The Bishop of Lichfield has called on Christians to wear crosses to show they “aren’t going to disappear quietly from the market place”.
The Rt Revd Jonathan Gledhill’s comments are to be published in November’s parish magazines across the Diocese of Lichfield.
In an open letter to parishoners, the Bishop of Lichfield wrote:
“The Christian roots to our governance should not be nibbled away without discussion. Sometimes I think it wouldn’t be a bad thing if in December we all wore a fish badge or cross necklace and sent out a loud message that Christians aren’t going to disappear quietly from the market place or put away our crib figures in a hurry.”
He continued to say that companies’ decisions to sack those who want to wear a cross or fish lapel badge; and local councils deciding to rebrand Christmas out of fear of offending ethnic minorities are decisions made out of “sheer ignorance”. He continued:
“Ethnic minorities are far more anxious about the rampant secularism and commercialism that erodes all Christian standards than they are about their host country properly celebrating its Christian foundations.”
“local councils deciding to rebrand Christmas out of fear of offending ethnic minorities”
Hmmm, could the good bishop be alluding to the apparent rebranding of Christmas as ‘Winterval’ by Birmingham City Council, which was an outright lie basically made up by the right wing press?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winterval
I thought he’d have a tad more intelligence than that.
He’s got plenty of intelligence, he may know full well that winterval was nothing more than a commercial exercise to get punters spending in Brum but that doesn’t mean he can’t use the press reaction to consolidate his power. So “sheer ignorance” is probably not right here, how about sheer cynical opportunism.
Interesting mention by him of governance, are there moves the get the Bishops out of the house of Lords? I do hope so, seperation of Church and State and all that. Face it, most people have no belief in your god at all so why should any faith in that god influence our lives? Just because historically it has? Not good enough.
Given the timing of this just a few days after Griffin appeared on QT saying almost exactly the same thing maybe his comments are inspired by the Spanish Falangists. Are we going to see Sproule back at the Cathedral in his truth truck?
“Ethnic minorities are far more anxious about the rampant secularism and commercialism that erodes all Christian standards than they are about their host country properly celebrating its Christian foundations.”
That’s an interesting thing he’s said there as well, needs clarifying. “host country”? what does that mean, are ethnic minorities guests, even those born here, or worse still parasites? What exactly is he saying?
How does he know what they’re concerned about anyway, has he asked them? Have they got together and nominated him their spokesperson?
This is so dodgy it’s not even funny?
Cross and fish pendants are available to be purchased from the Cathedral foyer.
Oh dear……….does the bishop not realise that spreading baseless rumours like this plays directly into the hands of the BNP? They, after all, want the “Indigenous poulation” to think that their way of life is “threatened” by “foreign” influences. Let me offer the Bishop an invitation. WILL YOU PLEASE NAME US ONE EXAMPLE OF THIS SUPPOSED “THREAT”? THERE AREN’T ANY – IT’S JUST PARANOIA ABOUT POLITICAL CORRECTNESS. Over to you…………….Bob Vant
“No one goes to a Muslim country and expects local councils to silence the mosques out of sensitivity to Christians” is something he also said in the letter which can be read on lichfield anglican website.
I’m surprised they sent the BNP packing from outside the cathedral…. they are seem to be singing from the same hymn sheet.
Perhaps the reason the BNP were sent packing was that there’s no more room at the inn this christmas….
http://www.lichfield.anglican.org/news&newsID=655
The letter can be found in full from above link
He’s also said that the execution of Saddam Hussein couldn’t be described as unjust. He’s a very strange Christian, into capital punishment rather than forgiveness living it up in a big house in the close and now he seems to be trying to get his hands on a slice of the multiculturalism pie for the Christians.
Well, to my no surprise the Bishop has failed ( refused? ) to come back with any evidence at all to back up his case! Back in 2007, Rev Graham Carter, Moderator (?) of the Methodist Conference came out with summat similar – he accused a local Council of abandoning “Christmas” in favour of some sort of Festival of Lights. Now, it took me 10 minutes on the net to blow this argument out of the water. Aye, the Council were promoting such a festival………..but “CHRISTMAS” celebrations dominated it. I sent the Rev the evidence, but got no reply. So just what is it about some Christians that makes them think they can make absurd accusations which help the BNP, then refuse to defend their ideas? Some might call it arrogance. Others might be tempted to call it ignorance. Me? I’m much too polite to say any such thing, but it does worry me that they think they can come out with such tripe.
Over to you, Bishop…………..
Bob Vant