Piers Morgan has told a Christian doctor who refused to call transgender patients by their chosen pronouns to “stone yourself to death”, after pointing out his selective interpretation of the Bible.
Dr David Mackereth was sacked from his DWP assessor job last June because he refused to address transgender patients by their preferred pronoun, as it went against his religious beliefs.
The 56-year-old appeared on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday morning ahead of an employment tribunal in which he will argue he was unfairly dismissed.
Speaking to hosts Morgan and Susanna Reid, Mackereth said: “I don’t believe a person can change sex. I don’t believe a person can change gender, and sex and gender are the same thing.”
Morgan responded by saying such a view makes him a “bigot”.
Mackereth replied: “The Bible tells us that God has made us male and female, made us for his own glory and if I am a bigot, the whole of Christianity throughout history is bigotry.
“I believe Christianity is the truth of God.”
Morgan then pointed out that the Bible also says people who look at others in an adulterous way should be stoned to death, adding: “Have you looked at people in a sinful way, lustful way?”
Mackereth laughed before saying: “Of course, I have.”
“Applying the letter of the law, you should now stone yourself to death,” Morgan hit back.
Mackereth is being supported by the Christian Legal Centre and will argue that the DWP’s policy of making staff use trans pronouns breaches his right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
He told the Daily Telegraph last year: “I’m not attacking the transgender movement. But, I’m defending my right to freedom of speech, and freedom of belief.
“I don’t believe I should be compelled to use a specific pronoun. I am not setting out to upset anyone. But, if upsetting someone can lead to doctors being sacked then, as a society we have to examine where we are going.”