The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Christian baker in Colorado who refused to design a cake for a couple’s same-sex wedding, a controversial case that was widely seen as a standoff between claims of religious liberty and LGBTQ rights.
“The Colorado Civil Rights Commission’s consideration of this case was inconsistent with the State’s obligation of religious neutrality,” Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion, referring to the state authority that sided with the couple after they filed a complaint. “The reason and motive for the baker’s refusal were based on his sincere religious beliefs and convictions.”
In another part of the opinion, Kennedy wrote: “The Civil Rights Commission’s treatment of his case has some elements of a clear and impermissible hostility toward the sincere religious beliefs that motivated his objection.”
But experts and advocates noted the ruling handed down on Monday (June 4) in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission — decided in a 7-2 vote — was primarily focused on how the civil rights commission handled the case, and pushed a definitive treatment of citing religion to refuse service to LGBTQ people down the road.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg penned a dissent, joined by Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
The case dates back to 2012, when Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips told…
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