A case that tests the boundaries of religious freedom and gay rights is heading to the Colorado Supreme Court, with a suburban Denver baker urging the justices not to force him to make cakes for same-sex couples because it would violate his beliefs.
The case underscores how the already simmering tension between religious-freedom advocates and gay-rights supporters is likely to become more heated in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling this summer that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
In recent years, the Colorado case and others like it in other states have ignited a passionate debate over whether individuals can cite their beliefs as a basis for declining to participate in a same-sex wedding ceremony.
Recently, the owners of a Portland, Oregon-area bakery that declined to make a wedding cake for a gay couple two years ago were ordered to pay $135,000 in damages. Two years ago, the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled that a photographer who wouldn’t take pictures of a gay couple’s 2006 commitment ceremony violated the state’s anti-discrimination law.
In Washington state, a florist has been fighting a lawsuit filed after she refused to provide services for a gay wedding in 2013.
At the center of the Colorado case are baker Jack Phillips, owner of Lakewood’s Masterpiece Cakeshop, and Charlie Craig and David Mullins, who were married in Massachusetts and demanded a wedding cake to celebrate in Colorado.
Phillips said he has no problem serving gay people at his store, but he says that making a wedding cake for a same-sex wedding would violate his Christian beliefs.
In December 2013, a judge for the commission ruled that Phillips discriminated against the couple and ordered him to change his store policy against making cakes for gay weddings or face fines.
Phillips appealed the ruling. He has stopped making wedding cakes entirely out of fear that he’ll violate the order that he make them for everyone, his attorneys said.
One of his attorneys, Jeremy Tedesco, argued his client should be protected by the First Amendment and that he shouldn’t be forced to express something he doesn’t believe.
“Mr. Phillips has the same First Amendment right as the cake artist who doesn’t want to create a Confederate Flag cake,” Tedesco said.
He told reporters in July that he doesn’t regret his decision to decline baking a cake for Craig and Mullins.
Nicolle Martin, who also represents Phillips, said, “Because certain pressures are going to be placed on all people of faith, all freedom-loving Americans are going to be faced with this issue at one point or another.”
The Associated Press contributed to this article
OK, try this at a bakery run by a Muzzie! Oh, but we can’t inflame or insult them, as they might make a bomb and kill us!?!?! Get thee out of my personal business. I reserve the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason! What ever happened to this basic business principle for which I used to see signs everywhere??
Happiness is insulting Islam.
With a nightstick and no Vasaline.
Then they might have to do away with themselves, out of shame
TYPICAL FASCIST COMMENT!
That’s correct: you have every right to decide who you do business with. You don’t HAVE to do anything, just decline. Tell them you’re busy and they should get another vendor—simple.
I FIND THIS REALLY SCARY, BECAUSE WE, AMERICANS CAN’t STAND UP FOR OUR BELIEFS, BUT MUSLIMS CAN. THERE IS A MUSLIM BAKERY THAT REFUSED TO BAKE A CAKE FOR A HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGE, AND HE GOT AWAY WITH IT, WE, HOWEVER, IN NO WAY ARE ALLOWED THE SAME PRIVILEGE, ONCE AGAIN MULIMS ARE DICTATING TO US WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO.
Well, this same kind of discrimination worked for the Nazi’s. So go ahead you loyal fascists. Washburn definitely is a german nazi name. How do you like that?
Well, you can do that, refuse service, in some countries, Iran maybe, and probably parts of eastern Europe. But, it has been illegal here since the civil rights laws were passed in the 60’s. DUH!
SORRY THOUGH, I AM 68 AND EXPECT THAT EVERYONE PAID ATTENTION TO SOMETHING WHEN THEY WERE IN SCHOOL, BEFORE THEY GRADUATED TO THE FOX SCHOOL OF UN-EDUCATION.
YOU ARE WRONG. THE ONLY RIGHT YOU HAVE IS TO GO INTO BUSINESS. THE 14TH AMENDMENT PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ANYONE, PERIOD. THAT BY THE WAY IS WHAT THE SUPREME COURT DECIDED. THAT SEVERAL STATES RUN BY FASCISTS DECIDED THAT THEY WERE ABOVE THE LAW. THE SUPREME COURT MERELY UPHELD THE 14TH AMENDMENT.
Amen!
Only fools promote what God prohibits.
Only fools condone what God condemns.
Only fools approve what God abhors.
Keep not promoting; keep not condoning; keep not approving. ! ! ! ! !
AGREE TOTALLY….I feel that he had every right to refuse to make that cake. It is against our religion also.
