Read the following article:
http://time.com/5301461/colorado-baker-jack-phillips-supreme-court-gay-marriage-cake/
If you would like, do some extra research into the situation (be sure to use reliable sources!).
Do you think this situation falls under the category of “religious freedom”?
- 275-305 words
- REQUIRED: MLA FORMATTING INCLUSIVE OF WORKS CITED
Then, respond each of the two example:
Example 1:
The article stated that the Colorado baker who went to the United States Supreme Court over his refusal to build a wedding cake for a same-sex couple stated that he is not prejudiced against LGBTQ people and that he serves everyone who goes into his shop. After reading the whole article, I believe that this situation does not fall under religious freedom because it is unethical to discriminate against people.
Firstly, Religious freedom protects people’s right to live, speak, and act according to their beliefs peacefully and publicly. It ensures that they can be themselves at work, in class, and in social situations. The “right to worship” in a synagogue, church, or mosque is only one aspect of religious freedom. It ensures that in order to conform to culture or government, they do not have to compromise their essential principles and beliefs (What You Need to Know About Religious). The Colorado baker who went to the United States Supreme Court over his refusal to build a wedding cake for a same-sex couple stated that he is not prejudiced against LGBTQ people and that he serves everyone who goes into his shop. He told NBC’S Today show that he doesn’t create cakes for every occasion. However, his history showed that his Cakeshop became a symbol of discrimination for many in the LGBTQ community when refused to make David Mullins and Charlie Craig a wedding cake in 2012 (Calfas). I also did further research about his history of discrimination, and I found another article saying “A Colorado Baker Is Fined for Refusing To Make A Cake For A Transgender Woman.” Phillips, a Colorado baker who won a partial victory in the United States Supreme Court in 2018 for refusing to make a wedding cake for same-sex marriage, violated the state’s anti-discrimination legislation by refusing to produce a birthday cake for a transgender lady (Zalubowski). “The anti-discrimination rules are intended to ensure that people of our society who have been historically treated unfairly, who have been deprived of even the most basic right to access businesses to buy things, are no longer considered as ‘others,” Jones said. Court-ordered Phillips to pay a $500 fine. The maximum fine for each violation of Colorado’s Anti-Discrimination Act is $500 (Zalubowski).
In conclusion, everyone should be treated equally, and people like Phillips have to change their minds about discriminating against others. I understand that people have religious beliefs, but it doesn’t mean that they have the right to treat other people differently.
Works cite:
Calfas, Jennife. “Colorado Bakery Owner Insists He’s Not Biased Despite Going to Supreme Court Over Cake for Gay Couple.” 5 June 2018. Time. Document. 4 May 2022.
“What You Need to Know About Religious.” 1 December 2018. Heritage. Document. 4 May 2022.
Zalubowski, David. “A Colorado Baker Is Fined For Refusing To Make A Cake For A Transgender Woman.” 17 JUne 2021. npr wNYC. Document. 4 May 2022.
Example 2:
Religious freedom, according to the United State’s Constitution, is the right to “think, express and act upon what you deeply believe” (The Church of Jesus Christ). This gives those in America the right to act based upon the religion and what those beliefs entail. In the case of Jack Phillips, a colorado baker who refused to sell a wedding cake to a gay couple, his situation did infact fall under religious freedom. Phillips is supporting his decisions on the heavy influence that religion has on a wedding. A wedding is a sacred vow under God and has been proven to be only the joining together of man and woman, not a man and a man or a woman and a woman. This refusal to sell the wedding cake to this gay couple falls under his strict beliefs relating directly to his religion. In terms of religious freedom, Phillips was properly following the philosophy/ right. The proper practice of religious freedom entails: “respect the religious beliefs of others and the beliefs and opinions of those with no religion. Be civil in your conversations and interactions” (The Church of Jesus Christ). Phillips did not base his opinion on their religious beliefs in being in a gay couple, he respected their decision/religious beliefs or lack thereof to be in a gay couple. There is no account of Phillips disparaging the couple or him telling the two that they are wrong, he solely refused to sell them a wedding cake. He even “offered to make Mullins and Craig other desserts for their wedding” (Calfas). He solely refused a specific order of a wedding cake because of what it symbolizes and how that relates to religion directly, and in his case goes against his beliefs. The couple taking Phillips to court is actually a case of the gay couple not acknowledging Phillips’ right of religious freedom, as granted by the constitution; the two did not act in good practice as they were not respecting the religious right of Phillips.
Works Cited
Calfas, Jennifer. “Colorado Bakery Owner Insists He’s Not Biased Despite Going to Supreme Court Over Cake for Gay Couple.” Time, 5 June 2018, time.com/5301461/colorado-baker-jack-phillips-supreme-court-gay-marriage-cake.
“What Is Religious Freedom?” Newsroom.Churchofjesuschrist.Org, 16 May 2013, newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/official-statement/religious-freedom.