Memorandum submitted by Mr Arthur Cox (CJ&I 179)

 

 

I am writing to express my deep concern about the proposed amendment to the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill, which would make it a criminal offence to 'incite hatred on the grounds of sexuality'. As a committed Christian I firmly believe that we should love and show love to all people, irrespective of their lifestyle, beliefs and sexual practices. However, I also feel that the introduction of this proposed law is ill advised and poses a considerable danger to freedom of speech and freedom of religion in our nation.

 

The proposed amendment in this case would constitute another serious attack on freedom of speech and freedom of religion. We already have ample examples of how those who speak about biblical teaching on sexuality are maligned, threatened and intimidated in an attempt to keep them silent about their views. These are just a few examples of this lack of tolerance of Christian views on sexuality:

· Edinburgh University CU was banned from running a course on sexual purity on University premises.

· Harry Hammond, a pensioner and street preacher, was convicted of a public order offence for carrying a sign saying "stop immorality, stop homosexuality".

· Stephen Green was arrested at Cardiff's Mardi Gras for distributing leaflets quoting the bible passages on homosexual activity.

· Glasgow firemen faced discipline for refusing to man an information stall at a gay pride event.

· Family values campaigner, Lynette Burrows, was telephoned by police saying they were investigating a 'homophobic incident' after she said on radio that homosexual men may not be suitable for raising children.

· The Bishop of Chester was investigated by the Cheshire constabulary after he told his local newspaper of research showing that some homosexuals re-orientated to heterosexuality.

· A Member of the Scottish Parliament asked Strathclyde Police to investigate the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Glasgow after he said in a sermon that the moral teaching of the church was being undermined by the introduction of civil partnerships.

· A Swedish pastor, Ake Green, was sentenced to one month in jail after giving a sermon in which he said homosexuality was a "deep cancerous tumour" in society. He was acquitted on appeal.

· Joe and Helen Roberts were interrogated by police after they complained about their local council's 'gay rights' police. The police said it was a 'homophobic incident'. The police later admitted no crime had been committed and the police and council issued a public apology.

· In 2006 the Western Isles Council in Scotland received hate mail and death threats because its registrars refused, on moral grounds, to conduct civil partnership ceremonies.

Christianity is still the official religion of this country. All its institutions, its history and its culture are suffused with it; Britain would lose its identity, its values and its cohesion without it. But minority rights are now being wielded against it like a wrecking ball. What started as a commendable desire to ban hatred of the gay minority has morphed into a hatred of the Christian majority

This Bill is not merely a threat to freedom of speech and religious expression. It is a fundamental onslaught on the national identity and bedrock values of this country - and as such will destroy those freedoms which Christianity itself first created.

The law is unnecessary. All people are protected from assault and threatening words or behaviour under the current criminal law. In addition, the law concerning incitement to commit a criminal offence would make it an offence for any person to incite an act of violence against another person, for whatever reason.

 

Although Christians do not hate homosexuals but are commanded to love them, they are instructed in the Bible to hate sin (all sin). The Bible is also clear that God intended sex to be kept in a marriage relationship between one man and one woman. There is an argument that Jesus did not specifically teach on Homosexuality therefore he was not against it. However it is also true to say that He did not teach on Incest or Bestiality are we then to say that he was not against Bestiality and Incest because it is not recorded in the Bible, I think not.

 

Many people may find such teaching about Homosexuality offensive. They may even find it threatening. But it is an orthodox belief of the Christian Church, and the propagation of such teaching should not be criminalised.

 

Many advocates of free speech would ascribe to the motto 'I disagree with what you say, but I will defend your right to say it'.

 

In light of these above concerns I would urge the Committee to uphold freedom of speech and to recognise that the proposed amendment is not only an unnecessary measure, but that it would endanger the freedoms that we now enjoy.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read my submission.

 

 

October 2007