UT San Diego: He said he will expect those who officiate weddings at the county clerk's office to be willing to conduct them for everybody getting married, "because we're doing civil ceremonies; we're not doing religious ceremonies."

Christian Post: As America waits with bated breath for the Supreme Court's ruling on same-sex marriage, one Ohio church became the target of gay marriage supporters after it advertised an event celebrating biblical marriages that promised to reward husband and wife couples with free $25 Chick-fil-A gift cards.

USA Today: An 18-year-old Florida cheerleader is facing felony charges that she had sexual contact with her underage, 14-year-old girlfriend, leading gay rights advocates to say the teen is being unfairly targeted for a common high school romance because she's gay.

Windy City Media Group: With the end of the Illinois' spring legislation session just days away, LGBT leaders say that equal marriage legislation has the support needed to pass by month's end.

The Guardian: Unless the federal government or supreme court act, southern states will most likely oppose gay marriage for the foreseeable future . . . Indeed, demographic models indicate that if put up for a vote, same-sex marriage would become legal in all but six states by 2020! Even Mississippi is projected to be up to near 40% support on the issue, gaining a little over 1.5pt per year. So the whole thing should be over soon, right? Not likely.

Alliance Defending Freedom has delivered a petition to the Boy Scouts of America signed by 18,724 Americans--including 11,795 who are members of current or former Scouting families or are former Scouts themselves. The petition urges BSA to “uphold the values that have defined the organization for over 100 years” and to reject any efforts to change its membership policy.

Dale Schowengerdt appeared on the Dori Monson Show at KRIO Radio to discuss the Arlene's Flowers litigation. | MP3 audio 11:07 mins

Michael Foust of Baptist Press at Christian Examiner: The ADF countersuit says forcing Stutsman to service a gay wedding violates her rights under Washington's constitution, which ADF says "has broader protections for conscience and religious freedom" than does the U.S. Constitution. "The Washington State Constitution, in Article 1, Section 11, absolutely protects 'freedom of conscience in all matters of religious sentiment, belief, and worship' and guarantees that 'no one shall be molested or disturbed in person or property on account of religion,'" the countersuit says.

RH Reality Check: Finally, in Washington state the Alliance Defending Freedom has filed a counter-suit against Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson on behalf of a florist sued by the state after she refused to provide flowers for a wedding ceremony of a same-sex couple. The counter-suit argues that the state’s lawsuit is an attempt to force the florist to act contrary to her deeply held religious beliefs and in violation of the Washington state constitution, which has in it a specific clause protecting the rights of conscience and religion.

AP: Two people familiar with the Senate immigration deliberations say the White House has suggested to Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy that it would be best to put off a controversy over gay marriage until a bill goes before the full Senate.

“Numerous florists are willing to assist in same-sex ceremonies, so the ACLU has no reason to try to force this florist to violate her deeply held beliefs. Arlene’s Flowers has both served and employed people who identify as homosexual. Barronelle Stutzman’s only desire is that she not be forced to violate her faith when it comes to her beliefs about marriage. Family business owners are constitutionally guaranteed the freedom to live and work according to their beliefs.”

The Inquisitr: The suit was filed on her behalf by the Alliance Defending Freedom, an organization that advocates “for religious liberty, the sanctity of life, and marriage and family.” The lawsuit says that, because of Stutzman’s Christian faith, “she cannot as a matter of conscience participate in or facilitate a same-sex wedding.” The suit also claims that Stutzman’s 1st Amendment rights are being violated by trying to force her to provide for same-sex weddings.“Everyone knows that plenty of florists are willing to assist in same-sex ceremonies, so the state has no reason to force Barronelle to violate her deeply held beliefs,” the alliance’s senior legal counsel Dale Schowengerdt said.

LA Times: "Everyone knows that plenty of florists are willing to assist in same-sex ceremonies, so the state has no reason to force Barronelle to violate her deeply held beliefs," senior legal counsel Dale Schowengerdt of the alliance said in a statement.

UPI: The suit was filed on her behalf by a group that opposes same-sex marriage, the Alliance Defending Freedom.

FRC Washington Update: After the ACLU filed a second lawsuit, Barronelle turned to our friends at Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). Together, they're countersuing Washington for violating her Christian beliefs. "Marriage has religious significance," ADF argues, "apart from any civil significance. [Stutzman] believed that [servicing a gay marriage] would compel her to express a message with her creativity that violates God's commands."

Gallup: Their acceptance of gay and lesbian relations has increased the most, up 19 percentage points in the past 12 years -- to a record high of 59% today. Americans' tolerance toward having a baby outside of marriage is also now much greater, up 15 points since 2001, to the current 60%.

NPR: As the country awaits two important Supreme Court decisions involving state laws on same-sex marriage, a small but consistent body of research suggests that laws that ban gay marriage — or approve it — can affect the mental health of gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans.

The Advocate: “In America, the government is supposed to protect freedom, not use its intolerance for certain viewpoints to intimidate citizens into acting contrary to their faith convictions. Family business owners are constitutionally guaranteed the freedom to live and work according to their beliefs,” said Dale Schowengerdt, senior legal counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom, which is defending Stutzman.

Pink News: Attorneys from the Alliance Defending Freedom legal ministry, filed the new lawsuit on behalf of Stutzman on Thursday, at Benton County Superior Court, reports the Associated Press. Senior Legal Counsel Dale Schowengerdt, released in a statement saying: ”Everyone knows that plenty of florists are willing to assist in same-sex ceremonies, so the state has no reason to force Barronelle to violate her deeply held beliefs.”

Christian Post: "Everyone knows that plenty of florists are willing to assist in same-sex ceremonies, so the state has no reason to force Barronelle to violate her deeply held beliefs," said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Dale Schowengerdt in a statement. "In America, the government is supposed to protect freedom, not use its intolerance for certain viewpoints to intimidate citizens into acting contrary to their faith convictions. Family business owners are constitutionally guaranteed the freedom to live and work according to their beliefs. It is this very freedom that gives America its cherished diversity and protects citizens from state-mandated conformity."