Wednesday, August 24, 2011

ACLU Sues Christians over Lesbian 'Wedding'

"How will 'gay marriage' affect you?"

If you're a Christian who desires to follow God's commands, same-sex "marriage" is proving to diminish your religious liberty with regard to the public schooling of your children, getting a job, keeping your job, as well as the freedom to own and operate a business.

For background, read ACLU Threatens Schools: Must Teach Homosexuality and then read Reject Christ, Says Univ. to Grad Student and also read Teacher Suspended for Christian Beliefs at Home as well as Homosexuals Sue IL Christians over Their Faith

-- From "ACLU Sues ‘Family-Friendly’ Inn for Refusing to Host Lesbian Wedding Reception" by Susan Jones, CNSNews.com 7/21/11

The Wildflower Inn is owned by a "devout, practicing Catholic family who believes in the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman," its Facebook page says. "We have never refused rooms or dining or employment to gays and lesbians."

The lesbian couple, Kate Baker and Ming Linsley, plan to marry in Vermont -- one of six states where homosexual marriage is legal -- this fall. Last October, Ming's mother, Channie Peters, said she contacted the Vermont Convention Bureau, looking for a place to host the reception. The Wildflower Inn in Lydonville, Vermont, was on the list.

According to the ACLU, "On November 5, Channie spoke by telephone with a representative of the Wildflower Inn to discuss details about planning the reception. During the conversation, the Wildflower Inn employee made a reference to 'the bride and groom,' and Channie clarified that the reception would involve two brides."

Shortly after getting off the phone, Channie says she received an email from an employee at the inn, telling her in part, "After our conversation, I checked in with my Innkeepers and unfortunately due to their personal feelings, they do not host gay receptions at our facility.”

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "Vermont Inn Denies Discriminating Against Same-Sex Wedding Reception" by The Associated Press 8/23/11

In a court filing Tuesday, a lawyer for Wildflower Inn owners Jim and Mary O'Reilly said that they were never told about the lesbian couple's request to hold their wedding reception and that the inn's meeting and events director wasn't authorized to reject requests from same-sex couples.

Baker and Linsley, who live in Brooklyn, said at least two other same-sex couples also were refused because of the "no-gay-reception policy" at the inn in Lyndonville, a scenic village of about 1,500 residents in the state's Northeast Kingdom, a popular recreation destination between the Green Mountains and the Connecticut River.

"We have never refused rooms or dining or employment to gays or lesbians," [the O'Reillys] said in a statement released in response to media inquiries. "Many of our guests have been same-sex couples. We welcome and treat all people with respect and dignity. We do not, however, feel that we can offer our personal services wholeheartedly to celebrate the marriage between same-sex couples because it goes against everything that we as Catholics believe in."

In their first court filing to answer the suit, the inn's owners insisted that applying Vermont's Fair Housing and Public Accommodations Act would violate their right to free speech and freedom of association by forcing them to hold "expressive events."

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read 'Gay Rights' Winning, Loss of Religious Liberty Documented - Washington Post writer demonstrates it's a "zero sum" game: Winning homosexual 'rights' means Christians must lose freedom of religion.