“Legal action against Christian bakers is ‘a crushing blow to religious liberty,'” says the headline on Christian Today’s website. They are wrong — it is a crushing blow to all liberty. If the action is successful, freedom of speech in Britain is dead.
Most, on reading the headline, would think, “Oh, this is another case of a Christian baker refusing to do a cake for a ‘homosexual wedding.'” Those cases are bad enough, but this is (remarkably) even more chilling.
The owners of Ashers Baking Company in Belfast, the McArthur family, refused to provide a cake which said, “Support Gay Marriage.” Gay marriage is not legal in Northern Ireland — this is a political campaign.
It is a major threat to free speech when someone is prohibited from saying what they wish on a political issue. But incredibly, the Equality Commission thinks that even silence is not permitted, that people can be compelled to provide services to a political campaign to which they object.
Imagine a Scottish baker being compelled, against his wishes, to provide a cake saying, “Stay in the Union!” One would think the SNP might have something to say about that.
Suppose a baker with Conservative leanings refused an order for a cake saying, “Down with the Tories!” Or, as Colin Hart of the Christian Institute suggested, suppose a feminist baker refused to provide a cake saying, “Sharia for UK,” or a baker with environmentalist views was asked to produce a “Support Fracking” cake. Should the law be used to force them to comply?
Not only is it unacceptable to speak against the homosexual agenda, it is now unacceptable to fail to take part in promoting it. The weight of the law will be used against those who don’t support the agenda. The powers that be have decided that the furtherance of that agenda is now more important than freedom of thought, of speech, and of religion. It is even more important than the freedom to remain silent.
This is a major step forward in the agenda. We’ve already been told that “homosexual rights” to have approval is more important than freedom of religion. Now we know it is more important than freedom of speech or even freedom of silence.
Will this nation really accept this? Do we really believe that it is appropriate to force someone to provide services for a political campaign with which they disagree? Will no one reign in the Equality Commission? Someone in authority needs to say, “Stop! Wait! Think!” Are the political leaders so blind that they don’t see what this does to freedom, or is it just that they are so craven that they allow this to go on anyway? Or is it just that the target is Christians, and no one cares about protecting their freedom of speech?
Christians will be ok. We serve a higher Power. Our citizenship is in Heaven, and if the legal authorities here take away our citizenship rights, they store up eternal rewards for us.
But Britain is going to pay a high price for this kind of thing. When you decide any members of society have lost the right to freedom of thought and of speech, when you decide which side they must take on a political question, you lay the groundwork for dictatorship and oppression.
They may come for the Christians now, but they’ll be coming for someone else next. When you deal mortal blows to freedom for some, you diminish it for everyone.
When you do it to Christians who are harming no one, merely for following the clear teachings of the Bible, you remove any expectation of God’s blessing, and put yourself in jeopardy of His wrath. Unfortunately, those in power and those pushing the homosexual agenda probably don’t care much about that — but just because some are blind to a danger doesn’t mean it is non-existent.
For Christians, the message is the same as I’ve mentioned before. Evil is not satisfied to co-exist with good. Don’t expect to be able to just get along. You can’t give evil a place in your heart, and excuse some sin or other, because evil doesn’t accept good as its neighbour. Similarly, you can’t have peaceful co-existence with the homosexual validation agenda. The goal is validation, and there is no validation if you don’t join in the chorus of approval. Silence isn’t approval, so if they have the power to compel, they won’t settle for silence.
I guess it is time to post the following progression again (I’ve posted it before). Amazingly, if this court case pushed by the Equality Commission succeeds, we’ve made it all the way to the bottom. It will now be illegal for bakers (and presumably printers) to fail to endorse a political campaign for gay marriage. That is tyranny.
That which was
illegal because of its immoral nature
becomes something which is legal but morally condemned.
That which was
morally condemned
becomes something which is acceptable, albeit less than ideal.
That which was
less than ideal
becomes something which is equal in value, if still a little morally questionable.
That which was
questionable morally
becomes something which is accepted as morally good.
That which was accepted as
morally good
becomes something which it is immoral to oppose.
That which was
immoral to oppose
becomes something which it is immoral to fail to endorse.
That which was
immoral to fail to endorse
becomes something government must endorse.
That which was
what government must endorse
becomes something which the state church will be compelled to endorse.
That which was
what the state church much endorse
becomes something which all must endorse.
That which was
what all must endorse
becomes something which it is illegal to fail to endorse.
And so that which was illegal, because of its immoral nature,
has become something which it is illegal to fail to endorse.
Tyranny.
For evil will eventually be unsatisfied to merely coexist with good.
What is true of a society is true in the human heart.
If we let evil become acceptable to us,
it will want to rule us.
Evil accepts coexistence with good only for as long as it takes it to gain dominion.
Mind Renewers 
Thank you Jon for putting this whole issue into perspective. Christians, quite naturally, focus on the attack upon fellow Christians, this, however, affects us all. Totalitarians attitudes are by definition relentless in their pursuit of their goals and all, regardless of belief or political position, are affected.
