Councillors urged to reject discriminatory proposal to light town hall with rainbow colours on Pride Day

MEMBERS of our congregations have expressed deep shock and sadness upon learning of the divisive recommendation coming before Ards and North Down Council on Wednesday, September 26.

We note with dismay the committee’s proposal to light the Town Hall in rainbow colours to coincide with Pride Day each year on the first Saturday of August. Pride is a political campaign group seeking to promote what they term “marriage equality” — as was reported concerning their parade this year in Belfast.

As Bible-believing Christians, with a love for all and a desire for the welfare of society, we are duty-bound to uphold the Bible teaching that marriage is a monogamous relationship between a man and a woman. Genesis 2v24, Matthew 19v4, 5; Ephesians 5v31.

We find it incomprehensible that, under the guise of noble sounding words such as “diversity”, any councillor would vote to promote the agenda of a small minority, an agenda that is viewed by many to be aggressively anti-Biblical.

To support the lighting of Ards Town Hall in this manner would indicate that you are unaware of the grave offence this will give to many residents, and would reveal a lack of consideration for our sincerely held Biblical viewpoint.

By promoting and elevating one section of the community above another, you are failing to treat all as “valued” and “equal citizens”.

Had there been more notice given of this motion we have no doubt that many other evangelical Christians would have expressed their dismay at this offensive proposal.

As ratepayers, we urge you to reject this discriminatory motion and instead endeavour to promote the long-held principles of civil and religious liberty, namely that all residents should be treated equally under the law with special privileges for none.

REVERENDS R JOHNSTONE, T MURRAY, S MURRAY, D PRIESTLY, C SALT, A SMYLIE, G WHYTE, G WILSON

On behalf of Free Presbyterian congregations in Ballygowan, Bangor, Comber, Donaghadee, Newtownards and Portavogie