In praise of Peter Tatchell

I never really expected to write this post. You have to have a certain grudging respect for veteran gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, but that rarely extends to agreeing with him. He is normally known for putting out the kind of gay supremacist demands which fuel the worst form of political correctness (ie anyone who disagrees should be silenced or removed, by force if necessary).

But writing in The Big Issue recently, even Peter is now acknowledging that multiculturalism is a flawed and failed project. As he puts it: "by asserting and celebrating cultural difference, multi-culturalism can also divide people on racial, religious, and other grounds; emphasising divergences between communities that may later evolve into rivalries and antagonisms... These tensions undermine social cohesion and exemplify a new tribalism, where societies are fragmented into myriad communities, each loyal primarily to themselves and with little interest in the common good. This is dangerous and damaging."

Too right. If Peter is interested in imagining what a post-multicultural society could like like, we may yet even end up working together. Multicuturalism is dead; long live the multi-ethnic British culture.

The wrong kind of sinner?

The Methodist church announced this week that it will ban its members from also being members of the British National Party (BNP). This move comes as the BNP has started flirting with 'Christian nation' rhetoric in it's speeches, which has led Christian groups to become more vociferous in their condemnation (some pretty blunt 'open letters' from church leaders went round in advance of the recent Euro elections too).

There are 3 main reasons why I oppose the BNP. Firstly, they have an openly racist membership policy (black people are not allowed to join). Secondly, they favour a policy of 'voluntary deportation', which would mean that a fair number of my friends would get letters inviting them to leave Britain on day 1 of a BNP administration. And thirdly, Nick Griffin insists on wearing a cross on his lapel despite being diametrically opposed to almost everything that it stands for (grace, reconciliation, that sort of stuff). Jesus would be turning in his grave if he were still in it.

But I'm still not sure about the Methodist move. I'm confident that fair chunks of what the BNP stand for represent 'sin' in a Christian sense. But if we intend to ban sinners from church membership, we may face a membership crisis on a scale that even the Methodists are unused to. Hands up anyone who never covets anything in the face of saturation media advertising? Who never gives in to lu$t despite living in a hypersexualised culture? Who never loves themselves even a tiny bit more than their neighbour? Thought not.

The Church has always been much more eager than Jesus to define certain sins as unforgiveable. In the past, everyone from heretics to homosexuals have been treated in this way, and it has always proved a mistake. Now it seems to be the racists' turn. Living in an area where the BNP can poll up to 20%, I don't have the luxury being able to write people off as unworthy of fellowship because of their politics. Jesus said 'Come to me, all of you who are burdened'. The fears and prejudices that the BNP play on are burdens that we need to lift from people's shoulders, not reasons for rejecting them.

Freedom is only skin deep

This week has brought two more alarming cases of official persecution of Christians in the UK. First off a nurse in Somerset was suspended after offering to pray with a patient (only to be re-instated after a media outcry). Then an experienced foster carer in the North of England was struck off the register after a 16 year old in her care from a Muslim background decided (of her own free choice) to become a Christian.

Most of last year's high profile cases regarding religious freedom seemed to centre around jewellery (silver rings or necklaces bearing crosses). Although these revealed a worrying double standard, Christianity is not defined by wearing certain items of clothing, avoiding certain foods, or praying at a particular time while facing in a particular direction. But to pray for people and communicate the 'good news' of the gospel message are absolute commands of Christ and core fundamentals of our faith. Deny a Christian the right to tell people about Jesus in word and deed, and you leave them little choice but peaceful civil disobedience.

The inconsistencies and injustices in these cases are too many and obvious to even start listing. It is bizarre and sinister that diversity and equality policies which were supposed to protect (amongst other things) religious freedom are being used by a minority of vindictive public sector managers for the purposes of active repression, and are creating a climate of fear where many more get deluded and hoodwinked into doing the same.

And it's not over yet. Today another case emerged of a five year old being reprimanded for talking about her faith to her classmates (and her mother, a school receptionist, is now facing the sack). The government had better speed up its plan to build those 'titan' prisons, because at this rate it is going to need around 10 million new prison places.