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Saturday 13 April 2019

Double standards





The thought police are having a field day.

From renowned philosopher to star Australian rugby player, alleged statements and views that do not correspond to 'correct' thinking spell trouble from people who believe they have the right to tell us what to think.

The BBC reported that Conservative academic Sir Roger Scruton had been sacked as head of a government housing body following comments in an interview with the New Statesman in which he referred to  Islam, China and George Soros.

Downing Street said, presumably without checking, that the comments were "deeply offensive".

Claiming that Scruton had been misreported, Adrian Hilton, AKA Archbishop Cranmer, tweeted: In an educational context, any academic supervisor would consider this a serious breach of ethical standards, and would fail him. To manipulate a quotation in order to fabricate an interpretation which inflicts harm on the interviewee is devoid of morality and integrity.

This is unethical journalism. You can't interview someone and then edit their comments so that readers will infer racism, when clearly Roger Scruton was referring to the generational replication of communist ideology.

Sir Roger has written An apology for thinking in The Spectator.


The Independent reported that Israel Folau is to be sacked by Rugby Australia after refusing to respond to attempts to contact him following his "homophobic and hateful" social media outburst, ruling him out of this year’s Rugby World Cup.

According to the Mirror England rugby star Billy Vunipola could also face disciplinary action from the RFU for refusing to unlike an Instagram post published by Israel Folau. "Rugby is an inclusive sport and we do not support these views" the RFU said in a statement.

That is, selectively inclusive. As in new Anglicanism, orthodoxy is excluded.

Many people of Polynesian heritage take their religion seriously. Folau is alleged to have said that "hell awaits" homosexuals. That does not make him homophobic and hateful. In communicating his Christian beliefs to others based on his understanding of scripture he is warning others so that they may be saved, as was the Christian street preacher who was arrested for breaching the peace because he was being "islamophobic".

One of the errors Sir Roger Scruton was accused of was questioning the definition of Islamophobia. He said he stood by comments he has made in the past that Islamophobia was a "propaganda word invented by the Muslim Brotherhood in order to stop discussion of a major issue".

Robert Spencer claims in Jihad Watch that the term was invented in the 1970s:

"According to the French philosopher Pascal Bruckner, 'At the end of the 1970s, Iranian fundamentalists invented the term ‘Islamophobia’ formed in analogy to ‘xenophobia’. The aim of this word was to declare Islam inviolate. Whoever crosses this border is deemed a racist. This term, which is worthy of totalitarian propaganda, is deliberately unspecific about whether it refers to a religion, a belief system or its faithful adherents around the world'.”

The double standards are plain to see. Christianity is kicked around as a fabrication while Islam has become inviolate.

The video above shows the continuing plight of Christians in Africa. They are being murdered and dispossessed by Muslim Fulani herdsmen in what amounts to a program of ethno-religious cleansing but there is no mention of the atrocities in the mainstream media. By contrast, petrified by accusations of Islamophobia extended coverage of the Christchurch massacre was assured.

Closer to home from a Diocesan press release Llandaff is to hold 'A day to explore spirituality and prayer' in a joint event with their neighbouring Monmouth Diocese.

One of the highlights, will be the opportunity to "learn about spirituality and prayer in the Islamic traditions" while Islam denies that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died on the Cross to save others.

Sadly that has become the norm reducing the opportunities for more people to be saved as Christ Himself commanded.

Postscripts [14.04.2019]

1. The Australian Christian Lobby stands with Israel Folau and supports his right to express his beliefs.

“When a belief is disagreed with, however vehemently, it should be critiqued, not censored. That is how a mature, democratic society works.”

Censoring a belief does not change the fact that it is part of the identity of millions of people. In fact, it will only cause greater conflict and friction over time.”

2. Watch: 'They just turn up at night and kill Christians'

Nigerian priest shares his harrowing experience of persecution.

"They come at night shouting and by sunrise they leave a trail of destruction with dead bodies of women, children and men whose only guilt is their Christian belief."

Postscript [17.04.2019]

Belfast Telegraph - Peter Lynas: Today’s secularism leaves no space for Billy Vunipola... or Ashers

4 comments:

  1. Meanwhile in Llandaff you can take a walk with God.

    https://llandaff.churchinwales.org.uk/news/2019/04/a-day-to-explore-spirituality-and-prayer/
    "Whether you want to deepen your walk with God along familiar paths, or try something new, you should find something to suit at the Festival of Prayer Day.
    There will be prayer through dance, talking, singing, walking and silence at the day-long event that offers the chance to explore a wide range of different spiritual perspectives and approaches from across the Christian spectrum.
    Launched three years ago by the Llandaff Diocese, the Festival has enjoyed such success that it is being run as a joint event with our neighbouring Monmouth Diocese."

    I wonder if +Richard of Monmouth has received his personal invitation?

    ReplyDelete
  2. The booing of Billy Vunipolo at Bristol has been reported to the police as a hate crime. Let's see if they do anything about it

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  3. Talk about double standards, the Revd Canon Jeremy Davies, suspended Canon Precentor of Salisbury because he married his same sex partner, is the keynote speaker at Newport Cathedral this holy week!!

    TheQuietRevolution

    ReplyDelete
  4. It's not all plain sailing for Russian priests either!
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-47912910
    Russian priest posted to remote village over wife's 'sin'.

    ReplyDelete