Especially when we're talking about cake.
Because it's just cake, and nobody should have to worry that it might not actually be cake.
Your arguments here are pretty silly, though humorous. But the "it's just cake" thing is particularly weird. You really want the government to start qualitatively rank businesses? Which are more necessary than others? So we just apply equality to the ones that are necessary? By that logic nobody needs to sit at lunch counters either. They could eat oatmeal at their desks. So why was it a problem that black people were refused lunch? If someone has a religious objection to serving sandwiches to black people, or muslims, is that ok?
No, I don't want the government to do any such thing. Maybe there are other equally ridiculous things that would come up, worthy of consideration I suppose. I just know the cake thing is stupid and everyone should have called it that. No time should have been spent on this. Dudes, go to literally any other cake shop. Fucking bake a cake yourself. This isn't the lunch counter thing is my point. "The principle of the thing" is a standard that should be employed when there is a widespread mentality of discrimination. And while I have no doubt that, specifically within the wedding sphere, due to the often religious nature of weddings, that this was probably not the first time some aspect of their planned nuptials had hit this particular road block.
But talk about taking your victory and declaring defeat. You can get married now, go fucking do it, and let any assholes along the way miss out on your fabulous mega-cake of expensive markupedness.
The lunch counter thing is different because there were two significant issues there:
1. The primary basis for the decision was race, which is specifically protected against as a means of discrimination.
2. There is demonstrable harm from a lack of places to get lunch.
It isn't true that they could eat oatmeal at their desks, there's plenty of jobs you actually can't eat at. That's still true today, there is just a practical need to go get lunch. The need thing isn't a part of the legal discussion, it's part of the "why should I give a shit" part.
Homosexual couples are not being arrested for trying to buy cake, they aren't being sprayed with fire hoses or having dogs set on them or armed police set on them. This isn't the same thing, and it's approaching godwin's law to make that case.
"If someone has a religious objection to serving sandwiches to black people, or muslims, is that ok?" The Muslim one, it's interesting right. Because Muslims routinely refuse service to you and people like you, and that's OK, because of religion. In particular a devout Muslim will refuse service to homosexuals. The inherent contradiction in tolerance of Muslims is accepting that they will discriminate based on race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation. It is required by their book.
The same reasons cited earlier in the thread for discrediting this baker's claim that it is a religious objection because it is decidedly not biblical (Jesus is all about spreading the cake not denying the cake) have to do with biblical references which don't really allow for violence or discrimination. The Quran has no similar prohibitions and requires violence and discrimination, to the extent that you should thank any Muslims you know for permitting you to live at the peril of their own soul.
I know that when we try to force Muslims not to discriminate they sometimes get explody so I'm going to say that we'll allow them to discriminate and then it gets to be a bit of turnabout is fair play. I am definitely not even sitting near the cake you forced the Muslim baker to bake.
Show me the religion that has a problem with black people is my answer to that question. The homosexual thing isn't as clear cut, the religious guidance that baker has to go by is muddied, to the shame of all Christians. There's a significant, as in tens of millions, portion that believes they endanger the soul of the homosexual if they in any way encourage or enable that way of life. Religious tolerance means we have to allow them that belief. We don't have to let them hurt anyone. But we really shouldn't be compelling them to make cake either.