Does all this amount to persecution or marginalisation? Here the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, is right to remind us that in far too many countries in the world today Christians really are harassed and killed for their faith. Whatever is happening in this country we need to keep it in perspective. I have not been conscious of any anti-Christian feeling towards myself. However, I was shocked recently by the story of one eminent citizen, a serious, if liberal, Christian, who publicly defended an act of Christian witness and who told me that they had experienced the most extraordinary scorn and hostility from colleagues. So it is clearly around.
The contrast between the United States and this country could not be sharper when it comes to the public declaration of religious faith. The mention of God seems mandatory for any American politician who wishes to be elected. In this country, as Tony Blair remarked when he retired as Prime Minister, he did not mention his personal faith when in office because people would have thought him “a nutter”. A more healthy state of affairs would be one in which people could speak naturally about their faith if they have one, without implying that those without it are morally lacking or defective in some way, and without this arousing suspicion and hostility.
A lot, of course, depends on the tone of voice. The word “Christian” can be said in such a way as to imply superiority. The other unfortunate implication of this labelling can be its divisiveness. For if I am “a Christian”, there are others who are not. They are not “one of us”.
nipping things in the bud is important. Todays marginalised soon become tomorrow’s persecuted and that is the point. I personally lament that the ABC seems to always come out echoing the voice of liberal Britain and not standing up to it…
Hardly true of Rowan Williams when it comes to pro-life issues, Rugbyplayingpriest.
Fine – just as long as the good Lord uses the same measuring stick when speaking of the disapprobation that others groups in English society occasionally face.
I wonder if Lord Harries caught the irony when he said that prejudice against Christians was clearly around, but he had never experienced any prejudice.
Harries was the prelate who tried to bounce Jeffrey John on the Church of England, using his powers of appointment.
‘Persecution’ might be an over-strong word compared to, say, the present day Christian martyrs in Islamic lands or China, but the point surely is that the liberal ratchet only goes in one direction, toward silencing, restricting, marginalizing Christians, and encouraging self-censorship (‘Don’t wear that, don’t say that’ …or else), while the organs of the liberal-secular establishment (like the BBC, which Harries has a very cosy relationship with) have become openly abusive of Christ (like the foul-mouther and blasphemous ‘Jerry Springer The Opera’ broadcast by the BBC) – but terrified of showing a few cartoons of Muhammad.
A bit too late in the day, George Carey woke up to what has happened. Things which were considered good and right and quite unexceptional 30 years ago (like a cross around a nurse’s neck) are now treated as threats to peace and order, while religious-based hatred, sexual perversion, the ‘right’ to medically-assisted suicide and abortion on deamnd are accepted as normal. How far England has fallen.