Arizona Supreme Court gives BIG victory to wedding invitation maker against

Religious freedom in Arizona got a big victory today against a Phoenix anti-discrimination ordinance, with the Arizona Supreme Court ruling that a city cannot for a business to violate their religious beliefs:

ARIZONA CAPITOL TIMES – The Arizona Supreme Court says Phoenix cannot force owners of a business to create wedding invitations for same-sex couples.

This 4-3 decision, issued today, is nationally historic, as the U.S. Supreme Court has yet to decide on any anti-LGBT case. In the most notable instance, Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, the country’s highest court did not directly address whether civil rights lawsuits based on sexual identity could be an exception for religious-based businesses.

“The enduring strength of the First Amendment is that it allows people to speak their minds and express their beliefs without government interference. But here, the City effectively cuts off Planitiffs’ right to express their beliefs about same-sex marriage by telling them what they can and cannot say,” Justice Andrew Gould wrote for the majority.

The two women at the center of the case, who run the wedding invitation business, filed this suit against the Phoenix anti-discrimination ordinance proactively because the ordinance itself violates attacks their religious freedom:

The Arizona high court heard arguments for Brush & Nib v. City of Phoenix Jan. 22, and it took an unusually long time to reach a final decision — nearly eight months. The case came down to whether cities can force businesses to do work for those whose views, practices or lifestyles conflict with the owners’ religious beliefs. As it turns out, they cannot.

The anti-discrimination ordinance was challenged by two women who do not want to prepare custom wedding invitations and other products for same-sex nuptials.

Joanna Duka and Breanna Koski are devout Christians who believe their work is inextricably related to their religious beliefs. They strongly believe a marriage is meant to be between a man and a woman, and argue they cannot separate their beliefs from their work.

However, the two women filed a lawsuit against the City of Phoenix without ever having a complaint against them covered under the anti-discrimination ordinance.

Good for these two Christian women, striking a victory at these anti-discrimination laws before they are on the receiving end of unconstitutional discrimination. They’ve done many Christians in the state of Arizona a huge service!


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