Gay Man To Help Christian Bakers Pay Off $150K Discrimination Fine

A proponent of same-sex marriage is seeking to raise money for a Christian couple who refused to bake a cake for a same-sex couple back in January 2013 and are now facing a $150,000 fine.

Aaron and Melissa Klein of Sweet Cakes by Melissa bakery in Oregon were reportedly fined $150,000 when they refused to bake a wedding cake for a lesbian couple due to their Christian beliefs. Now, according to The Blaze, Matt Stolhandske, a board member of Evangelicals for Marriage Equality, has started an online fundraiser to help the Kleins pay off their fine.

Stolhandske's group claims to be a group of Christians that support the legalization of same-sex marriage.

The board member of the group explained in a recent Washington Post op-ed why he is choosing to raise money for the Klein couple.

"As a gay man, I should hate Melissa and Aaron Klein," Stolhandske said. "I'm also an evangelical Christian. I can't understand why Klein or any other Christians twist the words of Jesus Christ to justify this behavior. To me, it's a deeply harmful and embarrassing bastardization of our faith."

Stolhandske goes on to write that although he disagrees with the Kleins, he is attempting to show them unconditional love by helping them raise money to pay the fine. He also said that he does not want to see the Oregon couple and their children suffer under the weight of such a large fine.

The Kleins have previously said that the $150,000 fine will likely bankrupt them. "It's definitely impacted us pretty hard financially, and it's been a little stressful, but […] we have the Lord and so He's been keeping us strong," Melissa Klein previously said.