" I believe his message is love." Most evangelicals seem to think it only applies to people who fit their rather traditional social roles. The opposition from "evangelicals" to the legal recognition of transsexual people in their true gender was quite unpleasant. I don't really mind what other people believe, as long as they keep their wierd ideas out of my life.

j7sue, guildford, surrey

Barry... the sexual orientation regulations cut both ways. You are not happy about discrimination against people who are gay but obviously have no problem with discrimination against Christians. All Christians wanted was for their rights to ALSO be considered in circumstances where the regulations affected THEIR organisations.

Abigail... you understanding of the Biblical and scientific views on homosexuality seems to be a little shaky. "All the scientific evidence"... really? The Bibles teaching on sexuality begins in Genesis, not with St Paul. And by the way, just because an organisation doesn't agree with something doesn't make it or its members 'nasty'.

Andrew Brown, derby, UK

Why do any homosexuals, transexuals, adulterers, etc. really care? Are you looking for endorsement of a lifestyle from the world? If you believe in God, then it only matters what God thinks (basis of which is in the scriptures - and no-one in most of the world is denied access to these, but most are too lazy to take the time to read) This first group says Jesus didn;t say anything about homosexuality, but he didn't say anything about pedophilia either so should we accept that behaviour? What is your basis for your answer?

And if you do not believe in God, then you are nothing but an accident of evolution and whatever you do is futile anyway, because we are just some molecules that with chance and time became aware, but at the end of the day still nothing but accidents so to "fight" makes no sense, in fact your only logical conclusion is nihilism.

It amazes me, how illogical we humans try to be in order to defend a position that either doesn't need defending or is undefensable.

Nigel, Charlotte, USA

An inspiring and courageous testimony . A good definition of being an Evangelical . Would there be more Christians who could speak the truth as Joel has done.

george chew(Dr), epsom,Surrey, UK

Referring to the "God hates fags" family from Kansas is hardly a representative sample if evangelicalism in the States.
Many are environmentalists, others fight to stop AIDS in Africa.
Many evangelicals find Pat Robertson to be an embarrassment .
There is a lot of evidence that the community is moving to a more "liberal" position on many aspects of culture and politics.
So, if you're going to point out the extremes of American Evangelicalism, don't you think it's your responsibility to acknowledge the more nuanced variety of its adherents?

T manley, Madison, USA

This is in so many ways an inspiring testimony. But Abigail has done well to remind us of the EA's unremitting hostility towards the transsexual community - a tiny minority which seeks no more than the only effective treatment for a recognised medical condition. Certainly that community poses no threat to anyone and the stance of Joel Edwards and his ilk smacks of nothing less than bullying.
As Joel Edwards wrote, Jesus said little remarkably little about sex. What a pity the EA does not follow His example!
PS Reference is made to Quaker work in the abolution of slavery. For the removal of doubt, The Religious Society of Friends is a most tolerent body, is not a member of the Evangelical Alliance, and I have seen no indication that it supports the EA's views on sexuality or transsexuality.

Heather, Cardiff, UK

It is the battle between Hedonism and Christianity that is being played out. Whether there is any morality or self-discipline in any field or simply a life of Utilitarianism and Libertinism unencumbered by any realm beyond Self.

Voyager, Oxford, England

Well done.

I am certain the Resources of the Bible are not emptied in this 21st century.

Family values are on the top list again here in Belgium, even youths are asking collectively for more respect for parents decesions; according to a recent survey.

On 29th, an article of mine wil be published in TERTIO MILLENIO, the Flemish counterpart of The Tablet. It is on "Africans deserve Awe". Africans seem to me to be Black Angels that re-introduce family values and religiosity in Europe, that suffers increasingly of the Spriti of Descartes & Enlightenment in an extreme form.

"Je pense donc je suis" has made us depressive, autistic and lonely.
We need to de focus form labour ethos and to take time to meet each other again, loose from the Ratrace.

Bible as well as people from the Tropics can help us in that.

Kind Regards,

Stefaan C Hublou, Leuven, Belgium

Stef C Hublou, Leuven, Belgium

Well done.

I am certain the Resources of the Bible are not emptied in this 21st century.

Family values are on the top list again here in Belgium, even youths are asking collectively for more respect for parents decesions; according to a recent survey.

On 29th, an article of mine wil be published in TERTIO MILLENIO, the Flemish counterpart of The Tablet. It is on "Africans deserve Awe". Africans seem to me to be Black Angels that re-introduce family values and religiosity in Europe, that suffers increasingly of the Spriti of Descartes & Enlightenment in an extreme form.

"Je pense donc je suis" has made us depressive, autistic and lonely.
We need to de focus form labour ethos and to take time to meet each other again, loose from the Ratrace.

Bible as well as people from the Tropics can help us in that.

Kind Regards,

Stef C Hublou, Leuven,

I do not object to Evangelicals being obsessed with sex so much as them being wrong about sex. They ignore the Bible and the scientific evidence. St Paul condemns people who choose homosexual relationships when they are bored with heterosexual fornication. All the scientific evidence shows that gay men do not choose their orientation. All the scientific evidence shows that transsexual people cannot be "cured" by psychotherapy.

It is not Christian to lie about God's creation.

Abigail , Newport, UK

I was delighted to read this article. As Jesus's primary message is "God is Love" it was good to see Joel Edwards acknowledge that. And then I had a look at the Evangelical Alliance website. It is still preaching lies and hatred about transsexual people, though it does acknowledge that it is in an ever shrinking minority and that more and more churches are welcoming transsexual people. However reasonable Joel Edwards might wish to appear in The Times, it takes little work to find the falsehoods and nastiness of his organisation.

Abigail, Newport, UK

Evangelicals were pretty well despised in WIlberforce's day as well, not least by the established Church which had financial interests of its own in slavery.

Jesus said "woe to you when all men speak well of you", so no-one who seeks to follow him expects that it will make them popular.

Even so, a Christian's responsibility as a citizen is to stand up for what is right , however counter that may be to the spirit of the age. In Wilberforce's day that no doubt meant being accused of being obsessed with slavery. Today it means being accused of being obsessed with the sex. So be it. At the end of the day, it's no accident that the countries in the world which are most free, most 'liberal' (in the original, positive sense of the word) and by-and-large most prosperous are the ones where Evangelicals have had the greatest influence, whether in society or in government. That must tell us something.

Stephen Morris, Shrewsbury, UK

"The Sexual Orientation Regulations protect gay people from discrimination in the provision of goods and services."

Including children from Catholic adoption agencies. Sorry but I think most people were against that one.

Jem, London,

Mr Edwards says that "when we were talking to the Government about the Sexual Orientation Regulations" - he forgets to mention that he was trying to persuade them to scrap them. The Sexual Orientation Regulations protect gay people from discrimination in the provision of goods and services. It seems Mr Edwards and other "moderate" evangelicals would be quite happy to see this simple piece of justice completely scrapped. Methinks he speaks with forked tongue.

Barry Henderson, London, UK