Women Bishops - let's ordain a few bigots I say!
If a Muslim policeman refuses to stand guard outside the Iranian embassy, then Ms Ladele can refuse to "marry" gays.
(Police Constable Alexander Omar Basha refused).

Mr Bryn Wayt, London,

"Civil ceremonies for gays and straights are meant to be the secular alternative to a church do, so let's keep God out of it."
People who say such things usually want to keep God out of everything. Is it really that wise to keep Absolute Truth, Beauty and Goodness out of everything?

Laurence England, Brighton, United Kingdom

I quite fancy being a bigot. Where do I join?

David, Bromley,

Liddle omits the fact that she was in the job prior to civil ceremonies. Fair play to her, someone has changed her working conditions without her consent and she has won. This is no different to any other change in working conditions without your consent.

John, Egremont,

Ms Ladele's Christian beliefs don't seem to have prevented her from taking a salary for a job she refuses to do. Funny that.

Shirley, London,

Ladele has the right to hold any opinions she likes. She does not have the right to refuse to do her job on the basis of those opinions and retain that job. But no-one is saying she cannot disagree with homosexuality. So the homophobes getting twisted knickers can sleep safely.

Sam, london, uk

Quite a vitriolic offering - the phrase, 'Drama Queen' springs irresistibly to mind (well, to my mind, anyway)

While it's perfectly true that Hell hath no fury like a Sodomite sympathiser scorned, one could (and should) expect rather more than hysterical street ranting from the Times.

Stapleton S Love (Rev), Lincoln, UK

So there are jobs out there where you can be compensated for refusing to do the work that the job entails - where did I go wrong?

Shirley, London,

Liddle and co are missing the point. What the lady was subjected to, insults and bullying etc by both colleagues and management, has no place in the modern workplace. Nothing that Liddle says negates this. No one was harmed by her not officiating, but she certainly was. Islington' s actions stink.

Tony, Oxford, UK

Everybody is entitled to there own beliefs, what right has anybody got to say we have to tolerate gays if we believe they are not normal, as far as I am concerned I have no religious beliefs and think gays as they call themselves today are far from normal.

Bob, London, Uk

Ms Ladele is an unmarried mother, presumably she agrees with the Bible about the penalties for adultery and fornication?
The Christian Insistite that backed her case believes the bible is without error. Given that it is full of contradictions and absurdities this is a bizarre belief.

Tom, Aldershot, UK

Rod Liddle is the intolerant one in all of this with his abuse he has showered at the woman in his article. The most intolerant people in the world today are liberals who preach 'tolerance'; only of their view though.

Paul, London,

Rod's article is spot on - civil ceremony is outside a temple so do not rub your cross on it
I think the court did not see the big picture at all - I am not allowed to refuse to served a Christian person in a cafe or else - even if I dislike them -
They have open the wrong door !!

l.zazou, torquay,

What a superb article by Rod Liddle questioning the behaviour of Lillian Liddle. What he said made complete sense to fair minded citizens who must be appalled by her bigotry. She should look to her conscience if she accepts a salary but does not carry out the job for which she was employed.

Beverley Luckman, Southampton,

I wonder which charity she is going to donate her compensation award to? That's the christian thing to do with it, surely?

Faisal, London,

"So, nobody should ever be allowed to disent on the basis of conscience?" - Jeremy Forbes, London, Essex

You mean, should people be allowed to refuse to do their job because they think it's immoral? No. They should either resign or get on with it regardless.

Isobel, London,

I suggest if she feels so strongly she can become a vicar, then she can express her beliefs.

Most of us a extremely fed up with all these cults of whatever type inflicting their iron age views on the rest of us.

H Horse, jersey, uk

I read an interview with Ladele and this piece by Rod Liddle. I know which one came across as hate-filled. And it wasn't Ladele.

Joanna, London,

Liz, common sense would dictate that Ms Ladele looks for another job.

Esther, London,

Fantastic comment on a Bigot this weekend.

She should be sacked!

I'm a catholic and find it mortifying that someone who conducts a civil ceromeny will not proceed on religious ground. Very Very weak arguement.

Jenny, Edinburgh, scotland

If homosexuality is barred by the bible, so is sex outside marriage - so why does this lady marry couples who have been living together before marriage, which she must surely do, since they form the vast majority of couples having civil ceremonies. This decision will surely be appealed & reversed.

