Well, the gay couple had plenty of access to cakes even if the Christian baker wouldn't sell one to the gay couple. And as a result the gay baker goes out of biz and owes 135K. I submit, the penalty far exceeded any offense, and the gay couple's motivation was not achieving equal access to cakes, but rather punish the baker for choosing to base his business decision on a belief that their marriage was not a good as a hetro marriage. So, I'm pretty sure both parties are boors, but I'm a little hard pressed to find the gay baker is the bigger jerk than the gays.
Point is, if you deny them access, you are discriminating against them and breaking the law. I agree that the amount awarded is pretty high, but that is probably because of the blatant disregard for the law exhibited by this couple.
The Christian baker broke the law, no argument. But, I gotta say, I'm pretty much in favor of decriminalizing drug use, and I have lots less sympathy for druggies getting raped in prison that I have for the Christian baker.
I know, some of you will continue to see these bakers as some kind of victims or martyrs. I don't see it like that.
I think they're bigots and boors, but there are plenty of those amongst the gay folk too. I just think civil law should .... take a pass on this. The gays will win out within 20 years, and nobody in Oregon is going without cake.
On a slightly different tack .... I think the whole issue of religion and public life is interesting. In the bigger picture this is sort of like the Elizabethan Compromise and the concept of via media. All citizens had to swear to the primacy of the Anglican Church, and to Elizabeth and all future rulers being Anglican, and to a prescribed rite of worship. But, the rite was vague enough to allow both Anglican and Roman Catholic services. What you chose to worship was not of interest to the state. But to deny Elizabeth, or Anglicanism as the state religion, at the least you'd lose your head, and there was also the possibility of having your balls roasted while you were trussed up by your hands and feet over a fire.
The Founders had good reason to eschew a state religion. I think in terms of PA and gay rights, we've elevated secularism to a state religion, and the state is picking the winner in a fight between boors. And the Founders rather believed that with free speech and debate, people would find the correct path without state compulsion, on way or the other.