Submission from the Inverness Free Church
of Scotland
1. I write on behalf of the above named
congregation of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) to express
to your Lordships my very deep concern and that of the members
of this congregation and denomination at the moves presently being
made to introduce alterations to the existing Blasphemy Laws of
this country.
2. I express to you in very strong terms
my conviction and that of those whom I here represent that it
would be a most hurtful step to amend current laws so as to open
the door to the possibility that the Name of God and of Jesus
Christ our Saviour might be publicly blasphemed with impunity
in the press and media.
3. It would be injurious to the pace and
spiritual well-being of our nation if it were to become allowable
for church services and acts of worship to be disrupted by militant
antichristian activists. It would also be hurtful to the public
good if antichristian agitators were allowed by law to conduct
violent demonstrations on church property, as in altered circumstances
could happen.
4. It would also be harmful if the laws
of this land were to be altered in a manner which allowed the
charge of "religious hatred" to be brought at law against
preachers of the gospel of Christ, whose calling it is to proclaim
the message of salvation through the cross of Christ and to call
men to faith and repentance.
5. Our beloved country has over at least
1,000 years been blessed with a public and national confession
of the Christian faith as the basis of our constitution and monarchy.
This provision has been our glory and our strength and we must
not tamper with our inheritance in these days of confusion and
anarchy.
I urge you most respectfully to do all in your
power at this time to safeguard our heritage.
28 June 2002
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