You are so Right! Just like the Muslims who don’t have to deliver alcohol for the job they took. Then sued because it was part of the job requirements & won!? Ridiculous ! Also, just last month a group went into a restaurant, Harry T’s, in Florida & they refused the group service because they were wearing LSU attire & the restaurant had Gator fans as regular patrons. They also did the same to Tennessee fans in the past, etc. The group just went somewhere else to eat & let other LSU fans know not to go eat there. How is that ok, but it’s not okay to refuse to bake a cake for gay couple if it’s against your religion. Just go to a different Bakery!
THE 14TH AMENDMENT HAPPENED, GENIUS. WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN SINCE LBJ WAS PRESIDENT?
The “rulings ” by SCOTUS — U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling this summer that ” legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.” is patently Unconstitutional, and thereby null and void.
The SCOTUS does MAKE, or dictate laws… they qualify them by Constitutional Guidelines ONLY.
Edit to t he above…The SCOTUS does NOT MAKE, or dictate laws… they qualify them by Constitutional Guidelines ONLY.
That is true. They are also suppose to objective in their determination of issues before them but at least two of these judges were subjective to the gay marriage and should have disqualified them from the decision over gay marriage. But it wasn’t for SCOTUS to decide this matter it was up to congress and the states.
Easier Interpretation; The SUPREME COURT CANNOT MAKE LAWS, ONLY APPLY THE CONSTITUION!
Exactly right freedom01
We are already under a “Nazi-like” government when the Court can force someone to do something which is against that person’s religious or Faith belief – despite the guarantees of the 1st Amendment. When a business says “We are here to serve you,” common sense should tell anyone of common intelligence that “service” means only any activity which is not illegal or against the religious or Faith beliefs of the owner of the business.
I remember those signs in just about every store. Their right to refuse service was recognized with no problem. Disruptive behavior was not tolerated. Now, it is celebrated – in the schools especially. If you want to “act out” go ahead, it is encouraged. Slowly, step-by-step, our rights are being taken away – unless you are doing something morally wrong! I guess once anarchy reigns across the entire nation, those who have planned this will step in and remove those who dissent.
When I was 16 or 17, I read about lawsuits against teachers/principals who had to paddle a student, as well as those brought by people who wouldn’t take responsibility for their own actions (like watching where they were going, etc.). Even at that age, I wondered: What is this country going to be like in 50 years, with all this going on? Well, we’re seeing it now, and let me tell you – it ain’t pretty. This is not the America I grew up in.
You keep hearing all these activist groups talking about their rights, & discrimination laws etc. I thought that as human beings we all had those same rights. So why is it that the loudest most obnoxious activist groups get their way in the supreme courts while your average joe who is not bothering anyone has to be denied those same rights? Is it because of their faith? Well isn’t that discrimination in itself? Doesn’t this person have the right to believe what they want in their own business? This is like going to visit someone in their own home and telling them you don’t like their décor, their furniture, how their kids behave, etc. etc. Exuuuuuse me but get lost, who asked you to come here anyway? If you don’t like the policies of one place, go shop somewhere else. There are so many other places that would be happy to serve you. I’m sure there are even gay friendly, gay owned businesses of the like that would give you a great experience, so why not go there, why do you have to go pick on the company you know won’t serve you? I’ll tell you why, because the LGBT community and activists have an agenda. Their agenda is to rid of all Christianity. This is the devil’s work. When are the judges and supreme courts going to wake up and realize that Christians have rights too. We can play the same dirty games and cry out “discrimination” as well if we wanted to, but that’s just not what Christianity is all about. Therefore, as much as we love you in Christ, your ways are not God’s ways and Christians answer to the higher authority of their God. Just go shop somewhere else and stop making an issue of everything. You are so vain always wanting the attention on yourselves and your issues. Everyone shops around for the best price and best service for any product, it’s normal. So go on, and shop somewhere else and let the business owner run his business the way he sees fit. You really don’t have to shop there.
Vilma;
Great reply…..You are so right……They do have their right to take their pathetic business elsewhere, instead of causing so much chaos and trouble….Bake your own LGBT cakes and leave us alone.
Vilma you did a wonderful job in expressing your thoughts. I couldn’t of said it better and I agree 100%. God Bless.
Hey Irma, I refuse service to dirty Polacks. How do you like that? That’s what the Nazi’s did. Obviously you have as short memory of what your family went through, here and there.
