Christian B&b Owners Lose Supreme Court Appeal: Forced To Sell Business After Gay Couple Complains

[John81]

Christian B&B owners lose Supreme Court appeal: forced to sell business after gay couple complains

 

LONDON, November 28, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Peter and Hazelmary Bull, the Christian hoteliers fined for refusing a single room to two homosexual men in September 2008, have lost their appeal to the UK’s Supreme Court, with the court ruling that their company policy was “discriminatory.”

 

Despite the fact that the couple proved that their policy applied equally to any unmarried couples, and not just homosexuals, all five judges ruled the Bulls’ policy to be a case of illegal discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, and dismissed their appeal. Two of the judges said the discrimination was “indirect,” but unjustified. 

 

The elderly couple said they were “deeply disappointed and saddened” at the decision that has “reinforced the notion that gay rights must trump everything else.” 

 

They have said that they have been the victims of an ongoing hate campaign, including threats and abusive phone calls and emails, vandalism of their home and car. The Christian Institute reports that wheel nuts were removed from the couple’s car “and recently a dead rabbit was nailed to their fence”. The website of the business was recently hacked and replaced with pornography. 

 

Mrs. Bull told the Christian Institute in September that they had no choice but to sell their business, having gone hungry and without heating last winter in their struggle to make mortgage payments. 

“We’re just ordinary Christians who believe in the importance of marriage as the union of one man and one woman,” Mrs. Bull said in a statement after the verdict. 

 

“Britain ought to be a country of freedom and tolerance, but it seems religious beliefs must play second fiddle to the new orthodoxy of political correctness,” she added. “Somehow, we have got to find a way of allowing different beliefs to coexist in our society.” 

 

The Supreme Court deputy president, Lady Hale, said the Bulls are free to “manifest their religion” but by refusing to allow homosexual men to share a double bed in their establishment, they were breaking the law.

 

In what has been called the first national test case of the Equality Act’s Sexual Orientation Regulations (SOR) for Christians who hold traditional sexual moral beliefs, the Bulls have lost in every court, starting with the Bristol Crown Court in January 2011. 

 

Moreover, Judge Andrew Rutherford declared in the Bristol Crown Court ruling that in law there is no discernable difference between civil partnership and marriage, a ruling which later helped to pass the Conservative government’s “gay marriage” act.

 

The legal action has had a huge impact on the Bulls’ lives. In addition to being fined £3,600 for the “hurt and embarrassment” felt by the complainants, Martyn Hall and Steven Preddy, the Bulls were ordered to pay the latter’s legal expenses. 

 

The Bulls have failed in their efforts to find a way to continue their business enterprise while living their beliefs. The Government’s tourism board for England struck the Bulls’ B&B off their approved list of guesthouses and homosexualist groups and publications have enacted a boycott. 

 

They tried to turn their guesthouse into a non-profit, Christian-only retreat centre, but have recently announced that their legal fight has been so costly they have no choice but to sell their home. They have operated their business for 25 years and have always made their policy known to guests. 

Hazelmary Bull has described their situation as exemplifying the ongoing marginalization of Christianity in Britain. With these kinds of rulings, she said, it is clear that “some people are more equal than others.” 

 

Mrs. Bull told the Christian Institute in September, that they came to the decision to sell as “a gradual process”. “We just noticed more and more that we couldn’t make the mortgage repayments” she said. 

 

“Last winter was terrible. We were actually shivering and were hungry. We are coming towards next winter and dreading it. In 2013, two people who worked all their lives at this have ended up cold and hungry. It’s not right.” 

 

She described the loss of their home and business as being like a “death in the family”. “I never thought it would end like this. We are not facing the future with any real enthusiasm.”

 

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[John81]

Whatever happened to Christian charity, as our KJB says? This couple should have received assistance and not had to go hungry and cold.

[Invicta]

Yes sad, John.

 

I read this in last month Evangelical Times, so it must  have happened a couple of months ago.  We have a similar problem in letting our manse.  While we don't have a pastor we let it out.  We are not allowed to advertise for married couples only, but we got a married couple last time.  They struggle to find the rent, and they are a couple of years late in a rent review. We are actually in breach of our trust deed and charity commission rules, as we should be getting a further £200 or so a month.  However I see two problems.

