Faith Groups to Rally against Sexual Orientation Regulations

Christians, Jews and Muslims will stand side by side today in protest against the Northern Ireland Sexual Orientation Regulations as they come up for debate today in the House of Lords.

Hundreds of protestors from across the country are expected to take part in the torch-lit rally outside the House of Lords today to urge Peers to oppose the regulations.

Peers will hold a one-hour discussion on a motion put forward by Lord Morrow, calling for the Northern Ireland regulations to be annulled so that they can in turn be amended to protect freedom of religion and freedom of conscience.

Thomas Cordrey, barrister and Public Policy Analyst with the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship commented, "The debate in the Lords is a signal to the government of the need to acknowledge that these regulations do not currently strike the correct balance between two competing rights. Christians have no desire to discriminate unjustly on the grounds of sexual orientation, but they cannot and must not be forced to actively condone and promote sexual practices which the Bible teaches are wrong. It is a fundamental matter of freedom of conscience."

"We are not asking the impossible of the government. While these regulations will make it illegal for a Christian printer to refuse to print a leaflet advertising a gay pride march, in Canada the Supreme Court of Ontario came to the conclusion that such a printer should not be forced to act in this way. It is possible for these regulations to outlaw discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, whilst guaranteeing the freedom for religious believers to abide by their faith".