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.
One weird city, must be the thin air… people are crazy
All the seditious, treasonous and traitorous Constitution usurping leadership of that city and any cowardly jackbooted thug law enforcement officers following their unlawful orders should be placed under arrest immediately.
KEEP STANDING…change is on its way
Well being from Idaho I just have to say Coeur d’Alene is the armpit of the state.
We can not give in to this and we have to fight till it’s over.
Just remember the Bill of Rights!
There’s no law that states pastors have to marry anyone, I know pastors that do not perform marriages to any couple. God’s law isn’t something that can be ammended or changed. It’s wrong to try to force anyone to sin against God.
Some Pastors won’t marry couples who have been divorced. Same thing. They shouldn’t have to if they don’t believe in it. Yet no ones tries to throw a fit about it to force them to go against their conscience. These people want to force sin on everybody else. I pray God intervenes and takes care of this. Pastors have a right to refuse anything that goes against God’s word.
Not fair. The gay community has plenty of clergy ready and willing to perform marriage for them. It is unfair to force others to marry them. It is unnecessary.
Chad Osborn