A Christian bakery which refused to bake a pro-gay marriage “Bert and Ernie” cake has been found guilty of discrimination in a landmark case. Ashers Baking Company, which delivers across the UK and Northern Ireland, had argued that the cake and its slogan “Support Gay Marriage” went against their “sincerely held” Christian beliefs. But giving her ruling at Belfast County Court, district judge Isobel Brownlie said: "The defendants have unlawfully discriminated against the plaintiff on grounds of sexual discrimination. "This is direct discrimination for which there can be no justification."...[The company] claimed the issue was with the cake, not the person who ordered it. But gay rights activist Gareth Lee, who requested the cake to mark International Day Against Homophobia last May, told Belfast County Court the refusal made him feel like “a lesser person”. Mr Lee has been strongly backed by the Northern Ireland Equality Commission...[T]he case has divided public opinion in Belfast...