I’m an Anglican priest, and while a straight, married man have authored two books outlining the Biblical, Christian arguments for same-sex marriage and full acceptance of LGBTQ people within the church. I’ve also written countless articles, and appeared on television and radio making the same defense, and suffered a great deal of abuse and threats as a consequence.
And I also believe that a woman painter in Bristol, England who recently refused to decorate the home of a gay couple should be allowed to make that decision and not face any legal consequences. Her reputation may be damaged and she could lose business, which is absolutely acceptable, but she has – if you like – the right to be wrong.
The couple involved, Joshua and George (they’re withholding their surnames) have been extremely considerate in not naming the woman, likely realizing that the social media and even personal attacks that would inevitably follow would be appalling. Nor are they planning on suing her under Britain’s Equalities Act of 2010 which bans discrimination due to sexuality.
Which indicates that they have a far deeper grasp than she on the basic Christian tenets of forgiveness, inclusion, and refusal to judge. I do wish the reluctant painter would spend time reflecting on that!
The actual case itself is extraordinary in that it doesn’t involve support for a same-sex wedding, whether as a caterer, photographer, or cleric. The couple say that the tradeswoman changed her attitude to the job when she visited their home and realized the situation. She texted to them that as a, “'practicing Christian” she could not proceed due to “recommended guidelines” at her church.
I could counter with evidence that Jesus Christ never mentions the issue, the Old Testament doesn’t refers to lesbianism at all, St. Paul condemns temple male prostitution rather than loving, consenting same-sex relationships, and that while the Bible speaks of the poor more than 2000 times, it hardly ever writes of what we today describe as homosexuality – the word is actually of late 19th-century origin.
But I also appreciate that there is disagreement within the wider church on this subject, and while I hope and pray that minds can be changed, I’ve met many people who disagree with me who are fine and selfless followers of Christ. This case, however, seem extreme from any point of view.
In the public sector, discrimination based on sexuality, as well as race, religion, or disability is and should be illegal. Surely most of us agree on that. The state must never have a right to penalize someone because of who they are, and that’s as conservative a position as it is liberal.
In the private sector, the free market, it all becomes rather blurred. What if the couple in question lived not in a large city but a small village, and there was only one painter available? What if the decision to reject the work was based on skin colour? Our reaction would surely be angrier. My father was Jewish, and lived in London at a time when there were implicit and even explicit barriers to work because of his religion. That all changed, but took a long time and involved a great deal of hardship.
But then there’s simply common sense. This couple wouldn’t have been comfortable with a person so profoundly, perversely, opposed to their relationship painting their home, with them surrounded by her work for years to come. I’ve a feeling they know that, and far better than I do.
“Just another day in the life of a practicing homo – a tradesperson outright refusing to do some painting/decorating because of my sexuality”, said Joshua, one half of the couple. It may sound dismissive but it’s also deeply poignant. There’s an expression of hurt here that nobody should have to experience. He and his partner have done nothing wrong. The woman who treated them thus most certainly has.
Society is seldom based on absolutes, and no solution to this absurd situation is going to satisfy everybody. We’ve had similar situations in Canada, and certainly in the US, and I suspect there will be more to come.
Perhaps an altruistic soul will now offer to decorate the couple’s home as a gift, perhaps the woman will realize what she has done and change? Perhaps the world will become a kinder, more tolerant place. Or perhaps not.
Love God, love your neighbour as yourself, and do your job as advertised. But if you don’t, I’d rather God and your conscience respond and not the state.
