Christians should be true to their consciences

The Tánaiste, Ms Joan Burton, said legislation will ensure that same-sex couples are not denied goods and services by businesses.

No doubt, she was referring to Ashers bakery, in Belfast, which is Christian. Ashers refused to bake a wedding cake bearing the slogan ‘Support Gay Marriage’.

Ashers were true to themselves. All businesses should have the right to refuse work on conscience grounds. The gay lobby is the best at publicity, such that you would think they form a large section of the Irish population.

But surveys in the US, England, and elsewhere have found that they number no more than 1.5% of the adult population. For such a small percentage, they certainly make a lot of demands. The civil partnership legislation (2011) should have met their needs. Yet, since its enactment, civil partnerships have been less than 2% of all ‘marriages’.

John O’Reilly

C/O 78 Merrion Square

Dublin 2