UPDATE via The Blaze:
It was a story that captured national attention last week: a Colorado baker claimed that a civil rights complaint was filed against her after she refused to make a cake that included the words “God hates gays.” But now the Christian activist who she accused of making that request is speaking out, claiming that he never asked for that specific message to be written on the cake.
Bill Jack, founder of Worldview Academy, a Christian organization, told the Christian Post that the words “God hates gays” were never part of his request of Azucar Bakery in Denver, Colorado, and that he, instead, had asked for two Bible-shaped cakes that included references to Psalm 45:7 and Leviticus 18:22, among other Bible verses.
It is true, however, that the cakes were to include an image representing his opposition to gay marriage as well as a statement that “Homosexuality is a detestable sin.”
“I requested two cakes each in the shape of an open Bible. On the first cake I requested on one page, ‘God hates sin – Psalm 45:7,’ and on the facing page, ‘Homosexuality is a detestable sin – Leviticus 18:22′,” Jack told the Christian Post. “On the second cake I requested on one page, ‘God loves sinners,’ and on the facing page, ‘While we were yet sinners Christ died for us – Romans 5:8.’”
For the record, I support gay bakers/photographers refusing to participate in celebrations that are against their personal position/conscious on gay-relationships… JUST AS I AM for Christian bakers/photographers who wish not to provide services for specific celebrations that are against their conscious or religious beliefs.
See the story here:
RPT’s Thoughts:
I don’t know anything about this guy who did this… he is the head of a Christian organization of some sort. BUT, if he were doing this to make a point, he chose poorly if in fact the phrase discussed is the one he chose. God loves gay men and women. And He wishes they would turn from their sin to the embrace of their savior… JUST like the heterosexual.
HOWEVER, that being said, to make the point and show that government intrusion into the contractual freedoms in the 1st Amendment and the business owner and costumer relations, the stronger point that would have said this in a more loving way and probably still gone to court would be something like this:
▼ God Hates Sin: Homosexual Relations are Sin.
Or you could say you are getting the cake for a gay family member with this inscription on it:
▼ “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination” ~ Leviticus 18:22
Be creative for God’s sake.
It was brought to my attention that the media may be running with a story that has been embellished a bit. (Embellished by the media and their own “pro-LGBT” leanings, or by the owner/employees of the bakery. Either way, “Lucy! ~ you gotta some splainin’ to do”.) Some articles seem to portray the Azucar Bakery’s pastry chef, Lindsay Jones, and owner, Marjorie Silva, either not remembering fully the phrase wanted on the cake or offering different versions of the same event. For instance, Out Front notes:
“He wanted us to write God hates …” she trails. “Just really radical stuff against gays.” … “He wouldn’t allow me to make a copy of the message, but it was really hateful,” Marjorie adds. “I remember the words detestable, disgrace, homosexuality, and sinners.”
Denver Eater has this:
The man filed a discrimination complaint Colorado’s Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). Silva received a letter from the agency and had to reply to it. This is her reply, in part:
I can … tell you that the customer wanted us to draw two males holding hands … with a big ‘X’ on them. I told him that we do not like to discriminate in this bakery, we accept all humans and that the message and drawing is extremely rude.
So the bakery owner may be changing her story to get more sympathy from the media who will be more-than-happy to oblige. OR, the media is making this up original phrase “God Hates Gays” up whole clothe.
~ Hat-Tip to Marco C.
The bottom line is this however, God wants everyone to turn from their sins, whether straight or gay. Sin, in fact, is not partial to any one’s tastes or proclivities. And I know dealing with my “natural man” has been a long and tough road, and will continue as such till I am standing before my savior — glorified by His finished work at Calvary and by no might of my own. Many gay persons who are religious and bow to the evidence of Jesus and Who He Is, change their lives drastically for their God. These battles create mature men and women of the faith, full of reliance on God and a growing wisdom of the grace afforded them (James 1:2-7).
“This is a free speech issue, and we support freedom of speech. It’s also a religious or conscience issue — the government should not force people to violate their core beliefs,” Johnston told the outlet. ”Just as a Christian baker should not be required to create a cake for a same-sex ceremony, this baker should not be required to create a cake with a message that goes against her conscience.”
[Note that “they” do not change their lives… they remove themselves from the equation as much as they can by allowing the Holy Spirit to indwell them and build up the “New Man” in them… this “removing oneself” from the equation is also by the might of the indwelling of this new miraculous nature that fights the old man. So by God alone are we changed.]
AGAIN, if this guy was making a point… he did so poorly and thus reduced his effectiveness to make a serious impact. Many on my side of the fence do not think well on these issues. I may even agree with their basic premise while simultaneously understanding that in their fallen nature they may not have expressed themselves as they had hoped — upon further reflection. (I can always improve in this area as well.) Nor those receiving the intended message [expressed well or not expressed well] may themselves be unregenerate in the life changing power of the Lambs blood, thus putting a worse spin or intention on what was said:
- The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so (Romans 8:7)
This re-wording I noted above would have gotten more gay men and women I am acquaintances with on board… even if they disagree with the message.
The point of the above is that it shows the bankruptcy of decisions against bakers and photographers who for religious purposes choose not to bake for same-sex wedding celebrations or take photographs for such events. Special rights creates categories of people that are not protected equally under the law. You can see how these growing number of groups are butting heads. This thinking is anathema to these United States:
LIKE the lesbian shirt company owners that are FOR same-sex marriage but realize freedom is under attack when a Christian shirt maker refused to make shirts for a gay-pride event. These two women “get it,” as do the cohorts at Gay-Patriot.
We are all adults and know the Constitutional doesn’t protect people from “personal offense.” IN OTHER WORDS, the Constitution basically says “people will be offended.” Read it… that is, READ about the First Amendment (here and here).