In his first interview since his controversial comments, Dr Michael Nazir-Ali vows not to be forced into silence
His claim that Islamic extremism has turned some parts of Britain into “no-go” areas for non-Muslims led to fierce rows between political and religious leaders over the impact of multiculturalism on this country.
Those comments were followed soon after by the Archbishop of Canterbury’s suggestion that the adoption of aspects of sharia law in Britain was “unavoidable”.
The bishops’ views in The Sunday Telegraph sparked a storm of criticism and raised questions over the role of the Church in society but, most seriously for Dr Nazir-Ali, led to threats that he and his family would be harmed.
Yet, in his first interview since the sinister calls were made to his home, the Bishop of Rochester remains steadfastly defiant. He will not be silenced. “I believe people should not be prevented from speaking out,” he says. “The issue had to be raised. There are times when Christian leaders have to speak out.”
I loved what the courageous +Michael Nazir-Ali said about the danger of allowing a vacuum to exist at the core of any society. Vacuums never stay unfilled. The attempt to banish Christianity from the public square in America and so much of western society does indeed create a vacuum. But the resulting vacuum has in fact already been filled, by what some people call “secular humanism,” others “pluralism,” and others like myself, in a more contentious mode, “neo-paganism.” Anyway, the myth that the public square can stay empty and neutral is patently false.
It’s interesting to note that in describing the Bishop of Rochester, although mention was made of his academic career, there was no mention of the very signficant fact that he was the the first foreign-born, non-Anglo head of the CMS, the venerable evangelical Church Missionary Society.
Isn’t it ironic when it takes a non-Englishman to stand up for the preservation of the Christian heritage of England? As a Pakistani, he knows all too well how insidious and pernicious many forms of Islam are. In the West, we need to shake off the nonsensical notion that Christianity and Islam can peacefully co-exist. We have always been rivals, and often bitter enemies. And we always will be.
David Handy+
Hopefully this good bishop and many others will consider Lambeth a “no go” zone.
Let’s just hope this good bishop is the opening wedge for people everywhere to wake up and realize that we shall “politically correct” our western civilization into the grave if we don’t wake up and use some “common sense” about what we all know is right and wrong, and speak up for it – not sit on our hands. It’s time for us all to begin to speak out. We really have little left to lose, it we think about it. If TEC can change the long held beliefs of our church by majority vote, what do we have left? GC2006 was a delay in the completion of the tasks of the pluralistic, neo-pagan, multi-cultural (whatever you want to call it) agenda. GC2009 will be see the completion. Time to begin talking back in all areas of political correctness – past time.
An Inconvenient Truth that has reality and not just hype. Will he get a Nobel prize, do you think? I think not.
It’s interesting to see that his statement of ‘no go areas’ is garnering him death threats. I guess some groups are really threatened when the truth about their plan gets out.