I am going to assume PoppaGator and Joe Offer are intelligent people and are not purposefully misrepresenting the new law.

This is not about ordaining as priests. Anybody can tell that such a calling does need some form of belief in what you are doing. After all, the pay is a stip' rather than a salary to acknowledge it is as much public office as employment.

This is about employment. To say you don't like being told who you can and can't employ is missing the point somewhat. it is not about who you can't employ as much as ensuring you do not refuse to employ somebody who is capable and willing regarding the job in hand but has a feature about them that is nothing to do with the job, but goes against your prejudice.

If a cleaner / accountant / lawyer / electrician / architect / office worker / whatever happens to be gay or a woman, that has no bearing on their ability to perform the task. The churches want to opt out of this. Why?

Suppose I decide I won't shortlist anybody with a beard or wears sandals and ask the government to give me a clause to do so. What is the ruddy difference.

(I do have a beard by the way. But there again, sadly, we are finding some catholic priests are neither celibate, heterosexual or indeed law abiding.....)

Anyway, this Pope isn't one to talk about equality. He sits in his palace whilst catholics starve, and as far as discrimination is concerned, I am sure he learned a lot during his membership of a youth organisation many years ago.....