Last week I received one of those chain letters calling for a protest against the making of a film depicting Jesus and his disciples as homosexuals. Suspicious of no link with the message I looked up the Internet and discovered it was a hoax. I no longer pass on chain letter messages as they could well carry the virus they so often warn us about.Recently I shared my concerns with ‘significant others’ in the Christian community about the threat for Religious Liberty and Freedom of Speech in the UK, for me - and for anyone who values such freedoms in a democracy - it would be a serious issue. But I received no reply from anyone. Am I the victim of a hoax?
I further found myself questioning because the information passed on to me seems to be dependent on just one newspaper report? Although considered a reputable newspaper why haven’t the other news sources reported the concern? Or have I just missed them?
As I have reported it is taken seriously across the water and is viewed so by Culture Watch down under, all dependent on the Telegraph.
CCFON looks very much like an authentic Christian website and it drew to my attention that the debate to remove a clause in the ‘gay hate’ law, which currently defends the right to criticise homosexual practice, would take place on 23 June. CCFON now reports that “Member’s of the House of Lord’s are likely to debate the clause on Tuesday 7 July and Mrs Williams urges Christians across denominations to log on to www.ccfon.org/petition.php and act immediately.” Until it happens I wonder, is it happening? It says ‘likely’ to be debated tomorrow. Will it be deferred again? Is it taking place? Can something like this take place in a democratic country like the UK?
Is it all authentic? The Christian Today Website thinks so. It claims, “This is a new attempt to impose the State’s secularist agenda on the Church and gag Christians from teaching and living out what the Bible says about sexual ethics. The Government thrust is that Christians should largely be free to follow Christ in private, as long as it doesn’t affect their working life.”
The Christian Institute reported back 15 January that, “The Government is planning to overturn a crucial free speech protection added last year to a controversial ‘gay hate’ law.” Currently, clause 58 says criticism of homosexual practice should not be classed as a crime. “But in clause 58 of its new Coroners and Justice Bill, the Government is attempting to remove the protection,” says The Christian Institute. “The protection, which was added by former Home Secretary Lord Waddington, reads: ‘for the avoidance of doubt, the discussion or criticism of sexual conduct or practices or the urging of persons to refrain from or modify such conduct or practices shall not be taken of itself to be threatening or intended to stir up hatred’. These are the words the Government is seeking to delete from the law.”
“Andrea Minichiello Williams barrister and founder of the CLC says few Christian leaders or individuals realize that buried deep within the Bill is a clause which could prevent any Christian openly stating what the Bible says, and Christians have believed for 2,000 years, about homosexual conduct or even marriage.
“She said: ‘No-one would imagine that a Bill to do with Coroners could contain anything about free speech and with all the media attention on MP expenses, this vital issue is going unreported by the media. If it got through as it stands, it would have devastating consequences for Christian witness and integrity in the UK. Church leaders and individual Christians answering questions about their faith could well find themselves the subject of a police investigation and arrest just for speaking and living according to the bible’s teaching on sexuality and marriage.’” CCFON provides a facility to join a petition. If it is a hoax then I’ve allowed myself to be duped this time - this is not about homophobia; it is about the highest of the values God has given to humankind - and I must always voice my claims to freedom - and everyone else’s claims to their freedom - even where I disagree.
As reported these freedoms are already being contested with parents of children as young as 5 years of age over gay tuition. As we have already seen, withdrawal of children from class can result in the threat of prosecution of the parents. Removal of the right to criticise homosexual behaviour from the Equality Bill on religious grounds may reinforce the power of the state over religious convictions. That for me is very worrying!
