Christian Baker Forced To Make Cake For Gay Couples – Update
Baker Jack Phillips was ordered by a judge last year to make cake for gay couples, which Phillips had refused to do because of his religious beliefs. Last month he filed an appeal.
The decision by the judge was reinforced by the Civil Rights Commission of Colorado – Phillips must now submit quarterly reports for two years to show how he’s changed his “discriminatory practices.”
“Any person doing business in Colorado has to recognize that they have to do business in an ethical and law abiding way and the law says you cannot discriminate,” stated Raju Jairam, vice chairman of the commission.
And what of our First Amendment law that says Phillips has free-speech rights and free-exercise rights?
The ACLU is involved in the case against Phillips: “We at the ACLU very much support religious freedom, but religious freedom doesn’t mean that somebody who has a business has the right to discriminate against members of the public who want to patronize the business,” stated Mark Silverstein from the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado.
Where do you stand with the 1st Amendment rights of an individual as it might conflict with the discrimination of others?
Nearly two years after a same-sex couple was refused service at a Colorado cake shop, a civil rights panel on Friday deemed the act discrimination and ordered the owner to halt the practice.
The state’s seven-member Civil Rights Commission reinforced a December ruling from an administrative law judge who said Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips discriminated against Charlie Craig and David Mullins when he refused to make them a wedding cake because of religious objections.
In its decision, the panel required Phillips to submit quarterly reports for two years that show how he has worked to change discriminatory practices by altering company policies and training employees. Phillips also must disclose the names of any clients who are turned away.
“Any person doing business in Colorado has to recognize that they have to do business in an ethical and law abiding way and the law says you cannot discriminate,” said Raju Jairam, vice chairman of the commission.
Craig and Mullins filed charges of discrimination with the state’s Civil Rights Commission in July 2012 after they were turned away by the Lakewood baker while trying to buy a cake for a wedding reception.
Colorado law bans discrimination in a public place on grounds of sexual orientation, but Phillips has argued that forcing him to make wedding cakes for same-sex couples violates his right to First Amendment free-speech and freedom-of-religion rights.
Phillips and his attorney are considering an appeal to the Colorado Court of Appeals. He suggested on Friday that the rights of business owners with similar views were taken away by the commission.
Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cake in Lakewood, decorates a birthday cake Thursday, January 3, 2012. (Lindsay Pierce, Denver Post file photo)
“Not all of life is fair,” Phillips said said after the commission’s decision. “I will stand by my convictions until somebody shuts me down.”
Craig and Mullins said the panel’s decision validated everything they had been feeling. The couple said they have been inundated with support from people across the country since their story became public.
“When it came time to file the lawsuit we realized that this wasn’t just about us and they weren’t just supporting us as individuals,” Mullins said. “They were supporting the idea that gays shouldn’t be discriminated against in public accommodations. We felt like the best way we could honor what they had done for us was to follow this through. It hasn’t always been the easy road, but I believe we’ve been on the right one.”
In his December ruling, administrative law judge Robert N. Spencer said offering the same services to gay couples as it would heterosexual couples did not violate the cake shop owner’s right to free speech or prevent him from exercising his religion.
The judge ordered the cake shop owner to “cease and desist” from discriminating against same-sex couples. He said the fact that Colorado does not recognize same-sex marriage does not excuse discrimination based on sexual orientation. Colorado allows civil unions.
“At first blush, it may seem reasonable that a private business should be able to refuse service to anyone it chooses,” the judge wrote. “This view, however, fails to take into account the cost to society and the hurt caused to persons who are denied service simply because of who they are.”
Spencer said the cake shop owner’s argument “would allow a business that served all races to nonetheless refuse to serve an interracial couple because of the business owner’s bias against interracial marriage.”
The conservative Christian organization Alliance Defending Freedom appealed the ruling in January by arguing that the government was “attempting to force Jack to violate his sincerely held religious beliefs and to compel him to speak a message that is contrary to his actual beliefs.”
Nicolle Martin, attorney for Masterpiece Cakeshop, called the ruling disappointing.
Nobody should EVER be forced to do something against their values. This is NOT like racism. There are many bakers out there. And to force them to do this is violating THEIR rights.
Many of you commenting claim to be Christians. Christians have a saying- love the sinner but hate the sin, right? Your comments betray your stated values, making you hypocrites. Do you think Jesus would have made this couple a cake? I think He would have gladly.
Teach how Civil Rights begin with as the Creator endowed: Unique male xy Or Unique Female as Melanin is in every human in irises, hair and skin…so, too, is Our birth right indelible Code Which ascribes our physical attributes and anatomy: Unique pelvic shape etc for male xy or female xx.
Compassion does not erase Truth:
Only human has Fantasy: to escape Reality a Product of Imagination which is Impossible.