Geoff, London, UK

Rod, have you considered Richard Dawkins may have been on the right tracks afterall?

kevin, Lincoln, UK

Nuremburg and other subsequent trials have destroyed the notion that a requirement to follow a lawful order is or can be a defence to charges. I don't understand homosexuals or homosexuality, but I do understand my moral duty to tolerate them. And religious people as well must do so.

george, Epping, UK

it would have saved a great deal of distress and public money if COMMON SENSE had been called into play. Ms Ladele doesn't officiate in those ceremonies which cause her distress and others of no conviction do.......
Not all of us are trendie metropolitan Liberals

Liz Brown, Montmartin en Graignes,

Is it dawning on you that there can no more be a 'secular alternative' in a Christian society than in an Islamic one? The law must clearly state that no exception can be made for peoples religious belief in any circumstances whatsoever. Besides; If theres no price how can it be 'conscience'?

Eric Skelton, Cardiff, Wales

It seems in this PC gone mad country of ours if you dare to have an opinion you are labeled a bigot. It may surprise Rod Liddle that not everybody agrees that being 'gay' is a normal state of affairs. Just because the PC brigade say it is doesn't mean we all have to give up our beliefs.

william, manchester.,

But those not attached to organised religions have the same rights to be offended by some doctrine and overt displays of religion. Indeed some doctrine, tenets and practises are against UK law and all in the UK are subject to the law. This shows exactly why religions should not be privileged.

Keith, Rayleigh, England

Nice one Rod.
The sooner religion is confined to the category of hobby the better.

CHARLIE, LONDON, United Kingdom

What a terrible indictment of our legal process. Perhaps Ladele, emboldened by her successful defence of her madcap beliefs, could now embark on a campaign to encourage us all to stone our disobedient children, or to kill those who work on the sabbath; both are additionally stipulated in her Bible.

Christopher Usher, Yeovil, Somerset

As a Christian, I can see Ms Ladele has obviously misunderstood her role in the civil service. CIVIL, not religious. She would not be officiating at marriages, but at CIVIL functions. This is therefore not an issue of faith, but an issue of prejudice. Rod is right, this is bigotry, plain and simple.

Jennifer Hynes, Plymouth, England

Thank God for Rod Liddle.

Kevin McKenna, Lucca, Italy

The sky pixies saying bigotry is OK doesn't make it so. Anyone who is a public servant, be that a registrar, a politician or whatever, has a duty to carry out their responsibilities under the law. Their personal beliefs shouldn't come into it.

Andrew, Cardiff, UK

A public servant is paid from our taxes. If they find the job is in conflict with their beliefs then they should quit. Instead, this judgement means that we are all going to have to pay for additional staff to cover their sensibilities. Extrapolate this lunacy; what are the cost implications?

Ray Warren, Dartmouth,

I just thought we all l ived in a free society where we all have a right to agree or disagree with our neighbours and act accordingly.

D A Cooper, mortagne, France

This is a shocking, simply shocking indictment of the legal process, she is a public servant, she is employed to uphold the rules as stated in law. if she doesnt like it, she should go and find a job with her fellow extremists. this is positive discrimination and disgusts me.

James, Elsenham, UK

Rod Liddle is wrong because Miss Ladele's bullying manager had admitted that she had no basis for believing that Miss Ladele was homophobic. Better check with your lawyers whether Mr Liddle had libelled and bullied Miss Ladele.

Carolyn, Surbiton,

Thank you for this aritcle Rod. It is good to see someone with real 'common sense' articulating his views in a predominantly right wing conservative paper! It is the religious bigots who should be controversial and not those they discriminate against through their superstitions and ignorance.

rob, paris, france

Whilst I don't personally object to gay civil partnerships, I find it unreasonable (and rather hysterical) to call it 'bigotry' to take a moral stance against them. Perhaps Rod defines 'bigotry' as 'not believing the same things I do'!

Janet Davis, Sydney, Australia

Jeremy, if Ms Ladele does not like the conditions of her employment, she can solve this problem herself. I have faced many changes during my own lengthy career, quite a few of which I didn't welcome, and some of which offended me very deeply. When I was that offended, I FOUND ANOTHER JOB.

Sue S, North Yorks, UK

Surely under the relevant anti-discrimination Act, Ladele should be sacked as being unable to fulfil the 'inherent requirements' of a registrar's job.

Mark, Brisbane, Australia

This is becoming more common here in the US. We have pharmacists who are refusing to fill prescriptions because their religion disapproves of birth control.

Soon I expect to see a Christian Scientist who will refuse to fill ANY prescription, but will offer to pray for your infection.

Patrick ONeill, Tucson, USA

I have a better idea, lets keep Rod out of it !!!!! GOD has been around too long to be left out of anything !!!!

Ian Payne, walsall,

So, nobody should ever be allowed to disent on the basis of conscience? Your views on Ms Ladele whom you call a 'bigot' is no different to the fundamentalist you so regularly rile against. You want to impose one view on everyone irrespective of their beliefs or experiences.

Jeremy Forbes, London, Essex