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 $1,000 fine for each day they decline to celebrate the same-sex wedding.”
The Alliance Defending Freedom has filed a suit in federal court to stop the city from enforcing the fine and jail sentence, saying in a statement from senior legal counsel Jeremy Tedesco that the government has overstepped its bounds, The Daily Caller reported.
“Many have denied that pastors would ever be forced to perform ceremonies that are completely at odds with their faith, but that’s what is happening here — and it’s happened this quickly,” Mr. Tedersco said, The Daily Caller reported.
But the city sees it differently. As far back as May, city officials were insisting that their ordinance is indeed in line with law.
“If you turn away a gay couple, refuse to provide services for them, then in theory you violated our code, and you’re looking at a potential misdemeanor citation,” said Coeur d‘Alene City Attorney Warren Wilson, to KXLY months ago.
Time for citizens to step foward
What the heck are people afraid of why they are letting the city tell you what to do. fight back it is your city
REVOLUTION,,,,,
Time to replace the city council and mayor – just because they sit there does not mean they have the right to make any old law they want – they can be fired and it can be repealed but someone has to do something about it
In case you are curious…this couple was operating a for profit business (chapel) it was NOT a church or religious ins$#%&!@*ution. And being a for profit business they ruled that it fell under anti-discrimination laws…..this actually is an old story and they have since reversed their decision. The only reason it was posted here was to get you to freak out and react.
All part of the communist agenda.
Hello jail!
Don’t Johnson I’m not like freaking out per se. I was merely trying to speak of an alternative for the issue in general everywhere in the US.
sure is Alan. Recall a Soviet leader banging his shoe on a table saying that USSR would destroy america from within..Guess the uniformed finally elected some one who is trying to do it
Well, they have a choice.