Christian Cake Maker Who Lost Court Case Receives Support from Gay Community Share Tweet

The Christian cake maker who was told by the Colorado Court of Appeals that he cannot refuse to make cakes for same-sex couples, says he has received support from the gay community.

Jack Phillips, who owns Masterpiece Cakeshop, refused to make a wedding cake for the marriage celebration of Charlie Craig and David Mullins, who then sued Phillips for discrimination and won the case.

Since Phillips still holds to his convictions that marriage is between one man and one woman, he can no longer make any wedding cakes in his business.

According to The Christian Post, Phillips said Masterpiece Cakeshop typically made 200-250 wedding cakes per year, so the court ruling has caused the business to suffer about a 40 percent loss.

Although it appears that Phillips is on the losing side of the debate, the baker said he has received a lot of support, not only from friends and family, but from members of the gay community.

"The other day a guy from Daytona Beach called and left a message. He said he's gay and he wanted to offer his support, and gave me his phone number to call him back," Phillips said, adding that this was just one of many such pledges of support.

Phillips said many members of the gay community told him that Craig and Mullins and others who have threatened Phillips are making the rest of the gay community “look like we’re terrorists.”

When Craig and Mullins came into Masterpiece Cakeshop looking for a wedding cake, Phillips had told them he would not make a wedding cake for them because of his religious convictions, but he would be happy to make other items for them.

Craig and Mullins stormed out of the Cakeshop and issued death threats to Phillips.

Phillips insists that, despite the controversy, he is not a hateful person.

"They don't even know me. You don't get into the birthday business and the party business if you're a hater, if you don't like people. I love people. They're all welcome to come in. There's just certain events, certain cakes that I don't make. That was one of them," he said.

In another gesture of support, a crowdfunding website has been set up for Phillips, with a goal of raising $200,000.

Photo courtesy: flickr.com

Publication date: August 21, 2015