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.
Wow, this world has gone mad. Man & woman100%
The Lord says we will be persecuted for our faith, never thought it wjould be our own country
Why do gay’s want to be married in a church if they do not follow it’s believe’s , just to cause trouble , and to force their way of life on you. I am not saying they should not be able to get married , but they do not have the right to force others to give up their believes and rights. If you have to take some one else rights away from them to do what you want . Then you do not have the right to do it.
Separation of church and state tell them to p**s off
I would just go to jail.
watch when he meets the real judge
Government can’t do that separation of church& state.
Freedom of religion, assholes. They don’t have to do anything they don’t want to do. Keep trying to force people and you may wind up dead
So much for religious freedom we better wake the hell up our way of life our freedoms our rights as citizens and everything we stand for is under attack
Are we seriously still stuck on gay marriages? Don’t you think we have more important things to worry about like idk world War 3