Oct 10
30
Christians fed up with living in the closet
The Daily Telegraph – Oct. 30, 2010
Christian foster pair take gay challenge to High Court
By Tim Ross
A Christian couple who were banned from becoming foster parents because they believed homosexuality was unacceptable are taking their case to the High Court.
Eunice and Owen Johns will argue that Christians are being forced to live “in the closet” as the state’s interpretation of equality law favours homosexuals’ rights over religious freedom.
The Christian Legal Centre, which is backing the couple, said the future of Christian foster carers and adoptive parents “hangs in the balance”. Campaigners for homosexuals’ rights said the couple’s views were out of date and that councils should protect the rights of a child before the “prejudices” of parents.
Mr and Mrs Johns’ case is the latest clash resulting from equality laws that were introduced under Labour and designed to prevent discrimination on the grounds of religion or sexuality.
Roman Catholic adoption agencies have closed because they cannot reconcile the requirements under the new laws with their belief that children should not be placed with homosexual couples.
Mr and Mrs Johns, who have fostered almost 20 children over several years, applied in 2007 to become foster carers, providing respite care for children between the ages of five and 10. But Derby city council withdrew their application after a social worker discovered that their traditional views on the family meant they could never tell a child that homosexuality was acceptable. The couple challenged the council and were given the opportunity to reapply in 2008 but Derby’s adoption panel failed to come to a decision. A judicial review of their case, which is supported by the council, is expected to begin at the High Court, sitting in Nottingham, on Monday.
“It may not be long before local authorities decide that Christians cannot look after some of the most vulnerable children in our society, simply because they disapprove of homosexuality,” said a spokesman for the Christian Legal Centre (CLC).