Laugh all you want. Call me an alarmist or a conspiracy theorist, but what is happening right now in America is nothing short of the redefinition of the Constitution. The new definition includes re-education that would make any socialist or communist proud.

I can only describe the case of Jack Phillips, a baker in Colorado, as jaw-dropping and shocking. Every time I read another account of what is happening to him I shake my head and wonder what America is going to look like in 10 years.

In case you aren’t familiar with Jack’s story, here’s a quick brief. Jack Phillips owns a bakery in Colorado. He has been doing business for 20 years and is highly respected for his artwork in deliciousness. A homosexual couple came in to his shop in 2012 and wanted a cake to celebrate their same-sex union. Jack told them he would be glad to do just about anything else, but that he could not lend his talent and services to celebrate their ceremony. They sued.

A local judge and then the Colorado Civil Rights Commission found Jack guilty of sexual orientation discrimination. But as Jack has said, he isn’t discriminating against anyone:

“I didn’t discriminate against anybody. Like Nicolle (Martin, his attorney) said, I’ve chosen not to make cakes for same-sex weddings. I told David and Charlie when they came in that I would sell them cookies and brownies and birthday cakes and shower cakes. I just don’t do the same-sex wedding cake. So I did not discriminate against them, just that event I’ve chosen not to participate in.”

Jack is right. He isn’t discriminating against anyone. He isn’t telling these people they are horrible and he wishes they would die (kind of like Westboro Baptist Church does. Why aren’t they being charged with “hate crimes”?). He isn’t refusing to do business with the homosexual couple on the basis of their sexuality. He is simply refusing to take part via his cake art in their same-sex ceremony because it would violate his religious convictions.

Now, if this couple was truly tolerant, as LGBT persons like to claim they are, they would have respected his religious beliefs and found another shop to do their cake. Oh yeah, they did find another shop to do a cake for their ceremony. But they also decided to sue Jack. Thanks for the lesson in how NOT to be tolerant.

If the story stopped with a minor penalty for Jack’s adherence to his religious convictions it would still be disturbing. But it doesn’t end there and it gets far more disturbing.

According to an article at CBN this is what the Colorado Civil Rights Commission has ordered Jack to do as a penalty for his “crime”:

“The Civil Rights Commission’s order requires Phillips and his staff to make cakes for same-sex celebrations if asked.

“He must also re-educate his staff about Colorado’s Anti-Discrimination Act. Under that law, artists must endorse all views.

“The order also requires him to put in place new policies to comply with the Commission’s order.

“In addition, he will submit quarterly “compliance” reports to the government for two years.”

I sincerely hope you did not read through that list without becoming both disturbed and angry. This is nothing short of the trampling of our Constitution, our freedom, our religious liberty, and Jack’s rights. Not to mention that this is so reminiscent of the modus operandi used by socialist and communist governments that it should be terrifying.

Notice that Jack and his staff are being ordered by the government to violate their religious convictions and make cakes celebrating same-sex “marriage.” Notice also that Jack has been ordered to “re-educate” his staff and teach them to “endorse all views.” Not to respect the right of someone to adhere to a divergent view – which is called tolerance. Not to acknowledge the existence of other views. No, they are to “endorse” all views. Jack is being told that even though his religious convictions as a Christian call homosexual behavior a sin, he is now to endorse it. He is being told to support and endorse what the Bible calls sin.

And those reports he is to submit quarterly for two years, what about those? The CBN article goes on to tell us what is supposed to be in those reports:

“According to Alliance Defending Freedom, the reports must include the number of customers declined a wedding cake or any other product. They must also include why it was declined ‘so to ensure he has fully eliminated his religious beliefs from his business.’”

Oh, hey Jack, just want to make sure you leave Jesus and your religious beliefs at home when you come to work. It’s okay for you to believe and practice your faith, just do it at home or church, not in public. Please tell me you are sufficiently outraged and angry? Please tell me you are shocked and furious over the gall of a government that would arrogantly trample the First Amendment free speech and religious freedom rights of Jack Phillips?

You must tell me you are angry and shocked because if you don’t it means you haven’t grasped how serious the situation really is. It means you are not a student of history and how the Nazi/Communist party was able to murder 6 million Jews right under the noses of the German people – many of whom didn’t know what was going on and opposed such actions when they learned of them.

Jack’s lawyer, Nicolle Martin made this comment:

“Jack’s First Amendment rights, Jack’s freedom to express himself or more importantly, not express himself, must bow to the complainants’ message. And all I can say is what that looks like to me is something very frightening, and that’s nothing more than diversity through conformity, and that’s not diversity at all.”

Frightening indeed. The government is using force and threats to coerce people into endorsing views that violate their conscience and religious convictions. If that doesn’t frighten you then you have no clue what America is about. You don’t understand just how dangerous it is to sit idly by and watch the government trample the rights of other people. If the government can force a Christian to endorse a view that violates his religious convictions what is stopping it from forcing you to endorse a view you oppose?

The issue isn’t the particular view in question, though for me, as a Christian, it is a serious issue. The issue is that the government is now openly, publicly demanding that people endorse particular views. The government is deciding what views it wants to support and now demanding that people – all people – support those views, or else. That’s not America. That’s China. That’s North Korea. That’s Nazi Germany.

Jack made a statement that should shock our senses and dignity as Americans. He said:

“It’s surprising. This is not what they taught us in civics class… they could do this to you. They do this in other countries, not here.”

Yep, other countries like China and North Korea and Nazi Germany. Not America. Until now.

Watch the video of Jack talking about his case. If the video doesn’t appear automatically, please refresh your browser.