Britain’s Supreme Court has reversed a lower court ruling, saying that a bakery owned by a Christian family did not discriminate against a gay customer when they refused to bake a cake that read, “Support Gay Marriage.”
In 2014 Ashers Baking Co. in Northern Ireland refused to bake the cake which also featured ‘Sesame Street’ characters Bert and Ernie. The owners argued that they should not be forced to put messages on their products at odds with their Christian faith.
On Wednesday the high court agreed, and the five justices on the court were unanimous in their judgment.
“In a nutshell, the objection was to the message and not to any particular person or persons,” Judge Brenda Hale said. “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 other protected personal characteristics.”
“But that is not what happened in this case,” Judge Hale added.
Daniel MacArthur, the general manager of the bakery, spoke with reporters after the ruling, saying he is delighted and relieved by the decision.
“I want to start by thanking God. He has been with us during 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 of his ways are just,” he said.
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