In Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 2008, a Christian photographer was fined nearly $7,000 because she “refused to take pictures of a same-sex commitment ceremony for two women,”¹http://www.abqjournal.com/main/125575/abqnewsseeker/updated-n-m-high-court-to-hear-gay-ceremony-photo-case.html and now the New Mexico Supreme Court is reviewing the case.  The lesbians could have gone to another photographer, but no, they had to sue the Christian for exercising her views and the Christian was fined.  This means that New Mexico is trying to force a Christian to violate her conscience by trampling the Bill of Rights‘ 1st Amendment under the feet of a “civil rights” law protecting a sexual practice!  What planet are we on?

Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution.  1st Amendment says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” (emphasis added)

It is the free exercise of his or her religious beliefs for a Christian to refrain from supporting what she considers a sinful practice (homosexuality is a sinful practice, Lev. 18:22; Rom. 1:26-27).  But apparently, the freedom to express her faith as well as the freedom from governmental oppression – as supposedly guaranteed by the 1st Amendment – isn’t that clear a concept for the state of New Mexico.  Does it not have the 1st Amendment in its set of laws, or is New Mexico its own country with a separate constitution?  Apparently so, since one of its citizens is being excessively fined so as to “prohibit the free exercise” of her religious beliefs when contrasted with a lesbian couple’s sexual behavior preference.  I am reminded of Europe 400 years ago when the free expression of religion was prohibited by the state with fines and punishments.  The Founding Fathers of our country thought this injustice was important enough to mention religious freedom FIRST in the Bill of Rights.  However, in our skewed moral setting, same-sex behavior is a civil right that trumps the 1st Amendment.  What is wrong with our country?

So, back to the 1st Amendment.  The government is not supposed to make any laws establishing religion, but it sure has no problem suppressing religious freedom, especially of Christians.  So where is the separation of church and state?  Why is the state trying to force Christians to violate their conscience?  Why is the state suppressing the free expression of religion?  Why is the state imposing heavy fines against Christians?  Why is the state siding with the participants of a sexual practice over and against the freedom to express our religious views and be free from the state’s oppressive actions?  Why?  Because secularism is the new religion, and its priests are the judges and politicians of an apostate government that calls bad good and good bad.

So, here we are.  Christians are being fined for expressing and acting on their religious convictions, while same-sex-practitioners are protected by the law and allowed to suppress the rights of the believers.  It is an amazing wrong that can only get worse if we Christians don’t do something about it and fight in unison and resist the spread of ungodliness.