Christian Filmmakers Asked a Federal Appeals Court to Suspend a Law That Would Force Them to Do This

The two Christian filmmakers who sued the state of Minnesota over a law they say forces them to use their artistic talents to promote homosexual “marriage” if they produce films that feature marriage have lost the battle.

But not the war.

They sought an injunction of the law’s enforcement while their case moved through the courts, but a federal court turned down their request and sided with the state to dismiss the case.

The Larsens have asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eight Circuit to reverse the ruling. From their legal counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom:

Specifically, the lawsuit, Telescope Media Group v. Lindsey, challenges portions of Minnesota Statutes Chapter 363. The Minnesota Department of Human Rights has construed that law to force creative professionals like the Larsens to promote objectionable messages even though they gladly serve everyone and decide what stories to tell based on the story’s message, not any client’s personal characteristics.
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“The Larsens will create films for anyone. They just cannot create films promoting every message,” the opening brief explains. “Their decision turns on what a film promotes, never who requests it. This shows the Larsens are no different from ‘a ghost-writer’ who declines to ‘write a book [concerning a person’s protected status] when the writer disagrees with the message the book would convey….’ According to the district court, that would be objecting to ‘the message of the book, not…the sexual orientation of the customer….’ Yet it refused to accept this same distinction for the Larsens.”

The U.S. Supreme Court has heard arguments in a similar case involving a Christian baker who decline to make a “wedding” cake for two homosexuals. Although the men could have bought a cake already made — or solicited a different bakery — they decided to make Jack Phillips an example and threaten his livelihood, with no thoughts of tolerating his religious beliefs while demanding tolerance of their lifestyles.

#WeGotYourBackJack

Photo credit: Alliance Defending Freedom