Pastors Could Begin Facing Prison Time For Refusing To Wed Gay Couples
Pastors Could Begin Facing Prison Time For Refusing To Wed Gay Couples
An Idaho couple who are the pastors of a local wedding chapel may be heading to court after being told that they could face prison time for refusing to wed same-sex couples.
Although Donald and Evelyn Knapp have been marrying couples at their Hitching Post Wedding Chapel in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho for around 25 years, they could soon find themselves imprisoned if they refuse to betray their beliefs.
The ordained ministerial couple’s troubles began when the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down Idaho’s constitutional marriage amendment that defined marriage as being solely between one manand one woman because it was deemed discriminatory.
The city officials decided to enforce the new non-discrimination statute to include any businesswho refused to serve anyone on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity. This included ministers who refused to conduct same-gender marriages because it went against their Biblical beliefs, hence the threat
Although the Knapp’s, who have been married for 47 years, knew of this statute, they still refused to conduct a same-gender wedding when approached to do so by a couple on Friday. They stated that they could not go against their religious convictions by taking part in something that was obviously against the teachings of the Bible, even if the government said it was illegal not to do so.
Believing that their First and 14th Amendment rights are being violated, the Alliance Defending
