A Christian couple was barred from adopting their two foster children because they suggested that a child needs both mother and father for a stable upbringing, and were apprehensive of children being adopted by gay parents.
The council officials became "concerned" over the views of the Christian couple, whose names have been withheld from media for legal reasons.
The couple, who themselves have children, had been fostering two pre-school kids since January, and were told in October that a same-sex couple wants to adopt the two children.
The Christian father was noted to have responded by asking, "You're joking?"
They have appealed against the decision, and released a statement saying that they had not expressed any homophobic views and were not against individuals, but thought that a child needs both mother and father.
The couple had expressed their desire to adopt the children before but the social worker had said that their house was too small. Later, they were told that keeping the children with them would bring them under "emotional stress."
"We are Christians and we expressed the view that a child needs a mother and a father. We expressed our views in modest, temperate terms based on our Christian convictions," they were quoted as saying by Christian Today.
"We love everyone (regardless of sexual orientation) and we love the children and believe that they would benefit from the foundation offered by a mother and a father," the couple said.
"The decision ... appears discriminatory to us and not related to the children's needs," the couple continued. "The children love us: we love them. All the reports show that we are a loving, caring and stable family. What more could a child need?"
Christian Legal Centre director Andrea Williams, who is supporting their appeal, said that the couple's "viewpoint is lawful and mainstream."
Williams reiterated that children need traditional families when asked by the Independent why gay parenting might not be in the best interest of the children. "They believe that the children, who have had a very difficult start in life, need a mother and father," she replied.
"They are thriving under a complimentary relationship where a mother and father bring different elements to a family dynamic and provide distinctive roles in a family unit."
The council said that their discriminatory views rendered them "unfit to be adoptive parents." They were told in a letter by the council their perspective was "detrimental to the long-term needs of the children".
In September, the couple was complimented by social workers for their "care and warmth" of the pre-schoolers, and their association with the church was well appreciated for providing a supporting community.
