Gay Sex, Christian Counsellors and the Law

I decided this thought was not appropriate for "Thought for the Week" on our chaplaincy website so here it is instead!

Christian counsellor Gary MacFarlane has lost his case against being dismissed for refusing to give sex therapy to a same-sex couple. I don’t agree with Mr. MacFarlane – there is more than one Christian view on this – but nor do I agree with the judge’s verdict which argues that legislation cannot protect religious views as this would be irrational, “divisive, capricious and arbitrary”. The reported basis of this judgement strikes me as more than a little odd, it could just as easily be argued that the judge has decided irrationally, divisively, capriciously and arbitrarily that religious views have no place in our public life. This kind of ideological secularism is as much a world view held on trust as any religious one – it cannot be proved, nor can it claim to be the only rational view of the world. It also misses the very point of secularism which is to ensure freedom of belief and the practice of belief. In this country procedural secularism was largely invented by Christians in the nonconformist tradition to ensure such religious freedom.

It is one thing for the judge to uphold the dismissal on the grounds that Mr. MacFarlane’s views were preventing him from doing the job for which he was employed, but quite another to dismiss the basis of his views or their right to respected and consideration under the law.