Posted on 10/19/2014 6:40:29 AM PDT by WXRGina
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.
“The government should not force ordained ministers to act contrary to their faith under threat of jail time and criminal fines,” said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Jeremy Tedesco. “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. The city is on seriously flawed legal ground, and our lawsuit intends to ensure that this couple’s freedom to adhere to their own faith as pastors is protected just as the First Amendment intended.”
“The government exists to protect and respect our freedoms, not attack them,” Tedesco added. “The city cannot erase these fundamental freedoms and replace them with government coercion and intolerance.”
The Hitching Post Wedding Chapel is across the street from the Kootenai County Clerk’s office, which issues marriage licenses. The Knapps, both in their 60s and who themselves have been married for 47 years, began operating the wedding chapel in 1989 as a ministry. They perform religious wedding ceremonies, which include references to God, the invocation of God’s blessing on the union, brief remarks drawn from the Bible designed to encourage the couple and help them to have a successful marriage, and more. They also provide each couple they marry with a CD that includes two sermons about marriage, and they recommend numerous Christian books on the subject. The Knapps charge a small fee for their services.
Coeur d’Alene officials told the Knapps privately and also publicly stated that the couple would violate the city’s public accommodations statute once same-sex marriage became legal in Idaho if they declined to perform a same-sex ceremony at their chapel. On Friday, the Knapps respectfully declined such a ceremony and now face up to 180 days in jail and up to $1,000 in fines for each day they decline to perform that ceremony.
“The city somehow expects ordained pastors to flip a switch and turn off all faithfulness to their God and their vows,” explained ADF Legal Counsel Jonathan Scruggs. “The U.S. Constitution as well as federal and state law clearly stand against that. The city cannot mandate across-the-board conformity to its interpretation of a city ordinance in utter disregard for the guaranteed freedoms Americans treasure in our society.”
Virginia McNulty Robinson, one of nearly 2,500 private attorneys allied with ADF, is serving as local counsel on behalf of the Knapps in Knapp v. City of Coeur d’Alene, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho.
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization that advocates for the right of people to freely live out their faith.
“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 “
On the face of it: Not if they’re Christians they aren’t. If this isn’t a spoof we’re headed into Go Time.
It isn’t a spoof.
When the law violates itself citizens must rebel.
I imagine that the local cops there arent about to play ball. So the feds will have to try it.
Good luck boys. You’ll likely need it.
"The government exists to protect and respect our freedoms, not attack them," Tedesco added. "The city cannot erase these fundamental freedoms and replace them with government coercion and intolerance.That sounds nice, but this battle between religion and government is scheduled to be fought on the government's turf, and the only freedoms the government will protect and respect are those that the judge decides are worth protecting and respecting.
Some Mormon by the name of Reynolds argued a religious freedom to polygamous marriage. SCOTUS essentially said that in a contest between religion and government, decided on the government's turf (the courts), the government MUST prevail. Naturally, there has to be a difference of opinion whether or not the practice should be respected and protected, otherwise the contest doesn't occur.
The government has pretty clearly said it opposes those who act in a way that exposes intolerance of homosexual marriage.
At any rate, the government bloody well can erase fundamental freedoms and replace them with government coercion. That is a contest of wills and brute force.
I am not very religious but this ENRAGES me.
Forcing this couple to go against their religion is ,in itself,a crime.
I wish them well.
.
If they could get the community’s support like the Bundy’s got...
I suggest Title 18 USC §§241-242 apply and would like to see these cases tried as such... and start seeing these judges going to JAIL:
18 U.S. Code § 241 - Conspiracy against rights
If two or more persons conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or because of his having so exercised the same; orIf two or more persons go in disguise on the highway, or on the premises of another, with intent to prevent or hinder his free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege so secured—
They shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, they shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.
18 U.S. Code § 242 - Deprivation of rights under color of law
Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or to different punishments, pains, or penalties, on account of such person being an alien, or by reason of his color, or race, than are prescribed for the punishment of citizens, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if bodily injury results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include the use, attempted use, or threatened use of a dangerous weapon, explosives, or fire, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.
These fags are assholes and if they truly desire to be married wouldn’t they want everyone to be in harmony.
They ministers need to re-incorporate as a 501c, with a strict question and answer form.
The form should have lrinciples of marriage in it, social fidelity, an exact question such as “Do you believe in God? , WillGod be the center of your life, etc.
I’m a Mason and you cannot join without a belief and acknowledgment of God the Creator and that is final.
Dont believe in God and we cannot accept you.
We take an oath to defend all faiths and God is central to our rituals, prayers and integrity.
God created us and all we observe, as well that which cannot know.
Be done with it.
I’m not Catholic or homosexual, but if I wanted to get married to a Catholic in the Catholic Church I would have to go through premarriage counseling or I would have to convert my faith.
If homosexuals want to be married in a Christian Chirch they should have to attend counseling or convert their faith. This would include all indoctrination ceremonies.
That said, if you are running a marriage shop, without any form of indoctrination, you are open for business for homosexuals.
Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:
Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of general interest.
I hope they don’t back down. If they start up a defense fund please let us know. If they force this couple it is the start of a toehold.
Why can’t they just go to a mosque and get married?
Yes, just go to a mosque.
Why don’t they?
Post #10 sounds like good advice
As has been pointed out in other threads on this story, this isn’t a church. It’s a corporate entity doing business with the general public. In that situation, you play by the same rules as everyone else.
Sounds pretty scary until you remember that WE ARE THE GOVERNMENT. And there are a lot more of "us" than there are of "them."
They cannot hope to prevail without our cooperation.
No point in getting HEAD-over-heels in this matter.
Even if they did not incorporate (I don't know their status), they would be a sole proprietorship.
Every business has the right to choose their customers in freedom of association. No one is forcing anyone to get married at a wedding chapel when there is a J.P. across the street.
It is all about a shake down pushed by behind the scenes activists.
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