'Gay cake' row

[Buce]

Should a baker be allowed to refuse an order that compromises his Christian beliefs?

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-28206581

[bovril]

Should a baker be allowed to refuse an order that compromises his Christian beliefs?

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-28206581

Can't he just have made them some fairy cakes?

[Captain...]

It's pretty pathetic, and I'm pretty sure it doesn't mention homosexual Victoria sponges in the bible. But I do think that people should have the right to say and do what they want. If someone really doesn't want to bake poofiteroles or maqueeroons they shouldn't be forced to.

Although if you have accepted the order then you have entered into a contract so should pay for cancelling the contract.

[Mark_w]

I bet you could find something in the bible prohibiting the sale of cakes to anyone if you look long enough.

[Dr The Singh]

What next Greggs will stop serving puff pastry?

[Captain...]

I did find it funny that it was for an anti homophobia celebrations.

[Guest Sharpe's Fox]

Should have just sent him some French Fancies,

[Guest MattP]

Yes of course, a baker (or any other business) should be allowed to do what they want with their business. I'm sure if they engage in behaviour so crass (for example, not serving someone because of the colour of their skin) they will lose it anyway as people would turn away from such bigots on mass.

How obvious was it that this case was ordered with the intent of shocking and managing to create this fuss as well?

The militant homosexual in Britain is a sick creature that seems to know no bounds these days, from forcing hotel rooms to have them to encouraging school kids to attend gay pride events, how long being Peter Tatchell and his perverted ilk will be trying to enforce schoolkids to 'try both' before you decide? No need to use a different hotel or bakery when you have the liberal masses prepared to help you flaunt your perversions and punish decent people just trying to do what they believe it right.

It's rather worrying that this liberal bigotry of everyone having to act, think and behave in the same manner is still being enforced on a people who have fought for freedom of choice. We have replaced the old fashioned bigotry with a newer one that will probably end up being even more dangerous to society long term.

They have already said they won't do swear words or porn either on their products, taking people to court because wont write "QUEER" on a cake? When is this madness and panderment going to stop?

How many posts before we get some idiot comparing this to 'no blacks no dogs no Irish' or mentioning he Mail?

[Steven]

Should a baker be allowed to refuse an order that compromises his Christian beliefs?

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-28206581

If the baker does not want his beliefs compromised then he should live in a monastery. If you live in the real world you have to deal with whatever that might bring.

[Trav Le Bleu]

Should a baker be allowed to refuse an order that compromises his Christian beliefs?

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-28206581

Should a baker be allowed to refuse to make a pork pie that compromises his Jewish beliefs?

Should a cook be allowed to refuse to make a beef curry that compromises his Hindu beliefs?

A big fat, "meh" from me.

[Mike the Metal Ed]

To be honest if someone hated me due to some idiotic reasoning based on his magic sky man, then I'm not sure I'd want to eat anything they'd prepared.

-E- or give the bigoted fool my money, tbh. He's clearly set in his ways and a visit from an equalities officer is unlikely to change his mind.

[Guest MattP]

To be honest if someone hated me due to some idiotic reasoning based on his magic sky man, then I'm not sure I'd want to eat anything they'd prepared.

Same here.

But we all know exactly why they ordered it from there, they knew what they were doing.

[Mike the Metal Ed]

Same here.

But we all know exactly why they ordered it from there, they knew what they were doing.

No problem with that, it shows him up for what he is, and he might lose customers as a result. He might have a sudden epiphany if people don't want to visit his shop any more.

[Haydos]

Yes of course, a baker (or any other business) should be allowed to do what they want with their business. I'm sure if they engage in behaviour so crass (for example, not serving someone because of the colour of their skin) they will lose it anyway as people would turn away from such bigots on mass.

How obvious was it that this case was ordered with the intent of shocking and managing to create this fuss as well?

The militant homosexual in Britain is a sick creature that seems to know no bounds these days, from forcing hotel rooms to have them to encouraging school kids to attend gay pride events, how long being Peter Tatchell and his perverted ilk will be trying to enforce schoolkids to 'try both' before you decide? No need to use a different hotel or bakery when you have the liberal masses prepared to help you flaunt your perversions and punish decent people just trying to do what they believe it right.

It's rather worrying that this liberal bigotry of everyone having to act, think and behave in the same manner is still being enforced on a people who have fought for freedom of choice. We have replaced the old fashioned bigotry with a newer one that will probably end up being even more dangerous to society long term.

They have already said they won't do swear words or porn either on their products, taking people to court because wont write "QUEER" on a cake? When is this madness and panderment going to stop?

How many posts before we get some idiot comparing this to 'no blacks no dogs no Irish' or mentioning he Mail?

This would be pandering to his pathetic views as much as it is pandering to 'liberal' opinions. It's a few words on a cake for fvck sake. "It doesn't fit in with my beliefs"...Give it a rest.

