The Cutting Edge Consortium (CEC) has united to remove all religious liberty safeguards in the Equality Bill in sexual orientation employment laws which protect the religious liberty of churches and other faith groups
I noted the so called ‘Progressive Christian’ “Changing Attitude Blog” patting themselves on the back for joining with Humanists and Secularists to ‘run to the world’ in an attempt to remove the right of faith groups, to restrict employment to Christians whose private conduct and beliefs are consistent with the Bible’s teaching on sexual ethics.
It was no surprise to see Ekklesia also represented in this motley crew, who for the most part, spend so much time condemning the church that they appear to me, to be a group in opposition to the church frankly.
Oh, I nearly forgot to mention that the good ol communist controlled, Israel hating TUC, are also part of this ‘cutting edge’ consortium, birds of a feather mock together, and all that….
If you have stumbled onto this blog and are not a Christian, get yourself a hot drink, pull up a comfy chair and then tuck into the following article written by one of the best in the business:- All Of Grace by Charles SpurgeonA coalition of secular campaigners, gay rights activists, transgender organisations, trade unions and “progressive faith” groups has united to remove all religious liberty safeguards from the Equality Bill.
Calling itself the Cutting Edge Consortium (CEC), the group includes the British Humanist Association, the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, the Muslim Women’s Network, Liberal Judaism, Ekklesia, Unison and the TUC.
It has called on Parliament to remove what it calls ‘religious opt-outs’ from the Bill.
The Bill already dramatically narrows safeguards in sexual orientation employment laws which protect the religious liberty of churches and other faith groups.
Under the current law, religious groups can restrict posts to Christians whose private conduct is consistent with the Bible’s teaching on sexual ethics. These posts must be for the purposes of organised religion, which could include jobs like a youth worker.
But under the Equality Bill the Government is specifying that this protection can only apply to posts that mainly involve leading worship or explaining doctrine.
The Bill’s explanatory notes make it clear that this protection “is unlikely to permit a requirement that a church youth worker who primarily organises sporting activities is celibate if they are gay, but may apply if the youth worker mainly teaches Bible classes”.
The groups involved in CEC say that even this limited protection is unacceptable. They voiced their opinions at an open meeting at the House of Commons this week, hosted by Labour MP Clare Short.
Maria Exall of the TUC, and in a lesbian civil partnership with Government minister Angela Eagle, said: “It is vital that progressive faith and secular voices are heard loud and clear supporting the Equality Bill and equal rights for LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered] people.”
Several CEC members have already called for the Equality Bill to restrict religious freedoms.
In June the British Humanist Association said the Bill should undermine faith schools’ religious ethos.
And last year the TUC said private businesses and charities should be forced by law to promote political correctness including ‘gay rights’.
The Equality Bill is due to complete its final stages in the House of Commons on 2 December. It will then pass to the House of Lords.
Tags: Church Life, Law