AGiR, please learn the meaning of the word "secular". Its purpose is to PREVENT marginalization of beliefs. For example, protect the rights of Christians against a Muslim or Atheist majority (Indonesia) or vice versa.

Non-secularism is exemplified by such things as the Spanish Inquisition, Pol Pot, present day Saudi Arabia or China, Nazism, witch hunts, Bosnian war etc. There is nothing good to be said for anti-secularism, it marginalizes people, not the other way around.

In regards this discussion, apart from it being clear the writers of the article having only given us half the story to get a reaction from the sites Christian subscribers, the health and well being of the child clearly supercedes the rights of the couple to
preach their beliefs.

The effects of a homosexual being told by authority (in this case the foster parents) that they are abhorrent is not acceptable. Known consequences are drug abuse, rebellion, violence, depression, suicide etc etc. At the end of the day,the child will be gay regardless and all the damage cause by the attempted indoctrination will be for nought.

Of course, they could accept the indoctrination and supress their natural tendencies. But what does a devout man do who is not interested in women? He becomes a priest. We all know how that can turn out, don't we?

Dear Pericles

//The council is required to make a judgment on whether this or that family can deliver the requisite love and care that Boaz identifies.//

The point I'm making here...is that the very FACT of them making a judgement of the type they did...which reflects a specific bit of law (the Equality Act) demonstrates just how FARRRRRRR things have BEEN changed over time. Remember ? "The inevitability of graddddualism"

Poirot mate.. you are spot on...normality is not a 'static' concept... so.. let's pray that Nambla don't get a chance to re-define 'normality' as roooly roooly satisfying intergenerational homosexual intercouse eh ?

You actually make my point.."Normality" yes it IS dynamic and it's up to we the people to continually define and defend it.

TCM "Secular" values are really Fabian socialist values which end up discriminating against Christians. I can demonstrate this irrefutably.
You would need to listen in close detail to this lecture to get up to speed on how the law has been changed.

http://www.christianheritageuk.org.uk/Media/Player.aspx?media_id=41713&file_id=44708

The "Nuclear family" has been destroyed in the UK. That lecture will outline exactly when and how.

AGIR <"It would be UNTHINKABLE for any council to act in this way in 1960."
And therein lies the problem with your archaic thinking, dear old Al :)

You are still stuck in the 'good old days' of the early 1960's, when men were men, women did as they were told, gay people hid themselves away,and all the happy little families trotted off to church every Sunday!

It must have been a truly euphoric time for you hey?

The thing is Al, society has been changing greatly every decade, and we can never stay the same. That is life.

Gay people are out there, they are real, they are NOT mutants (as you disgustingly suggest), and they aren't going away...

suzeonline,
The society you believe is progressive since the 1960's has been tried many times previously over several thousand years. The only society that succeeds is a disciplined one following law, and not one where free expression is normalised. where every man does what he feels is right for him / her.

<<Gay people are out there, they are real, they are NOT mutants...and they aren't going away...>>

Incestuous people are out there, they are real, they are NOT mutants and they aren't going away...

Polyamorous people are out there, they are real, they are NOT mutants and they aren't going away...

Paedophiles are out there, they are real, they are NOT mutants and they aren't going away...

What is your point?
That society should submit to any change by any group that is
"out there, real, NOT mutant and refuses to go away"?

<<society has been changing greatly every decade, and we can never stay the same. That is life.>>

Change is not good by definition.

As usual, you have no argument.

What is your point Proxy?

Incestuous people and paedophiles are criminals, and both these deplorable acts have NOTHING to do with homosexuality.
Homosexuality is not a crime in Australia Proxy.

What IS your point then?