BRITISH HOUSE OF LORDS VOTES ON EQUALITY ACT (SEXUAL ORIENTATION REGULATIONS) 2007, RAISES SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS

Source:            www.assistnews.net

Date:                March 23, 2007

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

LONDON, ENGLAND (ANS) -- The vote by 168 to 122 in the British House of Lord's on March 21 in favor of the Government's Equality Act (Sexual Orientation Regulations) 2007 marks the imposition of a new morality, according to the website www.christianconcernforournation.co.uk,  which is a project of the Lawyers Christian Fellowship in the United Kingdom.

An e-mail media release says: "It is a clear sign that despite saying they were going to consult and listen the Government has failed to respect the consciences of citizens whose values are formed and shaped by their deeply held religious beliefs, be they Christian, Muslim or Jewish. This could have been easily resolved by a simple conscience clause."

The e-mail states: "In a week where the whole country celebrates the 200th anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery, brought about, by and large, through the determined efforts of William Wilberforce, we would do well to remember his driving force and motivation stemmed from his Christian conviction. History will record that today's vote marked the increased secularization of Britain confining faith to private thought, rather than public manifestation in works of service for the whole community."

It adds: "The consequences and implications of the SORs will unfold month by month. The result of the vote will mean that rather than balancing rights, the right to live a homosexual lifestyle will trump the right to live a Christian lifestyle."

The Christian Concern for our Nation website says that many Christians will be affected by this new law. Christians and other faith community groups will be considering the implications of the SORs carefully and will reflect on the various legal options open to them, it says.

Christian Concern for our Nation (CCFON) is an activity of the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship Public Policy Unit. It's website says: "It is a service for non-lawyers who want to be equipped to understand, act and respond to the increasing number of legal issues impacting the Gospel and Biblical justice at the heart of our society. CCFON consists of a website and e-mail update service supported by an active team of lawyers."

The website says that many laws impacting on Christians' day-to-day lives go against biblical values, and more are being passed every year by the British Government. For example, there are currently discussions in Parliament about laws relating to reducing freedom to preach the gospe, legalizing euthanasia, and making abortions more easily available.

The site says: "More and more it seems Christians are rejecting the apathy which has so often kept the Church silent. We realize both the need and the power of uniting together and making our voices heard. The call to Christians is to stand up for values God expresses in the Bible."

'A bigger threat to Christian liberty than the Religious Hatred Bill?'

CCFON describes the legislation as "An incredibly important piece of legislation (which) threatens Christian freedom to act with integrity according to the Bible."

It also says the government has proposed 'Sexual Orientation Regulations' which will impact churches, Christian organizations, charities, groups and individuals. The Regulations have been described by some leading Christian figures from across denominational lines as representing a greater threat to Christian liberty than the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill did.

What are the Sexual Orientation Regulations (SOR) and why is it a problem?

The site says that "Using power they gave to themselves through the Equality Act 2006, the government are pushing through a new law (the SOR) which will make it illegal for providers of goods, services, facilities, premises, education or public functions to discriminate against the recipients on the grounds of their sexual orientation i.e. whether they are homosexual, heterosexual or bisexual.

"Firstly, we must stress that Christians are commanded to love all their neighbors (including homosexuals) equally. Christians would never want to be homophobic or discriminate against homosexuals out of bigotry or prejudice. Christians of course earnestly desire the repentance and salvation of homosexuals.

"However, the Bible is clear that the only rightful sexual relationship for which we were created, is a relationship between a man and a woman in the context of a legitimate marriage. Consequently there are times when Christians need to be free to discriminate against homosexuals in order to make it clear that we believe in the Bible's teaching that homosexual practice is wrong."

The website cites three examples of how this new law would affect Bible-believing Christians: It asks readers to consider a Christian couple who own a bed and breakfast, a Christian Community Center, which receives public funding, and a Church of England school.

A Christian couple who own a bed and breakfast: "They provide a 'service' according to the law. Therefore if the SOR become law, it would be illegal for that Christian couple to refuse a homosexual and his partner (who had a registered civil partnership) a room with a double bed for the night, even if they also refused an unmarried heterosexual such a room: according to the new Regulations a registered gay civil partnership is equal to a marriage, and to discriminate against gay civil partners would constitute discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation."

A Christian Community Center, which receives public funding: "If that Center hired out its premises to local groups but refused to hire the hall out to a homosexual group who wanted to promote homosexual practices, that would be illegal discrimination under the new Regulations.

A Church of England school: "They offer education, and were the SOR to become law, it would be illegal for the C of E school to have a 'bias' on their curriculum in favor of heterosexual relationships -- this would discriminate against any possible homosexual pupils or homosexual parents who wanted their child to be taught about the acceptability of homosexuality.

The CCFON site says: "These examples are based on the Northern Ireland Regulations which came into force on the 1st January 2007. Please follow our 'latest news' section (www.christianconcernforournation.co.uk/Latest/latest.php)  to find out the current situation with the England, Wales and Scotland Regulations, to know what restrictions the legislation will place on Christian freedom."

The CCFON says the Northern Ireland SORs came into force on January 1, 2007. The England, Wales and Scotland SORs are due to come into force in April 2007. It is therefore anticipated that they will be published in early 2007.

Concerned believers are requested to sign the Petition to Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II on proposed Government Sexual Orientation Regulations at: www.christianconcernforournation.co.uk/sorpetition.php