Press release on the Ashers Bakery case and Lord's Day Observance.

This week we see two great moral issues brought to the fore in Northern Ireland that should cause deep concern to the heart of every Bible believing Christian. 

Firstly there is the court case regarding Ashers Baking Company and secondly the Euro 2016 qualifier being played on the Lord's Day.

Firstly in regard to the court case against Ashers, the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster would like to reiterate its support for the Biblical definition of marriage as found in - Mark 10:6-8 "But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh." 

We reject and oppose the efforts by some to introduce a form of "marriage" that is contrary to Scriptural teaching and will undoubtedly be detrimental to society and the family unit.
 Testimonies from those who have been brought up in the environment of same-sex "marriage" reveal that both male and female parenting, by a mother and a father is the "best and most successful family structure" within the home. 

In our adherence to the Divine institution of marriage, we wholly oppose the efforts that are being made by the so-called Equality Commission to prosecute Ashers Baking Company Ltd, for their refusal to endorse unlawful "gay marriage". We believe that they, as well as everyone else, should be permitted to conduct their lawful business enterprise in accordance with their Christian conscience.

The recent comments in the Guardian by the chairman of this publically-funded body Mr Michael Wardlow, that Christians should "either look at the law or maybe that is not the business they should be in" clearly highlight the attitude of the Commission to those opposed to "gay marriage". It would certainly seem from this statement and others made by the Commission that they have decided that sodomite partnerships should be made legal in Northern Ireland.  

Secondly in connection with the football match, we would once again voice our opposition to the decision by the IFA to permit this game to be played at Windsor Park on the Lord's Day 29th March. The fourth commandment states "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy". This match is a blatant dismissal of this command and serves only to please the television companies. It has been planned without any thought for, or consultation with, the local church community. 

Having already expressed our views to the IFA, we will be making a public protest to display our opposition to this dishonouring of the Lord's Day.