Bakery to Protestors: Butter Luck Next Time!
August 07, 2012 - Tuesday
America bit back on Chick-fil-A, and now a cake shop in Colorado is getting a slice of the action. If Jack Phillips's name sounds familiar, it's because the media tried to twist the knife on the local baker for turning down a same-sex "wedding" order. According to reports, the couple shouted profanity, offered a choice gesture, and stormed out. Later that day, the couple tried to smear the local businessman on Facebook. But if they thought that would frighten off Jack, they were mistaken. "We would close down that bakery before we closed our beliefs," Phillips told reporters.
Since the incident, Masterpiece Cakes has dealt with picket lines, petitions, protestors, and--to the owners' surprise--a huge spike in sales! "[On Monday], we had about twice as much business as normal. There are people coming in to support us." Positive feedback, he told the Denver Westword, outweighs the negative "100 to one." In addition to doubling orders, Jack says that people are calling or dropping by the shop just to show their encouragement. "I'm not going to change my business because of a petition," Jack told Fox News. "I'm just going to do the best I can to honor Jesus Christ."
And if the images from last Wednesday are any indication, he'll have plenty of company. Although Phillips explained that he draws the line at same-sex "weddings," he made it clear that he's happy to serve homosexuals. "If gays come in and want to order birthday cakes or any cakes for any occasion, graduations, or whatever, I have no prejudice against that whatsoever. It's just the wedding cake--not the people, not their lifestyle." Even that didn't stop the threats. Like the "tolerant" mobs who vandalized Chick-fil-As, some activists are advocating violence against the 20-year-old shop. But the strategy to silence and intimidate is backfiring for this small minority. Thanks to a few outspoken mayors, Americans are catching on to what's really at stake--and it isn't "equality!" Free speech, enterprise, and worship are all at risk.
That much was obvious in June, when Florida pastor Jack Hakimian preached two sermons on the biblical perspective of homosexuality. The school district, in which Impact Miami Church rents its space, threatened to pull the congregation's lease. "I never thought I would be penalized for teaching on Christian marriage and sexual ethics from the Bible--the very Bible that presidents swear on," Rev. Hakimian said. Fortunately, the school superintendent backed down, but only after Liberty Counsel got involved. Mat Staver's group sent a pointed letter to the district reminding Miami-Dade County Schools about a little thing called the First Amendment. In response, the church got a memo from the school district acknowledging "the constitutional right of all persons to express themselves freely."
Despite the outpouring of support for free speech last Wednesday, the attacks will keep coming. The Left may not be able to duplicate America's buying power, but it can exceed our corporate connections. Just last week, Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com, and his wife gave a $2.5 million gift to fight the Washington State marriage amendment. With one check, they doubled the money in the opposition's bank account. It was the single largest donation to same-sex "marriage" in the country--a "game-changer," some think.
Last Wednesday may have been an unforgettable picture of solidarity for America. But our work didn't end when your chicken sandwich did. It's time to harness that momentum and ride it all the way to the ballot box. Do your part. Get involved in the fight. Visit these websites to see how: Maryland Marriage Alliance, Preserve Marriage Washington, Minnesota for Marriage, and Protect Marriage Maine.
iPledge to Get Involved on September 9!
If you want to energize America, FRC has an idea. Join us on September 9 at 7:00 p.m. (EDT) for iPledge Sunday! Thousands of churches are signing on for our special evening service designed to equip your congregation for the race to Election Day. Together with Sen. Rick Santorum, Bishop Harry Jackson, and leaders from across the country, FRC will lead Americans in a call to faith, family, and freedom. If your pastor hasn't registered, log on to our iPledge website and find out how you can become a host church. You'll have access to a high-quality web stream and resources like our iVoteValues Voter Toolkit to facilitate voter registration in the church. Or, if you're unable to host the live event on September 9th but still want to participate, click here to order the iPledge Sunday DVD packet.