Two Christian women from Phoenix, Arizona have been threatened with jail time and heavy fines after they refused to create custom artwork to promote gay “weddings.”
The Arizona Court of Appeals ruled that Joanna Duka and Breanna Koski, owners of Brush & Nib Studio, are required by Phoenix law to create artwork for same-sex wedding ceremonies because they “cannot discriminate against potential patrons based on sexual orientation.”
According to Life Site News, “Not only are the Christian women threatened with jail time and fines should they refuse to create artwork celebrating gay ‘marriage’ because of Phoenix law, they could also be prosecuted for publishing a statement on their website explaining that their religious convictions prohibit them from doing so.”
The Court of Appeals ruled that Duka and Koski’s case was “one of a blanket refusal of service to the LGBTQ community,” despite the fact that the women were willing to serve any customer regardless of “sexual orientation.”
As Christians, the women declined to produce custom messages endorsing events that violated their religious convictions, however the court ruled that their artistic services were not “entitled to First Amendment free speech protections.”
Alliance Defending Freedom lawyer Jonathan Scruggs, who represented the women, said in a statement: “Artists shouldn’t be forced under threat of fines and jail time to create artwork contrary to their convictions.”
“The court’s decision allows the government to compel two artists who happily serve everyone to convey a message about marriage they disagree with. This contradicts basic freedoms our nation has always cherished.”