On June 4, 2018, The United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of Christian baker Jack Phillips.
The decisive 7-2 decision found that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had indeed demonstrated hostility towards Phillips when, based on his Christian religious convictions, he had declined to bake a cake celebrating a same-sex wedding in 2012.
But while the highest court in the land may have given a nod to Jack’s right to hold and act upon his religious beliefs, liberal-owned television network ABC apparently has other ideas.
A recent episode of ABC’s politically-charged What Would You Do? featured Jack’s story, and began with actual news footage of the now-famous baker in his Masterpiece Cakeshop. After bringing viewers up to speed on the case, the show featured actors portraying an emotionally charged, highly-dramatized, and alternative version of the events--a lesbian couple requested a wedding cake, and a surly baker refused to bake it. Hidden cameras captured the reactions of the unsuspecting customers in the store, who were then interviewed by host John Quinones.
Unlike the real Jack Phillips however, who’d made it clear that he would sell Charlie Craig and David Mullens anything in the shop except for a custom-made wedding cake (which he said would violate his conscience, as a Christian cake artist holding to a Judeo Christian view of marriage), the TV baker was gruff and rude. Referencing the lesbians’ lifestyle, he used the words “appalling” and “disgusting.” At one point he told them to get out of his store because they were bothering other customers.
This naturally led to a number of angry and outraged customer reactions, which of course is the primary aim of the show.
One wonders why ABC would intentionally choose to misrepresent Jack’s actual story, which is widely known and documented, on national television. Could it be because what really happened at Masterpiece Cakeshop back in 2012--a humble baker holding firm to his religious convictions, while simultaneously being respectful of those with a differing viewpoint--doesn’t fit with the liberal anti-Christian narrative? Is it because the customers witnessing the exchange wouldn’t have had such a strong reaction, or much of a reaction at all, had they seen what Jack actually said?
Criticism of Jack Phillips by progressives has largely hinged upon the claim that he was motivated by hatred towards, and the desire to discriminate against, homosexuals. ABC now also appears committed to perpetuating this false narrative.
But according to Jim Campbell, the attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom who represented Jack, that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
“The first thing you learn when spending time with Phillips is that he cares deeply about the down and out—those who society overlooks,” Campbell wrote in The Daily Signal.“Lately, most of his days have begun with a visit from a local man experiencing homelessness. He and Phillips have struck up a fast friendship. Whenever he comes by, Phillips gives him coffee, cookies, and conversation.”
The attorney goes on to describe the rest of his day at Jack’s bakery--the gay woman who stopped by to make a purchase and voice her support, and the quiet gentleman from a local Alcoholics Anonymous group, who drops by regularly for wisdom and encouragement.
As Jim Campbell says, “The Jack Phillips that I watched that day is nothing like the caricature his opponents in court have painted.”
It’s too bad that ABC is now also out to destroy the reputation and livelihood of Christian baker Jack Phillips.