| Thursday, April 17, 2008 |
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| Written by Kevin Boling | ||
| Thursday, 17 April 2008 | ||
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The Abuse of Anti-Discrimination Laws
The Apostle Paul speaking to the Ephesians instructed them to, “…have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Eph. 5:11). Ever since the Apostle penned those words, Christians have sought to implement that teaching in their daily lives. That practice (of separation from the promotion of wicked activities) however, is becoming more and more difficult in our ultra-tolerant society.
A good case in point is the New Mexico commission ruling against a Christian photographer. The commission found an Albuquerque photography company, run by a Christian husband and wife, guilty of “sexual orientation” discrimination under state anti-discrimination laws for declining to photograph a same-sex “commitment ceremony.”
A same-sex couple asked the owner of Elaine Photography in Albuquerque, to photograph a “commitment ceremony” that the two women wanted to hold in a nearby town. It should be noted that neither marriage nor civil unions are legal between members of the same sex in New Mexico.
The owner declined because her and her husband’s Christian beliefs are in conflict with the message communicated by the ceremony. The same-sex couple filed a complaint with the New Mexico Human Rights Commission, accusing Elaine Photography of discrimination based on sexual orientation. The commission held a one-day trial in January. On April 9th the commission issued an order finding that Elaine Photography engaged in “sexual orientation” discrimination prohibited under state law and ordered it to pay $6,637.94 in attorneys’ fees to the two women who filed the complaint.
Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund say they will appeal a ruling by the New Mexico Civil Rights Commission because of its “stunning disregard” for the First Amendment.
“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 Constitution prohibits the state from forcing unwilling people to promote a message they disagree with and thereby violate their conscience. The government cannot make people choose between their faith and their livelihood. Could the government force a vegetarian videographer to create a commercial for the new butcher shop in town? American business owners do not surrender their constitutional rights at the marketplace gate.”
On today’s edition of the “Calling For Truth” Radio Program, we will speak with ADF Senior Counsel Jordan Lorence about this case specifically and about some of the other ramifications of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).
To listen to the program, click on the words, “Read more”
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