Originally posted on October 31, 2017
Carl and Angel Larsen are film makers. Their company, Telescope Media Group, “exists to glorify God through top-quality media production.”
Consistent with their faith, Carl and Angel sought to begin project telling stories about marriage. As people of faith, Carl and Angel believe that marriage should between one man and one woman. And the film project that they set out to do reflected their faith. On the Alliance Defending Freedom website it says, “But a Minnesota law states that if they tell stories about marriage between one man and one woman, they must also tell stories about same-sex marriage. If they decline to do so, they face fines and even jail time.”
Let me interpret that. If the Larsens make a film celebrating traditional marriage (marriage between one man and one woman), Minnesota law demands that they also include in this film stories celebrating same-sex marriage. If they make a film without including same sex marriages, they are subject to a fine (up to $25,000) and imprisonment (up to 90 days in jail).
The Larsens are presently fighting this in court and are represented by Alliance Defending Freedom (This is the same organization that represented our church, Bronx Bible Church, in our Right to Worship battle in NYC six years ago). You can learn more about the Larsen’s story at:
I am glad that the Larsens have a legal team behind them. That is a start. But court action alone rarely changes public opinion. And it doesn’t always end favorably. Here is what I would LOVE to see. I wish that the Larsens would make their film celebrating marriage between one man and one woman. Make it NOW. Let the state of Minnesota fine them. Let them put Carl Larsen in prison. Let the voters in Minnesota see this play out as authorities lock up this good man; this father of eight children! Then watch as the decent people of Minnesota are outraged and calling their state legislators. And then watch the legislators of Minnesota scramble to see how fast they can change this ridiculous, unconstitutional law.
Clearly this is a new kind of bigotry–bigotry toward Christians!