go anywhere else, its legal!
Nope… Its time to fight for your freedoms America.
Guess going to jail willingly then.
Another example of government overreach and loss of our freedom.