I was very saddened to read both your headline and the contents of the letter published in Friday's letters.

Firstly the letter does not say that gays should not be allowed in the church.

I have never heard any Christian teaching from either the traditional wing or the liberal wing that would advocate that. God's love is for everyone and we have no right to exclude any social group from it no matter how much we disagree with their lifestyle.

God says that sin is sin and that there is no hierarchy of sin. The bible goes on to say that "all have sinned and fallen short of God's perfection" so by this are we saying that I as a Christian (also a sinner) am no longer welcome in my local church? I think not!

The world expects Christians to be hard and unforgiving and your headline simply continues that.

Secondly I would like to take issue with Carol Ratcliffe. We cannot just discard a whole group of society because of their sexuality. Does she think that they deserve God's love less than the rest of us "good" Christians. I think not! Again I am as sinful as the rest in God's eyes. I find acceptance within the church despite my wrong thoughts and deeds every day of my life.

God loves me for who I am not for what I do with my life. Surely Carol would agree that Christ died for us all while we were all sinners. If we marginalise groups that we can biblically reject, we will never help them to share that acceptance and forgiveness.

I want people to meet Jesus as a living person before they have to begin to change their lifestyles. How can we do that with any group unless they feel welcome and accepted in the church?

Jesus ate with prostitutes and other despised groups. He showed acceptance and love of them as individuals long before he put his finger on the issues in their lives that they needed to change. I want to be part of a church that does the same.

In a world where homosexuals are persecuted and marginalised I want them to find acceptance and love from the church; just as they did in Jesus.

Ian Howard

Risingham Mead

Westlea

Swindon