FACTS
Free expression and exchange of religious and political views is fundamental to our democratic society. The Government is proposing to get rid of a law safeguarding freedom of speech – less than a year after it was passed. The aim appears to be to ban the expression of views – and especially Christian views on sexual ethics – which the state deems unacceptable. If the Law is changed -
- Christians, who express views that do not accord with today’s secular society, will face the risk arrest, investigation and interrogation by the police, followed by prosecution and a potential prison sentence.
- Christians will lose their basic human rights and we will see a major step towards totalitarian control over what we are allowed to say and teach in our churches and elsewhere.
The means for effecting this change is Clause 61 of The Coroners and Justice Bill.
Much in the Bill is good, but it is also being used to promote secularist proposals.
Further information is available in this on-line Maranatha Briefing:-
Clause 61 – The Coroners and Justice Bill
- The pro-euthanasia lobby is also seeking to exploit this Bill and has tabled three new ‘Assisted Suicide’ amendments – which are of great concern to all who value human life. If passed, the amendments would permit state-sanctioned assisted suicide.
These developments are further examples of the huge secular humanist onslaught against Christian values and freedom of Christian expression.
ACTION
Christians across the UK are joining with social reformers, human rights activists, lawyers and supporters of all political parties to oppose the clause, which has nothing to do with the primary purpose of the Coroners and Justice Bill. This week a coalition of Christian groups, including Maranatha, has been formed to stand against this threatened tyranny. Please pray for us.
You could also do two things:
Write to your Member of Parliament on-line here
or by post to: The House of Commons, Westminster, London SW1A 0AA
and express concern.
Sign the On-line Petition to the Prime Minister or download the paper version
NOTE
Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers.”
June 30, 2009 at 9:03 am |
I could not find any details of timescales on this e.g. when is it being debated. I went to the online petiton to the Prime Minister on another web site and that showed a final sign up date of 5th July. Please include major dates on the Maranatha web site.
Thanks