The rest of us live in Reality with Truth and have our Civil Rights as Coded.
Mutation of Code results in Intersex.
Male is Default: FOXL2 struggles about a week to suppress male if female is to emerge.
Intersex has physical anomaly and dysfunction. Intersex people identify as male or female as South African Caster Semenya who entered as female but tested non female and further examination showed no ovaries no womb and immature hidden gonads. Dysfunction can occur from accidents, disease and aging, too.
LGBT are not Intersex. They just deny body design and natural biological function.
Unique Coded Female xx cannot be erased for Compassion for
Transgender or LGBT living in Fantasy for Orgastic Pleasure
nor can Unique Coded Male xy…
Reality has to be lived in Truth which is not equal to Hollywood illusion.
As Unique female xx I deserve my privacy: in bathrooms, locker rooms, etc. as does a male deserve his space. Intersex are included due to mutation in Code.
Pure Science: microscope, sonogram, ultrasound, genetics, etc PROVE
We cannot change Code nor pelvic shape nor wish them away.
Human has not created a single cell of Life from nothing. With male as default: human can never change it.
LGBT terms and theories were invented by authors: not medical doctors.
Dysfunction can occur by accident, disease and aging, too.
Remember: Everyone has a navel from mom: female xx.
The view
Jack Phillips, the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood
Kristen Waggoner of Alliance DEFENDING ¿Freedom?
1st you are a PUBLIC business no one is stopping you from practicing your interpretation of your faith but what you can’t do is use your business as a church. If you want to say run a business as a private club where only virgins are allowed fine not a great business model but fine. But what you can’t do is wear Two hats business AND church and claim to be open to public. You can refuse to bake a cake but you can’t turn your PUBLIC business into a weaponized pulpit.
Now let’s get on to theology since you think America is a theocracy but neither two are theologians and it shows. Kristen talked about following Jesus’ speeches on homosexuality so drum roll please here is what Jesus said about homosexuality….
But what Jesus said about marriage was a METAPHOR on the relationship between you and the church. https://bible.org/seriespage/8-husbands-and-wives-analogues-christ-and-church-ephesians-521-and-colossians-318-19
Now not one Christian believes god or Jesus penned the Bible. The Old Testament isn’t the Torah. And the “new” testament was compiled 600 years after the time of Jesus. Compiled by Romans who picked and chose what to have and what to remove. Which is at the crux of the problem with your debate.
You say you follow the bible. You do know that there are over 200 commandments in the Torah. So you support commandment stoning disobedient children. Commandment Levite marriages. Let’s bring back concubinage and whatever the heck was going on with Sarah Hagar and Abraham.
Let’s bring back biblical Slavery. These were all commandments that Jesus as a Jew would be following. Commandment stoning adulterers. Oh wait now Jesus did say something about that.
*** When Jesus STOPPED the stoning of the adulteress (who was NOT Mary Magdalene nor was she a prostitute. Ooopsie award goes to pope Gregory for that.) Jesus was rebelling against all the commandments of the Torah and Talmud. Or what is called the “old” testament. He was rebelling against hypocrites by saying “he who is without sin cast the first stone.”
But Jesus actually replaced those commandments when he asked his followers: “you will follow my TWO commandments. To love the lord and love thy neighbor.” Two commandments you both are breaking with your attempt at theology as a business.
You cannot pick and choose from the Old Testament to suit your whims. Either you do it all or nothing. If you are Christian than you follow Jesus. Simple.
Freedom OF religion also includes freedom FROM religion. So where does your turning America into a theocracy end. The bible was painfully used to defend slavery to defend anti inter-racial marriage. If I’m a CATHOLIC running a business should I deny the PUBLIC my PUBLIC business and not serve those divorced those remarried. I think you look slutty and abortion prone so no cake for you. If I’m a scientologist should I deny any person who is in the mental health field or anyone using those services. If I’m Muslim should I not serve unmarried women flaunting about in public without a male$#%&!@* Or if I’m an anti Semite should I declare that a religion and put up A SIGN no Jews allowed. (Oh wait that has happened repeatedly.). If you want a theocracy check out IRAN or the Vatican. Oic. JUST NOT THAT RELIGION.
Jesus asked his followers you will follow my two commandments: “Love thy Lord and Love thy neighbor.”
also for all those saying God made Adam and Eve and not Steve …well he also said Love your neighbor as yourself…
so wrong, go to another baker
Nobody should EVER be forced to do something against their values. This is NOT like racism. There are many bakers out there. And to force them to do this is violating THEIR rights.
Many of you commenting claim to be Christians. Christians have a saying- love the sinner but hate the sin, right? Your comments betray your stated values, making you hypocrites. Do you think Jesus would have made this couple a cake? I think He would have gladly.
