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Cameron Vs. British Christians

Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, rips David Cameron for helping to marginalize Christians in the UK over same-sex marriage. Excerpt: If this is not enough, the legislation fails to provide any protection for religious believers in employment who cannot subscribe to the new meaning of marriage. There will be no exemptions for believers […]

Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, rips David Cameron for helping to marginalize Christians in the UK over same-sex marriage. Excerpt:

If this is not enough, the legislation fails to provide any protection for religious believers in employment who cannot subscribe to the new meaning of marriage. There will be no exemptions for believers who are registrars. They can expect to be sacked if they cannot, in all conscience, support same-sex marriage.

Strong legal opinion also suggests that Christian teachers, who are required to teach about marriage, may face disciplinary action if they cannot express agreement with the new politically-correct orthodoxy.

The danger I believe that the Government is courting with its approach both to marriage and religious freedom, is the alienation of a large minority of people who only a few years ago would have been considered pillars of society.

Today’s ComRes poll suggests that more than three-quarters of Christians believe that the Government is not listening. More than half of Christians who backed the Conservatives in 2010 say they will ‘definitely not’ vote for the party in 2015.

This continues the breakdown in trust between politicians and the people they serve.

Among these people are very many volunteers, school governors and public servants. In their churches they provide soup kitchens and advice centres, and many other valuable initiatives. They are the ‘big society’ which David Cameron was advocating until recently.

The Government risks entrenching a very damaging division in British society by driving law-abiding Christians into the ranks of the malcontents and alienated – of whom there are already far too many.

I take it for granted that the Republican Party will, in time, shift its position to be more accepting of same-sex marriage. That’s where the great majority of Americans will soon be. But if they do so without strong and substantive support — not just lip service — for the religious liberty of dissenters, I don’t doubt that many Christians will walk away. Probably fewer than Mike Huckabee thinks, and I doubt it would be permanent. But a not-insignificant number will see no point in rewarding a party that turned its back on their core interests.

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