We want freedom

Around 2,000 people protested outside Parliament on Tuesday October 11 against the government’s proposed religious hatred legislation.

The demonstration, organised by a coalition of Christian and secular groups, coincided with the second reading of the Incitement to Religious Hatred Bill in the House of Lords. It was enthusiastic, yet orderly, and there was a great mix of people from across the races and denominations. Baroness Cox, supporting the protest, said to the crowd that the Christians’ singing could be heard inside the House.

While the demonstrators said they were against all religious hatred, they believe that the Bill, if it is passed is likely to have the opposite effect to that intended. It could set one faith group against another and provide legal ammunition in court.

The organisers believe that the Bill, in contravention of the European Convention on Human Rights, would seriously fetter freedom of speech, freedom to preach the gospel and also make almost impossible serious critiques of one religion by another.

Basic liberty

The Rev. Katei Kirby, African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance Chief Executive said: ‘It affects everyone so deeply. This is not just about doctrine. This is about our basic freedom to speak and preach.’ Commenting on behalf of the National Secular Society, Vice President Terry Sanderson said: ‘They (Christians) are looking at the restrictions on their right to evangelise. We are looking at the restrictions on our being able to criticise religion per se so we make common cause with them on this. I think this is an indicator to the government of just how wide the opposition is.’

On the same day, petitions against the Bill organised by Premier Radio and the Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship were handed in at Downing Street. Over the previous three months some 35,000 people had contacted their MPs stating opposition to the Bill.

Four to one against

The Bishop of Oxford, Richard Harries spoke in favour of the Bill, but, according to The Christian Institute, for every peer supporting the Bill, four opposed it. In particular, former Archbishop George Carey gave a very strong speech against. Jonathan Stephen of Affinity said: ‘It was heartening to see such a broad coalition of evangelical Christians demonstrating their opposition, while the shortcomings of this ill-conceived Bill were being expertly ex-posed by many members of the House of Lords. Many Affinity churches have voiced, and will continue to voice, their serious concerns about the proposed legislation.’

As EN goes to press, the Bill now goes to the Committee Stage of the whole House on October 24. Amendments to the Bill will be considered. After the Committee Stage in the House of Lords, there will be a report stage, followed by a Third Reading, then a vote will be taken. The Bill will then return to the House of Commons. The government may well find the proposed amendments to the Bill unacceptable. At this point, there appear to be two possibilities through which there could still be a good outcome. If only 30 Labour MPs vote against the government in the Commons, then the Bill will be defeated. On the other hand, if the Commons vote it through, but the Lords reject it, then Tony Blair will have to use the Parliament Act to overrule the Lords. However, with such a lot of other controversial legislation on terrorism which might require the use of the Parliament Act, he may decide to let this Bill drop. This being the case, it is essential that people continue to influence their MPs.

Saving the nation?

While the Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, has said that the Bill is only intended to curb ‘nasty and extreme behaviour’, more than one of the demonstrators said they are worried that if it did become law it will be used, especially by fundamentalist Muslim groups, to silence opposition.

This has already happened in countries like Australia. Elsewhere, for example, in Kenya, Muslims are pushing for a constitution which will include shari’a law, effectively making Islam the dominant force in the land. There is a vital vote on the Kenyan Constitution coming up later in November.

It is wonderful that so many Christians from the black community have taken up this vital cause against the Bill in Britain. They see the issue of basic freedom with more clarity than many others.

This government also seems to take more notice of people from minority backgrounds. Some of their leaders have told their people that they see their churches as being like Joseph in the Old Testament, sent ahead to save the nation. Perhaps they are right.

We want freedom

Basic liberty

Four to one against

Saving the nation?

Various sources

Main Articles

Other articles