Govt tells Christian ministers: Perform same-sex weddings or face jail, fines

[5.56NATO]

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys filed a federal lawsuit and a motion for a temporary restraining order Friday to stop officials in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, from forcing two ordained Christian ministers to perform wedding ceremonies for same-sex couples.

City officials told Donald Knapp that he and his wife Evelyn, both ordained ministers who run Hitching Post Wedding Chapel, are required to perform such ceremonies or face months in jail and/or thousands of dollars in fines. The city claims its “non-discrimination” ordinance requires the Knapps to perform same-sex wedding ceremonies now that the courts have overridden Idaho’s voter-approved constitutional amendment that affirmed marriage as the union of a man and a woman.
http://www.adfmedia.org/News/PRDetail/9364

[rktman]

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys filed a federal lawsuit and a motion for a temporary restraining order Friday to stop officials in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, from forcing two ordained Christian ministers to perform wedding ceremonies for same-sex couples.

City officials told Donald Knapp that he and his wife Evelyn, both ordained ministers who run Hitching Post Wedding Chapel, are required to perform such ceremonies or face months in jail and/or thousands of dollars in fines. The city claims its “non-discrimination” ordinance requires the Knapps to perform same-sex wedding ceremonies now that the courts have overridden Idaho’s voter-approved constitutional amendment that affirmed marriage as the union of a man and a woman.
http://www.adfmedia.org/News/PRDetail/9364

and it begins...

How about forcing a muslim to crap in their Qur'an because its the same thing as making a Christian marry homosexuals (though I'm not sure an ordained minister even means that you are a Christian in this day and time).

[CigarGuy]

This was like that wedding cake thing. Why would these same sex couples WANT to force someone to do something that they have to pay them for
when they don't share in the "joy"? There are PLENTY of people that would take their money.

[Schuetzenman]

It is their agenda to MAKE you care. This is the stuff that revolutions are made of.

[5.56NATO]

Heil 0bama!

[raxar]

This was like that wedding cake thing. Why would these same sex couples WANT to force someone to do something that they have to pay them for
when they don't share in the "joy"? There are PLENTY of people that would take their money.

Because it has nothing to do with equality. They resent that there are people out there who don't cheerlead for them shoving things up their ass. As long as one person out there doesn't consider them heroes you'll never hear the end of it.

[LAGC]

This was like that wedding cake thing. Why would these same sex couples WANT to force someone to do something that they have to pay them for
when they don't share in the "joy"? There are PLENTY of people that would take their money.

Exactly. Note that it's not the gays who are pushing this, but rather the city itself. More info here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2014/10/18/can-ministers-who-make-a-living-by-conducting-weddings-be-required-to-conduct-same-sex-weddings/

The argument is that the ministers don't even preach at an official church, they are solely in the business of performing marriage ceremonies for profit, a "public service" if you will, therefore they have to allow equal-access to all, regardless of gender.

We'll see how this court case all shakes out, but I can't imagine why any same-sex couple would want to be married by ministers who think they are "an abomination."

There are plenty of liberal ministers out there, maybe not as many in north Idaho, so I can understand some concern about having to commute some distance to find one, but I think in this situation the city is making a mountain out of a molehill, as even if they were to force that marriage ceremony business to accommodate same-sex couples, I doubt any would sign up. Especially after this kind of publicity.

[Aggressive Perfector]

If faggots want to get married fine. But I don't think anyone with objections based on their beliefs should be forced to do the ceremony. Seperation of church and state would also mean the state can't run the church right?

[Oswald Bastable]

The argument is that the ministers don't even preach at an official church, they are solely in the business of performing marriage ceremonies for profit, a "public service" if you will, therefore they have to allow equal-access to all, regardless of gender.

So you're suggesting that:

1. Regardless of their religious affiliation or personal convictions, they should be forced to perform ceremonies that violate their beliefs...all because they don't preach at an official church?

AND

2. Having performed all ceremonies to date between a man and a woman (i.e. no conflict of religious convictions), their refusal to violate their convictions now is suspect...because of a court decision?

[FunkyPertwee]

If faggots want to get married fine. But I don't think anyone with objections based on their beliefs should be forced to do the ceremony. Seperation of church and state would also mean the state can't run the church right?

Agreed, and correct about the first amendment. Gov can't run a church.

[Charliebravo]

Seperation of church and state would also mean the state can't run the church right?
The city's argument, which is actually legally sound, is that the wedding chapel is incorporated as a for-profit business rather than as a church. That being the case, it's not a "church" sticking to Biblical principles, but rather an employee of a BUSINESS refusing service to someone based on their sexual orientation. I don't like any of this, but the city's argument is valid.

[stevelyn]

It is their agenda to MAKE you care. This is the stuff that revolutions are made of.

Yep. And the more they try to make us __________ the angrier we're becoming.