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 $1,000 fine for each day they decline to celebrate the same-sex wedding.”
The Alliance Defending Freedom has filed a suit in federal court to stop the city from enforcing the fine and jail sentence, saying in a statement from senior legal counsel Jeremy Tedesco that the government has overstepped its bounds, The Daily Caller reported.
“Many have denied that pastors would ever be forced to perform ceremonies that are completely at odds with their faith, but that’s what is happening here — and it’s happened this quickly,” Mr. Tedersco said, The Daily Caller reported.
But the city sees it differently. As far back as May, city officials were insisting that their ordinance is indeed in line with law.
“If you turn away a gay couple, refuse to provide services for them, then in theory you violated our code, and you’re looking at a potential misdemeanor citation,” said Coeur d‘Alene City Attorney Warren Wilson, to KXLY months ago.
In this case BOW TO THE KING, OBOZO!!!!! Just saying!!
Soooo basically the over 70% have to ignore their beliefs for 2%?
Everybody has their own beliefs…. stop trying to force us to change our beliefs.. we aren’t politicians just going this way or that to simply get votes!!!!!!!!
Now that’s a stinken shame I moved out of California to get away from the gay liberal agenda. But this time I ain’t going to move I’ll fight with my vote that don’t mean any thing
This is WAR!! We live by the cons$#%&!@*ution .We have a right and you do not have the right tell us otherwise
Impeach and prison. Take back our country
That should say I will not violate my beliefs, my religion is much more important to me than this government, though I love my country!
This is appalling, to say the least!
How truly unbelievable. They want to keep church and state separate, yet do something like this? Ministers should have a right to decline to marry same sex couples. Have them get married by a justice of the peace since they are paid to do such things. Oh wait, the justice of the peace might be at odds marrying a same sex couple. It is so sad, that having politedly declined to marry this couple a minister is being fined and imprisoned. Our government at work for us, yeah, right!
Every religion is allowed rights except Christian ?