Christian Cake Makers in Oregon Ruled against by Labor Department, after Refusing to Make Cake for Gay Wedding

Aimee Herd : Jan 21, 2014
Bethany Monk – Citizen Link

"To all of you that have been praying for Aaron and I, I want to say thank you. I know that your prayers are being heard. I feel such a peace with all of this that is going on. Even though there are days that are hard and times of struggle we still feel that the Lord is in this. It is His fight and our situation is in His hands." -Aaron and Melissa Klein.

(Gresham, OR)—When Aaron and Melissa Klein, owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa, informed a couple that they would not be able to make a cake for their same-gender wedding as it went against the Klein's beliefs regarding marriage, they likely had no idea of the uproar it would cause.

The couple-business owners were just standing for what they believed to be the right thing.

Since then, however, the Kleins have had to close their physical location following threats, protests and boycotts against them; now operating the bakery online only.

Meanwhile, according to an Oregon Live report, the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) took up the issue, and found, last Friday, that Sweet Cakes by Melissa "violated the civil rights of a same-sex couple when it refused to make a cake for the women's wedding."

The Kleins responded on their Facebook page saying, "To all of you that have been praying for Aaron and [me], I want to say thank you. I know that your prayers are being heard. I feel such a peace with all of this that is going on. Even though there are days that are hard and times of struggle we still feel that the Lord is in this. It is His fight and our situation is in His hands. We received papers from BOLI yesterday and they have made their decision that we have apparently discriminated. From what we have gathered we now have to wait to find out what the fines will be within 60 days. I can't say much more but will update when I'm able to. Please continue to pray for our family. God is great, amazing and all powerful. I know He has a plan."

Last November, Friends of Religious Freedom (FRF) filed an initiative to let voters approve "protections for business owners of faith," exempting them from supporting same-gender ceremonies, according to a Citizen Link report.