to think you shouldn't have to accommodate gay / unmarried couples?

[moogstera1]

Re. the b and b owners who have been fined for refusing to allow a gay couple to share a room.
From what I can gather, they are committed Christians who do not allow hetero or homosexual unmarried couples to share a room.
The gay couple deliberatly chose this B and B as they knew they would be refused a shared room and wanted to make a legal point.
They were offered 2 seperate rooms but refused.
So, despite personally not being at all religious and not caring if someone wants to share their bed with whoever they choose, AIBU to think that in their own home, they can choose to uphold their values ( which seem to be consistent as regards no unmarried couples.)

I think the legislation should be amended to permit exceptions for people running small personalised businesses in their own homes.

The law is constantly changing and right now we are in the midst of a very poltically correct era.

Freaky Jesus fulfils the "old law" by changing it, hence the "new covenant".

here

Yy Geegee
They could be The Small Yet Bigoted Group Of Businesses.

That would be marvellous.

I could set one up and ban thick fuckers.

We would serve lovely gingerbread lattes.

eBook I know this is probably what you and other Christians believe, but again this is just your interpretation. There is, unfortunately, no one true interpretation of Christianity. Which was the point I am trying to make.

YABU they are free to have bigoted thoughts, they are free not to invite gay people to tea, but if they use their home to run a business they are not free to discriminate against who uses that business.

To geegee's comment about how were in a very 'poltically correct' era.

I love how Stewart Lee describes political correctness as institutionalized politeness

Clearly the B&B owners were wrong and I'm glad they've lost the appeal. They get to choose the rules they live by, not everyone else and not in the business part of their premises.

Trock, interesting point. I seem to recall one verse in the Bible insists you should marry your brother's widow, while another says it is forbidden - was debated during Henry VIII's attempts to ditch his first wife (who had previously been married to his big brother).

Hijacking slightly but because there are so many lovely people on this thread I thought you might be interested to see this video which Shane Bitney Crone has just posted.
m.youtube.com/#/watch?feature=g-all-u&v=pTwGdWskaFk&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DpTwGdWskaFk%26feature%3Dg-all-u
Yes it references America specifically, but I think also is a reminder to all nations who purport to be 'free and equal'-and reminds us of the person who is suffering behind the discrimination. And he is very lovely!

Geegee - they don't describe their "B&B" as such anywhere on their website - they describe it as a hotel in several places,, they don't make any big deal of it being "Christian" hotel anywhere either except one tiny sentence on the bookings page.

DO you think it's OK for Christian businesses to refuse to have Hindu guests under their roof as presumably they are worshipping more than one god - or maybe they can stay provided they promise not to "worship" whilst they are in a bedroom.

They are purporting to be a business - normal business rules apply.

and what about my earlier point that they are open on Sundays - they're not really very Christian, are they? Only the bits that they've chosen.

Freaky I don't think it's a case of there being no truth. It's just that as mere humans we don't always get it right.

I think that's an excellent point, Kewcumber.

Jesus said it was ok to heal people and rescue cattle on the Sabbath, don't think he said it was ok to run businesses.

eBook I disagree, but then I am an atheist. We'll leave it at that because you seem nice and I really don't want to piss people off by getting all anti-Bible and frothy on here.

Fair points Kewcumber in relation to this specific business.

In general, DO you think it's OK for Christian businesses to refuse to have Hindu guests under their roof as presumably they are worshipping more than one god - or maybe they can stay provided they promise not to "worship" whilst they are in a bedroom that would of course be unacceptable and racist.

However, I can imagine there might be some relgious practises that a B&B or other small business owner might find abhorent under their own roof.

Might be giving shelter to people Empress and therefore ok on a Sunday

I don't think you're BU my partner and I aren't yet married and if I were refused a room somewhere because my personal situation clashed with someone's religious beliefs, I would say 'fair enough, your business, your beliefs' and then go elsewhere.

Virtually every Christian value that people come out with are 'bits they've chosen'. The same part of the Bible that criticises men 'lying with' men (whichis actually about telling men not to cheat once they're married) also condemns eating shellfishand wearing mixed fibres. All this banging on about God in order to try to hide the disgustingness of their own bigotry and yet they've not barred people for wearing shellsuits or fancying a prawn cocktail...

And yes, homophobia is the same as racism and sexism - a person's sexuality is as normal and natural as their sex organs and skin colour. To think differently is to reveal you to be a thick, ignorant, nasty idiot, end of story.

Yeah Empress and Kew Jesus was also pretty explicit about marrying divorcees not being acceptable Matthew 5:31-32, do they check and make sure that they're not catering those who have remarried?

But would it be ok to charge them for it, geegee?

That's fine, Claireabella, but you and your DP can get married and the couple have already admitted to not checking marital status for straight couples. Neither DW nor I is planning a sex change.

But geegee this couple don't have the moral high ground at all - I might accept the moral argument that christian businesses want (though are not entitled to legally) to accommodate only behaviour acceptable to their faith but they are not. They have picked sex outside of Christian marriage as being the only act worthy of forbidding and even then have chosen only to make it a practical issue with gay couples. That isn't Christian its bigotry poorly disguised as christianity.

I don't think business owners should have to do business with anyone they don't want to business with. It's none of the governments business!

However, the recorder accepted that Mrs Wilkinson was genuine about her Christian beliefs and had also stopped unmarried heterosexual couples from sharing a double bed
It's not simply about them being gay. The verdict gives no indication of whether or not she was homophobic.

"Might be giving shelter to people Empress and therefore ok on a Sunday" thats fine as long as they aren't charging. and I suspect their rates might be considered usury! £87 per night for a couple.

I don't think it is the same as the thing with Rosa Parks. good for her. She had to use the bus and there had been awful things happening to black people in America. The gay couple didn't have to stay at that particular B&B. They could have stayed in separate rooms as was offered. I think they did know it was a christian establisment. Perhaps the owners don't feel comfortable with same sex couples and the sex issue. The wouldn't want unmarried straight couples sharing a room either. I don't think they would have a problem with a hindu married couple.

I haven't read the story but no doubt they have been given money as compensation.

I do agree though that is has come to the stage where perhaps christians should not operate a B & B as it seems they are quite vulnerable and their livelihood has been put at risk.

but as long as the other couple have made a political point then why should it matter.

Cozy9 - back to "no blacks, no jews, no irish" then. Perhaps adding "no gays" for a more modern twist.