The general manager of a Born Again Christian-owned bakery in Northern Ireland at the centre of a “gay cake” controversy has said he wished the case had never gone to court.
Speaking outside Belfast high court on Thursday, Daniel McArthur of Ashers Bakery said his company were “just trying to be faithful to the Bible” over refusing to bake a gay-themed cake for Northern Ireland’s first openly gay elected mayor.
Ashers are in court over a complaint to the Equality Commission of Northern Ireland from an individual who said the bakery’s refusal was tantamount to anti-gay discrimination.
“We just didn’t want to be forced to use our creative skills to help endorse and promote a campaign message that went against our sincerely held religious beliefs,” McArthur said.
Before going into court, McArthur added: “We think it is wrong to use the law to force anyone to say something that they oppose, and we hope the court will take the same view.”
Before the court hearing the mayor whom the cake was to be baked for, Councillor Andrew Muir, made an 11th hour appeal for negotiation between the two parties to halt court action.
The Alliance Party councillor from North Down, not a party in the case, appealed for compromise: “Unfortunately it’s pitched people of religious belief against lesbian and gay people and I think that’s very sad. It’s not the type of society that I want in Northern Ireland where we have that adversarial set up.”
He added: “There should always have been mediation in relation to this matter and if there’s an opportunity for mediation today and tomorrow, let’s go for that.
“Let’s try to resolve this outside the court because legal action should always be the last resort.”
Ashers had been asked to bake a cake with a pro-gay marriage message and the images of Sesame Street characters Bert And Ernie.