1.  If we were to give them notice, and the press got hold of te story, it is likely to be headlines that a church made a young family homeless.  

2.  We would have a problem finding a married couple as most seeking rented housing are "partners" and not married.

[John81]

With all this sort of mess going on, in both our countries, one would think Christians would be pulling together more.

[Invicta]

With all this sort of mess going on, in both our countries, one would think Christians would be pulling together more.

 

They should be but many go along with it.

[John81]

They should be but many go along with it.

Over here it seems many Christians are too individual minded.

[JerryNumbers]

​There's going to be jobs, professions, business, that a Christian that's following Jesus will not be able to work at or enter in our modern America because our country & many of its people hates Jesus & His ways.

 

Yet many will go to the law & sue, thinking I deserve, & I refuse to sacrifice & give up anything, I refuse to suffer, I will go down fighting.

[allen32]

like jerrynumber said it starting to happen hear. john 15:20

[JerryNumbers]

like jerrynumber said it starting to happen hear. john 15:20

 

I understand stuff such as that can be difficult for the Christian husband, wife, children. We as Christians in this United States have had it so good for a great number of years & are not accustomed to Christian persecution as many have been. We've not had it life many of our brothers & sisters from years ago. Many of them even gave ther life for the sake of Christ.

 

For instants, William Tyndale holds the distinction of being the first man to ever print the New Testament in the English language. But all the work & effort to do that cost him his life.

 

The Story of William Tyndale of the Baptist Pillar 

 

"There was no trial. They knew they were going to kill him. He knew it, too. Gladly he laid down his life, for he had done the work he had set himself to do. The Bible was in England, in the language all the people could read. One day they led him out to a stake. They hanged him and then burned his body. He asked them if he might send a message to England and they told him no.

 

Then he closed his eyes and prayed earnestly, "Lord, open the king of England's eyes."

 

Brave William Tyndale! No man ever gave more than he! The Bible we read he made possible for us, for from that first translation, all the translations since have been made.

 

I never think of him without thinking of Jesus' words about Himself, "He laid down His life for His sheep." Surely William Tyndale followed the footsteps of Jesus." -

 

 

For the past 10 years or so I've been seeing this coming, & its now coming on stronger & even though I live in rural America about 5 miles from a town of about 4500 people I can see it taking place. What are we willing to give up for our Savior, what sacrifices would we make for His glory? A question each of us needs to ask our self. But it seems to me most of today's Christians in this country feels that being a Christian should be like a walk though the park, & we should have much money, material possessions, & no sacrifices at all.

 

1Pe 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

 

1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

 

Of course if we don't take a stand for God's Word, boldly, we will not suffer any persecution. Its quite plain, the world loves false teachers, ear itchers, for they prosper greatly. We are especially seeing that with those so call Christians, & churches are folding that's embracing homosexuality, saying its not a sin against God, & no where in the New Testament is it condemned, & God approves of them marrying who ever they chose so they can be happy with the one they love.

 

I'm 66, about to be 68 & I may not live to see when it hits us heavily, yet if Jesus don't come for His own in the next few years Christians that stand strongly with our 'Great Awesome God,' will endure much persecution right here in the United States of America.

[John81]

 

​There's going to be jobs, professions, business, that a Christian that's following Jesus will not be able to work at or enter in our modern America because our country & many of its people hates Jesus & His ways.

 

Yet many will go to the law & sue, thinking I deserve, & I refuse to sacrifice & give up anything, I refuse to suffer, I will go down fighting.

 

In the particular case above, the couple simply appealed to the law because they had clearly not violated the law. Similar to how Paul appealed to the law when Romans were about to beat him, against the law.

 

In the case above, the couple simply asked the law be upheld. The corrupt judges ruled against them and the couple accepted the ruling and are moving on.

 

My main point in posting this is not with regards to the legal aspects, but as to why Christians didn't come alongside this couple and give them assistance so they were not going hungry and cold.

 

In Acts we see how the Christians took care of one another so that none lacked. In Paul's epistles we see Christians giving to help other Christians in need.

