A Christian couple in Texas with devout religious beliefs who own a bakery and refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple said they received a threatening phone call that warned their house would be burned down and their 17-year-old son harmed.
Edie and David Delorme own Kern's Bake Shop in Long View, Texas. On Feb. 17, Ben Valencia and Luis Marmolejo came to the shop and asked to buy a cake for their wedding, The Blaze reported.
When Edie realized it was for a same-sex wedding, she politely refused, according to Christianity Today.
"We don't do cakes that might conflict with our spiritual convictions," she told Fox News. "It was not something personal against the two young men. We just need to be able to run our business in a way that honors God."
The Delormes reportedly are members of a local Baptist church.
"She (Edie) said, 'I'm sorry, but we don't make same-sex wedding cakes, but here's a list of other bakers in the area who would most likely be able to meet your needs. It was pretty civil. The gentleman said, 'Okay' and left," said First Liberty Institute lawyer Michael Berry.
A few days later, the Delormes were informed by a local newspaper reporter that Valencia and Marmolejo were publicly accusing them of discrimination.
Harassment and threats poured in, including vile posts on the bakers' Facebook and Yelp pages.
"Our son got a call where they threatened to burn our house down and violate him with a broken beer bottle. That was probably the worst," Edie said. The couple also have an eight-year-old daughter, reports Fox News.
"The Delormes property has been damaged. They've experienced minor vandalism at their home, including their mailbox being destroyed. We reported both the vandalism and the threats they have received to the Harrison County Sheriff. The Sheriff's office sent a deputy to talk to the Delormes and they are now patrolling the area to make sure no additional acts are perpetrated against the Delormes," Berry told LifeSite News.
The Christian bakers said they do not want to discriminate against same-sex couples but that they have to follow their religious beliefs. In the past, they said they also have consistently refused to bake alcohol, tobacco, gambling, or risqué-themed cakes.
"Americans value and protect our freedoms, especially freedom of expression and religious liberty," said Berry. "For America to remain free and prosperous, we must secure the rights of small business owners to operate their businesses according to their beliefs."
David Delormes said they "try to live scripture every day. Our faith is who we are."
