Hotel refutes same sex marriages claim

Rodney Edwards • Published 4 Feb 2010 14:16 9 Comments

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The Enniskillen hotel whose Wedding Fair on Sunday was at the centre of allegations of promoting same sex marriages has strongly refuted the claims saying that the fair was for all couples regardless of religion, race or personal beliefs.

Sunday's Wedding Fair at the Westville Hotel was the target of a small protest from Francis and Susan Anne White who claimed that the event, which was hosted by gay celebrity wedding planners Ant and Dick, was sending out an "ambiguous" message.

They staged their protest outside the venue with a placard stating 'Biblical Marriage = 1 man and 1 woman' and were eventually moved on by the PSNI who were called by the management of the Westville Hotel.

In a letter to this paper the Whites said: "The hosts of the wedding fair have been involved in some of London's very first 'gay marriages'. So we felt that this wedding fair had a somewhat ambiguous view of marriage."

The Whites claim that they were moved on because their placard was provocative and they accused one of the police officers of being "obnoxious, threatening and intimidating".

However, the Westville Hotel and the celebrity hosts have refuted the claims.

Pat Cooley, General Manager of the Westville Hotel said: "The management of the Westville Hotel completely respect the right for any individual to protest for their beliefs, but the reason for this protest had no relation to the Wedding Fair. So out of respect for our guests, customers and visitors, we had to ask them to move on. The Westville Hotel is a business and as one, we have to focus on delivering a quality service and product to all guests and visitors regardless. I would like to thank Ant and Dick for visiting Enniskillen, they were very professional and entertaining throughout."

The celebrity hosts say it is the first time they have encountered such a protest.

Anthony Miller of Ant and Dick said: "We had a fantastic time in Enniskillen, to be honest we have never really encountered any protest elsewhere, we do not wish to offend any individuals and totally respect the protesters' beliefs, but at the end of the day we were here to help Fermanagh brides and do a day's work."

In a statement released this week Westville revealed that the protesters had contacted the Westville Hotel the week prior to the wedding fair, and were clearly informed that the two gentlemen were here on a paid professional capacity to provide wedding couples with their expert advice on creating a special wedding day regardless of the couples religion, colour, culture and any other personal beliefs/preferences. The Hotel did offer the protesters the opportunity to come and voice their concerns prior to the event, but this invitation was not accepted.

The hotel says that despite the protest the Fair was a success with 20 local trade stands and a large attendance. As for the celebrities at the centre of the protest, they say it will not put them off returning to Enniskillen.

Richard Jones (Dick) said: "I had never been in Enniskillen before and I shall definitely be informing our media contacts in the UK to come and explore the area. As for the protest, it's fine, I think they just perceived the event to be something it wasn't. These things happen."

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 04 Feb 10

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

Andy
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Feb 5, 19:31
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I have a personal report from the Whites of the event and I have this to ask the Police (which I will be doing in writing)

Since when is holding a sign in a public a criminal offence (as claimed by one officer?

Since when is quoting the Bible a criminal offence?

Since when has 'threatening and intimidating' conduct from an officer to peaceful protesters become acceptable?

Since when has a businesses concern for its profits trumped the freedom to peaceful protest?

I shall certainly be writing to the Police involved and I encourage ALL freedom loving people to do the same.

Wake up Northern Ireland - the same intolerance of views that are dissenting to the prevailing culture of so called 'tolerance', 'diversity' and 'multi culturalism' is coming...and believe me they show little 'tolerance' and certainly don't show enough interest in 'diversity' to include Christians or dissenters!

Congratulations to the Whites - at least somebody is prepared to stand for righteousness and when the Lord asks 'Who will rise up for me against the evil doers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?' as he does in Psalm 94:16 - the Whites can say - WE WILL.

Andy ClarkernChristian Watch

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Andy
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Feb 5, 19:39
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I've just read the Fermanagh Herald article on this incident - and one of the hosts is quoted as saying...

"It was a quiet enough protest. There was nothing intimidating about it. Did it annoy me? No, each person is entitled to their opinion."

So why the Police? Why did they have to take down their sign whilst in a public place? What offence have they committed to be told by a Police officer that if they persisted they would be arrested?

We may now have devolved Police powers - but I didn't expect a Police state quite so quickly!

Andy Clarke

Christian Watch

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big dave
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Feb 6, 21:03
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protest all you like but the bottom line is people in Fermanagh live in the dark ages. there is no real need to protest about this, gay unions are perfectly normal.

you talk you righteousness, i reckon you lot are just ignorant

next thing you'll be saying is darwin was gay

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Xenon
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Feb 11, 13:56
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Gay 'unions' are not normal. Homosexual acts are acts of gross depravity and against the natural order and most people realise this, at least deep down. But bullied by the aggressive homosexualist agenda, they shut up and keep quiet because they have been brainwashed by the pro-gay media into being 'tolerant', accepting', 'loving' etc... Real love is calling sin out for what it is. Love the sinner, hate the sin. Next thing you will be saying you don't mind if homosexuals adopt children, or teach our children that homosexuality is normal and healthy. Make no mistake, this agenda is not Godly. At the same time, we must love all people, for we are all sinners. Homosexual persons must not be unjustly discriminated against, nor bullied and abused. But we must call sin what it is.

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Xenon
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Feb 11, 13:59
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PS I don't know why it put '*' in my spelling of homosexual. Did it do it again? Some kind of editing software on the Impartial website maybe? =p

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Xenon
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Feb 14, 00:13
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Any activity that reduces the sexuality of the body to something no more than a form of entertainment is narcissism because it seeks to make yourself seen through your desire for another person. When you look at another person with desire, you do not see a soul enrobed in chaste beauty; you see only the exuberant fantasy that your aching throb of loneliness might be alleviated through someone's body. Narcissism makes your pleasure in having your body fondled the focus of your satisfaction. It makes your pleasure in playing with the body of another person—turning God's temple into your toy—into the focus of your satisfaction. That's self-love placed above love of God, isn't it?

So those who defile chastity (and all the holy obligations it entails), for the sake of self-serving pleasure, persist in narcissism. It's not a matter of the Church rejecting them; it's they who reject the Church, for by placing self-love before love of God they refuse to repent their sins, thereby falling into unforgivable sin and preventing themselves from accepting God's merciful call to forgiveness.

http://www.chastitysf.com/q_nice.htm

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sheephead
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Feb 14, 00:41
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I wish that these do gooder christians would go back under the stones they crawled out from under. A lot of us couldn't care less about what that fictional work known as the bible says.

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Mark
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Feb 18, 00:16
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I can see that you put a lot of thought into your reply, sheephead. We do care about mankind and that is why we speak out.

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KarenM89
2 posts
Aug 24, 22:14
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You people, you so-called "Christians" are the only depraved and vulgar creatures I can see at the moment,quote verse and throw your bibles at whatever you want, but get this through your narrow-minded, vicious little heads, IT WILL NOT CHANGE ANYTHING, what are you actually going to do, single-handedly wipe out every homosexual on earth??? no...I didn't think so, so why don't you carry on turning a blind eye, to the peodophillic sinners that surround you, in you so-called "house of God" and let people who have nothing to do with you, live their lives.

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