No probably about it. A church is a voluntary organization that can, just like a private club, set its own membership criteria. So, if a bunch of racists want to claim they have a "church", there's no law stopping them from saying they have one. God has a different opinion, of course, but there's no American law stopping it.Were these folks prevented from attending worship services? Was their church closed? How were they prevented from practicing their religion, exactly?'Two Arizona Christian artists face the possibility of being jailed, in addition to being fined, after they recently refused to make invitations for a same-sex wedding.'
Ummmm...did we go to bed and suddenly wake up in Communist Russia, China, or North Korea?
Liberals have been pushing the GLBT Lifestyle on everyone as 'the norm', except it ISN'T to many Americans, especially those who have a religious objection to it. Those religious beliefs - and the practice of them - are actually PROTECTED by the Constitution:
"The Free Exercise Clause is the accompanying clause with the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause together read:
“ Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
What do the Liberal / LGBT 'Nazi's' not understand about that?!
Liberals can argue all day long about how it's discrimination, but it's not. It is one's personal religious belief, part of their faith, and THAT, again, is protected by the Constitution.
So Liberals are going to demand everyone else comply with their demands, regardless of what the Constitution says, and if the individuals refuse they are going to judicially punish them?!
This is an example of WHY we have the Constitution, why we have the Bill of Rights - to protect us from tyranny that encroaches on our personal rights!
I am NOT comparing these, but let's say in the future somehow liberals ram a law onto the books allowing Pedophilia, Bestiality, or Necrophilia? If Christians refuse to participate in any part of those, even if it has been approved by the government, will the government move to punish Christians - to jail Christians - for exercising their Constitutional Right to exercise their religion?
(-- Pretty ironic since this nation only exists because of a people who left England so they could freely exercise their religion without Government oppression, condemnation, and control.)
I understand laws against discrimination - I do, and I do support them....but I draw the line here. The Constitution clearly states, again:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
The government, however, is encroaching more and more on our rights while justifying doing so more and more. Doing so, allowing it to be done, is the start down a very dangerous road (IMO).
TOPIC:
Christian artists face jail time for refusing to make same-sex wedding invitations
SUPPORTING:
Free Exercise Clause - Wikipedia
Freedom of religion isn't just about going to church, or being able to go to church.
You want an all white church, you can probably have it. What you can't have is an all white place of business.