I just read about this issue this morning. The times are getting worse and worse. It’s truly amazing the power wielded by 2% of the population.
Thank you, both. For those who don’t read his blog, Campbell’s thoughts (which I read after posting this) are excellent, too. http://possil.wordpress.com/2014/07/09/desperately-seeking-offence/.
That was an excellent article. As usual, some of the comments demonstrate a lack of understanding as to the real issue here.
I always read Campbell. Though he might be a little UK-focused for you.
Jon,
The State of Oregon has determined that Aaron and Melissa Klein (Sweetcakes Bakery in Gresham Oregon) have discriminated against the lesbian couple by refusing to bake their “wedding” cake–formal charges have now been filed.
The couple is asking for at least 75,000 in damages…
Yes, I’d heard about that. This is even scarier because it is a political message. In Oregon, the lesbians could cloak their intolerance in “We’re just a private couple trying to get service from someone who says they serve the public.”
But this is a political group looking to force people to help with their political agenda to change the law, and getting government’s help to force it. As Campbell said on his blog (link just above), this is a message advocating something that is currently not legal. So it is even a step farther than the Oregon case (and the Colorado and New Mexico cases) into tyranny (even if the financial ramifications in Northern Ireland may not be as severe).
Thanks for the reblog. 🙂
Dark times, may the lost find the Savior.
And may we use the time we have for His glory.
Reblogged this on My Word Like Fire and commented:
Homo-fascism grows day by day. So does homo-spirituality.
Pastor Jon,
Thank you for this post; we must NOT get sidetracked and consider things of this nature as a personal attack. Satan, in his subtlety, will sidetrack many by causing them to miss the true issue at hand – sinners are perishing and time is short.
The Bible warns that evil will get worse; with that said, whatever time there is left, let us use it wisely. May we be much in prayer and by His power and might, stand firm in His truth. Let us remember, this world is not our home. Judgment looms for the entire world, the Gospel must go forth in ‘bad times’ as well as good.
Blessings to you
Lyn
Thank you, Lyn, very good thoughts.
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Hi Pastor Jon,
I seek retrospective permission to post this on our website. All credits given back to you.
Blessings, Angus
See: http://www.hiskingdomprophecy.com/the-death-of-freedom/
Hi, Angus. I’m glad you found it worthwhile.
Oregon State Labor Commissoner Mr. Brad Avakian has finalized an order fining the Klein’s $134,000 to be awarded to the complainants for refusal of the accommodation of custom decorated cake for their homosexual wedding. Gross tyranny to say the least. Reportedly, Commissioner Avakian further has ordered the Klein’s to cease speaking publicly about the matter. If this is true, then freedom loving the world over should repost any and all items supporting the Klein’s constitutional rights to freedom of speech and freedom of religion.
Hello, Rich, I’ve read several reports appearing to confirm what you’ve said.
Americans have trusted in their constitution, but the constitution is only as good as the people who enforce it. When the society becomes corrupt, it will elect those who won’t uphold a constitution, no matter how good it may have been to begin with.
Psalm 146:3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.
Our only protection is in the Lord.
I saw the fine/award as $135,000 for all the emotional suffering those poor people endured (HAH!)
The USA is now, as demonstrated by our latest SCOTUS ruling about fake marriage, a bonafide oligarchy.
The amazing thing in this case is the sheer arrogance of telling them they can’t talk about it. Not only are we going to drive you out of business and make you pay an absurd fine, we are going to gag you.
And Mr Avakian will be applauded and likely re-elected. It is absurd that a state labor commissioner even has the authority to issue fines in cases like this. Due process seems to be dead in Oregon along with free speech and freedom of religion.
I’m waiting for the lawsuit about violation of the First Amendment.
It seems being “wrong” on this issue eliminates the First Amendment….
I found the following news item:
Oregon’s Bureau of Labor & Industries Commissioner, upheld the ruling that the Kleins have to pay the lesbian couple $135,000 for a long list of alleged damages including: “acute loss of confidence,” “high blood pressure,” “impaired digestion,” “loss of appetite,” “migraine headaches,” “pale and sick at home after work,” “resumption of smoking habit,” “weight gain,” and “worry.”
Can you imagine such psychobabble being claimed!?!?!
Can you imagine any person believing all of that because they simply had to get a cake somewhere else? But Avakian is biased and should have recused himself.
It’s even worse than we thought. This article has the full list of “suffering” for which this couple received “compensation.” There is no question but that the officials are 100% pro homosexual agenda and anti-Christian
http://barbwire.com/2015/07/06/0700-oregon-declares-war-on-the-christian-faith/
Hi, Glenn. I again refer you to the progression I described above. It ends in tyranny, for evil will not be willing to merely coexist with good.
Yep, Jon, your progression is 100% accurate.
Not that it brings me any joy. And I certainly never guessed the progression would move as fast as it has the last couple of years.