[Guest MattP]

No problem with that, it shows him up for what he is, and he might lose customers as a result. He might have a sudden epiphany if people don't want to visit his shop any more.

It will probably be like the hotel in the end and he'll actually gain customers, the British public don't generally like militant bullies who enforce their opinions on people.

[Guest MattP]

This would be pandering to his pathetic views as much as it is pandering to 'liberal' opinions. It's a few words on a cake for fvck sake. "It doesn't fit in with my beliefs"...Give it a rest.

So where do you draw the line then?

You can't seriously think businesses should be forced to perform a service they don't want too? How about a "96 not enough" cake from a bakers in Liverpool or a "7/7 bombers are legends" one in London? It's just a few words.

It's obscene to try and force people to do things they don't want to do, sickening in fact.

[Haydos]

So where do you draw the line then?

You can't seriously think businesses should be forced to perform a service they don't want too? How about a "96 not enough" cake from a bakers in Liverpool or a "7/7 bombers are legends" one in London? It's just a few words.

It's obscene to try and force people to do things they don't want to do, sickening in fact.

Those are clearly offensive. Two people you don't know doing whatever the fvck they want with their lives, harming nobody is not and any prejudices against that is stupid.

This is not a gay argument, this is a stop-discriminating-against-things-that-don't-affect-you-and-don't-do-any-harm argument. Gays, disabled, blacks, jews, whatever. Get over it.

[Guest MattP]

Those are clearly offensive. Two people you don't know doing whatever the fvck they want with their lives, harming nobody is not and any prejudices against that is stupid.

This is not a gay argument, this is a stop-discriminating-against-things-that-don't-affect-you-and-don't-do-any-harm argument. Gays, disabled, blacks, jews, whatever. Get over it.

So who decides whats offensive? Whats offensive to you would be different to me.

They aren't not being served either because they are gay, the bakery is just refusing to put a pro-homosexual slogan on a cake, if two gays want to order a normal cake they don;t see a problem with it.

They have also refused to do sexual slogans and swear words, do you think they should be forced into that as well?

[Mike the Metal Ed]

It will probably be like the hotel in the end and he'll actually gain customers, the British public don't generally like militant bullies who enforce their opinions on people.

Even people who use their religion as an excuse to turn away innocent customers?

[Guest MattP]

Even people who use their religion as an excuse to turn away innocent customers?

If they were actually using their religion to turn away innocent custimers maybe not.

Explaining why they don't want to produce lewd slogans on their product is a bit different though.

[Haydos]

So who decides whats offensive? Whats offensive to you would be different to me.

They aren't not being served either because they are gay, the bakery is just refusing to put a pro-homosexual slogan on a cake, if two gays want to order a normal cake they don;t see a problem with it.

They have also refused to do sexual slogans and swear words, do you think they should be forced into that as well?

Swear words are inappropriate and it seems to be widely accepted. As is nudity. We have a watershed on tv, parents don't want their kids watching porn etc.

"There would not be any debate if the cake had depicted an anti-racism or anti-ageism slogan, nor should it require intervention from the Equality Commission for this cake for Anti-Homophobia Day."

That is basically my point. It's not inflammatory, it's not asking them to print 'Jesus was a willy puller' or anything like that.

[Guest MattP]

The fact anyone thinks the state should be allowed to have the right to force people to do something frightens me more than anything. The fact this countries people are so complacent over the fact as well is quite shocking.

Just because you don't find something inflammatory doesn't mean someone else does, I hope one day you are forced to do something by someone you feel very uncomfortable with.

[Mike the Metal Ed]

If they were actually using their religion to turn away innocent custimers maybe not.

Explaining why they don't want to produce lewd slogans on their product is a bit different though.

If Bert and Ernie are lewd, then I've been watching lewd programming since I was 5 .

Why does this have to be the eeeeevil activist vs the poor business owner? The owner is clearly, as I stated, a bigoted fool who is wrong, and the chap should probably get his cake elsewhere. I'd like to think that shaming the business will help drive like-minded customers away, but it may well, as you say, have the opposite effect, especially in a country as religious as Northern Ireland.

[Haydos]

Nothing I can think of on the same level as printing a few words. Do you think sign makers and printers turn down work because someone wants a political banner they don't agree with? Do atheists refuse to do work that would involve religious beliefs? If they did I'd feel exactly the same about them. Petty and small minded.

It comes down to religious folk being pathetic and outdated yet again.

[The God Emperor]

It's his business so he should be able to choose who he wants to do business with. If its for a good reason like the customer has a history of not paying up or even if it's for a daft reason like a book about a deranged carpenter tells him someone's sexual preference is wrong. He's only hurting himself with his prejudices because he's the one losing a customer while a competitor gains another.