"A society in which people were compelled to perform actions that ran contrary to their deepest principles would not be a happy place to live..."

That depends on how many people have 'deepest principles' which are anti-social or just plain daft. One of my 'deepest principles' may be that all redheaded men should be executed; but it's neither reasonable nor humane for society to enforce that 'deepest principle' on others, particularly since others' own 'deepest principles' are in direct conflict with it. The best we can expect as social human beings is that principles which are rational, compassionate and in tune with broader social goals should be respected. Those which are not deserve no more respect than the flimsiest whim of any five-year-old.

//If Ashers had refused to serve Lee because he was gay it would be as guilty of discrimination as a pizzeria that refused to serve a customer because she was a Muslim. But the bakery was being asked, in this instance, to reproduce a sentiment its owners found profoundly disagreeable. It has been objected that Ashers’ owners should be able to separate their religious convictions from their fulfilment of customer orders; that Ashers is a business, not a religious organisation, and should behave accordingly.//

A lot of people with anti-Islamic sentiments are opposed to Islamic dietary laws. I've worked with chefs like this and whilst the situation has never arisen, should a chef have the right to refuse to cook a halal meal for a Muslim? Not to refuse to serve them, just to refuse to serve them what they order because it requires the chef to reproduce sentiments they find highly disagreeable? Should an anti-Semitic chef have the right to refuse to cook a kosher meal for a Jew? Should I have the right to refuse to cook a vegan meal for a herbivore? I find vegan sentiments extremely disagreeable.

"In this case the law has got it wrong. For while civil rights activists will point out (correctly) that religious ‘conscience’ could be invoked in order to justify racism and sexism – and, indeed, to facilitate them: to keep Jews and blacks out of restaurants or women out of snooker clubs – the gay cake controversy is not a case of that kind."

Except that it is...

In putting themselves in the public and secular sphere of operating a cake shop business the Asher's put themselves in the position of being subject to the applicable laws, including those of anti-discrimination. A court found them to be in breach of those in this instance.

The case would have been much more interesting had the Asher's subpoenaed God to confirm their unproven allegation of His plan!

Lol WmTrevor! I would like to see that.

If this cake shop refused to serve African Americans because of their colour, or Jews because of their religion, then there would be a definite discrimination case to answer.

There is no difference in this shop refusing to serve people because of their sexual orientation. The law is fairly straight forward as far as I can see,

If the cake shop owners are so much into their religion that they can't even serve gay people, then perhaps they should not be in such a business, but rather find a job that doesn't involve mixing with the public?

The day participation in society becomes voluntary, such society could dictate whatever laws it likes to its members, draconian as it desires.

Till then, compelling anyone to participate in the activities of a society is nothing but violence.

Churches have been doing this in the past, now the secular state takes its revenge on them - and the rest of us are caught in the cross-fire!

It is no use to claim "religious rights" as there cannot be a general agreement on what religion is. It is no use to claim "freedom of conscience" as it is impossible to tell from the outside what is motivated by conscience and what by lesser motives, say greed, envy or hate. Therefore all should have the benefit of the doubt and be free not to do anything they don't agree to do, for whatever reason or even for no stated reason.

A big "YES" to all of Tony Lavis' "should" questions, that is until such day when participation in society becomes voluntary.

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As for the specific case, I understand that Ashers did accept the order, but then refused to follow through with their agreement: this being the case, they were in the wrong, but not had they said 'No' to begin with.

“Asher’s food will be rich; he will provide delicacies fit for a king.“ [Genesis, 49:20]

If it wasn't in God's plan, then why did God make Gays?

Nobody but nobody chooses to be born different!

Yet some folks supposedly speaking for a God of unconditional love, "CHOOSE" to believe different; and for one single reason, so they can punish some folks for daring to be born different!

And proven true, as that is the only effective result/outcome!

And Gay bashing takes many forms from the straight out assault,to withholding essential service, or your best effort?

Say when providing a medical service/treating aids?

And even where it is acquired by medical means; say needle stick or essential if contaminated blood products, they're all tarred with the same brush/judged as being the same or Queer!?

And none more at risk of both outcomes than those emergency workers who man the front line; but particularly before 86!

Some clever folks can be terribly ignorant/rigidly blinkered at times, more appropriate to a time and place when the world was flat!

And the day will dawn when they are FINALLY JUDGED!

Before 1986 there were 142 registered Hemophiliacs in Australia, since then each and every one of them has died of medically acquired aids!

If ignorant straights knew just what it means, what has to be tolerated and how hard it is to be Gay, they'd know for sure and certain, nobody but nobody would choose to be Gay, or live in a private hell every day of a childless family free/deprived of a normal adult life, replete with marriage/kids/happiness!

And who the hell are they, to claim with unprecedented arrogance, that they personally know the mind of God; unrepresentative swill, who even yet believe they have the right to speak for the rest of us!

Around 80% of us have a sibling/child/friend who we have known all of their lives; and know as fact, they just didn't chose to be Gay, with all that then means; along with life long deprivation, some of which ends in sad and lonely suicide!
Own your own behavior and all its outcomes R soles!
Rhrosty.