En domstol har avgjort at den kristne eieren av Tastries Bakery i California handlet lovlig da hun nektet å lage en bryllupskake til et lesbisk par og i stedet henviste dem til et annet bakeri, med henvisning til hennes oppriktige religiøse tro på at ekteskapet er ment å være mellom en mann og en kvinne.
Catharine «Cathy» Millers «eneste motivasjon, til enhver tid, var å handle i samsvar med hennes oppriktige kristne tro om hva Bibelen lærer om ekteskap», skrev Kern County-dommer Eric Bradshaw i dommen, rapporterte The Bakersfield Californian lørdag.
The Cristian post skriver videre:
“That motivation was not unreasonable, or arbitrary, nor did it emphasize irrelevant differences or perpetuate stereotypes,” the judge added, concluding that the state’s Department of Fair Housing and Employment failed to prove Miller intentionally discriminated against Eileen and Mireya Rodriguez-Del Rio five years ago in violation of California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act.
“It’s been a long five years,” Miller was quoted as saying. “I’m hoping that in our community we can grow together … and we should understand that we shouldn’t push any agenda against anyone else.”
On Facebook, the bakery wrote, “We appreciate your prayers and support as we joyfully continue to do business with you in the future.”
The Thomas More Society, which supported Miller in the lawsuit, called it “a First Amendment victory.”
“There’s a certain irony there, that a law intended to protect individuals from religious discrimination was used to discriminate against Cathy for her religious beliefs,” said Paul Jonna, Thomas More Society Special Counsel and partner at LiMandri & Jonna LLP.
“Cathy believes in the Bible,” noted Jonna, noting that Miller was “harassed by opposing attorneys for her adherence to its teachings.”
In February, State Attorney Gregory Mann asked Miller, “Do you try to follow everything that the Bible says?” Miller responded, “I do my best, but I’m a sinner, but I do my best.” Mann then asked, “Do you follow some of the eating practices from the Old Testament in terms of not eating pigs, not eating shellfish, et cetera?”
