Contrary to the wishes of the Gays, Christians have rights.

In fact Christian are under represented on government bodies, its time we had an affirmative action program that would place a Christians on every government board in the country.

Timothy, Liverpool,

Who are the people wanting to radically change society and values? Notice how the unwanted invader of values is the one who upholds traditional values, not the radicals who wish to force everyone to accept their lifestyle. A society driven by the radical factions will soon lose it's anchor and run adrift.

Chris, Bellingham, USA

The amount of ignorance about and disrespect for gay people shown by most of the commenters here is appalling, highlighting the importance of the Commission.

For the record, I'm agnostic about the (probably multiple) causes of homosexuality, equally as I am about the causes of heterosexuality. The only "lifestyle choice" I've made is to be open about my feelings, rather than living a lie. My life is not "rooted" in any kind of sex. The obsession with gay sex is in the minds of the homophobes.

The objection to Dr Edwards is not that he's religious, nor that he lacks integrity, but that his publicly avowed antipathy to homosexuals is entirely inappropriate for someone charged with promoting equality. It would be the same if he held some other prejudice, such as believing that people of one race were inferior.

Roger, London,

Equality before the law is the goal of a just society. We will never have social, economic, or political equality, that is a fact of human existance. Social equality will have someone subjected because they disagree with the "equality", economic equality will occur when all are poor and the elites have armies to control us. Political equality will occur when truth returns to education, and educated people actually contribute to running the country instead of a political class which as taken the place of the nobility. Term limits to every elected office is a place to start.

Tom, Midland, Texas

Interesting isn't it, how equality isn't allowed for Christians!

Just imagine the outpouring of vitriol if someone who actually believes all the Bible were to be appointed instead of Mr Edwards!

Bishop Dominic Stockford, Teddington, UK

LGCM attacked TearFund last week and now Joel Edwards. They are shooting themself in the foot. They will never be content until the Church officially accepts their choice of lifestyle (yes choice - no gay person believes in the Gay Gene Theory now they have all the fiscal and legal rights) , deletes hoxosexual acts as sin, and tippexes out the bits in the Bible they choose to ignore.
Joel is a gracious and Godley man and a good opposite on the Commission to Ben Summerskill. Joel will at least act with total integrity.
Paul Eddy, member of General Synod of the CofE, Nottingham

Paul Eddy, Nottingham, GB

LGCM are quite self obsessed: listen guys, lots of people disagree with you, get used to it! For you lot to be trampling over them, suppressing their ideas is not equality.
Gays choose to live a life rooted in homoerotic sex, Christians do not. That's a choice. Edwards has never vilified anyone as far as we know - but is being vilified for views held by most of mankind.
And where is the LGCM deference to the flavour of the decade multi culti view of society - do they think Muslims agree with gay sex? Should they be banned....it's getting more and ridiculous going round this politically correct circle of victimhood and offence. How about a board game for..well not Christmas obviously, nor Ramadan come to think of it....

Yaya, Dalston, UK

Notice how calls for tolerance are not extended to the Christians. This anti-Christian bigotry should be strongly condemned.

Tom Graves, Edmond, OK, USA

How bizarre that, on a body which is meant to promote tolerance, a representative of the faith that invented the concept of tolerance should be pressured to step down because others won't tolerate his beliefs. What hypocrites the LGC (sic) M are.

Dr Stephen Morris, Shrewsbury, UK

Does anyone honestly think that if a someone running an organisation supporting say "the white workering class" wanted a job on the Commission and said...

"I would be disappointed if my contribution to this commission is only seen in the light of issues around race."

... that anyone would entertain, even for a second, that they had a valid point?

Let's face it. If Joel Edwards's views on gay and lesbian issues were transposed onto race or gender, or if he favoured a biblical idea that disability was punishment for sin, he wouldn't be given the time of day by the Equality Commission.

Brett Lock, London, London

Joel Edwards should realise that LGCM is not complaining solely because he is a Christian. Instead, they are worried because of some of the intolerant attitudes expressed in the bible to which some Christians subscribe. The former is unacceptable, the latter is a relevant objection. As such Joel Edwards should deal with their objections, rather than try to twist their concerns into a discriminatory attack on his faith.

Jeremy, woking,