Welcome to Breakpoint. I'm John Stone Street. Before we discuss at a very important Supreme

Court case in the future of religious freedom in America, please consider making a year-in-gift

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On Monday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in 303 creative versus Elanus, a case that

has significant implications for the future of conscience rights and the rights of free

speech. The graphic designer Lori Smith never planned to take such a high profile stand

for the First Amendment. This case will determine to what extent Americans, who reject the legal

redefinition of marriage, are able to live and work in accordance with their deeply

held beliefs. By outlining the interrelated freedoms of speech, religion, and association

and the First Amendment, the Constitution protects the rights of Americans to live, not just

believe, according to their conscience. However, in recent years, lower courts have been

increasingly unwilling to protect the conscience rights of Americans while engaging in commerce,

especially those who believe that marriage is between one man and one woman. Lori Smith

as a graphic designer in Colorado, her company creates custom websites, including for weddings.

As a creative professional, she composes tax. She chooses and creates images. She promotes

messages online. If a client asks her to express a message that violates her conscience,

Lori politely declines the job. The state of Colorado, however, decided that Lori does

not have the right to choose which messages she uses her talents to express, at least

when it comes to the definition of marriage. The state has forbidden her, for example,

from posting a notice on her website stating that she is unable to create websites that

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