A baker at the center of a discrimination lawsuit headed to the Supreme Court believes he’s got Jesus in his corner.
Jack Phillips, the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood, Colorado, appeared on “The View” with his attorney to discuss his refusing to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, Dave Mullins and Charlie Craig, in 2012.
“I serve everybody all the time but I don’t make every cake for every event that’s required,” Phillips told the hosts of “The View” late last week. “It’s a difficult thing to be in my position and know that somebody is requesting something that I can’t in good conscience do.”
After Phillips denied the couple service, they took him to court. In 2015 the Colorado Court of Appeals returned a unanimous decision against Phillips, which relied in part on the Supreme Court’s June 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
The Supreme Court initially refused to consider an appeal from Phillips but agreed late last month to finally consider its merits.
Phillips, who says he also will not create other cakes that go against his faith ― including “adult-themed” cakes, Halloween cakes, anti-American cakes and any cake that would “disparage somebody” ― told the hosts of “The View” he isn’t anti-gay, he just does not support same-sex marriage.
“I believe the Bible clearly teaches marriage is between one man and one woman,” Phillips said. “I’m not judging these two gay men who came in. I’m just trying to preserve my right as an artist to decide which artistic endeavors I’m going to do and which one’s I’m not.”
“The View” host Paula Faris challenged Phillips’ stance by asking what Jesus would do in his situation.
“Would Jesus have made the cake? I don’t believe he would have, because that would have contradicted the rest of the Biblical teaching,” Phillips told Faris. “I don’t believe that Jesus would have made the cake if he had been a baker.”
Joy Behar, who at one point during the discussion snapped at an audience member who applauded after every comment Phillips made, offered a powerful response to Phillips. “Come on — Jesus would have made the cake,” she said. “You can believe the Bible and everything but Jesus — that’s a deal breaker. Jesus is gonna make the cake.”
Phillips, who has since stopped making wedding cakes altogether to avoid creating them for all couples, remained adamant that his case is about artistic freedom and that he welcomes gay people in his store.
“These two gentlemen are welcome in my store today, they’re welcome in my store every day — I welcome everybody that comes in,” he said. “I don’t make every cake for every event.”
The Supreme Court’s decision in the Masterpiece Cakeshop lawsuit is expected next year. Many LGBTQ people fear that the recent addition of conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch to the Court does not bode well for queer rights cases.
