As discussed in a prior post, Worldview Academy founder Bill Jack filed a religious discrimination complaint against Azucar Bakery in Denver, Colorado, after bakery owner Marjorie Silva refused to write an anti-gay message on a Bible-shaped cake for him. Azucar Bakery was not Bill Jack's only target. KUSA 9 News reports that Jack has filed complaints against Bakery Sensual and Hateaux Pastries for refusing similar requests. Jack, who served as interim host of Kevin Swanson's Generations with Vision radio show several months ago, has made outrageous statements about LGBTQ rights, atheism, and Planned Parenthood.
Azucar Bakery now has reason to celebrate. According to the Washington Post, the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies ruled on April 3rd that Azucar Bakery was within its rights when Silva refused to put an anti-gay message on Jack's cake.
Jack was not amused. According to KUSA 9, Jack issued a statement claiming that the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA) is being used to "censor" and "coerce" Christians.
"CADA is being used to censor Christian business owners' free speech and is being used to coerce them to participate in events that violate their consciences. This is hypocrisy and unequal treatment before the law. At this most holy time on the Christian calendar, Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, it is reprehensible and demeaning that the Bible is considered an immoral, illegal book to be censored from the public arena. Therefore, I am in the process of filing an appeal with the CCRD."Bill, this was never about your faith or your scripture. No one was condemning the Bible here. Azucar Bakery is not anti-Christian, as it bakes cakes with Christian themes for events such as christenings. Your complaint fizzled because you demanded an anti-gay cake. It is your homophobia, not your Christianity, that enlightened people took issue with. Azucar Bakery was within its rights to handle your anti-gay cake request in the manner it did.
Bill, just stop. Stop launching these publicity stunts. Stop nursing the Religious Right's collective persecution complex. Stop annoying bakers with discrimination complaints. Stop conflating faith with homophobia. Find a more Christ-like way to spend your time.
(Hat tip to Friendly Atheist.)
It is Bill's right to be a completely paranoid moron with a persecution complex. Being an idiot eventually causes people to understand idiocy better which can actually reduce the incidence of idiocy. At least in public. So happy I lost my "faith" decades ago.
ReplyDeleteJono -- You've found the silver lining to this whole silly fiasco.
DeleteNot sure I can improve on Jono's comment. It does indeed require a special kind of idiocy to follow Bill's argument.
ReplyDeleteDonna -- The fundamentalist mind is a strange and confusing place, for sure.
DeleteWith all of the new 'religious freedom' bills coming into play I think we'll be seeing more of this- on all levels. Its going to be a huge mess before it ever gets better.
ReplyDeleteHeather -- Absolutely. The Religious Right will try every angle to get the law to sanction its intolerance.
DeleteThe problem for Bill and his elk is that they do not understand the cases which happened where bakeries have discriminated against homosexuals. There is a difference between refusing someone service once they have paid (or based on sexuality), and refusing to write a homophobic sentence.
ReplyDeleteIt is like asking a Christian baker to write "Jesus is not the true god", they will probably not do it.
Christian -- The subtleties of ethics were never a strong suit for Bill, his pet elk, and his ilk.
Delete" It is your homophobia, not your Christianity, that enlightened people took issue with."
ReplyDeleteBetween that gem of wisdom and Jono's astute insight, there is nothing else to say.
Agi Tater -- :)
DeleteBill has an elk?
ReplyDeleteAgi Tater -- I hope he didn't bring it into Azucar Bakery. It would have eaten the cakes.
Delete@ Agi Tater: oops, ilk.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I would not be surprised if he did have an elk.
@Christian, nothing would surprise me about Bill either. I would just feel sorry for the elk.
ReplyDelete: )