By Heather Clark
Christian News
Justices with the Washington State Supreme Court heard on Tuesday the appeal of a florist accused of discrimination by providing a referral for a regular customer’s request for the creation of floral arrangements for his same-sex ceremony rather than fulfilling the order herself.
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson told the court that Baronelle Stutzman of Arlene’s Flowers may believe what she wishes in her heart and mind, but cannot live out her convictions when it comes to a public business.
“Ms. Stutzman for her religious expression is free to believe what she wishes,” he argued. “But when she engages in public accommodations and avails herself of the protections and benefits that come with being a business, there are of course responsibilities that flow from that.”
Ferguson compared the situation to being refused to be served at a restaurant.
“I’m Catholic, for example. If I go to a restaurant to celebrate the first communion of my young twins with my wife, the restaurant owner shouldn’t be able to say, ‘I’m sorry, Bob, we do not serve Catholics,'” he said.
But Stutzman’s attorney, Kristen Waggoner of Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) told the justices that Stutzman does not refuse to serve homosexuals. She rather could not participate in a particular event, and would have been willing to offer flowers in general outside of having to create custom arrangements, which would make her personally involved in the details of the ceremony.
“It’s undisputed that Mrs. Stutzman would be more than happy to sell pre-arranged flowers, flowers out of the cooler,” Waggoner explained. “Anything but the custom arrangement that requires intimate involvement in creating the expression itself.”
Some Christians believe that being a part of a same-sex event violates the biblical command in 1 Timothy 5:22 not to be “partakers in other men’s sins,” as well as the command in Ephesians 5:7, “Be not ye therefore partakers with them.”
Christian News article continues
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