Christian couple face losing hotel after criminal charges for offending Muslim woman
A Christian Couple face losing their livelihood after being charged with a criminal offence for offending a Muslim woman by saying that Islamic dress is oppressive.

by John Bingham
The Telegraph
September 20, 2009

http://www.legal-project.org/473/christian-couple-face-losing-hotel-after-criminal

Excerpt:

Ben and Sharon Vogelenzang are awaiting trial accused of breaching public order by insulting a guest at their hotel in Aintree, Liverpool, about her religion.

The couple, who are members of an evangelical congregation, were arrested by police after getting into a discussion with the woman about the differences between Christianity and Islam earlier this year.

The Christian Institute, which is finding the Vogelenzangs' defence, said that the case showed that Christians are suffering growing "persecution" by officials who use the law to prevent them speaking about their faith. Mrs Vogelenzang, 54, is understood to have described Muslim dress as putting women into "bondage" while her husband, 53, allegedly described the Prophet Mohammed as a "warlord".

It is understood that the couple's business, the Bounty House Hotel in Aintree, has suffered a major drop in takings because of the case.

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