I'm finding it very difficult to take this post seriously.

"The numbers dying of unseasonal cold far outstrip those dying of unseasonal heat." This sort of comment occupies the same intellectual level as John Redwood.

It's a free country, he can insult whomever he likes. I hope I'm still free to insult him and his silly beliefs. (Oh, maybe I'm not. So maybe it's not a free country any longer.)

All the more reason to leave Climate Science to the Climate Scientists. the Met Office is a weather forecasting bureau, not an academic institution. Ignore the politicians and the commercial interests and listen to the Scientists. (Of course, I know that wont happen. We're doomed.)

Good for him. I'm assuming your family were never tied up by a violent intruder.

But who knows what we are capable of when the lives of our loved ones are threatened. I'm not so overconfident as to know what I would do, or refrain from doing under such endocrine charged circumstances.

It is often said of these situations that Adrenaline does not come with an off switch.

I recall that in the opening sequence of Porridge the Judge says that Fletcher views imprisonment as an "occupational hazard. Perhaps if a darn good beating with a cricket bat was an occupational hazard burglars would be less inclined to physically abuse their victims in person.

Unfortunately a law abiding man has been punished by reacting like a normal human being and loving father.

Troika, if you are able to rationally and calmly assess a situation and the motives of someone who has broken into your house and tied up your family then I stand in awe of your mental capabilities. Really.

Personally, being a lesser human being, I would be gripped with fear and my imagination would run riot.

"authoritarian in the extreme"

I think that an unsubstantiated assertion. Most people accept that it is not authoritarian in the extreme to require you to treat all people equally in respect of the service you provide, Africans, Gays, Accountants, Ginger people and as someone said left-handed midgets.

No amount of squealing about scripture is going to help as it carries no weight in secular society. We expect you to treat everyone equally or return the money.

"The idea of not having to pay business tax being equivalent to receiving State funding seems a little draconian."

This is the typical parasitic clerical attitude to tax and benefits. 'Tax is what "other" people pay so I don't have to.'

I suspect Mann was expecting Conservatives to be conservative and supportive of his tradition. Cameron has wisely reflected the view of the rest of society that there should be no discrimination in provision of services. That Cameron refused to guarantee special privileges to Mann's brand of bigotry merely indicates that Cameron has more important issues to tackle as the next PM.

I don't think Cameron wants to intervene in the voluntary sector as Mann implies but merely ensure that everyone in public life behaves in a civilised manner expected of them by the rest of society. The argument from property rights really does fall flat on its face considering the state subsidy of Church property. WE own it, not YOU. The Church cannot even maintain the Cathedrals without turning to the State for handouts.

What disappoints me with the religious voice here is the attempt to make discrimination against gay people a matter of conscience akin to abortion when it is quite clear to everyone else that it is more comparable to racial prejudice. Mann's views are repugnant.

"I wonder if this debate has gone the way Rev. Julian expected."

I reckon the Reverend is so convinced of the absolute moral superiority of his opinion, which is also God's, that the opinions of a bunch of heathen commie faggots can be easily dismissed. After all, we're all going to the hot place while he will be rewarded with 72 dark-eyed virgins in paradise. Oh, wait, am I thinking of a different group of bigoted authoritarians? It's so hard to tell the difference.