APPENDIX 9
Memorandum submitted by the British Humanist
Association
Although correspondence with the NMEC's Chief
Executive has been helpful, the Association has not yet received
an explicit response to the following question of content:
As it is widely acknowledged by major churches
and Bible scholars that Jesus was not born in 1BC or 1AD (but
most likely in 4 BC or 6 BC), does not the Faith Zone's announced
focus on Y2K as the 2,000th anniversary of Jesus' birth conflict
with the values of honesty and integrity which apply to other
installations in the Dome? Would it not be better to provide open
presentation of the more likely dates, allowing the point that
many Christians will adopt 2000 as a symbolic date?
I reiterate that we have no difficulty with
Christian leaders and congregations celebrating the Millennium
period in any peaceful way they wish on their own property. However,
we seek a coherent implementation of the Government's aim for
Dome contents to be educationally sound (giving a true and balanced
account) and inclusive, as well as inspiring.
Secondly, on operations, a number of our members
who live in the Greenwich area remain concerned that there is
not yet an adequate strategy for preventing a rise in crimes against
the person and against property, during the period of the Dome's
public operation. Could the latest strategy please be publicised
more thoroughly by the Metropolitan Police or the Home Office?
This now appears to be of greater concern than the debate over
transport and congestion.
We congratulate you on the progress that has
been made with the Dome, and hope you will be able to address
these points.
July 1999
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