By Shirley Edwards
March 28, 2015
NewsWithViews.com
[These are my views as a woman living in England, on how the culture and spirit of my country has changed over 50 years. Why the country does not feel protected or strong any more, how it has lost, and is losing it values and decency, and how we are daily losing our free speech.]
Every now and then, an unassuming character of quiet strength and integrity comes into the limelight, and the world once more watches the unjust, and uncalled for battle of good versus evil.
Daniel McArthur, General Manager of Asher Baking Company, Northern Ireland, which is a small family business operating for 23 years, is one such man, who along with his family have become the latest target of inequality accusations, after the bakery politely turned down the commission of a wedding cake, when it was discovered it was ordered to bear the inscription ‘support gay marriage’.
Mr McArthur, a committed Christian, has stated that they have declined other requests in the past, where customers wanted bad language or lewd images, decorating their cakes. However, on this occasion, when he declined to promote another contradictory statement to his faith, he promptly received a letter from the Equality Commission, stating they would be seeking compensation from him on the grounds of discrimination against the customer. He was ordered to pay damages within one week.
He joins a growing number of people in the workplace who have all been hounded and persecuted, not for any attack they have made on another, but for quietly living according to their conscience. Many have lost their jobs.
In what is becoming known as the persecution of conscience, against the dictatorship of human right bullies, the escalation of cases reaching the media is now revealing itself as a problem which is not happening by chance. Sympathy is being drained as malicious and un-necessary attacks pose the question of who is intimidating who?
Support for the McArthurs, is not only coming from the Christian community, but from all people who respect the right for others not to be forced into a militant and insistent promotion of others beliefs. Asher’s is one of the first legal cases to be told it is against the law to refuse to take part in a gay rights campaign.
You can watch an address here that Daniel McArthur made in Ireland about the upcoming case.
Bun Fights
Elsewhere this week, Italian fashion designers, Dolce and Gabanna, are also feeling the heat after being interviewed by Italian newspaper Panorama, where they spoke strongly for the virtues of the natural family, and against surrogacy and artificial reproduction.
It is now reported that musician and gay rights activist Elton John has organized a boycott against the brand, and they have been labelled with the title of ‘homophobic’ despite both fashion designers being openly gay.
Elton has been quickly joined by other vocal superstars, in one big bun fight. They are ‘deeply offended’ by the views of Dolce and Gabanna, and have exercised their freedom to call the designers bigoted, and archaic, according to social media Twitter. This might make the designers compromise.
However, the furore surrounding the accusations, and the rapid speed of attack, once more serves to reflect a very intolerant and fashionable trend being orchestrated and replicated throughout society, with little thought for the consequences.
There is a hatred being constantly directed and encouraged towards not only the natural family, but towards anyone who supports it. The perception is that you must hate gay people!
Dolce and Gabanna contradict that assumption.
What are the main consequences for forcing others to promote a cause which goes against your belief?
Hells Kitchen
In a legal opinion written for the Asher Bakery case by leading Human rights QC Aidan O Neil, he emphasizes the following scenarios as an example of what could happen if the McArthurs loose, and cites the following:
• A Muslim printer refusing a contract requiring the printing of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed
• An atheist web designer refusing to design a website presenting as scientific fact the claim that God made the world in six days
• A T-shirt company owned by lesbians declining to print T-shirts with a message describing gay marriage as an “abomination”
• A printing company run by Roman Catholics declining an order to produce adverts calling for abortion on demand to be legalized
1-
Ashers
Bakery case 12 March 2015
2- Watchdog
faces avalanche of cases if Ashers loses
The Christian Institute who are supporting the Asher case have stated that they can only lose if the discrimination law is not applied correctly, and free speech under article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights is not applied.
The scenarios do offer understanding as to why the Asher case should be dismissed. However, it appears to be traditional/Christian values which are the softer target, and are at the main crux of a plan which is designed to undermine society and destroy freedom of speech, conscience, and truth.
It will be interesting to watch the outcome of the case.
Butter or Margarine
As we watch with interest the outcome of the Asher case, and all others like it; many of us will be put in similar situations, whether in our family life or the workplace. We will have to cleave to the truth of our conscience, or compromise to a lie. It can be a frightening place to be for many people, because of the consequence of loss.
Butter or Margarine is a humorous attempt at distinguishing between the genuine and the false, but nonetheless, what we believe in our souls is very important, and leads us to life or death of our spirit.
How can you tell it’s not butter?
The process for change in society is to use psychological subversion techniques. Many false preachers, teachers and politicians use this technique, and we experience it all the time, sometimes not being fully aware of what is happening. We just sense something is wrong. The process can have a seductive quality about it.
The recipe is to firstly demoralise and then destabilise society. The destabilisation stage is when a nation’s institutions/belief system’s are undermined and weakened.
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This is currently being experienced in the UK. A revolutionary period of inward/outward conflict can then follow. We compromise, conform, or speak up against pressure. When completely broken down there comes a ‘normalization’ phase, and a new belief system implanted.
Daniel McArthur knows the difference
The butter test for Christians is the bible and their faith. However, if you love the truth, you will always know in your heart what is right and what is wrong. Many people who have different beliefs, when faced with a crisis have come to see the truth themselves in a wordless way. They can be shocking, yet liberating revelations.
We can take courage we are never alone when we live according to our conscience.
Sources:
1
- Watchdog
faces avalanche of cases if Ashers loses
2 - ‘MEPs
should protect religious freedom in light of Ashers’
3 - Christian
bakery owner who refused to make cake for gay marriage faces legal
action after refusing to back down over demand for ‘damages.
4 - Dolce
and Gabbana counter Elton John's call to boycott fashion designers
over IVF baby comments...
© 2014 Shirley Edwards - All Rights Reserve
Share This ArticleShirley Edwards was born and lives in Great Britain. She has always worked in administration, but has also taught and studied complimentary health. In administrative roles, she has worked within The Church of England. She also worked for some years as a volunteer within the hospice movement.
Shirley has an interest in all health issues, loves the British countryside, and enjoys writing. She is thankful for talk radio and loves listening.
Shirley has always been concerned about the loss of freedoms in her country, and also the demise of America, a country she loves for the original reasons on which it was founded. She believes in the Pursuit of Genuine Happiness.
E-Mail: eshirley02@gmail.com
