I am curious.
Has there ever been an instance of a bakery run by Catholics refusing to make a wedding cake for a couple where one or both partners had been previously married, and gotten a divorce but never had an annullment? Or a bakery refusing to make a wedding cake for an interracial couple, or a couple of mixed religions?
Because I keep hearing about various people refusing service to gay couples (most recently, a bakery), because of “their religious beliefs”. And I just don’t buy it, because I have never heard of denying services (that aren’t inherently religious, like “use of this church” or “religious official to perform ceremony) to a couple based on the service-provider’s religion not allowing that particular marriage. Except when the couple are same-sex.
And I am sort of suspecting that, in fact, it’s not really about the religion at all. That the religion doesn’t actually prohibit baking cakes, or taking pictures, or otherwise being peripherally involved with someone else’s wedding even if you don’t consider it a “valid” wedding or marriage. And that it’s really just bigots trying to make excuses for their behavior.
But if someone could show me a case where this was done based on religious beliefs that weren’t conveniently aligned with the anti-gay bigotry that floats around, I’d be really interested in that, because it would argue that such a thing had occurred at least once.
Comments [archived]
From: Amy
Date: 2013-02-14 15:22:28 -0600
“Or a bakery refusing to make a wedding cake for an interracial couple, or a couple of mixed religions?”
… Man, where have YOU been?
Yes, that has happened. A lot. I can’t speak as to the for-realsies-why, but it’s happened.
I have a cite of other people referring to this problem.
... from a reverend, no less.