COEUR D’ALENE, ID officials forcing Christian minister to perform same sex weddings

rolltide_21 said:

I'm a full-time minister. Nope, I would go to jail before I would do the ceremony. When it comes to homosexual marriage, I take a live and let live approach. Find someone that agrees with your lifestyle and get them to do the ceremony. I'm sure you could find someone who is ordained. I (or any other who disagrees) should not be forced to perform the ceremony just so you can make a political point. This is not about equality. It's about a political point (might I even say political bullying). If I were in this situation, I would not be disrespectful. I would politely and repeatedly ask you to find someone else. But, if forced, I would go to jail and pay the fines.

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Crimson1967 said:

I think the city can enforce this because it is a wedding chapel and not an actual church. All they do is marry people. It is similar to making a florist cater a gay wedding.

I generally think a business should have to serve everyone, but I wouldn't want the preacher at my wedding to be there at gunpoint.

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Crimson1967 said:

I think the city can enforce this because it is a wedding chapel and not an actual church. All they do is marry people. It is similar to making a florist cater a gay wedding.

I generally think a business should have to serve everyone, but I wouldn't want the preacher at my wedding to be there at gunpoint.

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rolltide_21 said:

I thought about this point. I think you're dead on. This is a "business" and not a place of worship. So it's not exactly apples to apples & comparing it to a minister and a church. But, this aside, they should not be forced to do the ceremony. Just like the baker in Oregon shouldn't have been forced to cater a homosexual wedding. Again it's not about fairness. It's about political agendas and proving a point.

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All weddings done at The Hitching Post are only performed by our ministers.

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NationalTitles15 said:

http://hitchingpostweddings.com/wedding/reservations/



This is not just a rental space, for one thing. Every ceremony is performed by the owners. Essentially, anyone who forces this minister couple to perform wedding ceremonies is encroaching on their right of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and aa number of other liberties.

The matter is not what you believe people should do, or even if you support gay marriage. The issue is will you force people to violate their own conscience to satisfy your agenda, whatever that is.

On that point, SCOTUS recently ruled on a similar matter and on the point of a closely held business I believe this couple would win. That's without bringing in 1st Amendment or other constitutional issues.

It's one thing to ask for your own freedom to marry whom you wish. It's another thing entirely to force someone else to participate in your ceremony.

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rolltide_21 said:

You basically said what I have written in my two posts. Under no circumstances should a person be forced to violate their religious convictions for political correctness or forced tolerance.

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rolltide_21 said:

You basically said what I have written in my two posts. Under no circumstances should a person be forced to violate their religious convictions for political correctness or forced tolerance. But, this is not a place of worship so it's not exactly the same as the city government walking in a church building and forcing the minister to do the wedding or forcing a congregation to let the couple use their facilities. It's similar to what the other poster said about the florist or the baker in Oregon I referenced. This place is called the "Hitching Post." It's what they do as a business and under some city (& state) laws they will face situations like this. (unfortunately & shamefully) I support them in their fight against the law and the PC going on here. Hope they win but it's doubtful they do. Places like this and other chapels (not church buildings) better get good liability insurance and a good lawyer.
Situations like this are coming.

On another note, before I'm called a bigot for being unwilling to do a same-sex ceremony there are some heterosexual marriage ceremonies I will not participate in. My convictions about marriage, divorce, & remarriage or if it's a "shotgun" wedding I generally refuse. Especially the latter given the failure rate of those unions (nearly 90% end in divorce).

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NationalTitles15 said:

http://hitchingpostweddings.com/wedding/reservations/



This is not just a rental space, for one thing. Every ceremony is performed by the owners. Essentially, anyone who forces this minister couple to perform wedding ceremonies is encroaching on their right of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and aa number of other liberties.

The matter is not what you believe people should do, or even if you support gay marriage. The issue is will you force people to violate their own conscience to satisfy your agenda, whatever that is.

On that point, SCOTUS recently ruled on a similar matter and on the point of a closely held business I believe this couple would win. That's without bringing in 1st Amendment or other constitutional issues.

It's one thing to ask for your own freedom to marry whom you wish. It's another thing entirely to force someone else to participate in your ceremony.

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NationalTitles15 said:

I stand proudly with them and with those who work and wish only for the right to marry whom they will. Both are only seeking freedom to do as they will. The problem with the florist and the baker and the hitching post is that someone misguidedly, shamefully, unfortunately is trying to force someone to participate in something they wish to not do. I've joked that pretty soon you will be called a bigot for not participating in the actual act of homosexuality. It's ridiculous. but so is the rest of it.

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rolltide_21 said:

But, this is not a place of worship so it's not exactly the same as the city government walking in a church building and forcing the minister to do the wedding or forcing a congregation to let the couple use their facilities.

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