 

Had the above scenario been reversed, the homosexuals and pro-homosexual groups would have donated and raised funds to provide for their own. How much more should Christians be doing such for their own in the name of Jesus.

[JerryNumbers]

The problem is this.

 

What this world & its governments calls right & or wrong is much different than what is right & or wrong in the sight of God which is what all Christians should follow, even if it cost them money, & or their income.

 

So being as this world idea of what is right & wrong is different than what is right & or wrong in the sight of God, & they're the ones who set up the laws, there will be many instants where man will have to give up his work & or face the consequences of disobeying the laws of worldly governments patiently suffering for the sake of our Savior.

 

Now if they go ahead keeping on working at job that will make them disobey mans laws while disobeying God's laws, them when the government charged them they ought to plead, "We obey God rather than men," much like what was said by Peter & the other apostles in the verse below.

 

For instants.

 

If the government passes a law that says ALL doctors if a patient comes to them wanting to commit suicide that the doctor MUST help them die.

 

And the Christian doctor refuses to & that person sues him, the doctor should be willing to face the charges admitting I did not help him commit suicide, & I'm guilty, for I obeyed God instead of man. If he is not willing to do that & face the punishment, he should stop being a doctor.

 

If a Christian pharmacist is required to hand out abortion pills to any young girl that enters his store & he is unwilling to face the consequences of disobeying the government while obeying God, he should stop being a pharmacist. If he keeps on being a pharmacist & one day a young girl comes in wanting the abortion pill & he refuses to sell it to her & she files a lawsuit & he is charged, he should plead guilty facing the consequences & not go to the court saying I did not wrong.

 

 

Ac 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

 

1Pe 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

 

1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

[John81]

 

The problem is this.

 

What this world & its governments calls right & or wrong is much different than what is right & or wrong in the sight of God which is what all Christians should follow, even if it cost them money, & or their income.

 

So being as this world idea of what is right & wrong is different than what is right & or wrong in the sight of God, & they're the ones who set up the laws, there will be many instants where man will have to give up his work & or face the consequences of disobeying the laws of worldly governments patiently suffering for the sake of our Savior.

 

Now if they go ahead keeping on working at job that will make them disobey mans laws while disobeying God's laws, them when the government charged them they ought to plead, "We obey God rather than men," much like what was said by Peter & the other apostles in the verse below.

 

For instants.

 

If the government passes a law that says ALL doctors if a patient comes to them wanting to commit suicide that the doctor MUST help them die.

 

And the Christian doctor refuses to & that person sues him, the doctor should be willing to face the charges admitting I did not help him commit suicide, & I'm guilty, for I obeyed God instead of man. If he is not willing to do that & face the punishment, he should stop being a doctor.

 

If a Christian pharmacist is required to hand out abortion pills to any young girl that enters his store & he is unwilling to face the consequences of disobeying the government while obeying God, he should stop being a pharmacist. If he keeps on being a pharmacist & one day a young girl comes in wanting the abortion pill & he refuses to sell it to her & she files a lawsuit & he is charged, he should plead guilty facing the consequences & not go to the court saying I did not wrong.

 

 

Ac 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

 

1Pe 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

 

1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

 

No one has said this isn't the case.

 

The question was, why are Christians not taking care of one another as the Word commands and gives examples of?

[JerryNumbers]

Perhaps some are, & perhaps not everyone who calls their self Christian, are Christian, remember, the gate is narrow, strait, & not many people enter in thereat.

 

Yet at the broad wide gate its quite busy & millions & millions are entering in thereat full of pride & self worth. What amazes me about them is they talk about giving back, leaving this place a better place that it was when they entered it, taking care of the hungry, the needy, the poor, & supporting the worldly charities of which many support sins against God. Yet they do so for their own glory, to build up their own pride, their own self worth, to receive praises of man, &  not for the glory of God. In the long run it will do them no good for they will wind up in the same condition at the rich man in the book of Luke, in torment forever even though in this life they receive praises of men & were known far & wide.

[John81]

Scripture is clear we are to care for our own.

 

Scripture is equally clear that if we know someone has a need and we have the ability to help them, we are to do so.