Why do Christians get a raw deal?
This is a cross-post, by Revd. Fr. Edward Tomlinson, from the The Saint Barnabas’ Blog
Last week Hollywood announced a multi-million dollar project to make a film called ‘Mohammed’. Not for reasons of entertainment but as a way of ‘reaching out’ to the Islamic world. Fair enough- but when is ‘Jesus’ going to be released in order to ‘reach out’ to Christians and promote the faith on which the nation supporting Hollywood was built? And when will the Islamic world reciprocate this gesture?
Yesterday the EU, to whom this government has handed power without electoral vote, ruled that crucifixes should not adorn schools in Italy. Was the crescent mentioned or treated with the same disdain? Of course not!
Last October Sony withdraw a computer game, and apologised unreservedly, because the backing music contained quotes from the Quran. It refused to apologise for, or recall, a game depicting a bloody massacre inside Manchester Cathedral.
On the BBC the abuse of Muslims in Israel is regularly reported on and highlighted. So it should be. But when do they report on the widespread mistreatment of Christians by Islamic regimes? [Editor's Note: When does the mainstream media cover Islamic aggression towards Israel?] A recent documentary showed the despicable treatment of Pakistanis by British yobs on council estates…but none are made showing the burning of Christian homes and widespread persecution in Pakistan.
Little wonder the Church of England felt a need, last June, to release a report lamenting the manner in which this government has ignored Christianity in order to focus attention and support on minority religions. Hazel Blear’s defence actually made me laugh- she negated this by demonstrating that she had recently met with Rowan Williams…..to debate inter-faith issues!! Exactly Hazel- you would never attend to discuss purely Christian issues or promote the work of the Church!
Why does a nation, increasingly secular but with a Christian constitution, ban air-hostesses with crosses, nurses who pray with patients, the sending of Christmas cards within council offices….whilst not doing likewise to minority faiths? Why does Christianity get the roughest deal of all faiths in Britain, despite being the majority player?
The answer is, I fear, deeply troubling. We Christians are afforded little respect by secular society (which in truth despises all religion) because there is little risk of us placing bombs on buses. Whereas Islam, despite only containing a tiny minority dedicated to acts of aggression, is sensitively dealt because such terrorism is working. Does this not play into the hands of those who hate?
And if I am wrong, answer me this….would the media have dealt with an Imam lamenting secular funerals in the way they dealt with me? Would a Muslim cleric ever be depcited with the lack of respect that most vicars now come to expect? We are either cast as bespectacled buffoons in situation comedies or raving lunatics lambasting common sense. What you will never see is the church treated with love or listened to with any serious interest. Of course much blame for this must lie with a toothless National Church that has been happy to play the benign but loving fool and which has largely rolled over in the face of aggressive secularism.
Let the reader understand. This is not an attack on Islam, most Muslims are decent people utterly committed to their understanding of faith. This is an attack on the present leaders of the West who, by the twin sins of promoting secular atheism and giving into fear of terrorism, are damaging our national identity as a Christian society and diluting our heritage, faith and culture.
Christians need to mobilise and fast. Not to acts of aggression and violence, which contradict all we stand for, but to standing up for the faith on which our nation was built. Let all who worship Jesus lobby, nag and challenge those in authority to give the Church a better deal. Heaven knows, we deserve it!
If you have stumbled onto this blog please do take a few moments to read the following piece:- Echoes of God
Tags: Christian Life