Remember the two bakeries in Oregon who declined to make wedding cakes for two same-sex weddings due to their deeply held religious beliefs (Gresham’s Sweet Cakes by Melissa, Hood Rivers’ Fleur Cakes)? And by doing so got in trouble for violating an Oregon statute that makes it illegal for businesses to turn away customers based on race, religion or sexual orientation?
Well… Portland’s Williamette Week reporters wanted to see what other “deeply held religious beliefs” would cause the bakers to turn away business. As it turns out, not many.
The reporters made undercover inquiries asking for price quotes on some other “celebrations” that Christians may frown upon (divorces, unmarried parents, stem-cell research, pagan solstice parties…). Here are a couple of the responses.
Baby Out of Wedlock
WW Asks – I’m shopping around for a nice baby shower cake for my friend. It’s her second baby with her boyfriend so I’m not looking for anything too big or fancy—probably enough to serve 15 to 20 people.
Sweet Cake says – “We have a sheet cake that will feed 30, or a 10-inch cake that would feed 30 people. The 10-inch cake is $50 and the sheet cake is $52. Or we have an 8-inch cake that would feed 15 for $40.”
Fleur says – Prices vary based on decoration and frosting, but a basic cake is $3 per serving.
Divorce Party
WW Asks – My friend is getting divorced and we’d like to throw her a little party to mark the start of her new life. Do you ever write messages on those—we’d want it to say “congratulations!”—and how much would it be for a cake that could serve about eight people?
Sweet Cake says – “A 10-inch is $29.99. That should probably do it….We can definitely do something like that.”
Fleur says – “The price for a 10-inch cheesecake is $36 and up. So it’ll be between $36 and $45, but you’re going to have to call in advance because my schedule for June and July is very busy.”
WWeek adds: “We later contacted both bakeries to ask about these inconsistencies. Regentin of Fluer Cakes declined to comment beyond asking whether she had been taped (she had not). Sweet Cakes owners Melissa and Aaron Klein were upset that we ‘would even try to entrap a business’ and contacted conservative talk-show host Lars Larson.”
(via Instinct)
