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How can Christians have faith in PC officialdom that ignores them?
Tuesday, 17 February 2009
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Some time ago the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin told a curious inquirer that, yes, it was indeed true that there were plans to build new lavatories in one of their buildings which would have a deliberate peculiarity.
They were being installed so that Muslims using them would not have to face Mecca while they were seated on the loo. This is important business for Muslims, who are enjoined by their code to refrain from relieving themselves unless it is absolutely essential. Under the Qadaahul Haajah code the natural processes of the human body for disposing of its waste are regarded as unclean; so they are advised to pray upon entering and leaving the lavatory, to enter with the left foot first and to leave by first stepping out with the right and neither to face nor to turn their back on Mecca when they are inside.
I mention these details with a single purpose: to explore the enormity of the task governments in Western Europe assumed when they sought, in varying extent, to absorb large immigrant minorities which included large numbers of Muslims. To some leading Christians, the way forward was, and is, clear. “I don't believe in multiculturalism,” declared the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor, not long ago. “When people come to this country, they have to obey the laws of the land.” The key difficulty — as my first paragraph seeks to indicate — is that the leadership of the Muslim immigrants did not desire their people to be absorbed at all — for two reasons. The first is that the Islamic code is so diametrically different from the Christian that absorption is not a simple option.
The second is that in all things Muslims are guided by the Koran; and the Koran makes it clear that Islam is not in the business of being absorbed in anything — not if Chapter Nine be taken as a guide. Here we find the injunction that, when confronted with the infidel, ie, the non-believer, the faithful should “Slay the idolaters wherever you find them; and take them captive and besiege them, and lie in wait for them in every ambush ... ”
The first thing to say about this is that it appals very many law-abiding Muslims whose only wish is to live in amity with their neighbours so that they can earn a fair crust. The second thing is that this particular teaching of the Koran has still influenced a much smaller number of fanatics who have done — and continue to attempt to do — terrible deeds involving the slaughter of their fellow-citizens. For them the Koranic ideal of world conquest is very real: for, in its teaching, Islam is the sort of religion Christianity used to be: imperialist and ambitious of universal supremacy. The mission of St Patrick to Ireland has often been quoted as notable because it is possibly the only known example of the peaceful conversion of a nation without the loss of a single life. But other Christian ventures, such as the medieval Crusades, were bloody indeed.
In the United Kingdom, the Government has sought to sidestep confrontation with Islam by adopting a non-partisan stance, heavily backed by legislation. The difficulty is that it is impossible to be neutral about religion: you either accept it — or you reject it. So the attempts, particularly by local officials and teachers, to be non-partisan have led to discord, ridicule, and embarrassing retreats.
There was the case of the Christian nurse who offered to pray for a patient; of the foster mother struck off the register because the Muslim teenager in her charge (whom she had offered to take to the mosque) insisted upon becoming a Christian; and the case of the child of five in the Devon school who was scolded for mentioning Jesus to a classmate; and so on. The problem here is that, by aspiring — often hamfistedly — to be neutral, council officials and teachers find themselves being accused of hostility to Christianity. Not for the first time it has been left to the two leading black bishops of the Church of England, John Sentamu of York and Michael Nazir-Ali of Rochester, to call time. The next general election is now almost within sight. Archbishop Sentamu's charge is that the new intolerance towards Christians in the public sector is a sign of the growing gap between the governing and the governed. The politically correct, who have for so long enjoyed privileged seats in the Cabinet Room, should hear him and inwardly digest. Ridicule is now turning to anger. Practising Christians, and the millions of silent believers who never miss Songs of Praise, also have votes.
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Comments
21 Comments
To Yip. You have a good point, but they are not really religious. Their religion is in their head, and not their hearts. Those type of people use religion as an excuse. God did not preach to kill and maim. He only taught Love thy neighbour as I have loved you. It is simple. Violence is only acceptable in self-defence, not in attack. All extremists groups are wrong. One has to take up the middle ground to survive and succeed.
Posted by canuck | 24.02.09, 15:25 GMT
weev, what about the extremist Christian groups (for God and Ulster) who think it is OK to kill Catholics ?
