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Old 03-18-2007   #3 (permalink)
Miguel
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 57
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Actually Carl the UK goverment are doing that.

http://www.christianconcernforournat.../sor/index.php

What are the Sexual Orientation Regulations (SOR)? Using power they gave to themselves through the Equality Act 2006, the government are pushing through a new law (the SOR) which will make it illegal for providers of goods, services, facilities, premises, education or public functions to discriminate against the recipients on the grounds of their sexual orientation i.e. whether they are homosexual, heterosexual or bisexual.

Why is it a problem? Firstly, we must stress that Christians are commanded to love all their neighbours (including homosexuals) equally. Christians would never want to be homophobic or discriminate against homosexuals out of bigotry or prejudice. Christians of course earnestly desire the repentance and salvation of homosexuals.

However, the Bible is clear that the only rightful sexual relationship for which we were created, is a relationship between a man and a woman in the context of a legitimate marriage. Consequently there are times when Christians need to be free to discriminate against homosexuals in order to make it clear that we believe in the Bible's teaching that homosexual practice is wrong.

Consider a Christian couple who own a bed and breakfast. They provide a 'service' according to the law. Therefore if the SOR become law, it would be illegal for that Christian couple to refuse a homosexual and his partner (who had a registered civil partnership) a room with a double bed for the night, even if they also refused an unmarried heterosexual such a room: according to the new Regulations a registered gay civil partnership is equal to a marriage, and to discriminate against gay civil partners would constitute discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.

Consider a Christian Community Centre which receives public funding. If that Centre hired out its premises to local groups but refused to hire the hall out to a homosexual group who wanted to promote homosexual practices, that would be illegal discrimination under the new Regulations.

Consider a Church of England school. They offer education, and were the SOR to become law, it would be illegal for the C of E school to have a 'bias' on their curriculum in favour of heterosexual relationships - this would discriminate against any possible homosexual pupils or homosexual parents who wanted their child to be taught about the acceptability of homosexuality.

These examples are based on the Northern Ireland Regulations which came into force on the 1st January 2007. Please follow our 'latest news' section to find out the current situation with the England, Wales and Scotland Regulations, to know what restrictions the legislation will place on Christian freedom.
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Miguel Hayworth - Taking Christ to the Streets in the UK
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