Elderly Christian Florist Faces Thousands in Fines for Refusing to Provide Flowers for Gay "Wedding"

Discussion in 'Anglican and Christian News' started by Old Christendom, Apr 13, 2013.

  1. Old Christendom

    Old Christendom Well-Known Member

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    Homosexualism keeps being shoved down our throats. God have mercy on us.

    OLYMPIA, WA, April 10, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A Christian florist in Washington state could be slapped with hefty fines because she refused to provide a floral arrangement for a gay “wedding.”

    Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed charges today in Benton County Superior Court. On March 1 Barronelle Stutzman, owner of Arlene’s Flowers and Gifts in Richland, refused to sell flowers to Robert Ingersoll for his “marriage” to Curt Freed. “He said he decided to get married, and before he got through I grabbed his hand and said, ‘I am sorry. I can't do your wedding because of my relationship with Jesus Christ,’" Stutzman said. She said it was the only wedding she had declined in 37 years.

    But Ferguson said that stance violates the law.

    “Under the Consumer Protection Act, it is unlawful to discriminate against customers on the basis of sexual orientation,” Ferguson said. “If a business provides a product or service to opposite-sex couples for their weddings, then it must provide same-sex couples the same product or service.” The state of Washington is seeking $2,000 in fines for every reported violation, as well as a permanent injunction requiring the shop to violate its conscience or stop selling flowers for wedding ceremonies.

    Some of her neighbors in this very liberal state agree she should be compelled to sell flowers regardless of her religion. One resident told KEPR-TV, “She doesn't have the right to say no.”

    The station reported Stutzman has received death threats after her simple testimony of faith went viral. Her attorney has responded that Stutzman does not hate homosexuals. "This is about gay marriage, it’s not about a person being gay,” J.D. Bristol said. “She has a conscientious objection to homosexual marriage, not homosexuality."

    The combination of legalizing same-sex “marriage” and odious “anti-discrimination” laws have faithful Christians saying their freedom of religion is being violated. And the court cases are piling up. An appeals court in New Mexico found a Christian couple, Elaine and Jonathan Huguenin, guilty of “discrimination” for refusing to photograph a homosexual “wedding.” They were ordered to pay more than $6,600 in fines after denying their services.

    Canadian homosexual activists demanded “born again Christian” florist Kimberly Evans of New Brunswick be taken to court for refusing to sell flowers for a gay “wedding.” Victoria Childress of Des Moines also faced threats of legal action for refusing to bake a cake for a homosexual ceremony on the grounds that it violated her Christian faith. Numerous other examples of Christians or conservatives facing legal action or fines simply for defending traditional marriage have occurred wherever gay "marriage" has been legalized.
     
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  2. luke

    luke Member

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    Interesting story , but i must say, i think they should be taken to court . Does this same person refuse to work for Buddhist or Muslim weddings ?

    What if the shop was run by a Atheist , would you be offended if they said , "i am sorry i wont offer my services to you because of your relationship with Jesus".

    I agree homosexuality is a Sin, but as a sinner myself i have no right to judge.
     
  3. Old Christendom

    Old Christendom Well-Known Member

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    Muslim and Buddhist weddings are not against nature. Homosexual "marriages" are unspeakable perversions that should be opposed by all decent people.

    No, I wouldn't be personally offended. But I assure you that such atheist shopper would never be taken to court either.

    Society has a responsability to reward virtue and punish vice.
     
  4. luke

    luke Member

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  5. Old Christendom

    Old Christendom Well-Known Member

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    Yes, homosexuality is clearly against nature. It's not "harsh", it's the reality. Besides reason alone, and more importantly so, the Scriptures clearly condemn it as an unnatural vice:

    "For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet." (Romans 1:26-27)

    And, please, no-one is arguing that we should round up gays in camps, so your hysterical tone is completely unwarranted.

    There's a difference between Christians who struggle with homosexual attraction and those who, ignoring the voice of God, accept it and shamefully act upon it. Those who embrace sin and vice are surely going down the large path that leads to destruction. Loving them, first and foremost, means that we cannot condone such behaviour. Evangelical love, or charity, is not a cosy feeling but a manifestation of virtue.

    Of course. But that's really besides the point here.

    One cannot equate a lawful wedding between a Muslim man and his wife to the mockery of God's law that is having two men or two women "marrying" each other.
     
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  6. Lowly Layman

    Lowly Layman Well-Known Member

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    These are dark times friends...but also great opportunities for building faith.
     
  7. Lowly Layman

    Lowly Layman Well-Known Member

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    If I own a business I should be allowed to sell to whomever I please. Forcing someone to perform work against their will is violative of the 13th Amendment and is tantamount to slavery. All people should be treated equally under the law, but private citizens should be able to enter into lawful contracts with whomever they please and abstain from them however they please as well. America is no longer a free nation. This is fascism plain and simple.
     
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  8. luke

    luke Member

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  9. Old Christendom

    Old Christendom Well-Known Member

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  10. Lux Christi

    Lux Christi Active Member

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    It still is about against nature as the ideas and claims of racism back then. Biblical racism took hold of many European Christian nations for centuries, and it is only now that we are realising that, well, discriminating against darker skinned peoples is a sin. It is no longer the 'mark of Cain,' or the 'sin of Ham' as we once assumed, neither do we think anymore that somehow God created all races to be separate.

    The verse in Romans talks about heterosexual people utilising sex in worship, and the Bible has absolutely no modern word for the word 'homosexual.' If we look at the verses before that, they were 'idol-worshippers':

    "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen." (Romans 1:21-25)​

    The verses after describe their characters:

    "Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful." (Romans 1:29-31)​

    In these verses, I have never seen in my life any 'homosexual' who has been all of these, as well as a so-called 'pagan idol-worshipper.' Paul also advocated everyone to be single and that the single life is higher than married life, but I do not see any Anglican excommunicate divorcees. According to Revelations 21:8, those who work magic are hell-bound, but a florist accepting a worker of magic, such as a Wiccan, and refusing to serve a loving same-sex couple, is guilty of hypocrisy. Atheism would also be considered sinful, as is stealing and thieves.

    Shall a florist deny service to a divorced person, or a former juvenile thief, or a Wiccan or atheist?

    "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)​