Posted by Yip | 24.02.09, 10:28 GMT
Fear not. This is a time when true Christians build on their faith. The prophecies, and the warnings in the Bible are all fulfilled at present, and society is becoming as it is meant to, but with human choice and responsibility. Now is the time to stand up and be counted. We all have a decision to make-- to Love like God, or become incubated in the evilness of society and the temptations of lies, corruption, and sinfulness. We have the power to destroy the world, man is definitely a lover of himself, man is marrying man, families are breaking up more than staying together, and God is shoved out of schools, hospitals, and homes. Like any great empires of the past, people stray from God, then they perish. N.B. How come there is NO p.c. correctness in Muslim countries??
Posted by canuck | 23.02.09, 16:55 GMT
How can christains have faith in politically correct officialdom that ignores them? Is a strange question.
Is it not the duty of christains to vest their faith in God rather than godless governments, paving the road to hell with such ill-concieved intentions as multi-culturalism?
In my leap year state of the world comments Feb.29 1984 I wrote in my diary:
"Short of anarchy,there can never be such a thing as a multi-cultural society & that which the social engineers are designing is a politically contrived society in which all that was evil & outlawed in Christiandom will be legalised."
Was I wrong? Ithink not.
Posted by jock | 21.02.09, 21:29 GMT
Appalled, I am 'deadly serious' when I say that I agree with PoliticalCorrectnessGoneMad's statement so you can be insulted but we will stand by our remarks. BTW Hope you have a happy Easter, you know, the time we celebrate Christ's victory over death and satan -You don't hear of the muslims gods having done that.
Posted by Stuart | 19.02.09, 21:56 GMT
M Spence, that's the typical Humanist contradiction. You're quite right in asserting your own right to self determination. You can't, however, in the same breath assert that a Christian (or Islamic) worldview has no place in the same "marketplace of ideas" that you seek to protect for yourself. Essentially what you're saying is that only non-religious worldviews have a place in the public sector, so I can't exercise my faith except privately. You're denying me the same rights that you want to "protect".
I'm a mathematician by trade, and I find a great place for my faith in God within my studies. I see His hand in creation and I desire to worship Him by being the best mathematician that I can be. No Christian who understands the precepts of Christianity would try to force their worldview on you (I won't speak for Islam on this point). Salvation doesn't work that way. Instead we respect your "right to be wrong", and hope that you figure it out before you die.
Posted by Rob | 19.02.09, 19:23 GMT
There are 2 forces at work in this world, its not positive and negative, but instead its the deeper side of Positive and Negative, That is Good and Evil.
Anything representing the true God (Christian message, Followers of Christ, Israel, Jewish people, any natural order of things, anything created) is systematically being destroyed or sidelined, through ourselves allowing ourselves to be slaves to the forces of evil.) this all sounds crazy but at the same time, doesnt it make sense when ya just open your eyes and think about it. We are created by God and in his image so isnt it interesting when ya think that we as a race are legalising all things that lead 2our eventual disapearance. Why would we do this if it wasnt 4the forces of evil that work through us. take away the foundations of a society and it collapses
I feel secure about it all tho, these things hav 2be expected as our God declares, but wen we are in a deep relationship with our living God, why fear anything or anyone.
Posted by Reuben | 19.02.09, 17:47 GMT
Sins enters world thru 1st woman and virgin Eve, human race begins and sin begins to affect life of human and world thru humans. Human race natrually/logically grows, and therefore God needs them to break through sin to fulfil his purpose of creating each human in the 1st place. So Gods solution to the power and grip of Sin is to bring forth himself in human form, through a virgin as was Eve, in order for people to rise above sin and be free to live. When sin entered the world blood was shed to cover adam and eves nakedness, and so blood must be shed to atone for sin also. but only through the one who made it possible. This Messiah in 33 years, fulfilled all prophecies written about him. He is either crazy or knew exactly wat he was talking about, and is said to be the only 1 who has never returned to dust. 1 thing I know is the entire world callender 2day revolves around this 1 mans birth. 2009. humans and the world itself are completely infected and dying. who do we need? Jesus!
