Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) attorney Kerri Kupec and Worldwide KFUO moderator Kip Allen discuss the case of Barronelle Stutzman during a “Free to be Faithful” program.
Stutzman, the owner of Arlene’s Flowers in Richland, Wash., was sued after she declined to provide her services for a gay marriage ceremony.
In February, Washington’s Supreme Court ruled against Stutzman and ordered her to pay penalties and attorney fees for refusing to use her God-given talent for something she believes is immoral.
ADF now looks to the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse the state court’s decision, saying the state’s ruling violates First Amendment protections.
Resources
- Last year, the LCMS joined an amicus brief for the Washington Supreme Court in support of Stutzman and the principle that the government cannot force Americans to use their abilities and vocation to perform services that violate their faith and conscience.
- Read the case details for State of Washington v. Arlene’s Flowers and Ingersoll v. Arlene’s Flowers.
- To learn more about the Synod’s religious liberty education and awareness campaign, visit lcms.org/social-issues/free-to-be-faithful.
- Alliance Defending Freedom — adflegal.org
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So the stories told by our pastor about how wrong it was for Mormon owned gas stations to refuse gas for Lutheran vans doing out reach is wrong?
We live in the area where the wedding cake was the issue much like here. Making the cake or flower arrangement is not part of the action just like the gas was not.
The difference comes when you are ask to act as a part of the event. Making of a product is not acting as a part of the event.
As a city employee we helped many churches and organizations there is a balance of not becoming part of the actual event making a cake or providing flowers is not becoming a active part of the event.
One would also like to know if they ask all customers what sins their product might be used for and refuse them.
The LCMS seems to want to be more political and less serving. The grants that were requested were great and many were left unfulfilled but an office in Washington was funded?
How did the 9-0 supreme court decision by the LCMS follow the bible? Telling an injured or way word son your not welcome back for lack of funds is biblical?
Just seems the top management needs to rethink their positions. We are not growing because we are not even keeping our young people. More babies is a thoughtless response.
Thank you for your comment. You may find it helpful to speak with your pastor so he can explain the Synod’s biblical position and convention resolutions in these matters.