Folly

Jewish-Muslim-Christian temple heralds Pope Francis' 'Abrahamic House'. Source: Church Militant

 

My in-tray receives  regular reports of Christians around the world being oppressed for their faith. Links in the right hand column to International Christian Concern and to the Barnabas Fund regularly highlight the dangers faced including kidnapping, rape and murder in countries such as Nigeria. 

Leaving aside state persecution such as that suffered by the Uighurs in China, I do not receive similar reports about oppressed Muslims. That is because they are regularly carrying out the persecution if not identified as such.

In an article Nigerian kidnappings reach crisis point there is no mention of Islam or Muslims, just a reference to Boko Harem, an Islamist group among the worst of oppressors.

Similarly in Great Britain grooming gangs who regarded young British white girls as "easy meat" were often referred to as of Asian Origin.

Islamist brutality is constantly swept under the carpet while any perceived criticism is branded as Islamophobia, defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as "Intense dislike or fear of Islam, esp. as a political force; hostility or prejudice towards Muslims".

As kind as many individual Muslims may be, plenty of people, particularly such as those Christians in Nigeria have good reason to fear Islam's political ideology.

It came as no surprise that Professor Swaran Singh's report on alleged anti-Muslim sentiment found that 

"Anti-Muslim sentiment 'remains a problem' within Conservative Party". 

Professor Singh "analysed 1,418 complaints relating to 727 separate incidents as recorded in the Tories' complaints database between 2015 and 2020" but complaining is encouraged among Muslims while Christians in this country are prevented from speaking.

The inquests into the Fishmongers' Hall terrorism attack clearly illustrate that there is much to fear from Islamic fundamentalists yet apologists constantly ignore the reality, promoting Islam on a par with Judaism and Christianity despite all the evidence that it is utter folly.  

Jolly June's folly?

Source: Twitter

Last year the Pride Cymru Eucharist Service was celebrated by Joanna Penberthy, the first woman bishop in the Church in Wales. In another first, the Rev Sarah Jones, the first transgender priest in the Church of England, was chosen to celebrate Holy Eucharist in a move that could be regarded as a calculated snub to supporters of traditional marriage.

It is a mystery why someone who has complained about being "OUTed" (see the 3.45pm event, above) would want to attract so much publicity but the Rev'd Sarah Jones is not shy when it comes to preaching about same sex marriage:

From her own website: "Before ordination Sarah played on the UK acoustic music scene...Sarah also speaks to conferences and groups on a range of topics including sex and gender, social influence, leadership and diversity."

Currently Rector of St Mary’s Ross-on-Wye, St Michael’s Walford and St Michael’s Brampton Abbotts, Sara Jones has been appointed to the post of Priest in Charge of The City Parish of St John The Baptist, Cardiff, described as being at the heart of Cardiff City Centre and a significant post in the Diocese of Llandaff.

From St John's website:
"The City Parish of St John the Baptist is among the oldest in Cardiff. The church is next to city centre's covered market, and is the oldest remaining mediaeval building in the city after Cardiff Castle, dating from the 12th century.

"Cardiff University Chaplaincy and its main campus are within the City Parish."

I have found no obvious explanation for this import from the Church of England to be vicar of the capital's civic church so unless she was the only applicant it appears to be yet another case of Church in Wales politics which saw the first woman bishop appointed.

The bishop of Llandaff was appointed by the bench of bishops after the rejection of Dean Jeffrey John's candidature. Undoubtedly better qualified than the current bench, Jeffrey John's promotion of the LGBT agenda was too much for many. He also came Out4Marriage.

Barry Morgan and his bench sitters failed in their bid to get the Church in Wales to accept same sex marriage but the bishop of Llandaff has appointed an advocate of that policy to one of the most significant posts in the Diocese of Llandaff in a move that appears to be a calculated thumbing of the nose to those who believe that marriage is between a man and a woman, to the exclusion of all others and for life, the official position of the Church in Wales.