The judgement, which was issued by Lord Justice Munby and Mr Justice Beatson, declared that the rights of homosexuals should "take precedence" over the rights of religious conscience. By issuing their ruling, these judges have not only claimed moral superiority over God, but have also made it nigh on impossible for Christians to offer themselves as foster carers. Seeing that a large proportion of foster parents are Christians, or people of faith, this High Court ruling could have a damaging affect on our society's most vulnerable children.
The couple, Eunice and Owen Johns, who have been married for more than 40 years, had applied to be respite carers with Derby City Council, but felt compelled to withdraw their application, believing it "doomed to failure" because of the way a social worker reacted to their Christian beliefs. It seems that the social worker in question had expressed concerns when Mr and Mrs Johns had said they would not be able to tell a child the "homosexual lifestyle" was good.
The couple, Eunice and Owen Johns, who have been married for more than 40 years, had applied to be respite carers with Derby City Council, but felt compelled to withdraw their application, believing it "doomed to failure" because of the way a social worker reacted to their Christian beliefs. It seems that the social worker in question had expressed concerns when Mr and Mrs Johns had said they would not be able to tell a child the "homosexual lifestyle" was good.
Eunice John, speaking after the ruling, said that: "We are prepared to love and accept any child. All we were not willing to do was to tell a small child that the practice of homosexuality was a good thing." They sound like the perfect foster parents to me, who would be able to offer an accepting home in which love could be expressed without compromising truth. The British state, though, has other ideas concerning the qualities needed to be a parent!
According to the BBC, Lord Justice Munby and Mr Justice Beatson "ruled that laws protecting people from discrimination because of their sexual orientation 'should take precedence' over the right not to be discriminated against on religious grounds." In effect, then, this ruling could be used as a precedence to discriminate against members of any faith which condemns the homosexual act or lifestyle. If this is the case, then Christians who hold their consciences dear are - once more - facing criminalisation by the state.
The Christian Legal Centre, which has helped the Johns, warned that "fostering by Christians is now in doubt." Seeing that the High Court has decided that "gay rights" trump freedom of conscience, then I believe that the CLC is making a very valid point.
After their experiences with Derby Social Services, the couple asked the High Court to consider whether or not foster parents should be discriminated against because of their faith. They argued that the law could also be applied to protect their Christian values - on which English Law is actually based.
According to the BBC, Lord Justice Munby and Mr Justice Beatson "ruled that laws protecting people from discrimination because of their sexual orientation 'should take precedence' over the right not to be discriminated against on religious grounds." In effect, then, this ruling could be used as a precedence to discriminate against members of any faith which condemns the homosexual act or lifestyle. If this is the case, then Christians who hold their consciences dear are - once more - facing criminalisation by the state.
Ben Summerskill, a "gay rights" lobbyist, was on hand after today's court hearing. He claimed that "Mr and Mrs Johns's out-dated views" were out of step "with the majority of people in modern Britain," including "many Christians too." What he says is right, of course. Many so-called Christians have sold-out to the modern world, whilst those of us who abide by the truth and try to be faithful to the Gospel message in its entirety are in a small minority. There is nothing good about being "in step" with a modern Britain - facing the prospect of becoming a third world country - that seems to have abandoned all morality, whilst making a god of an "equality" that dictates and discriminates!
The Christian Legal Centre, which has helped the Johns, warned that "fostering by Christians is now in doubt." Seeing that the High Court has decided that "gay rights" trump freedom of conscience, then I believe that the CLC is making a very valid point.
One of the most worrying things about today's High Court decision is that the Justices ruled that Christian beliefs may be "inimical" to children. The judges also upheld an Equalities and Human Rights Commission submission which said that children risk being "infected" by Christian moral beliefs. For such senior members of the judiciary - who, one assumes have sworn an oath of loyalty by Almighty God to serve the Queen, who is Supreme Governor of the Church of England - to call Christianity "inimical" and to talk of children being "infected" by it is beyond comprehension. The British state, and especially the judiciary, appears to be persecuting those who, like the Queen, hold onto the belief system that all our laws and morals rest upon. The UK's rulers and lawyers have taken it upon themselves not only to effectively disestablish the Church of England, but to wipe out Christendom from our land.
Pope Benedict XVI has already warned that the West has concocted a tyranny of fools for itself, which he calls "the Dictatorship of Relativism." All Christians, be they Catholics or not, have a moral duty to stand up to this dictatorship - which is actively ruining Europe, blindly thinking that it has our best interests at heart. With this in mind, I end this post with the words of Thomas Jefferson:
"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent."
5 comments:
I fear there is worse to come.
How long before children are removed from their natural parents because of 'spiritual abuse', meaning religious and moral instruction contrary to the wishes of some interest group favoured by government?
@ Left-footer
Yes, the fear you raised seems very valid.
It seems that Christ is always counter-cultural, and that the state is always going to try and impose its will on the Church. Our hope rests on the fact that it is the Church which will triumph - for the gates of Hell cannot prevail against it. With that in mind, I think we should do all we can to resist or protest against bad decisions that are made by officials of the state or members of the judiciary.
I quote from the judges ruling; always better to use the actual words than interpretations of them:-
"No one is asserting that Christians (or, for that matter, Jews or Muslims) are not 'fit and proper' persons to foster or adopt. No one is seeking to de-legitimise Christianity or any other faith or belief. On the contrary, it is fundamental to our law and our way of life that everyone is equal before the law and equal as a human being ... entitled to dignity and respect. We are, however, entitled to take judicial notice of the fact that, whereas the sharia is still understood in many places as making homosexuality a capital offence, ... the Church of England permits its clergy, so long as they remain celibate, to enter into civil partnerships. We live in this country in a democratic and pluralistic society, in a secular state not a theocracy."
I am pleased that judges are protecting young children from being bought up to believe that homosexuality is intrinsically wrong.
Any steps taken to end the sort of society that sees gay men kicked to death in Trafalgar Square because some young people disapprove of their lifestyle must surely be a good thing?
And how long before all Christians will be expected to sign up to the 39 Articles of secular belief or face fines, imprisonment and distraint of property?
Familiar territory to Catholics.
Sadly, our society today, in the face of heaven and earth, is proclaiming a most audacious boast which has ever been conceived by human pride; it wants to declare that it will exclude God from laws and institutions, creating a new social order and 'felicity', completely independent of its creator. We are confronted here with a satanic design before our eyes. Let us remain closely united to Saint Michael the Archangel, who uttered the words, Quis ut Deus, Who is like God? The rest of the story we know already. In the end. We win.
Holy Michael the Archangel, Defend us in the day of battle, be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, and do though prince of Heavenly Hosts by the Power of God, thrust down to hell satan and all the wicked spirits who wonder through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen
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