WASHINGTON – The Colorado Court of Appeals ruled today that a Colorado cake shop violated the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act when it refused to sell a wedding cake to a same-sex couple. Most importantly, the court ruled that the cake shop’s refusal to serve a same-sex couple was not a protected form of religious expression. Following this ruling, Rabbi Jack Moline, executive director of Interfaith Alliance, released this statement:

“Today’s victory is an affirmation of the vision of religious freedom that Interfaith Alliance, and many others, champions. The First Amendment is the basic compact of our society: each of us is granted the freedom to worship as we see fit, each of us must respect the right of others to do otherwise. Religious freedom is not a license to discriminate, religious freedom is not the ability to opt out of laws you find disagreeable.

“Too many on the Religious Right have tried to argue otherwise. Most recently Russell Moore, of the Southern Baptist Convention, has exploited his community’s fears that increased legal protections for the LGBT community will jeopardize church autonomy and individual conscience. These opponents of religious freedom seem to believe in the sanctity of their own First Amendment rights while blatantly ignoring, if not outright violating, the rights of others. They want all of the freedom, with none of the responsibility that the constitution demands. In short, they want to have their cake and eat it too.

“I hope that today’s victory is a rebuke to those efforts to debase religious freedom into a sectarian, partisan agenda.”

Interfaith Alliance is a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information visit interfaithalliance.org.