Franklin Graham lauds Texas Christian bakers for standing firm in faith despite threats from LGBT activists

Lorraine Caballero Thursday, March 03, 2016

Franklin Graham speaks during a tour of the Billy Graham Library before a dedication service on the campus of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in Charlotte, North Carolina, May 31, 2007. | REUTERS / Chris Keane

Rev. Franklin Graham has lauded Texas Christian bakers Edie and David Delorme, who have faced anger and abuse from the LGBT community after turning down an order for a same-sex wedding cake.

In a post on Facebook, Franklin Graham expressed his disappointment at society's acceptance of what is considered wrong in the sight of God. The evangelist also praised the Texas couple for standing up for their faith and encouraged other Christians to stop by the bakeshop to encourage them, Christian Today reports.

On Feb. 17, Ben Valencia and Luis Marmolejo turned up at the Kern's Bake Shop to order a cake for their upcoming same-sex wedding. However, they went to the press and accused the Delormes of discriminating against them after the bakery refused to accept their order.

The Delormes have been flooded with threats and hate messages after the story was published. Some posted negative reviews of the Kern's Bake Shop on Yelp and called the owners "racist criminals" and "homophobic," according to Breitbart.

For the Texas-based Christian bakers, who are members of a Baptist church, running their business according to their faith is their priority. The bakery has a long-standing policy to refuse to cater to businesses that might run in conflict with their Christian beliefs. This includes cakes with tobacco, alcohol, and "risqué" designs, the report explains.

The Delormes have explained that they do not turn away gay customers, but they will not accept orders for a wedding cake for same-sex weddings because they believe the ceremony is sinful. Their recent run-in with the LGBT community has caused David to question the way society tolerates homosexuals but threatens Christians for wanting to follow their beliefs.

"There's something wrong with that. Homosexuals have a right to live their lives," said David. "... But we want to live and practice our faith and run our bakery in a way that honors God."

Meanwhile, the Texas-based Christian bakers have received a lot of encouragement from the commenters on Rev. Franklin Graham's Facebook post. As of now, no charges have been filed against the Delormes, but the couple has decided to seek legal counsel to prepare for a potential lawsuit.