A Christian nursery nurse has lost her job after a conversation in which a gay colleague pressed her about her beliefs, and then took offence when told that the Bible regards the practising of homosexual sex as a sin, it was reported in late April.
Sarah Mbuyi is claiming unfair dismissal on grounds of religious discrimination. She says that in January 2014 her colleague at Newpark Childcare in Highbury, London, initiated a conversation about Christmas and went on to ask a number of other questions relating to the Christian faith. In this context, Miss Mbuyi’s colleague raised the issue of what the Bible teaches on homosexuality. The colleague felt unhappy that she could not marry her female partner because of the church, and said that she thought God condoned homosexuality.
Miss Mbuyi explained: ‘When I said that God does not condone the practice of homosexuality, but does love you and says you should come to him as you are, she became emotional and went off to report me to my manager’.
At an internal disciplinary hearing Sarah was confronted with her colleague’s allegations, which included the false claim that Sarah herself had raised the issue of homosexuality.
One-sided hearing
Miss Mbuyi said: ‘My disciplinary hearing was hopelessly one-sided because they put my accuser’s claims to me as fact, without any forewarning and so I wasn’t prepared.’
Sarah believes that her experience suggests her employers regard the expression of Christian beliefs as politically incorrect and as legitimate grounds for dismissal.
