Britain’s new immigration system is throwing Christian workers and organisations into confusion because the UK Border Agency has not taken into account the complexity of religious activities, the Evangelical Alliance has said.
The Alliance has drawn up a set of guidelines to help Christians navigate the system, following a number of cases where individuals and groups who travelled to the UK to speak or volunteer were refused entry.
American Christian singer Don Francisco was refused entry into the UK last month, when he arrived to give a free concert in Dorset. He said immigration officials did not believe he would perform for free.
I cannot tell you how sick this kind of thing makes me. As I have said before here, in the UK Christians are suffering because of the distaste aroused by Islamic terrorism. People are terrified of criticising Muslim terrorism, it is too politically incorrect to say so; they say instead that religion in general brings hatred, division, hostility, and since Christianity is still, just, the main religion, Christianity gets blamed. Churches get caught out by laws designed, as here, to limit the easy entry of Muslim preachers from abroad. Again, we suffer, and I doubt very much if the Muslims that are intended to be excluded are in fact excluded, because they would have the good sense not to declare the purpose of their visit, whereas mainstream Christians would do so in honesty and good faith. I apologise for the note of bitterness; perhaps I should confess it to the Lord; but the state of Britain today distresses me. I can speak from experience. A wonderful Christian carpenter from Minnesota and his wife came here last summer to work for churches and charities, offering their services free. They were detained for eight hours at the airport and not allowed to contact their son, who was frantic with worry, the immigration officials having gone frothy-mouthed at the word ‘work’ and not accepting the explanation that this was for charity and done without charge. He was allowed in, very relucantly, and did some beautiful work for us. But how many other dubious characters were allowed in while the immigration officials were questioning this perfectly decent and honourable man?
Terry: there is an interesting Anglican blog in England called ‘Cranmer’ (great name, that!) that sometimes links to here, on religion and politics. Why not contact him with your story?