Memorandum submitted by Derek Harkness (CJ&I 57)

 

 

 

Dear Members of the Committee,

 

My wife and I are writing to express our very 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 committed Christians we firmly believe that we should love and show love to all people, irrespective of their lifestyle, beliefs and sexual practices. However, we are also very concerned 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.

 

We are both retired police officers and are more than aware of the perils of having to implement badly worded or thought out legislation. This issue is of a particular concern to us because we have an adult daughter who is also a professing Christian, who is currently living in a homosexual relationship, which she knows, is contrary to the teaching of the bible.

 

However we are a very close and loving family despite our differences and as parents we should still retain the right in our country, to be able to express our concerns and the teaching of the bible regarding homosexuality, to our own daughter and others close to her, without fear of falling into the category of criminal. This amendment seems once again to be bordering on "thought crime".

 

My other concern is also as a lay preacher, and also for those who are also employed full time in such a capacity, whose job it is to teach what the bible says about issues concerning mankind's personal sin etc. Christians do not hate homosexuals but are commanded to love them. They are instructed in the bible to hate sin, (not the sinner, there is a big difference) the bible is also clear that God intended sex to be kept in a marriage relationship between one man and one woman. Many people may find such teaching 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. I spent much of my early police service on public demonstrations, maintaining public order, over many things they said that I totally disagreed with. However I was determined to defend their right to say them and be heard.

 

I have outlined a few other examples below, where already we have faced a 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.

 

 

In light of our above concerns we would ask the committee to consider carefully the situation in our own home. Uphold our freedom of speech, consider the feelings of those Christians that my wife and I love and counsel who wrestle constantly with the pressure of living a celibate life in order to honour the name of Christ 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 our submission.

 

October 2007