Persecution to come

The increasing marginalisation of Christians in Britain is evident. It is difficult to find a newspaper that does not include an article on a story of a Christian being told what he/she can or cannot do in the public sphere. The concern is such that a 'Clearing the Ground' Parliamentary inquiry into religious discrimination was held on 27th February 2012. The inquiry highlighted the seriousness of the issue. A woman who was told she could not wear a cross to work, numerous street preachers arrested for 'homophobic' remarks, an elderly couple who refused two homosexuals to share a bed in their B & B hotel, a man disciplined for his comments over 'equality gone too far' on facebook and the banning of prayers in council meetings are just a few of the cases highlighted by the inquiry.

The case of Nadia Ewedia, a Christian fighting for her right to wear a cross at work, is due to be heard by the European Court of Human Rights in a joint appeal. The case has received heavy media attention from across the world, including the Wall Street Journal and Russia Today. It seems that Europe is a serious player in the removal of all things Christian.

The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), incorporated into UK law by the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA), is built upon the basis of personal minimum rights and freedoms for individuals; Article 2, the right to life; Article 3, the right to not be subjected to torture; Article 8, the right to family life.  Article 9 serves to protect the freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

On paper, the ECHR is an essential tool to allow all individuals to live in harmony, equal to one another and free from discrimination; the perfect world. In practice, the ECHR provides a false sense of security. The word ‘qualified’ is the reason. Certain ‘rights’ laid down in the ECHR are qualified, meaning they are subject to restrictions. These qualifications are included through the vague phrase “subject to certain restrictions that are "in accordance with law" and "necessary in a democratic society" Article 9 is one of these qualified rights.

Article 9 – Freedom of thought, conscience and religion

1. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, and to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.

2. Freedom to manifest one's religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

Article 9(1), the freedom of thought, conscience and religion, is an absolute right. Nothing can intervene with that. This is an essential principle of a democratic society. Article 9(2), the ability to manifest your religion, is qualified.

It is this qualification that allows European courts to completely remove individual’s right to religion. It seems that secular states no longer understand that the core aspect of Christianity is manifestation. The core aspect of Christianity is to live out what you believe, to preach the gospel, to stand up for what is right and to promote Christ.

Western civilization today is based upon the notion of equality of all peoples. Western civilization has come a long way since the suffragette movement and 1960’s racism in the deep south of America, something to be applauded. However like in most cases it seems that the pendulum is beginning to swing too far the other way. Now the minority is placed on a pedestal higher than the majority. The rights of the minority seem to trump that of the majority. The notion of equality is fair, but the application is impossible. It is impossible to have two groups of people with opposing views on the same level. One must lose out to the other. Take the case of Preddy and Hall v Bulls [2011], involving the Christian hoteliers, for example. For the hotel owner’s to manifest their beliefs, the homosexual’s would lose out. For the homosexual’s to stay at the hotel against the Hotelier’s wishes, the Christian’s would lose out. There is no middle ground where both groups can be happy. In Britain today, it is the Christian’s who suffer loss to the gain of others.

Often uproar will follow newspaper headlines detailing the systematic destruction of Christianity in Britain in the days following. The majority of the general public see this removal of Christianity from public life for what it is; the destruction of everything that Britain was once made great by. However, despite this it seems that the outspoken campaigners of the minority are strong enough to overcome the passive views of the majority. It is the Christians who stand to lose out, who will lose out and who are losing out.  

David Cameron stated: "We are a Christian country. And we should not be afraid to say so... the Bible has helped to give Britain a set of values and morals which make Britain what it is today. Values and morals we should actively stand up and defend." This view echo's that of many, yet the legislative cogs that are removing Christianity piece by piece keep turning.

It is through this agenda of European governments masked in political correctness that the true Christians shall be revealed. The sheep will begin to be separated from the goats. It will become clear who is truly a follower of Christ. The majority of the church will conform without question. The BAC's will stand up for what they believe. To a BAC the soul is more important than the flesh.

-BACChristian