Carey and the Christian “bigots”
former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Christians in Britain are being treated as “bigots” and sacked for expressing their beliefs, a former Archbishop of Canterbury has warned.
Lord Carey, who served as Archbishop from 1991 to 2002, also warned of a “drive to remove Judaeo-Christian values from the public square”.
He accused Britain’s courts of consistently applying “equality law to discriminate against Christians”.
Vilified
The former Archbishop’s comments were made in a submission to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ahead of a landmark case on religious liberty.
Lord Carey wrote: “In a country where Christians can be sacked for manifesting their faith, are vilified by State bodies, are in fear of reprisal or even arrest for expressing their views on sexual ethics, something is very wrong.
“It affects the moral and ethical compass of the United Kingdom. Christians are excluded from many sectors of employment simply because of their beliefs; beliefs which are not contrary to the public good.”
Religion
However Keith Porteous-Wood, executive director of the National Secular Society, said: “The idea that there is any kind of suppression of religion in Britain is ridiculous.
“Even in the European Convention on Human Rights, the right to religious freedom is not absolute – it is not a licence to trample on the rights of others. That seems to be what Lord Carey wants to do.”
Lord Carey’s intervention comes as the ECHR prepares to hear the cases of four Christians who say the UK has failed to protect their religious liberty.
Disciplined
The hearing, which is due to start in September, will deal with the case of two workers forced out of their jobs over the wearing of crosses as a visible manifestation of their faith.
The third case involves a relationship counsellor who was sacked because he did not want to give sex advice to homosexual couples.
The fourth case involves Lillian Ladele, a Christian registrar who was disciplined for her stance on civil partnerships.
From Christian Institute
Horrobin: Life, Marriage & Death
The Sanctity of Life, Marriage and Death
From the desk of Peter Horrobin
We are living in days when the secular governments of our western nations are trying to rewrite the statute books in order to eliminate the ideas of morality and moral boundaries from every area of society.
A recent paper on Medical Ethics argued that because there is no fundamental difference between the life a baby has inside the womb and the life a new-born baby has outside of the womb, that there is also no fundamental difference between terminating the baby’s life before or after birth. Once this argument has gained acceptance, then the legal barrier to infanticide, if the baby is found after birth to have any obvious birth defects, can be eliminated from the mind of our legislators.
But I also read in our papers this week about a secret under-cover report on a well-known abortion clinic, highlighting the fact that the life of some babies had been terminated (illegally at the present time) simply because they were the ‘wrong sex’. As far as the parents of those babies were concerned, the wrong gender was a birth defect! Gender-cide has reached the shores of our nation.
At the other end of life we have also had to endure increasing pressure from our legislators for adopting the specious arguments for euthanasia. Reasons for the elderly and the infirm to feel distinctly unsafe in their beds are gaining ground.
When a child goes to a boarding school, the parents delegate responsibility for the care of their child to the school authorities. The school then becomes “in loco parentis” (in place of the parents) while the child is in their care. It seems that we are very rapidly moving to a situation, where governments are putting themselves “in loco Dei” (in the place of God) and legalising killing at both ends of life – in direct rebellion against the sixth commandment. Crimes which in earlier centuries would have been labelled as murder, and punished accordingly, are today being legalised in the name of choice!
In the UK we are also in the middle of a major national debate about the government’s intention to introduce something called “gay marriage”. There are obviously many forms of relationship which people can have, but the purpose of the marriage relationship is different from every other sort of relationship that people can ever enter into.
This is expressed most clearly in the Book of Common Prayer which, since 1662, has enshrined the teaching of Scripture in its pages and has stated unequivocally that“marriage is an honourable estate instituted of God . . . and first it was ordained for the procreation of children, to be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, and to the praise of his holy Name.”
The first objective of marriage, therefore, is that it should provide a safe spiritual environment in which to conceive, have and bring up children. There are other objectives, of course, but this is the first objective and unless this first intention is respected, in the knowledge that children are only conceived through normal male-female sexual relations, then whatever you want to call same-sex relationships they cannot ever be referred to as marriage.
