(LifeSiteNews) — Last week, a Christian organization was denied service at a pro-LGBT restaurant because its religious beliefs oppose the LGBT ideology.
The Family Foundation, a faith-based advocacy group that supports state policy that “preserves and promotes the family in Virginia,” was refused a meal at Metzger Bar & Butchery in the state’s capital of Richmond.
The nonprofit had reserved a room for a private event at the restaurant weeks earlier, planning to gather with supporters and those interested in the group to discuss the organization’s work. However, one of the venue’s owners called less than two hours before the event, informing the party that the restaurant was canceling the reservation.
“Welcome to the 21st century, where people who likely consider themselves ‘progressives’ attempt to recreate an environment from the 1950s and early 60s, when people were denied food service due to their race,” Family Foundation president Victoria Cobb wrote in a December 1 blog post. “We believe individuals in private business should not have to violate their convictions, which for some Christians means not celebrating what God has declared sin. However, most, if not all, faiths not only allow for the provision of services, like food, to those with whom they disagree, but they also encourage it.”
Cobb noted that “we know our organization will continue to be cut off from services in the current environment,” commenting that the nonprofit bought its own building in preparation for “when we would no longer be a welcomed tenant.”
“In eight years of service we have very rarely refused service to anyone who wishes to dine with us,” Metzger Bar & Butchery wrote in an Instagram post. “Recently we refused service to a group that had booked an event with us after the owners of Metzger found out it was a group of donors to a political organization that seeks to deprive women and LGBTQ+ persons of their basic human rights in Virginia.”
The restaurant emphasized that service is “always refused” on the grounds of those who will be “making our staff uncomfortable or unsafe.” They added that “this was the driving force behind our decision” to cancel The Family Foundation’s reservation.
Despite the last-minute rejection from the restaurant, Cobb declared in her post that “our witness will not be diminished, and we will not be silenced.”
“We will speak out when we see this type of religious discrimination occurring in Virginia. As we stand on the front lines of this fight to protect and advance religious freedom for all Virginians, we invite you to stand with us.”
The Family Foundation is built on values including respect for human life from conception until natural death, marriage between one man and one woman, gender as a gift from God, whether male or female, and parental rights. The group advocates for local and state policies that support each of these values as well as hold the government accountable for responding to human exploitation issues, defending religious freedom, and refraining from overreaching government policies.
More information on The Family Foundation can be found on the organization’s website.
With the growing trend to bow to the LGBT ideology, Christian organizations have faced repeated backlash for refusing to engage in services that oppose their religious beliefs, contrary to the ease with which they themselves can be refused service that does not force their patrons to engage in activity against their beliefs.
Such was the case for a Christian couple who refused to bake a cake for a same-sex “marriage,” which resulted in monetary fines and the eventual loss of their business. In September, the couple raised the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, fighting for their First Amendment rights. Similarly, the Court began hearing arguments on Monday regarding whether a Christian web designer can be forced to create a website celebrating same-sex “marriages.”
RELATED:
Democrat extremism opens door for Virginians to elect pro-life, pro-family leaders