Would everyone be ok with not being served because your.Christian? How about if you’re tattooed, would you be ok with going to a store and being singled out? The bible clearly states that it is a sin to be tattooed. Have you ever been divorced? Would you like to not be served because of that? The bible is quite clear on the wickedness of divorce. Have you had premarital sex? Ok if you’re asked that before you are served a cake? Do you see the rabbit hole not serving a gay person is? It is discriminatory to not serve all people based on your interpretation of what is sinful. Be kind to others. Love the sinner. That is WJWD.
Kim:
Whether I would be OK about not being served because I am a Christian is irrelevant.
A store owner or business should have the right to decline service to me for whatever reason they want to, provided, however, that they are not the sole provider of a necessity of life, such as would be the case of a hotel owner who was the only hotel in the area and it was late at night when I make my request. This was the commonly accepted rule for many centuries.
A wedding cake is not a necessity of life.
Be careful when you put down WJWD.
It’s what he DID that counts. Remember when he took a whip to the guys in the temple? He always calls out the sins and the sinners. I sorta doubt he would bake the cake, but he would sure call them out on their sins. He would certainly sit down and talk with them though. Remember the woman at the well, a clear sinner with 4 husbands and living with a fifth man that was not her husband. He chatted with her, but did confront her, albeit reasonably gently.
If you read the Bible, you won’t have to wonder what Jesus would do, but you can state what he did. Read it, and know and understand. Jesus was/is fantastic, and the whole Bible is a great read, where you find that nothing going on now is anything new.
you’re missing the point entirely… it says in the article that masterpiece has no problem with serving gay people. they just didn’t want to make a wedding cake to celebrate a gay union, specifically. i’m sure they would also be happy to serve cake to divorced people with tattoos, but they might not make a cake for a divorce-party that says “congratulations on your divorce. good job. we support you!” they would probably serve cake to someone who has had an abortion in the past, but they probably wouldn’t make a “happy abortion, good job!” cake… shaped like a baby, with red icing that comes out when you cut into it…
this situation is essentially the same as if someone walked into a arab bakery, and then demanded a cake with a picture of mohammed on it. when refused, the customer complains that the bakery wouldn’t serve them because they were christians. oh no, discrimination! all of this is nonsense. go broncos
Slavery and involuntary servitude was abolished by the 13th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The government has no business forcing a person to do a job for another person even if they are going to be compensated for the job. I would not expect a pro-choice caterer to be forced to cater a pro life banquet, although it might help them see the error of their ways. A person should have the right to decline a business offer.
I have a freelance business on the side. I decide what clients and causes I take on. My business uses my God-given talents and abilities. I choose to use those talents and abilities for clients and causes which do not run counter to my beliefs and world view. I use my talents, my time and my equipment; therefore, the government has no right to dictate who gets the benefit of my services.
Well said Justin. America needs to wake up now. I am not against gay or muslim or anything else, but your legal system is taking away the rights that your forefathers fought for. When your Courts say “I am sorry Sir/Madam this is a big country, I am sure you will find a baker to bake the cake you seek elsewhere without you forcing someone to do something against their religion, will or personal choice” then all this madness will stop. The legal system needs to see what they are doing to your country.
Hey Genius, I guess you stopped reading at the 12th amendment. Try the 14th. The Supreme Court did not legalize GAY MARRIAGE. They upheld the 14th amendment that some stateS were violating. DISCRIMINATION LAWS.
All is lost! All is lost. And what is lost is your personal freedom to choose your personal life style and business decisions and beliefs, SCOTUS HAS SCREWED THIS COUNTRY SO BADLY THAT THESE FRINGE GROUPS ARE TRIVIALIZING the laws of America by allowing these groups to force their will on others through lawsuits that FORCE people to go against their will. Laws are one thing but laws that force or coerce anyone are anathema to a free society.
Why can’t the homosexuals just find another bakery?
Because they are deliberately trying to find a business where they can cause trouble, chaos…..And then they sue to put that business out of business…Makes you wonder just who is funding them?…One more freedom gone, only a precious few left to go.
It´s amazing how the LGBT agenda works all around the world using the same strategy. Unfortunately here in Brazil the Christians are suffering and being excluded from all the instances of normal life and treated as third class people.
Hope you not fall America, or the world will be doomed.
“We’ll preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we’ll sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness.”
Ronald Reagan
As an advocate of free choice, I admire the bakers’ stand. The vendor has a right too, in terms of who he trades with. I don’t see any offense in this saga, after all, there are hundreds of bakeries to order from should this one close doors for business. Gay couples should not solicit sympathy this way. However, for me as a devout Christian, I would be careful how I portray my God in my actions….for I know that He gives sunshine and rain to all, even those who deny Him.