Only if it were possible for two men or two women to be stranded on an otherwise uninhabited desert island, and nine months later produce a baby, would I have to reconsider my theology and my opinions! But I don’t think I’m in any danger of ever having to change my understanding of marriage on these grounds!
This week I am thanking God that the Archbishops of the Roman Catholic Church in the UK have come out so clearly and strongly against the government’s objective of authorising ‘gay marriage’. For the reasons stated above this very terminology is a contradiction in terms – the word gay (in its modern meaning) and the word marriage are mutually incompatible. Would that all the other denominations would stand shoulder to shoulder with the stance adopted by the Catholic Archbishops.
There is only one reason why government after government has tampered with the statute books and systematically eliminated the authority of God’s Word and God’s law from legislation – it’s because there is no longer any fear of the Lord in the land. No wonder the Scripture tells us that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10). The absolute sanctity of life, marriage and death is no longer respected. Wisdom has departed from the corridors of governmental power.
When any nation believes that it can stand in the place of God, and play fast and loose with God’s Word, then it is putting itself on notice to get ready for the consequences, for Scripture also says that “God cannot be mocked – a man reaps what he sows”(Galatians 6:7). When we mock God, His Word and His laws we lose the protection of God and move out from under the covering which is the source of His blessing (Psalm 91).
Never before has our nation faced such head-on attacks on its spiritual foundations. It’s time for our spiritual leaders and all our intercessors to drop to their knees and remind themselves of 2 Chronicles 7:14: “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and will heal their land.”
http://blog.ellel.org/2012/03/14/the-sanctity-of-life-marriage-and-death/
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Will Boris Johnson dye his hair green for St Patrick’s day?
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Not such a frivolous question… it was the parting remark of David Cameron in his talks with Enda Kenny this week as reported in the Irish Times.
It relates to the latest brouhaha between Boris and the London Irish, to whom he appears to periodically take a swipe. This time, the Mayor of London has apologised for alleging that a gala St Patrick Day’s dinner was funded by ratepayers and used to promote Sinn Féin.
The comments, in an interview in the New Statesman last month, were seized upon by Mr Johnson’s opponent in the May mayoral elections, former mayor Ken Livingstone, who alleged Mr Johnson had no interest in the city’s Irish community.
The issue of Mr Johnson’s relationship with London’s Irish has emerged again this week, days before the City Hall-funded St Patrick Day’s parade to Trafalgar Square, as it emerged that the mayor, yet again, is not planning to attend. Shock horror.
Another New Statesman article, perhaps a year ago, contained the infamous statement “I’m as Irish as St Patrick” which though factually accurate was unlikely to make friends over here.
In a letter released yesterday, Mr Johnson, who has fallen behind in the polls after months during which he enjoyed a comfortable lead, apologised for the New Statesman row, but claimed the issue had been exploited to suggest he had anti-Irish feelings.
“There has been real and admirable progress in the fight against any lingering anti-Irish sentiment in London and it is deeply upsetting that people have alleged that I harbour such feelings,” he told Catherina Casey, who chairs the city’s St Patrick’s Day Advisory Forum.
In the interview, Mr Johnson had claimed that £24,000 of London ratepayers’ money had been wasted by the Livingstone-controlled City Hall on funding the black-tie Dorchester hotel dinner, the city’s then highest-profile Irish event.
Accepting yesterday that he was wrong, Mr Johnson acknowledged in a letter to Ms Casey that the dinner had been “self-financing but had been backed by a Greater London Authority contingency” guarantee.
Sinn Féin had a very visible presence at the dinners because senior figures such as Martin McGuinness made a point of attending. In 2008, Mr McGuinness and fellow Sinn Féin MP Pat Doherty were guests of honour.
