And that brings me to my third point.<\/p>\n
The Bible has helped to shape the values which define our country.<\/p>\n
Indeed, as Margaret Thatcher once said, \u201cwe are a nation whose ideals are founded on the Bible.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n
Responsibility, hard work, charity, compassion, humility, self-sacrifice, love\u201d\u00a6<\/p>\n
\u201d\u00a6pride in working for the common good and honouring the social obligations we have to one another, to our families and our communities\u201d\u00a6<\/p>\n
\u201d\u00a6these are the values we treasure.<\/p>\n
Yes, they are Christian values.
And we should not be afraid to acknowledge that.<\/p>\n
But they are also values that speak to us all \u201d\u201c to people of every faith and none.<\/p>\n
And I believe we should all stand up and defend them.<\/p>\n
Those who oppose this usually make the case for secular neutrality.<\/p>\n
They argue that by saying we are a Christian country and standing up for Christian values we are somehow doing down other faiths.<\/p>\n
And that the only way not to offend people is not to pass judgement on their behaviour.<\/p>\n
I think these arguments are profoundly wrong.<\/p>\n