Christian Right Coalesces Around Lawless Oregon Bakery

In his Christian Post piece, Michael Brown seems to summarize anti-gay conservative Christian thought on the closure of that Oregon bakery: The Gay Bullies Strike Again. Whether it is Matt Barber, Charisma or Focus on the Family; the story is the same. A Christian business was victimized by evil homosexuals. In some quarters the accepted fiction is that the bakery closed due to violent threats.

Some of these people actually believe what they are spouting. However, for most, this is a cynical exercise intended to gain support for slowing down the progress of LGBT equality. According to them, it is a zero-sum proposition. The more rights they give to the gays, the fewer rights they have as Christians.

Sweet Cakes by Melissa in Gresham, Oregon is now part of the Christian Victimization Inventory. Every time some locale seeks to pass a non-discrimination ordinance that includes sexual orientation, conservative Christian opponents will trot out “the Oregon bakery that was forced to close.” The Inventory includes about a dozen cases over the last few years of so-called “Christian businesses” whose owners have two fallacious things in common:

1. The belief that they are doing God's work and;
2. The notion that religion is a license for a public accommodation to discriminate.

The facts will become irrelevant; The bakery chose to close the store but remains in business. Even the legal principle will become irrelevant; Anti-discrimination laws affecting public accommodations cannot include exemptions for “sincerely held religious belief®” and still be effective. The fact that it is settled law will be irrelevant. It's the talking point that is important. The Christian right doesn't seem very interested in doing right. They see themselves as warriors for Christ doing battle with heathens. If that requires manipulating the facts a bit that's OK — it is for the Lord.

Lost in the cynicism is the fact that the real victims are the gay couple who were denied service. It is a terrible thing to be told "we don't serve your kind here." Sure, they found another baker but that's not the point. When you are told that you are not worthy of goods or services, it takes a toll on one's psyche.

While our consternation was non-violent it was certainly energetic. That bakery was going to pay a price for discriminating against a lesbian couple. Apparently, that is precisely what happened.

…those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same. Job 4:8.

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