In 2009, sponsorship ran out for the dinner, he said, and he felt unable “at a time of shrinking budgets” to commit public money, or to risk that the guarantee offered in earlier years might be called upon.
However, he said he was pleased that the event had resumed in 2010 without City Hall funding.
In Downing Street earlier, British prime minister David Cameron had joked with Taoiseach Enda Kenny about Mr Johnson’s part in upcoming celebrations in London to mark St Patrick’s Day, which now run for most of the week.
“I am sure that there will be a good show put on in London this year. I can’t promise that Boris Johnson will dye his hair green, but, you never know, he might do, it’s election year,” Mr Cameron declared.
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Cameron in the Enda zone
Taoiseach Enda Kenny and British prime minister David Cameron will today publish plans for the development of British-Irish relations for the next decade.
Mr Kenny will fly to London on a pre-St Patrick’s Day visit to agree closer bilateral engagement and increased economic co-operation, trade and investment between the two countries. The two leaders are also expected to reaffirm their commitment to the Northern Ireland peace process.
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams called on the Taoiseach to make it clear to the British Government that all outstanding commitments from the Belfast, Weston Park and St Andrews Agreements need to be honoured.
He also asked why there has been no inquiry into Pat Finucane’s murder or the Ballymurphy Massacre, and no co-operation with the Irish authorities in the inquiry into the Dublin/Monaghan bombings.
During his visit, the Taoiseach will also attend the London unveiling of the British Irish Chamber of Commerce at the Irish Embassy.
He will then travel to the Houses of Parliament where he will visit a commemorative exhibition in Westminster Hall to coincide with the centenary of the Third Home Rule Bill and attend the annual Champ St Patrick’s Day event.
The Bite of the “Religion Laws” in Kazakhstan
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Kairat Lama Sharif, chair of the Agency of Religious Affairs in Kazakhstan, described the 13 per cent fall in the number of officially-recognised religious groups as “a positive dynamic in the systematisation of the total number of religious associations”. He said that the number would probably decrease further as the new Religion Law is enforced.
A religious group must now have at least 50 adult members to be registered. Leaders of small churches have received official warnings to stop their activity and hand back their registration certificates.
Saule Ibrayeva, chair of Akmola Region’s Agency of Religious Affairs, said:
The activity of small religious groups in the territory of Kazakhstan is now banned since there is no such form of religious association of citizens.
We have a new law and as it does not allow for the existence of religious associations which have fewer than 50 members, then they should either re-register with 50 members or stop their activity as a religious association.
Small churches are still meeting for services, but they face harassment from the state. Kulyan Seydahmetova, head of Bulandy District Internal Policy Department, said that officials “regularly visit these communities and check up on their activity”.
A representative of one church said, “Now our believers are afraid each time they gather for worship… We are worried about possible punishments from the authorities.”
Although the new Religion Law came into force in October 2011, no regulations have yet been drawn up for the re-registration process.
Deregistered groups, which must make any necessary amendments to their charters and re-register with the authorities by 25 October this year, have complained that they cannot do so until the regulations are in place. They fear that there will be only a short time to do so once these have been adopted.
And for many, it will not be possible to collect the 50 signatures required, because they do not have sufficient members or at least not enough willing to give their personal details to the authorities.
Isn’t it nice to see the Pope on Twitter?
Last week, the Vatican has announced that the Pope now has his own personal Twitter account. Although the 84-year-old pontiff will not personally write every message, he will authorise them.
Monsignor Paul Tighe, from the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, said that many of the themes contained in the Bible were ‘readily rendered in just 140 characters’.
Well, isn’t it grand to see the Pope on Twitter? Reminded me of that Whoopie Goldberg moment in Sister Act: “I will follow him.”
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Should Sentamu write for the Sun?
