I wanted to go ahead and post an update to my post called Christian Photographer Refused Gay Wedding, Lost Lawsuit where the NM State Commission ruled against a photographer who refused to shoot a non-traditional (gay) wedding because of her beliefs.
This lawsuit has now been appealed by the ADF (Alliance Defense Fund) and you can read the appeal document here. According to the ADF, they are:
ADF is a legal alliance of Christian attorneys and like-minded organizations defending the right of people to freely live out their faith.… …to protect and preserve religious liberty, the sanctity of life, marriage, and the family.
and they have now, as of July 1st, filed suit against the N.M. Commission’s ruling. In their press release, they say, in part:
The commission ruled that the company, run by a Christian husband and wife, was guilty of “sexual orientation†discrimination under state antidiscrimination laws for declining to photograph a same-sex “commitment ceremony.â€
“Christians in the marketplace should not be penalized for abiding by their beliefs anymore than anyone else should,†said ADF Senior Counsel Jordan Lorence… The commission’s decision demonstrated stunning disregard for our client’s First Amendment rights.†read the rest here…
This is a very interesting case to me. The fact that a photographer was told, by the state, they had to take a job they didn’t want because it went against their beliefs (besides a whole host of other issues at hand), is just not what this country represents.
Hopefully the appeal will go well and we will not be confirmed into a state of sexual toleration over first amendment rights and basic freedoms we have by living in this country.