Free Republic

Christians shouldn't attend same-sex wedding ceremonies, as attending would be to an inherent show of support, according to Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohler Jr.In an episode of Mohler’s “The Briefing” podcast that aired Friday, the Evangelical theologian was asked by a listener about what to do if one is invited to a same-sex wedding ceremony.Mohler responded by noting that the “whole context of the wedding as a public event is the public exchange of vows and the public declaration of the rightness of this relationship.”“Remember that the traditional word used of those who are attending a wedding is...

The Department of Justice today filed a Statement of Interest in federal court in Kentucky, explaining that a Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government law, which requires a photographer to photograph same-sex weddings in violation of her religious objections, violates the U.S. Constitution.  The United States’ brief explains that the photographer, Chelsey Nelson, is likely to succeed on her claim that requiring her to photograph weddings against her conscience constitutes government-compelled speech that violates the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment.“The First Amendment forbids the government from forcing someone to speak in a manner that violates individual conscience,” said Eric...

PORTLAND (ChurchMilitant.com) - The man who fined an Oregon Christian bakery $135,000 for refusing to bake a wedding cake for a lesbian couple has lost his run for public office, losing to his Republican opponent. It's the first time a Republican has won a statewide office in Oregon since 2002. Brad Avakian's rise to national prominence began when a lesbian couple filed a complaint to the Oregon Department of Justice back in 2013 when Aaron and Melissa Klein, Christian owners of Sweet Cakes bakery, declined to make a cake for a gay wedding. Brad Avakian, then Commissioner of Oregon Bureau...

Kudos to The Leader News for publishing a story on the Bethel United Church of Christ, one of four Houston-area churches performing same sex weddings. In their article “Local church embraces marrying local LGBT couples” The Leader News performed a valuable community service by educating their readership that Bethel United Church of Christ is one of four affiliates in Houston performing same-sex weddings. Teddy Kissell, acting interim pastor, described Bethel United Church of Christ as an “open and affirming” congregation reflective of the community: “There are 14 UCC affiliates in Houston, and the beauty of our denomination is that we...

In the aftermath of Obergefell v. Hodges, pastors and church members are experiencing a wave of anxiety over what many of them deem the “nightmare scenario”: lawsuits or government action designed to force them to perform or recognize same-sex marriages. While there are — so far — no meaningful judicial precedents that would permit such dramatic interference with churches’ core First Amendment rights, lawsuits challenging church liberties are inevitable. Indeed, the Iowa Civil Rights Commission has declared that prohibitions against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity “sometimes” apply to churches and has stated that a “church...

In the aftermath of Obergefell v. Hodges, pastors and church members are experiencing a wave of anxiety over what many of them deem the “nightmare scenario”: lawsuits or government action designed to force them to perform or recognize same-sex marriages. While there are — so far — no meaningful judicial precedents that would permit such dramatic interference with churches’ core First Amendment rights, lawsuits challenging church liberties are inevitable. Indeed, the Iowa Civil Rights Commission has declared that prohibitions against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity “sometimes” apply to churches and has stated that a “church...

Saturday, February 28, 2004 Sandoval Clerk Weathers Torrent of Criticism By Joshua Akers Journal Staff Writer Rarely does a county clerk catch the attention of a U.S. president, much less end up in Time magazine. Of course, it's also unusual for a clerk to file a police report against the county attorney. Or obtain fingerprints from the county spokesman. Or go through six chief deputy clerks in three years. Sandoval County Clerk Victoria Dunlap is a maverick Republican who has courted controversy since the day she was elected. But her decision earlier this month to issue marriage licenses to same-sex...

More Gay Couples on Wedding Pages In Slow Trend, More Newspapers Are Opening Wedding Pages to Gay Couples Wednesday August 28, 1:52 pm ET By LISA SINGHANIA, AP Business Writer NEW YORK (AP) -- When Kristina Campbell became engaged two years ago to another woman, she submitted an announcement to her hometown newspaper in Iowa. "I'd seen my friends' announcements run in the paper and I thought it was really nice to get this kind of support," she said. The newspaper published her news, but first required Campbell and her partner to legally swear that they were a couple. "I...