Toleration is not enough. You. Must. Approve.  You. Must. Submit.

In England, a Pentecostal family is told that they can be foster parents because they cannot in good conscience teach their charges that homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle.

The Pentecostal Christians, who have been carers since 1992, had applied to Derby City Council in 2007 to restart fostering after a break.


But social workers raised concerns that their attitudes to homosexuality would conflict with the new Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007.

The couple decided they were ‘doomed to failure’ and sought a clarification of the law over whether their religious beliefs excluded them from becoming foster carers.

Their case, heard last year, was supported by senior clergy including former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey who, in an open letter, warned that gay rights were taking precedence over the rights of others.

During the case, the Equality and Human Rights Commission argued that children risk being ‘infected’ by Christian moral views.

Yesterday the retired couple’s request for a ruling that faith should not be a bar to becoming a carer was denied at the High Court in London.

Their case was heard by one of the most senior members of the family court, Lord Justice Munby, who was sitting alongside Mr Justice Beeston.

It was ruled that there was no discrimination against them as Christians but that their views on sexual morality may be ‘inimical’ – or harmful – to children. In that situation, they ruled: ‘The equality provisions concerning sexual orientation should take precedence.’

One of the many short-sighted features of this policy is that Pentecostalism, because of its commitment that its members live a Christian life-style, is a tradition that encourages members of the underclass to develop the discipline and commitment to escape poverty.  So, in one fell swoop, British policy seems to be that foster children, who have been dealt a tough hand to begin with, should be denied exposure to one of the few traditions that might let them escape from the life they've been stuck with.

But at least they will have a politically correct attitude about their poverty.