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Archbishop of York joins ‘The Sun’ Sunday edition
A few days back it was reported that John Sentamu, the second highest profile Anglican in UK has joined Katie Price as a new columnist for The Sun on Sunday. The paper replaces The News of the World which was closed after revelations of phone-hacking. In his column, Dr Sentamu said he expected he would be criticised. ‘However, I am always one for responding to change positively and embracing new beginnings — seeing the best in all people, especially in adversity.’ (Read more,Church Times, 2/3)
Since then, pressure has mounted for him to reconsider….apparently (and this may astonish you), the Sun is not the favourite paper of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sentamu’s boss.
But it’s an interesting headline question, isn’t it? It’s certainly a challenge…but what an opportunity. Imagine sharing column inches with Katie Price and being on Rupert Murdoch’s payroll.
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Not persecuted….squeezed
Christians not persecuted in UK society, according to politicians
Christians are not being persecuted for their faith here in the UK, but Christianity is being squeezed out of public life and there are serious problems regarding the impact of equality legislation on religious belief. Furthermore, Christian campaigners against perceived discrimination have sometimes done more harm than good. These are some of the conclusions reached by Christians In Parliament, which is made up of MPs and peers from the three major parties and all Christian traditions. (Read more, Methodist Recorder, 1/3)
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Osama Bin Laden’s Bible
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It is interesting to reflect on the two hidden copies of the Bible which have just been unearthed at the house in Abbottabad,Pakistan where Osama Bin Laden was killed.by US Navy Seals last May.
It has been suggested that they contain coded clues to future terror attacks.
The concealed Bibles were unearthed by demolition crews sent in to raze the white-walled mansion to the ground.
Sources revealed that several pages of the English-print editions had been folded over and particular texts marked.
And last night members of Pakistan’s ISI security service were examining the volumes in a bid to find out more.
Bin Laden, 58, was obsessed with killing his Christian “crusader” enemies.
Now Pakistani intelligence officials suspect a coded pattern for past and future al-Qaeda attacks may be hidden within the Bibles’ pages.
Another theory is that the terror chief may have been seeking out Christian texts to justify his actions.
Two cunningly-concealed working radio sets were also uncovered at the building, yards from a Pakistani army barracks.
An ISI commanding officer among those who oversaw the demolition said: “We had already cleared the compound before demolition but found two copies of the Bible and two radio sets.
“The Bibles were in English and we cannot be sure why they were there. These copies were found as we checked the rooms for the final time before demolishing the building.
“The radios are in working condition and will be given with the Bibles to the investigators. Some pages were folded and we will see later what was of most interest to Bin Laden.
“Maybe he was looking for teachings of jihad (holy war).”
The Bibles were discovered by breakers in an elaborately prepared hiding place.
American CIA agents will be desperate to lay their hands on the books. But their requests for access are likely to be denied by Pakistan after a collapse in relations between the countries.
A political battle is now being waged to stop the site, 30 miles from Pakistani capitalIslamabad, being turned into a shrine.
Local authorities favour building a hospital there, but religious fanatics want a mosque or an Islamic madrassa school, which could become a rallying point for Bin Laden followers.
Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik said yesterday: “We are considering what to do.
“While we are open to talks with the militants, we believe the madrassa option will not be the best one. But we might have to accept the demands of the people in Abbottabad.”
Asked about the Bibles, Mr Malik said: “The belongings of Osama Bin Laden will not be handed to anyone. We will keep them and maybe burn them later when they are of no use.
“If there is a Bible there, it will be sent to a library or a church.”
So what’s the reason, do you think?
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How does the BBC treat Christianity?
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Christianity is treated differently, according to BBC boss
The Director-General of the BBC, Mark Thompson, has claimed that Christianity is ‘pretty broad shouldered’ which leads to it being treated differently than other religions. He said that because other faiths have a ‘very close identity with ethnic minorities’, they tend to be covered more carefully by broadcasters. Mr Thompson also said: ‘Without question, “I complain in the strongest possible terms”, is different from, “I complain in the strongest possible terms and I am loading my AK47 as I write”. This definitely raises the stakes.’ (Read more, Daily Mail, 27/2)
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