New report shows Christians being forced into silence
By Belinda Brown
A shocking new report from Voice for Justice UK reveals a disturbing trend: Christianity is under attack in the UK.
Christians are being coerced into endorsing ideologies they oppose, forced into silence, and stripped of their freedom of conscience.
The survey, which gathered responses from 1,562 individuals, paints a grim picture of a society increasingly hostile towards Christians.
An overwhelming 92% of respondents affirmed traditional marriage between a man and a woman, opposed abortion, and disapproved of premarital sexual relations.
Alarmingly, a fifth experienced harassment, bullying, or discrimination, impacting their careers. More than half faced outright hostility and ridicule.
The biggest challenges came from the LGBT movement. With compelled speech and compulsory lanyards, they could be forced to participate in an ideology they disagreed with. Christians were forced to self-censor or lose their jobs on account of their faith.
While no protected characteristic should be more important than another, for Christians their faith came at the bottom of the list.
Schools are the lynchpin in the normalisation of LGBT ideology. Legally required to have respect for the parent’s religious and philosophical convictions, schools taught progressive ideology instead. If children did express Christian beliefs, they could be bullied by pupils and intimidated by teachers.
Worst of all, Christian teachers were put in a very difficult position where they were required to teach materials which were against their faith. One teacher told us: “I know personally of four teachers who have either lost their job or had to leave it. In each case it is because they cannot think as required.”
Even churches themselves were becoming secularised as they adopted progressive ideologies. Disillusioned, the largest group of Christians (30 per cent) had left the denominations and now described themselves as ‘Christian, no denomination’.
Lynda Rose, the Director of Voice for Justice UK explained: “Christianity lies at the foundation of British society, underpinning our tolerance and acceptance of diversity. But our survey shows Christians in the UK, both in the workplace and socially, are increasingly subjected to discrimination and marginalisation. Society has fallen victim to an ideology actively hostile to Christianity. This is a contravention of our law. If we want to safeguard our tolerance and freedom, then we need to protect Christianity itself.”
To find out more about the report, go to:
https://vfjuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/The-Costs-of-Keeping-the-Faith-Report.pdf
RIP C OF E?
Synod vote sparks split
By Andrew Halloway
A few days after Sir Keir Starmer announced outside Downing Street that Britain needed a ‘reset’, the C of E sealed its own reset by voting to continue standalone services for same-sex blessings.
The Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) has expressed its “deep disappointment” at the General Synod’s vote to continue the process towards introducing standalone services of blessing for same-sex couples.
The 9 July vote also saw the Church of England move closer to removing current restrictions on clergy being in same-sex marriages, with proposals to be brought to General Synod in February 2025.
Entire blessing services for same-sex couples were approved
As a result, the Church of England’s Evangelical Council (CEEC) has commissioned Honorary Assistant Bishops and other clergy to provide “informal oversight” to ministers who do not wish to be led by a bishop who voted for same-sex blessings. A group of 20 overseers were appointed in a service at a leading evangelical Anglican church – All Souls Langham Place in London.
After the Synod agreed In November 2023 to offer blessings for same-sex couples within services, trials of entire services of blessing for same-sex couples were approved at the 2024 General Synod – albeit by a very close vote.
Not only that, but a timetable to work towards clergy same-sex marriages was endorsed. Following all these decisions, many clergy and parochial church councils (PCCs) expressed their need for alternative oversight.
The original approval of same-sex blessings was given on the understanding that they did not “seek to simulate marriage”, yet standalone services are now a step closer to wedding services.
DRAG ‘HUMILIATING’ TO WOMEN AND A DANGER TO KIDS
By Andrew Halloway
Women have described drag as “a grotesque caricature of femininity” in response to a Guardian article celebrating RuPaul’s TV show.
They wrote in after after LGBT activist Max Wallis praised RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World as “a much-needed cultural phenomenon” that “helped to destigmatise” the LGBT community.
In a letter to the newspaper, Dr Grace Barnes asked him “to consider how women feel about being parodied” by drag. She explained: “Drag queens take the trappings of femininity and exaggerate these to create a grotesque caricature which, at its core, humiliates women.”
She continued, “Drag is being utilised to tick the inclusion box, when it is, in fact,
exclusionary, sexist and insulting to women.”
Letter writer Katherine Rogers called it “highly sexualised adult entertainment, which many people feel is pretty misogynistic”.
According to the Christian Institute, RuPaul’s recent Drag Convention was supported by children’s TV programme Teletubbies and offered free entry for “after hours” parties to under-8s.
Meanwhile, campaigning group CitizenGo has raised a petition against Drag Queen Story Hour events for children. For example, Regents Park Open Air Theatre in London hosted Drag Queen Story Hour events throughout July for children aged 3+.
The petition can be signed at: citizengo.org/en-gb
