The Northern Ireland bakery that would not bake a cake with a pro-gay marriage slogan on it is to appeal the ruling of discrimination made against earlier this month.
Following a judgement by Belfast County Court that Ashers Baking Company had breached equality legislation by refusing to bake the requested cake, the owners, the McArthur family, issued a statement in which they announced their intention to challenge the ruling.
“After much careful and prayerful consideration given to legal advice, we have decided to appeal the judgment handed down,” the family confirmed. “We continue to insist that we have done nothing wrong as we have discriminated against no individual but rather acted according to what the Bible teaches regarding marriage.”
Pointing out that the court ruling had “trampled” Christian beliefs in not allowing for the exercise of conscience, The McArthurs added: “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.”
The case against Ashers was taken by the Northern Ireland Equality Commission.
From the beginning of the court action against Ashers, taken by gay activist Gareth Lee, Ashers saw a surge in business from people who wanted to demonstrate support for the bakery’s right to operate on Christian principles. This was mirrored at the political level when members of the North’s Democratic Unionist Party vocally supported Ashers and backed an attempt by one party member to introduce conscience legislation to the Northern Ireland Assembly.
According to Simon Calvert, a member of the Christian Institute, a body supporting Ashers and assisting with the bakery’s legal bills, numerous donors have also approached his group to offer financial support for the proposed appeal.
“There has been such extraordinary support from people from all walks of life who are appalled by what has happened to the McArthur family. There is huge public support for an appeal and it is vitally important that the higher courts consider this issue,” Calvert said.