THE CHURCH MILITANT
Ephesians 5:11-"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them". This Christian News Blog maintains a one stop resource of current news and reports of its own related to church, moral, spiritual, and related political issues, plus articles, and postings from other online discernment ministries, and media which share the aims to obey the biblical commands to shed light on and refute error, heresy, apostasy, cults, and spiritual abuse.
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Friday, March 4, 2016
FIRST LIBERTY INSTITUTE FILING SUIT IN BEHALF OF OREGON CHRISTIANS WHO LOST BAKERY OVER RELIGIOUS RIGHTS
FIRSTLIBERTY INSTITUTE FILING SUIT IN BEHALF OF CHRISTIANS WHO LOST BAKERY OVER RELIGIOUS RIGHTS
(Friday Church News Notes, March 4, 2016, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - First Liberty Institute is appealing the case of Aaron and Melissa Klein on the basis of religious liberty and free speech. The Kleins, owners of Sweet Cakes in Oregon, were forced to pay $135,000 for refusing to bake a wedding cake for a lesbian couple. The Kleins tried to explain to the lesbians that baking their wedding cake was against their religious convictions, but instead of going to another bakery, the lesbians brought a complaint against the young Christian couple. Melissa Klein says, “My faith teaches that God designed marriage to be between a man and a woman. For me to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding would go completely against what I believe” (“The Kleins,” firstliberty.org). First Liberty Institute is appealing the case to the Oregon Court of Appeals and higher if necessary. They are joined by Boyden Gray, former White House Counsel for President George H.W. Bush, U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, and law clerk to Chief Justice Earl Warren. ________________________________________________________
State of Oregon Makes Bakers Pay $135,000 for Operating Bakery According to their Faith
First Liberty Institute is representing Aaron and Melissa Klein, owners of “Sweet Cakes by Melissa,” in a battle for the Oregon couple’s religious freedom. In 2013, two women asked the Kleins to make a cake celebrating their same-sex wedding. As devout Christians, the Kleins felt that helping celebrate the wedding would violate their faith, so they declined to make the cake—only to have the State of Oregon punish them with a $135,000 penalty and issue a gag order against them. The Kleins were forced to shut down their business. They are appealing the ruling to the Oregon Court of Appeals. First Liberty Institute and Boyden Gray (former White House Counsel for President George H.W. Bush) are serving as their appellate counsel. Oral arguments are expected later this year.
