State drops latest attack on Christian baker
Evidence revealed deeply entrenched anti-religious bias by among state officials
Published: 8 hours ago
Bob Unruh

Jack Phillips, owner of the Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood, Colorado, cited conflicting religious beliefs when he declined in July 2012 to bake a cake for a gay couple’s wedding reception (Photo: Twitter/Alliance Defends)

Colorado’s Civil Rights Commission is dropping its latest prosecution of Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips, who last year won his case at the U.S. Supreme Court over his refusal to promote same-sex marriage through his artistry because of his Christian beliefs.

The commission launched the second case after Phillips declined to fulfill a request to provide a cake with pink on the inside and blue on the outside to promote a “gender transition.”

His lead lawyer, Kristen Waggoner of the Alliance Defending Freedom, said that with Colorado’s dismissal of its second case, the state is “stopping its six and a half years of hostility toward [Phillips] for his beliefs.”

“Jack’s victory is great news for everyone. Tolerance and respect for good-faith differences of opinion are essential in a diverse society like ours,” she said. “They enable us to peacefully coexist with each another. But the state’s demonstrated and ongoing hostility toward Jack because of his beliefs is undeniable.”

In its first case against Phillips, the commission ordered him to undergo reindoctrination for allegedly violating its nondiscrimination law.

Throughout the dispute, Phillips has explained he would provide a cake to any customers, but will not include a message that violates his religious beliefs.

The Supreme Court cited the hostility toward Phillips’ faith exhibited by commission member Diann Rice when Phillips’ first case came before the body. The commission operated in recent years under the supervision of Gov. John Hickenlooper, who declared his candidacy for the Democratic Party presidential nomination this week.

Rice compared Phillips to a Nazi: “I would also like to reiterate what we said in the hearing or the last meeting. Freedom of religion and religion has been used to justify all kinds of discrimination throughout history, whether it be slavery, whether it be the Holocaust, whether it be – I mean, we – we can list hundreds of situations where freedom of religion has been used to justify discrimination. And to me it is one of the most despicable pieces of rhetoric that people can use to – to use their religion to hurt others.”

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Alliance Defending Freedom lawyers also filed a lawsuit on behalf of Phillips against the state for its ongoing and open “hostility” to religious freedom.

Among the new factors that likely played a role in the decision to drop the second case were revelations that a civil rights commissioner called Phillips a “hater” online,” another commissioner expressed concern about “anti-religious bias on the commission” and two other commissioners endorsed Rice’s remarks.

“We’re pleased that the state will be dismissing its case against Jack,” said Waggoner. “This is the second time the state has launched a failed effort to prosecute him. While it finally appears to be getting the message that its anti-religious hostility has no place in our country, the state’s decision to target Jack has cost him more than six-and-a-half years of his life, forcing him to spend that time tied up in legal proceedings.”

We hope that the state is done going along with obvious efforts to harass Jack,” added ADF Senior Counsel Jim Campbell. “He shouldn’t be driven out of business just because some people disagree with his religious beliefs and his desire to live consistently with them. We look forward to the day when Jack doesn’t have to fear government punishment for his faith or harassment from people who oppose his beliefs

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https://www.wnd.com/2019/03/state-drops-...hristian-baker/

Quote: Cincinnatus wrote in post #2

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For now.

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