UK - A former sex councillor who appealed his sacking for refusing to give counselling to same sex couples on the grounds that his interpretation of the bible said that gay and lesbian sex was sinful has lost his appeal.

Gary McFarlane, 48, from Bristol, was sacked by Relate Avon in 2008. He was supported by the Christian Law Center and former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey.

Lord Cary had also called for  for a specially constituted panel of judges with a "proven sensitivity and understanding of religious issues".

McFarlane's counsel Paul Diamond said religious freedoms "now counted for nothing". He went on to predict "civil unrest" unless the "established faith in this land" was respected.

Lord Justice Laws today rejected Mr McFarlane's appeal and said that, "They (Judges) administer the law in accordance with the judicial oath - without fear or favour, affection or ill-will," he said.

The judge went on: "Lord Carey's statement also contains a plea for a special court The precepts of any one religion cannot sound any louder in the general law than any other."

The idea that Christianity should be protected more than other faiths by law as "irrational" and "divisive, capricious and arbitrary".

This case is part of a orchestrated campaign by christian bigots to win legal exemptions for their vile views. They are no better than the Taliban or ultra orthodox.

In the opinion of our legal editor there is NO legal protections for persons religious faith in employment law. If you chose to apply for the job you cannot object to carrying out part of it on grounds of religious faith. There is only one exception, in the matter of abortion in the NHS.