Greg Daly
McArthurs prepare for appeal hearing
A Belfast couple prosecuted for refusing to bake a cake promoting same-sex marriage have said the controversy has strengthened their faith in God and their married life.
Daniel and Amy McArthur, who run Ashers Bakery, were speaking this week as they prepared to mount an appeal against an earlier court decision which ruled that they breached equality legislation because they refused to bake the cake based on their fundamental belief that marriage is between a man and a woman.
The couple – who are devout Christians – began their appeal yesterday (Wednesday). Ahead of the court hearing, Amy said: “This case has been a blessing in our marriage. God has used this to strengthen our marriage and our relationship with God
“We have to trust in him and we have seen him answer our prayers time and time again,” she said.
The case provoked controversy and a poll found that 70% of people in the North felt the Equality Authority were wrong to pursue the bakers for holding firm to their Christian beliefs about marriage.
The family won an unlikely ally this week in gay activist Peter Tatchell. Mr Tatchell had originally welcomed their prosecution. However, he has now revealed that he has changed his mind and believes the court case was “a bridge too far”.
Daniel is optimistic the appeal court will rule in their favour and said the decision not to bake the cake was not because the customer was gay, but because the cake was endorsing a message the family could not support.
“It was clear we did not hate anyone. We didn’t want to discriminate against anyone. We did what we did because of our Christian beliefs.
“It’s done out of love for God,” he said.
Criticising the decision by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland to use the full power of the state and public funds to take the family to court, Daniel added: “The way the Equality Commission handled it was very one-sided. They wanted to pursue it with everything they had.
“They wanted to take us to court, maybe teach us a lesson or send out a signal. The signal they were trying to send out was ‘if you’re a Christian don’t bring it into work’,” he said.
Amy said the couple were determined to fight on to put the case for faith in the public square.
“It is my life. It isn’t just something I just do at church. If they think it’s unfashionable, if they think it’s culturally irrelevant, that doesn’t matter to me. What matters to me is that I live my life as best I can according to God’s commands and his word,” she said.
Daniel said: “Our hope and prayer would be that an appeal will allow us and other Christians to live out their faith in Jesus Christ in every part of their lives, including their workplace.”
Ashers has suffered some minor acts of vandalism on their premises since the case first came to light but the company has not suffered financially, he said.
The appeal is due to continue today and a ruling is not expected to be handed down until a later date.
The Equality Commission estimated that the original case – at which the family were fined £500 (€660) – cost taxpayers £33,000 (€43,500).