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A Testimony of Conscience and Conviction in the Workplace
A Testimony of Conscience and Conviction in the Workplace
Apr 8, 2025 8:32 AM

Hands On Originals is a small pany in Lexington, Kentucky, that, up until recently, had very few problems when they declined to print a certain message.

Last year, however, the owner, Blaine Adamson, was found guilty of discrimination by a Lexington human mission for refusing to print T-shirts for a local gay pride festival. missioners ordered that Adamson must violate his conscience, and further, must participate in diversity training to be conducted by mission.

Fortunately, this story has a happier ending than that of the baker and florist, as the Fayette Circuit Court ended up reversing mission’s decision. “It is their constitutional right to hold dearly and to not pelled to be part of an advocacy message opposed to their sincerely held Christian beliefs,” Judge James Ishmael wrote in his decision.

Watch below for more of Blaine’s testimony:

When this first happened and it hit the papers, businesses began to pull their business from us. Right and left we were losing customers. There came a point where I was so broken. I went home, I just laid in bed with lights out and began to cry out to the Lord, and just say, “God, I will stand no matter what the cost will be.” Because we are the ones at the end of the day that have to print that on a shirt, and it speaks a message the second es off the press. And for me, I’m accountable to that. I’m accountable to that first to God —of what I put on a shirt to promote.

But we did wrestle with the reality in this that we may lose our business…Why would I as a business owner —who, our business has grown year after year — want to bring this on pany? If anything, I would want to stay as far away from it as possible. But there is a cost. There is something that calls out to me that says, “I’ve got to speak truth.”

HT Joseph Williams

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