Posted on 02/22/2015 7:42:27 PM PST by ReformationFan
If you haven’t been following Barronelle Stutzman’s case in Washington State, you need to be. She is the florist being sued by the state attorney general for refusing to participate in a gay wedding. The attorney general is trying to compel her to ignore her Christian faith and to participate in gay weddings. If she refuses, he is threatening the full coercive power of the state to force her to do it. She stands to lose everything—her home, her savings, her business, her livelihood—if she does not comply. I have an article today at CNN.com explaining the situation. The conclusion reads like this:
Barronelle Stutzman’s case is nothing less than an egregious violation of our first freedom. It is Caesar saying, “Conscience be damned. Submit to the new sexual orthodoxy or risk losing everything.”
This is not tolerance. This is injustice that flies in the face of this nation’s laws and traditions. And if this kind of thing can be done to a 70-year-old grandmother running a small flower shop in rural Washington State, then it can be done to you. No one’s conscience is safe if this precedent becomes the norm.
Late yesterday after news began to spread that a 70-year old grandmother was being threatened with financial ruin, the attorney general proposed a settlement that offers a small fine in exchange for Mrs. Stutzman’s agreeing to admit wrongdoing and to violate her conscience going forward.
Today, Mrs. Studzman has released a statement through her legal team that is as astonishing as it is courageous. Rather than accept the nominal fine and surrender her principles, she has decided to risk everything to stand for religious freedom. In her own words to the attorney general:
Thank you for reaching out and making an offer to settle your case against me.
As you may imagine, it has been mentally and emotionally exhausting to be at the center of this controversy for nearly two years. I never imagined that using my God-given talents and abilities, and doing what I love to do for over three decades, would become illegal. Our state would be a better place if we respected each other’s differences, and our leaders protected the freedom to have those differences. Since 2012, same-sex couples all over the state have been free to act on their beliefs about marriage, but because I follow the Bible’s teaching that marriage is the union of one man and one woman, I am no longer free to act on my beliefs.
Your offer reveals that you don’t really understand me or what this conflict is all about. It’s about freedom, not money. I certainly don’t relish the idea of losing my business, my home, and everything else that your lawsuit threatens to take from my family, but my freedom to honor God in doing what I do best is more important. Washington’s constitution guarantees us “freedom of conscience in all matters of religious sentiment.” I cannot sell that precious freedom. You are asking me to walk in the way of a well-known betrayer, one who sold something of infinite worth for 30 pieces of silver. That is something I will not do.
I pray that you reconsider your position. I kindly served Rob for nearly a decade and would gladly continue to do so. I truly want the best for my friend. I’ve also employed and served many members of the LGBT community, and I will continue to do so regardless of what happens with this case. You chose to attack my faith and pursue this not simply as a matter of law, but to threaten my very means of working, eating, and having a home. If you are serious about clarifying the law, then I urge you to drop your claims against my home, business, and other assets and pursue the legal claims through the appeal process. Thanks again for writing and I hope you will consider my offer.
I am amazed that the attorney general is really going to press this. I am even more amazed at Mrs. Stutzman’s courage. The case will be on appeal very soon, and we will be following very closely. In the meantime, pray for Barronelle. She has chosen the difficult path, and she really is risking everything to follow her Christian conscience.
i pray that Jesus uplift, defend and bless her. she’s been handed her cross and has the faith to pick it up.
To leave some in denial that they will be next. Divide and Comquer is the perfect way to systematically destroy your opposition.
That’s what I don’t get. Couldn’t someone pick up the flowers or something?
What would happen if the owner had a 10% surcharge on all wedding contracts, to be donated to some “get out of homosexuality organization”. This would be stated in the contract and would be charged to all parties homosexual or not?
Thoughts?
YHVH, you said you would not be mocked. You also said that those who stand with you, would not be shamed. Your name is at stake here, and we all need you to act in support of this woman. Doing so, will help our trust in you, too.
Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
Thanks for listening.
YKMN
Which is exactly why this Judge went for a summary judgement in this case and denied a jury trial.
Big Brother makes sure Winston Smith has his mind "right".
She needs to file a criminal complaint against the state AG with her local sheriff’s department for intimidation. The constitution of the State of Washington actually grants greater protection on matters of conscience than the U.S. Constitution.
These are wicked and evil people who have attacked this woman.
“My, how this country has fallen.”
“With all due respect, sir, I believe this is gonna be our finest hour.”
~ Gene Kranz
Just wow. Her letter is incredible. Talk about modeling Christian character. The AG should be ashamed of himself.
Being in government service for a number of years including writing, reviewing and even enforcing government edicts and regulations my opinion of government honchos is not very high. I often proposed that government officials be removed from the protection of ‘in/by official duty’. My neighbor can seek justice of the courts as I can if arguable actions are entailed. There is no ordinary/common relief from individuals in the government service against arbitrary actions by such ‘government’ servants. This needs to change to have true ‘government of the people, by the people and of the people’. The sooner the better!
Bless her. My words would not have been nearly so kind.
What if Christian businesses said “We do not service ‘marriages’ at all, ever. We only provide services for Ceremonies of Holy Matrimony.
The word ‘marriage’ has been given over to the state as one more function to regulate (define). The church needs to cease marriages and only officiate Ceremonies of Holy Matrimony.
I think it was Selwyn Duke who proposed that she and others in her position should pursue a freedom of Speech defense and not a freedom of Religion defense.
His reasoning seemed sound: the gov’t is trying to coerce her to make speech she disagrees with, similar to forcing someone to pledge allegiance to the flag.
It seemed like a most interesting position and one that might bear weight.
She did not refuse to sell to them because they were homosexual, she refused to create a message using her talents that could seem to support an action she opposed.
Be worth a try...
I like that angle.
America needs more people like this brave woman. She could always move to Texas! We’d be glad to have her.
We will all be tested (Christians) over the next few years. May we remember this wonderful Christian women and those (like the 21 Coptic Christians) who stood with God and my we have the love and hence the strength to stand with Him as well.
I no longer consider this government an American one. It is a foreign government that rules by whim and appears to being influenced by evil. I believe it will fall of it’s own accord...sooner than later. We can choose where we participate in this culture of evil...that is our free will. But, remember this ladies resolve to maintain her soul and yet to give unto Caeser that which is his...
Wow. “And a child ... “ and a grandmotherly florist ... “shall lead them.”
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