[Niamh.]

Jonathon Brennan (29), from Drogheda, Co Louth, said he was “infuriated and shocked” when the owner of local printers, Beulah Print & Design, told him they would not do business with him because “we don’t agree with homosexuality”.

The salon owner, who will become civil partnered to his boyfriend of eight years, John Kierans (35), in August, said he had been doing business with the printers for four years before the refusal.

Mr Brennan told the Irish Independent: “It came to the time that we were to organise getting our invitations printed for our ceremony. I contacted the printers, because they know me, and they’ve done some work for me before, and I was quite happy with their work.”

He said the co-owner, Noel Tuite, initially agreed to print the invitations, but when he visited Mr Brennan’s salon yesterday afternoon, it became apparent that he had changed his mind.

“He said, ‘Myself and my business partner are devout Christians. We don’t believe in gay marriage, and we don’t agree with homosexuality. So in this instance, there’s a conflict of interest, and we won’t be able to do business with you.’

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“I was shocked. I didn’t know what was going to come out of his mouth. He said it would be the same instance if somebody came in and they wanted to get a picture of a nude woman printed. We wouldn’t be able to do that either.

“I said, ‘I wish I had been aware of your conflicts of interest four years ago before I started doing business with you.’ He went to shake my hand, but I wouldn’t shake it, and he left. I was just infuriated by this, and shocked, that this was the attitude from a local businessman. Not in my adult life have I ever experienced anything like this.”

Mr Brennan added: “The gay marriage referendum is coming up, and it’s not an open and shut case. A lot of the younger generation would believe that gay people should be entitled to get married. But not everybody thinks that way. I feel it is important to highlight that.”

This morning Beulah Print released a statement outlining why it took the decision.

It said: We, at Beulah Print, are Bible-believing Christians who are committed to standing by our conscience and God’s Word.

“We have never hidden our faith from our customers and represent the gospel at every opportunity. We are not against homosexuals however, we do not support same sex marriage, which printing wedding invitations would do.

“We believe the love of God is extended to all people and that He has called us all to walk in the light of His word, for He is the way, the truth and the life.”

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news...-31043312.html