Should a Christian always say yes when someone tells him to “bake me a cake?” Two homosexual men visited the Masterpiece Cake Shop and ordered a cake for their upcoming wedding reception. Jack Phillips (the owner) politely told them he could not bake their cake because of his religious beliefs opposing same-sex marriage. He offered to make them any other baked item.
The two men stormed out of the bakery determined to make an example out of Christian business owners like Jack Phillips. Within hours, he began to receive threatening phone calls, and some death threats along with boycotts and protests outside his store. Then came the lawsuit against him.
The irony in all of this is the fact that Colorado doesn’t even permit same-sex marriages (though it does allow civil unions). Nevertheless, Jack Phillips was charged under the state’s anti-discrimination law. He may feel that he has the First Amendment right to exercise his religion and act on his religious beliefs. The Colorado Civil Rights Division and a Colorado judge believe he must subordinate his religious beliefs to the ideological conformity of the homosexual community.
It is worth mentioning that Jack Phillips wasn’t just singling out homosexuals. As a devoted Christian, he has also refused to bake Halloween-themed items. The judge’s ruling in this case has put him in what some have called a “make or bake moment.” Either he bakes whatever someone desires, or he faces a stiff fine from the state of Colorado.
Lawyers and commentators say that a person’s religious freedom is important and even remind us that Jack Phillips doesn’t have to change his religious views. But, they add, society cannot let someone use their religious views to deny service to someone. I am waiting to see if they really believe this. Should a Jewish delicatessen be forced to serve food that is not Kosher? Should a Muslim be forced to serve food that is not halal?
The message this sends to Christian businesses is that you are free to have your religious beliefs, but you cannot apply them to your business if the state thinks your actions are discriminatory.