The SCOTUS has ruled in favor (7-2) of CO baker in "same-sex wedding cake" case; ruling on narrow grounds that the CO Civil Rights Commission showed hostility toward the baker's religious beliefs. What will the legal and societal impacts of this ruling be on LGBT rights and freedom of religion?

There will likely be few legal impacts given that, as OP points out, the case was found in the baker's favor on almost exclusively procedural grounds leaving the larger constitutional questions unanswered.

The societal impacts will likely be more of a setback for LGBT rights, since many will feel emboldened to use religion as an excuse for discriminatory practices in the 'free market', regardless of the actual legal effect of the ruling.

Freedom of religion will likely not be impacted at all one way or another, since no religious rights have been abrogated. Everyone remains entitled to practice their own religion privately, at their place of worship, and in the public square.

/r/PoliticalDiscussion Thread