Statement from Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster on the Ashers Bakery Court Case

Though today’s ruling in the Belfast County Court against the Ashers Baking Company is hugely disappointing, it is hardly surprising. Over the course of many years the Parliaments and courtrooms of our nation have increasingly legislated for sin and against righteousness.

However even allowing for this ruinous trend does not help us to understand how a judge in Belfast can reach a verdict that rules in favour of the promotion of an activity – same-sex marriage – that, by four successive votes in our legislative Assembly, remains illegal in Northern Ireland.

In legal terms, this is a significant judgment because it militates against freedom of conscience and freedom of speech and effectively opens the door to other opportunists to bring an endless stream of expensive “discrimination” cases against a wide variety of businesses, both Christian and non-Christian. 

Ashers Bakery lose their court case

District Judge Isobel Brownlie has ruled that the owners of the Ashers Baking Company have unlawfully discriminated, on the grounds of sexual orientation, when they refused to bake and ice a cake with a pro-gay marriage slogan. The slogan on the cake was in support of Sodomite marriage, something which is illegal in Northern Ireland.

BBC News - 'Gay cake' row: Judge rules against Ashers bakery

Christian Institute - Ashers ‘deeply disappointed’ after losing case

The Bible has this to say about those who are persecuted for their Christian faith:
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you, Matthew 5:10-12.

Statement from Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster to follow

Ashers Bakery owners in Court this incoming week

The owners of Ashers Baking Company are due in court this incoming week, in Belfast, accused of discrimination against sodomites.

The Ashers Baking Company refused to make a cake with the pro-gay marriage slogan ‘Support gay marriage’ emblazoned upon it, along with pictures of two characters from Sesame Street and the name of the group, Queerspace. Interestingly, Gay/sodomite marriage is presently illegal in Northern Ireland. The impression created in many minds is that the Bakery was targeted by those who knew the Christian beliefs of the owners.

The Bakery owners are being taken to court by the Stormont funded Equality Commission. This unelected quango wrote to the Bakery last July threatening legal action if it did not apologise and pay compensation for refusing service. The owners rightly refused and in November the Equality Commission decided to press ahead with the case.

The position and role of women in the Church

A great furore has arisen in recent weeks over the Church of England's decision not to permit women bishops. Much fury and annoyance has been directed towards those who have resisted this further departure from the truth. Calls have come from various quarters for pressure to be brought to bear upon the Church of England to change the decision. Democracy is a great thing until it brings about the wrong decision! Then the outcome must be changed to one more palatable to those who are in positions of influence or power.

In the light of this decision and subsequent comment it is worthwhile taking a look at what the Scriptures have to say about the position and role of women in the Church. 

Women Bishops??

You would wonder where he got this impression from!

In case he doesn't know this is what God has to say on the matter:

Church volunteer status saved

The Christian Institute is reporting a significant victory obtained in the supreme court today.

They report:
I am pleased to give you some good news about an issue supported by our Legal Defence Fund. Following an important ruling in the Court of Appeal, volunteer Sunday school teachers, church elders, deacons, prayer group leaders and all other church volunteers have been saved from an avalanche of equality diktats. The Christian Institute intervened in the case and urged the Court of Appeal not to treat volunteers as though they had the same rights as employees under a European Equal Treatment Directive.

Read more here