Posted on 07/08/2015 4:46:20 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
I understand your point, but the cases already litigated - which are not Federal, but state or local - have already gone past any concern with licensing or regulation of marriage. Taking pictures, baking cake, or the venue for a reception have nothing to do with whether the couple is being married legally or in the sight of God.
The business owners are being fined, forced to provide service, or both, on the grounds that refusing to participate in an event celebrating homosexuality is the same as refusing to serve a black customer ... not coincidentally, the same reasoning used by Justice Kennedy in the recent SC decision. As I observed above, some of the cases originated in states where there was no licensing of homosexual “marriage” at that time.
Therefore, even if there were no state licensing or registration of marriage, I believe it is reasonable to anticipate that there would be little or no change in the status quo. Homosexuals would still demand services from businesses that did not care to participate in a celebration of homosexuality, under whatever name, and states/localities, perhaps even the Feds, would still impose sanctions based on “civil rights” reasoning.
bkmk
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.