In northern European countries (and in the U.S.), the laws relating to discrimination and gender equality, especially those relating to homosexuality, are creating the basis for increasingly frequent conflict with Christianity; especially with those who explicitly uphold the negative stance taken by the Old Testament regarding homosexual acts, which St. Paul adopted particularly fervently.
This article summarises a very interesting case which took place recently in Lancashire, raising the question of the acceptability of the Bible in a society dictated by "political correctness".
The owner of a café in Blackpool, Great Britain, was warned by police to stop flaunting "offensive" Bible verses in his establishment. The police visited Jamie Murray, owner of the Salt & Light Coffee House in Blackpool on Monday 26 September, following a complaint concerning "insulting" and "homophobic" material. The news comes from the Christian Institute, which lends its advice and counsel to Jamie Murray.
The café has a television installed, showing verses from the Bible from a DVD device that transmits content from a site called Watchword Bible. The DVD offers texts and audio from the New Testament, but the sound in the café is turned off.
Police said Murray had received a complaint regarding "insulting" and "homophobic" material displayed in the café; even if the agents did not refer to specific texts cited in the complaint. According to the Christian Institute, Murray was ordered to stop displaying verses from the Bible, because in doing so he violated Section 5 of the Public Order Act, which prevents the display of offensive or insulting words.
Jamie Murray said: "I could not believe that the police told me I could show content from the Bible. Moreover, the agents were not very kind at all, they were quite aggressive in fact . I felt as if I was being interrogated.”
He continues, "I said: Surely it’s not a crime to show the Bible?” They told me they had checked with the sergeant, and offensive words were a breach of Section 5 of the Public Order Act. I was shocked.”
"I'm not here to insult or offend anyone - Murray continued - but the Bible is the Bible. We have always been told that we are a tolerant and diverse nation. However, what actually gave us these values, that is Christianity, is being discriminated against. I don’t want exposure to public opinion, I prefer to quietly manage my café. But there comes a time when enough is enough."
The Christian Institute is asking that the word "insulting" be removed from Section 5 of the Public Order Act. The institute spokesman, Mike Judge, criticized the Lancashire police for the way they handled the complaint; their warning contradicts the right to freedom of speech and religious freedom.
"We all saw the police stand aside while Muslim extremists displayed signs encouraging the beheading of infidels, but woe if a Christian café displays the text of the Bible."
"The Bible speaks of morality, of course it does. But the Bible does not incite hate. Disagreement is not hate. If the customer does not appreciate verses from the Bible, the correct response is to become customers of other premises, and not call 999."
Jamie Murray has stopped showing verses from the Bible, as he seeks legal advice, and has begun to run the DVD again after receiving assurance that showing verses from the Bible in public is not a crime.
Sam Webster, a lawyer for the Christian Institute, said there may be the extremes against the police for endangering Jamie Murray’s freedom of right to speech and religion.
This is an example of the situation according to Ivan Patterson, the new Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland when he said that "Christians have their wings clipped in our politically correct world."
Patterson was referring to the case of a Christian doctor in England who faced disciplinary action by his professional order for speaking about his faith with a patient. "We have seen how a doctor in Margate must pay for what he said, and he said he wanted to, and so can we, if we are faithful to the Lord’s calling."
The case of Dr. Scott made the headlines when the General Medical Council said that talking about Christianity had caused stress in his patients, and threatened to bring discredit to the medical profession.
Scott said: "I only discussed faith after obtaining their permission. During the conversation, I said that I personally found that having faith in Jesus has helped me; and that perhaps it could be of help to them. At that time the patients did not appear to be offended in any way, and showed no signs of wanting to stop the interview.
In that case I would have immediately ended the conversation.”