The slow, whiny death of British Christianity

[Jay G]

There is going to be an Intelligence Squared debate:



http://www.intelligencesquared.com/even ... christians

Apparently you Brits have become so irreligious that Christians feel even more prosecuted than usual.

Yay!!!!!!!!

The thought of Christians (who raised religious persecution to an art form) complaining about being persecuted makes me soooooooooo happy.

[leo-rcc]

Well the link says it all really:

If you're a Sikh in Britain you don't have to wear a motorcycle helmet. If you're a Muslim woman at work, no one objects if you wrap your head in a scarf. But woe betide you if you dare assert your faith or customs as a Christian. You can't display a small crucifix around your neck if you work for British Airways; you can't run an adoption agency on Christian principles because insisting that your charges be placed with heterosexual couples is now against the law; you can't make use of the hallowed principle of free speech to publicly express a Christian disapproval of homosexual unions without being cautioned or prosecuted. What we are witnessing is not just the death of the Christian culture which until but recently defined our history and way of life, but a positively hateful animus towards it on the part of officialdom and the bien pensants.

Or so many Christians like to claim. But do they not protest too much? Why make such a fuss about the occasional tensions that seem unavoidable when you have a secular state and a multi-faith society? Surely the laws they love to lament are laws that apply to everyone? Could it be that the carping Christians have an agenda of their own and are demanding special treatment? Or are they right in saying that they already receive special treatment – an especially horrible one?

[leo-rcc]

Btw, last time I checked the UK isn't secular is it?

[Rum]

Btw, last time I checked the UK isn't secular is it?

Well no. The Queen is the head of the CofE, which is an 'established' part of the State. However the CofE has virtually no influence over the state these days.

Paradoxically of course, America, which has a totally seperated system, is rather more influenced at government/strategy level than the UK by religion.

Ironic or what?

A case of the real world vs the ideal I guess.

[Jay G]

Btw, last time I checked the UK isn't secular is it?

Well no. The Queen is the head of the CofE, which is an 'established' part of the State. However the CofE has virtually no influence over the state these days.

Paradoxically of course, America, which has a totally seperated system, is rather more influenced at government/strategy level than the UK by religion.

Ironic or what?

A case of the real world vs the ideal I guess.

Hey, dont' you say nuthin' about us God fearing, jew hating, nigger hating, 'mericans.

[Santa_Claus]

I don't want schools to be multi-faith - as ends up with the normal kids being taught that those with religion should be respected. When in fact they should be taught to pity - if not mock them (gods don't like mockery )

[Svartalf]

Btw, last time I checked the UK isn't secular is it?

Last time I checked, it wasn't, what with anglicanism being the official state religion, to the point that a prince of wales can't be crowned if he isn't officially anglican, and woe to him should he desire to wed a catholic or a divorcee.

[Pappa]

Well the link says it all really:

If you're a Sikh in Britain you don't have to wear a motorcycle helmet. If you're a Muslim woman at work, no one objects if you wrap your head in a scarf. But woe betide you if you dare assert your faith or customs as a Christian. You can't display a small crucifix around your neck if you work for British Airways; you can't run an adoption agency on Christian principles because insisting that your charges be placed with heterosexual couples is now against the law; you can't make use of the hallowed principle of free speech to publicly express a Christian disapproval of homosexual unions without being cautioned or prosecuted. What we are witnessing is not just the death of the Christian culture which until but recently defined our history and way of life, but a positively hateful animus towards it on the part of officialdom and the bien pensants.

Or so many Christians like to claim. But do they not protest too much? Why make such a fuss about the occasional tensions that seem unavoidable when you have a secular state and a multi-faith society? Surely the laws they love to lament are laws that apply to everyone? Could it be that the carping Christians have an agenda of their own and are demanding special treatment? Or are they right in saying that they already receive special treatment – an especially horrible one?

They're so funny. This sort of thing is exactly why I love watching "The Big Questions" on Sunday morning. They're so funny.

Btw, last time I checked the UK isn't secular is it?

Not legally, but culturally I'd say it it.