Mennonite Art Gallery Owners Sue State Civil Rights Commission Over Hosting Same-Sex Marriages

A lawsuit was filed this week in an Iowa state trial court by a Mennonite couple who are seeking to prevent the Iowa Civil Rights Commission from moving ahead on a complaint that the couple refused to host a same-sex wedding ceremony in their art gallery in violation of the ban on discrimination in public accommodations.  The complaint (full text) in Odgaard v. Iowa Civil Rights Commission, (IA Dist.Ct., filed 10/7/2013) explains that the art gallery is housed in a former Lutheran Church building.  The primary revenue source for the Odegaard's gallery (a sole proprietorship) is planning, facilitating and hosting wedding ceremonies in the former sanctuary of the church building which still retains its original stained glass windows. The Odegaards allege that their "religious beliefs forbid them from planning, facilitating, or hosting wedding ceremonies that contradict their religious understanding of marriage."  In addition to alleging that requiring them to either host same-sex weddings or stop hosting all weddings violates religious exercise and free speech provisions of the state and U.S. constitutions, plaintiffs also rely on a provision in the state Civil Rights Act providing that the Act "shall not be construed to allow marriage between persons of the same sex...." Becket Fund announced the filing of the lawsuit, and Christian Post reports further on the suit.