A pastor at the Christian Proctor Church in
Vermont, USA, has been sentenced to one year in
federal prison after refusing to marry gay couples,
according to NBC . This comes shortly after the
Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision ruling that states
must allow gay-marriage.
The Christian Pastor, 56-year-old Paul Horner,
had his lawyer speak to reporters on his behalf.
“We are currently disputing the guilty verdict
and I am confident my client will be a free
man here shortly,” said attorney Tom
Downey. “Horner was just using his best
judgement according to his rights and
religious freedom in this country.”
The Honorable Myron Danus (pictured above)
handed down the harsh sentence. “Religious
freedom goes both ways, Mr. Horner,” Danus told
a packed courtroom. “It is not your place to deny
individuals the same rights that everyone else
has, rights that were passed down and agreed
upon in a court of law, the ultimate court, the
Supreme Court. It is not your decision whether or
not you agree with the law but more importantly
that you follow it and enforce it.”
According to the criminal investigation, the
Christian Proctor Church is registered with the
state as a “religious corporation” limited to
performing “one-man-one-woman marriages as
defined by the Holy Bible.” But the church is also
registered as a for-profit business and city
officials said that means the owners must comply
with state and federal regulations.
Steve Shand president of the Vermont Family
Research Committee, said it is “open season on
Americans who refuse to bow to the
government’s redefinition of marriage.”
“Homosexuals are gay,” Shand told reporters.
“Why should Christian ministers be forced to
perform and celebrate any marriage that conflicts
with their beliefs? It’s a slippery slope my friend.
Pretty soon these same pastors will be forced to
wed animals or kitchen appliances. This is not my
America!”
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