Posted by Reuben | 19.02.09, 17:33 GMT
At last - a journalist unafraid to speak the truth about Islam and its incompatibility with democracy. Islam is an ideology which demands total submission of muslims to Allah, women to men and all non-muslims to Islamic rule until it becomes the only religion and law worldwide. It is intolerant of all other religions and democracy. The Crusades were a response to 700 hundred years of Islamic expansion on a murderous scale only halted at the Battle of Vienna in 1683. Had the Turks won, Christianity would have died in Europe. Islamic terrorists still seek that goal using the Koran to justify their acts. Muslims can't speak out against them because to do so would be to say Allah is wrong. Islam tries to stop debate because it would reveal to the world the truth about the violent teachings of the Koran towards non-muslims. This is why Geert Wilders was banned from UK. It is time for that debate. One law for all citizens and no more appeasement of Islam.
Posted by bahoonies | 19.02.09, 15:53 GMT
We really don't need an alien, barbaric, medieval culture which denies rights to women and gays. The cardinal is right - anyone who comes to the UK (or the rest of the EU) must obey our laws. Otherwise they should stay in their own countries. We should not be making any accommodation, including on animal rights issues - halal meat anyone?
Posted by porkchopsforall | 19.02.09, 15:26 GMT
Never mind that. Where yawl goin when ya die. Jesus loves you and came to save you from yourself - no light undertaking
Posted by Hot Gospeller | 19.02.09, 09:13 GMT
The intolerance toward Christians and the widening gap between the governed and their govnment reminds one of Johnathon Swift's statement: "Government without the consent of the governed is the very essence of tyranny". Every reasonable effort should be made to accommodate non-Christians in Britain and Ireland, but official policies should never infringe on the democratic rights of the Christian majority.
Posted by Seán MacCurtain | 19.02.09, 00:37 GMT
to be honest malachy i dont hear of many extremist christian groups who are guilty or claim responsibility for bombs or attacks on innocent people, ie 9/11.
Posted by weev | 18.02.09, 16:41 GMT
M Spence, who here is saying that Islam and/or Christianity should have primacy?
I for one fully respect your right to hold a Humanist world view, and for you to be represented in government etc.
I don't see anything in this article or the comments which supports anyone imposing their faith on anyone else.
Posted by Sharrie | 18.02.09, 13:52 GMT
The imposition of political correctness in the U.K. is no less dictatorial & will be no less tyrannical than that of other extremist (it-is-for-your-own-good, must-be-done-at-all-costs) political dogmas.
Hitler, Stalin, Lenin, Mao, Pol Pot, Saddam Hussein etc.…. all promoted their individual brand of political correctness – woe betide those who are non-coformists, non-adherents & or dissidents to the doctrine of pc!
Coersive enforcement, by its very nature, is no substitute for an ingrained sense of decency, reciprocated tolerance, freedom of thought & expression & self-determination. It was for these ideals, not pc, that in the 20th century millions of Britons & their overseas allies fought & died to preserve.
Action is governed by the thought process. When a governement legislates conformity of thought it is already on a dangerous path to intolerance & totaliterianism.
Posted by A Betts | 18.02.09, 13:48 GMT
Why should either religion have primacy and why should I respect faith that refuses to accept my own Humanist World view? Any Christians or Muslims want to answer that question without the use of religious quotation?
The simple fact of the matter is that Religion has no place in Government or science, the only outcome can be the manipulation and distortion of facts.
To repeat what I have endlessly said on these pages.
If people have faith that is their choice and I support and defend this right. However as soon as you over step the mark and start imposing your faith on me I will take up arms to defend my own right to self determination.
Posted by M Spence | 18.02.09, 10:08 GMT
The author appears as foolish but dangerous, and is guilty of deliberately misinterpreting the requirements of Islam as a means of undermining the beliefs of the many millions who follow the teaching of the koran with quiet dignity and in peace. Shame on you Mr Waugh and shame on the editorial team for publishing this abhorrent piece of religious hatred.
Posted by Malachy Mulligan | 17.02.09, 18:28 GMT
I have yet to find anyone of any faith who is genuinely upset by the things that are banned in the name of 'political correctness'. I fully appreciate that workplaces and so on have to be inclusive, but I do not believe that anything is achieved when that is used as an excuse for banning all manner of activities and conversation topics.
Posted by Sharrie | 17.02.09, 15:16 GMT
As a member of the deadly serious people's group, I find your flippant remarks highly insulting, PoliticalCorrectnessGoneMad.
Posted by Appalled | 17.02.09, 13:51 GMT
Good, well thought out article by Eric Waugh.
Posted by T J McClean | 17.02.09, 12:57 GMT
21 Comments