I mean ... why ... can't we all just get along? Let Christian bakers, florists ... and pastors live and let live?
Posted on 07/07/2015 8:21:26 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
The Rev. Franklin Graham has spoken out against what he calls an "outright attack" on freedom of speech after Oregon's Bureau of Labor & Industries Commissioner Brad Avakin upheld an earlier ruling that forces Christian bakery owners Aaron and Melissa Klein to pay $135,000 for refusing to participate in a lesbian wedding.
"Give me a break. In my opinion, this couple should pay the Kleins $135,000 for all they've been through," Graham wrote on Facebook on Sunday.
"Even more outrageous is that Avakian has also now ordered the Kleins to 'cease and desist' from speaking publicly about not wanting to bake cakes for same-sex weddings based on their Christian beliefs. This is an outright attack on their #freedomofspeech," he added.
"Pray for them as they appeal the ruling and for other Christians experiencing discrimination because of their faith right here in 'the land of the free.'"
Avakin issued his final order on Friday, finding the Kleins, owners of the Sweet Cakes by Melissa bakery in Gresham, Oregon, guilty of discrimination for refusing to bake the gay marriage cake in 2013. The couple will now have to pay complainant Rachel Bowman-Cryer $75,000 for damages and $60,000 to her partner Laurel Bowman-Cryer.
Oregon's Bureau of Labor & Industries Commissioner argued in his written order that there is no distinction between denying service due to the complainants' sexual orientation and due to refusing to participate in a same-sex wedding ceremony.
"Further, to allow respondents, a for-profit business, to deny any services to people because of their protected class, would be tantamount to allowing legal separation of people based on their sexual orientation from at least some portion of the public marketplace," he added.
The Kleins have also been told to cease and desist from speaking publicly about how they plan to continue to stand for their beliefs and refuse to participate in same-sex weddings while operating their business from home.
"According to the state of Oregon we neither have freedom of religion or freedom of speech. We will NOT give up this fight, and we will NOT be silenced," the Kleins posted on the Sweet Cakes By Melissa Facebook page.
"We stand for God's truth, God's Word and freedom for ALL Americans," the post continued. "We are here to obey God, not man, and we will not conform to this world. If we were to lose everything it would be totally worth it for our Lord who gave his one and only son, Jesus, for us! God will win this fight!"
Attorney Anna Harmon, who's representing the Kleins, told The Daily Signal that she is shocked by the provision.
"Brad Avakian has been outspoken throughout this case about his intent to 'rehabilitate' those whose beliefs do not conform to the state's ideas," Harmon said.
"Now he has ruled that the Kleins' simple statement of personal resolve to be true to their faith is unlawful. This is a brazen attack on every American's right to freely speak and imposes government orthodoxy on those who do not agree with government sanctioned ideas."
Another FAGWA on a bakery.
Gee its almost as if the government considers itself our enemy and seeks to eradicate us.
What, no Reeducation Camp ? D’oh
Things that make you go 'hmmmm'.
Foolish Rev. Graham. Obaviously he hasn’t heard from Wisconsin’s lesbian Senator: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3308472/posts (Baldwin: 1st Amendment doesn’t extend to individuals)
Heavy sarcasm contained in my comment.
—Brad Avakian has been outspoken throughout this case about his intent to ‘rehabilitate’ those whose beliefs do not conform to the state’s ideas,”—
What an arrogant piece of scum.
Has Franklin separated the Graham Ministries from the Vatican ecumenical movement yet?
Fascism is a form of radical authoritarianism.
History DOES repeat itself (which is why the government schools refuse to teach history and have replaced it with socialism studies. That way people are unaware of what's happening to them).
When I said yesterday the church didn’t have any more men in it, I didn’t mean Franklin Graham. He is a man to be proud of.
“Authority is vested in those to whom it applies.”
This labor commissioner has no such authority unless the victims of his over reach comply.
Based upon their interview on Fox last night, they’re telling him to screw off.
I mean ... why ... can't we all just get along? Let Christian bakers, florists ... and pastors live and let live?
“...have to pay complainant Rachel Bowman-Cryer $75,000 for damages and $60,000 to her partner Laurel Bowman-Cryer.”
No equal protection under the law?
FAGWA....I like it...perfect.
Oregon ping
The undesirables must be identified and removed. They stink and are a blot on our progressive society. But, let’s do it legally. Then in the name of law, we can mark them, shut down their businesses, force them out of work, pack them up and ship them off to the camps so we don’t have to see them, and where work will set them free.
They don’t exist. What happens to them in the camps is irrelevant; as long as our progressive brave new world does not have to see them or acknowledge their existence or non-existence.
Ya know why the entire left mobilized to harass the hell out of the Christians who wouldn’t bake a fagcake? Because the left is actively working to eliminate all vestiges of Christian/Jewish morality from this country, so it can turn it into an atheistic materialistic society.
Can’t the commissioner be sued for illegal denial of free speech ?
Oregon may foolishly have given him authority to levy fines but can’t give him authority to deny speech.
[[Ya know why the entire left mobilized to harass the hell out of the Christians who wouldn’t bake a fagcake?]]
Not just harass, but THREATEN them with death threats too- Apparently it’s not illegal for gay people to threaten Christians any longer
[[so it can turn it into an atheistic materialistic society.]]
so it can turn it into an atheistic materialistic homosexually deviant, sexually deviant, anything goes society.
[[Oregon may foolishly have given him authority to levy fines]]
Levy fines but based on what? Feelings? Subjective interpretations of law? If he has unfettered ability to levy fines for any reason, then he can fine every Christian I n the state just for being a Christian, or fine heterosexuals for being married to the opposite sex, or fine conservatives for not being liberal
By what authority is he given the ‘right’ to violate the constitution by levying a fine on someone who exercises their constitutionally protected RIGHT to free speech?
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