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 $1,000 fine for each day they decline to celebrate the same-sex wedding.”
The Alliance Defending Freedom has filed a suit in federal court to stop the city from enforcing the fine and jail sentence, saying in a statement from senior legal counsel Jeremy Tedesco that the government has overstepped its bounds, The Daily Caller reported.
“Many have denied that pastors would ever be forced to perform ceremonies that are completely at odds with their faith, but that’s what is happening here — and it’s happened this quickly,” Mr. Tedersco said, The Daily Caller reported.
But the city sees it differently. As far back as May, city officials were insisting that their ordinance is indeed in line with law.
“If you turn away a gay couple, refuse to provide services for them, then in theory you violated our code, and you’re looking at a potential misdemeanor citation,” said Coeur d‘Alene City Attorney Warren Wilson, to KXLY months ago.
Tell gays to go to an atheist church or Muslim place of worship they won’t get fined or locked up for refusing.
No! This is just wrong. STOP THIS C**P NOW!
The sinful abomination is starting to metastasize. —–How many times did you hear Churches will NOT be forced to officiate so-called same-gender weddings? Obviously the city has no respect for the 1st Amendment and not only are they impeding our Freedom of Religion, they are redefining our religious tenets or be punished. (The First Amendment to the United States Cons$#%&!@*ution prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion,)
This is wrong and they know it !!!
I would go to jail.
Looks like they want to bring Nero’s golden statue into the temple. How did that turn out? Is for me and my house. …..we shall serve the Lord. I’m not a Pastor. But, I’ll go to jail for Jesus.
We’re going to see much more of this, sadly and all thanks to our Supreme Court’s liberal views!
Take jail please . Fight for your rights . Never give away your rights . Never or they will never return
Go to Jail.
The simple response would be for pastors to shut down their worship services until the situation is rectified. Alternatively they could secede from the City, making the map look like a piece of Swiss Cheese.