In yet another example of state lawmakers waging war against religious beliefs, owners of a video production company have been forced to file suit against a Minnesota law they say could punish them if they decline to film a same-sex “wedding” ceremony or to state their objections in promotional materials.
“Filmmakers shouldn’t be threatened with fines and jail simply for disagreeing with the government,” said attorney Jeremy Tedesco, senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, the legal group supporting them. “Every American – including creative professionals – should be free to peacefully live and work according to their faith without fear of punishment.”
The owners said they wished to conduct wedding business but wanted to make it clear on their website and other promotional materials that their company “cannot make films promoting any conception of marriage that contradicts its religious beliefs that marriage is between one man and one woman, including films celebrating same-sex marriages.”
They contend that current law would compel them to produce videos “promoting a conception of marriage that directly contradicts their religious beliefs.” The owners have stated that they would also decline to convey messages promoting racism or racial division, sexual immorality, the degradation of women or the destruction of unborn children.
For the record, Minnesota law bars the denial of wedding services like cake decorating, wedding planning, or other commercial activities by “individuals, nonprofits or the secular business activities of religious entities.” Penalties for violating the law include payment of a civil fine, triple compensatory damages, punitive damages up to $25,000, a criminal penalty of up to $1,000 and a possible 90 days in jail.
In what can only be an example of entrapment, State officials can use “testers” who pose as potential customers to investigate discrimination complaints. The tactic in 2014 resulted in a settlement with a venue that was accused of refusing to host a same-sex wedding.
Defenders of the couple characterized the matter as a question of artistic freedom. “The Larsens can’t publicly depict stories about the exclusive benefits of marriages between one man and one woman because Minnesota officials have categorically stated that conducting business in this way would violate the law,” charged Caleb Dalton, legal counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom. “The problem with this is that the government must allow artists the freedom to make personal decisions about what content they will create and what content they won’t create.”
State legislatures continue wage war against traditional religious beliefs and values. Yet, where are the Christian voters who continue to put such despicable lawmakers into office.
Isn’t it time that those who profess moral values exert their political power and oust these assailants from public office?
Sadly, the complacency of the Christian community, and the Catholic community especially, is staggering. To be silent in the face of such evils is to consent to their malevolence.
May the Church re-discover its moral outrage and have the courage to speak out against lawmakers who are so resolute in their attack against religious belief and practice. The sooner these anti-religious social engineers and culture warriors are ousted from office the better.
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