(CNSNews.com) - Any Internet surfer entering the search term "abortion" on Google's U.K. Web site this week would bring up a list of main results, flanked by three advertisements -- two for Britain's largest abortion providers and one for quick bank loans.

A pro-life Christian organization in Britain wanted to offer another option -- but Google turned it down, saying that because its ad linked to a Web site containing "abortion and religious-related content," it was not permitted.

The Christian Institute now plans to take the Internet's biggest search engine to court, claiming discrimination under a 2006 equality law that prohibits religious discrimination in the provision of any goods or services.

In a letter to Google, the organization's lawyers said it would seek a court's permission to publish the ad, as well as damages and reasonable legal costs.

Google's Adwords is a product that allows customers to place small text ads alongside search results (and pay Google an agreed fee each time someone clicks on the ad.) The Christian Institute wanted Internet users who entered the search term "abortion" to see its ad appear in a column of ads using running down the right-hand side of the screen.

The ad would have read: "U.K. abortion law -- news and views on abortion from the Christian Institute," with a link to its Web site.

But in an email last month, Google's Adwords division told the Christian group that the ad it had submitted did not meet its guidelines.

"At this time, Google policy does not permit the advertisement of websites that contain 'abortion and religion-related content,' " it said. "As noted in our advertising terms and conditions, we reserve the right to exercise editorial discretion when it comes to the advertising we accept on our site."

A review of the Adwords editorial guidelines on Friday found no reference to abortion (although the guidelines do allow _sexual and adult content_ with the exception of anything involving children, teens or _other non-consensual sexual material._).

A Google spokesman on Friday confirmed that the company_s policy does not allow ads for sites _that contain abortion and religion-related content. We only allow ads that have factual information about abortion._

_We recognize that this is a very emotive subject and that people have strong views on both sides of the argument,_ the spokesman said. _Google takes no view on this issue one way or the other as a company._

The spokesman did not answer directly a question about the absence of any reference to abortion in the guidelines.

"For many people, Google is the doorway to the Internet," Christian Institute director Colin Hart said in a statement. "It is an influential gatekeeper to the marketplace of debate. If there is to be a free exchange of ideas then Google cannot give special free speech rights to secular groups whilst censoring religious views."

"To describe abortion and religion-related content as 'unacceptable content,' while at the same time advertising pornography, is ridiculous," Hart said.

The institute's head of communications, Mike Judge, argued that the issue was one of free speech, not the rights or wrongs of abortion.

"You can be pro-abortion and still recognize that Google is acting unfairly," he said.

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