DISCRIMINATION
Historic Pennsylvania Venue Bans Same-Sex Weddings, Because Jesus

The owners of the beautiful and historic Star Barn, a popular wedding venue in Pennsylvania, have banned same-sex couples from marrying in the restored 1872 building that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. David and Tierney Abel cite their Christian religious beliefs for discriminating against same-sex couples.
“Stone Gables, which runs both the Star Barn and Ironstone Ranch, has a policy barring reservations to same-gender weddings. Owner David Abel says they go against his religious convictions, which hold that marriage is between a man and a woman,” PennLive reports.
The Abels enlisted the support of their local government and residents, and even used interns from a local college to complete the massive project of buying, disassembling, moving, rebuilding, and restoring the historic Star Barn. An earlier project estimated the cost at $8 million.
It does not appear the Abels ever said they would discriminate against same-sex couples.
Retired Lancaster educator Steven Dinnocenti highlighted the discriminatory policy in a Facebook post that’s received a lot of attention.
“Discrimination is discrimination,” Dinnocenti tells PennLive in the video below. “It’s like hate is hate. Anybody should be allowed to walk in anywhere to purchase anything. That is what a capitalistic society is. When you get the door slammed in your face it’s offensive. It’s wrong. You are saying our money is not as good as the next person’s.”
Meanwhile, David Abel says he does not tolerate discrimination, despite being accused of it.
“No persons will be discriminated against,” Abel told PennLive, “however, we ask people to respect that we have core tenants [sic] in our faith and our beliefs and we cannot participate in any event that would be in contradiction to those core tenants [sic] – one of them being marriage, which has been biblically based for thousands of years as being between a man and a woman.”
The Star Barn’s Mission Statement includes this passage: “We provide marriage-related services as ordained by God’s Word, the Holy Bible, that are consistent with the written truth that marriage is the union of one man and one woman.”
Image via Facebook
Enjoy this piece?
… then let us make a small request. The New Civil Rights Movement depends on readers like you to meet our ongoing expenses and continue producing quality progressive journalism. Three Silicon Valley giants consume 70 percent of all online advertising dollars, so we need your help to continue doing what we do.
NCRM is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. From unflinching coverage of religious extremism, to spotlighting efforts to roll back our rights, NCRM continues to speak truth to power. America needs independent voices like NCRM to be sure no one is forgotten.
Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure NCRM remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to NCRM, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.
![]() |