Teach how Civil Rights begin with as the Creator endowed: Unique male xy Or Unique Female as Melanin is in every human in irises, hair and skin…so, too, is Our birth right indelible Code Which ascribes our physical attributes and anatomy: Unique pelvic shape etc for male xy or female xx.
Compassion does not erase Truth:
Only human has Fantasy: to escape Reality a Product of Imagination which is Impossible.
The rest of us live in Reality with Truth and have our Civil Rights as Coded.
Mutation of Code results in Intersex.
Male is Default: FOXL2 struggles about a week to suppress male if female is to emerge.
Intersex has physical anomaly and dysfunction. Intersex people identify as male or female as South African Caster Semenya who entered as female but tested non female and further examination showed no ovaries no womb and immature hidden gonads. Dysfunction can occur from accidents, disease and aging, too.
LGBT are not Intersex. They just deny body design and natural biological function.
Unique Coded Female xx cannot be erased for Compassion for
Transgender or LGBT living in Fantasy for Orgastic Pleasure
nor can Unique Coded Male xy…
Reality has to be lived in Truth which is not equal to Hollywood illusion.
As Unique female xx I deserve my privacy: in bathrooms, locker rooms, etc. as does a male deserve his space. Intersex are included due to mutation in Code.
Pure Science: microscope, sonogram, ultrasound, genetics, etc PROVE
We cannot change Code nor pelvic shape nor wish them away.
Human has not created a single cell of Life from nothing. With male as default: human can never change it.
LGBT terms and theories were invented by authors: not medical doctors.
Dysfunction can occur by accident, disease and aging, too.
Remember: Everyone has a navel from mom: female xx.
The view
Jack Phillips, the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood
Kristen Waggoner of Alliance DEFENDING ¿Freedom?
1st you are a PUBLIC business no one is stopping you from practicing your interpretation of your faith but what you can’t do is use your business as a church. If you want to say run a business as a private club where only virgins are allowed fine not a great business model but fine. But what you can’t do is wear Two hats business AND church and claim to be open to public. You can refuse to bake a cake but you can’t turn your PUBLIC business into a weaponized pulpit.
Now let’s get on to theology since you think America is a theocracy but neither two are theologians and it shows. Kristen talked about following Jesus’ speeches on homosexuality so drum roll please here is what Jesus said about homosexuality….
But what Jesus said about marriage was a METAPHOR on the relationship between you and the church.
https://bible.org/seriespage/8-husbands-and-wives-analogues-christ-and-church-ephesians-521-and-colossians-318-19
Now not one Christian believes god or Jesus penned the Bible. The Old Testament isn’t the Torah. And the “new” testament was compiled 600 years after the time of Jesus. Compiled by Romans who picked and chose what to have and what to remove. Which is at the crux of the problem with your debate.
You say you follow the bible. You do know that there are over 200 commandments in the Torah. So you support commandment stoning disobedient children. Commandment Levite marriages. Let’s bring back concubinage and whatever the heck was going on with Sarah Hagar and Abraham.
Let’s bring back biblical Slavery. These were all commandments that Jesus as a Jew would be following. Commandment stoning adulterers. Oh wait now Jesus did say something about that.
*** When Jesus STOPPED the stoning of the adulteress (who was NOT Mary Magdalene nor was she a prostitute. Ooopsie award goes to pope Gregory for that.) Jesus was rebelling against all the commandments of the Torah and Talmud. Or what is called the “old” testament. He was rebelling against hypocrites by saying “he who is without sin cast the first stone.”
But Jesus actually replaced those commandments when he asked his followers: “you will follow my TWO commandments. To love the lord and love thy neighbor.” Two commandments you both are breaking with your attempt at theology as a business.
You cannot pick and choose from the Old Testament to suit your whims. Either you do it all or nothing. If you are Christian than you follow Jesus. Simple.
Freedom OF religion also includes freedom FROM religion. So where does your turning America into a theocracy end. The bible was painfully used to defend slavery to defend anti inter-racial marriage. If I’m a CATHOLIC running a business should I deny the PUBLIC my PUBLIC business and not serve those divorced those remarried. I think you look slutty and abortion prone so no cake for you. If I’m a scientologist should I deny any person who is in the mental health field or anyone using those services. If I’m Muslim should I not serve unmarried women flaunting about in public without a male$#%&!@* Or if I’m an anti Semite should I declare that a religion and put up A SIGN no Jews allowed. (Oh wait that has happened repeatedly.). If you want a theocracy check out IRAN or the Vatican. Oic. JUST NOT THAT RELIGION.
Jesus asked his followers you will follow my two commandments: “Love thy Lord and Love thy neighbor.”