Supporting Free Speech or Listening to the Voice of Reason?

Categories: durham

Date: 28 April 2010 15:22:33

Ok, so I have a dilemma for Friday night do I go to "The Christian Hustings" or The Chaplaincy Lecture explaining the ethics of voting? They are going head to head at 7:30pm. Whether this is accidental, and when people and space were available or a diliberate decision to try and keep the progressives and religious right apart and otherwise occupied on this evening I don't know.

Now in favour of "The Christian Hustings" is the fact I have fieldwork this evening, as I have when every other one of the mainstream hustings is taking place and so this is my only opportunity to see my local candidates go head to head.

Against "The Christian Hustings" are being chaired by The Bishop of Rochester, Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali and appears to be a meeting of "the religious right" in the constituency. It is on Friday 7:30 - 9:00pm.

Now I support what these guys say, that they support free speech and so forth but....well when their FB page says the following, which I actually agree with some elements of, I get very worried by other elements of,

"Voting For My Voice believes that the freedom to speak freely about one's religious beliefs should not be considered harassment but a fundamental right in society. We are dedicated to ensuring that people are aware of what their parliamentary candidates' views on freedom of speech are as the General Election on May 6th looms.

We firmly believe that legislation such as the Religous Hatred Act along with the continued efforts of the Equality Bill see Christians' Biblical views attacked and suppressed, along with creating a climate where Christianity is marginalised. We hope that this group and our website will help you make an informed choice about who to vote for in your constituency, by providing you with information on how far candidates will support Christians in areas such as what they can preach and who they can employ. We are primarily focusing on constituencies which have a university in, with the hope of mobilising students into action, encouraging them to recruit friends in a bid to raise the public's wareness. This group in particular is focusing on the City of Durham constituency!

Please do go to our website (http://votingformyvoice.com/) and have a look at the 'What I Can Do' page to see how YOU can vote and take action to get your YOUR voice heard.

This doesn’t just effect our personal beliefs but even areas in our lives such as the comedy we can watch and perform. Rowan Atkinson on numerous occasions has spoken out against the Labour Party’s continued attack on Freedom of Speech, saying “The freedom to criticise ideas is one of the fundamental freedoms of society”. Roberta Blackman-Woods cannot be trusted with our freedom of speech!"

This group is also involved in a petition with the following wording:

"By signing this petition we are expressing our commitment to the following issues:

The freedom to speak freely about one’s religious beliefs should not be considered harassment but a fundamental right in society.

That Christian values have a place in our society and its parliament and governance. They
shouldn’t be pushed to the side or silenced.

The right for churches and Christians to preach any party of the Bible to their church family
and in their evangelism amongst the public community.

The right for churches and Christians to preach from the Bible their views on any issues
such as sexuality, gender, sin and salvation. (For example Romans 1:18-32 could be preached
to show that the Bible clearly teaches that the only context for sexual activity is within lifelong monogamous marriage, meaning that fornication, adultery and homosexual practice are wrong.)

A concern that the Equality Bill in its current form will cause truly terrifying consequences
the following areas:

In the area of free speech through a conflict with the proposed harassment law.

Through denying individuals, churches and charities the ability to make an essential religious distinction between orientation and practice in their employment of staff, along with the issue of gender. We believe that churches should be allowed to retain the right to employ only men as ministers and for other key posts. Indeed, this is essential to allow churches the freedom to operate in accordance with their religious beliefs.

Through making it easy for individuals hostile to the relevant belief to launch legal actions against charities holding to that belief.

By promoting the discriminatory treatment of religious believers holding to their beliefs. (No-one has ever suggested that political parties should be forced to employ people with opposing political beliefs, or that vegetarian restaurants should be forced to employ non-vegetarians. They are entitled to freedom of association to protect their fundamental ideas. Forcing them to engage people hostile to their beliefs would be disruptive and offensive). In a similar way, churches too are based on Biblical ideas. They must never be compelled to take on people who reject their ideas. This would dilute their message and change the way they operate. It would be a profound attack on their civil liberties.

Furthermore, at the General Election we will readily put our support behind and vote for any candidate who will fully support our stance on these issues, and pledge to hold them for us in parliament."

Do I really want to spend the evening in what I suspect will be a right-wing environment, where the views of people such of myself who happen to be (i) female, (ii) gay, and (iii) progressive / liberal Christians are marginalised and not given the space to speak without fear???? Yet another part of me says that is exactly why myself and others who are Christians, and do support free speech but not this agenda should go and fully participate in the event.

On the other hand, there is the Chaplaincy Lecture on at the same time. It is billed as follows: "Chris Mullin, MP for Sunderland South, speaking on
"Voting: An Ethical Issue?"

A short talk, with a chance to ask questions later

Hear an insider's view on British politics in the run-up to this year's general election"