Montgomery Foundation Comes to Defense of Christian Bakery: John Eidsmoe
The Foundation for Moral Law, a Montgomery nonprofit corporation dedicated to the defense of the Constitution as written and intended by its Framers and to the free exercise of religion, came to the defense of Masterpiece Cakeshop as it takes its appeal to the United States Supreme Court.
Masterpiece Cakeshop, a Colorado bakery, regularly sells pastries to people of different sexual orientations, but when asked to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding, the owners declined because of their religious convictions against same-sex marriage. The gay couple filed a complaint, and the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled that Masterpiece must fulfill their request. Masterpiece has appealed to the United States Supreme Court, and the Foundation has filed an amicus brief urging the High Court to hear the case and rule for Masterpiece.
Foundation President Kayla Moore said concerning the case, “The owners of Masterpiece Cakeshop have shown great courage in standing for their convictions, and the Foundation is proud to stand with them. We pray that the High Court will agree that America is still a land that values the free exercise of religion.”
Foundation Senior Counsel John Eidsmoe added, “Like photography, wedding cake decoration is an art-form and therefore protected by the Free Speech Clause as well as the Free Exercise of Religion Clause of the First Amendment. These are explicit First Amendment protections, and they should not be eclipsed by a so-called right that is only a later creation of the Courts. I agree that hate is not a family value, but we need to remember that moral conviction is not hatred.”