British bakers win their own court case

After a four-year legal battle, Christian bakers in Northern Ireland have won their case at the Supreme Court in the United Kingdom.

The owners of Ashers Baking Company came under fire for refusing an order for a cake from a gay rights activist who wanted them to make a cake saying “Support Gay Marriage.”

The court ruled Wednesday that Ashers acted lawfully and didn’t discriminate against anyone. The judges held it was the message the bakery objected to, not the customer.

“It is deeply humiliating, and an affront to human dignity, to deny someone a service because of that person’s race, gender, disability, sexual orientation or any of the other protected personal characteristics. But this is not what happened in this case,” the Supreme Court ruled.

Daniel McArthur, general manager of Ashers bakery, says it’s never been about denying service to anyone.

“We didn’t say no because of the customer. We’d served him before and we’d gladly serve him again. It was because of the message. This has always been because of the message,” he said.

Peter Lynas, director of Evangelical Alliance Northern Ireland, said, “This is a win for everyone. No one should be forced to say something that they disagree with. It is disappointing that this case has been pitched as Christians versus the LGBT community. This ruling affirms that this was never the case.”

McArthur is giving thanks to God for the victory, saying this ruling protects freedom of speech and freedom of conscience for everyone in the UK.

“I want to start by thanking God. He has been with us through the challenges of the last four years, and through the Bible and the support of Christians, He has comforted us and sustained us. He is our rock, and all His ways are just.”

American Christian bakers have faced similar prosecution for their religious beliefs.