Balls of steel in Lambeth? Well, just the one so far.
“The first time the Church has launched such a defence of the country’s Christian heritage” is how an un-named bishop described a confidential Church document, leaked to The Sunday Telegraph today.
“An astonishing attack on the Government’s drive to turn Britain into a multi-faith society” was how the Telegraph saw it.
The paper, titled Cohesion and Integration – A briefing note for the House [of Bishops], was written by Guy Wilkinson, the interfaith adviser to the Archbishop of Canterbury. These are the criticisms it levels at our so-liberal political masters:-
1. The attempt to make minority “faith” communities more integrated has backfired, leaving society “more separated than ever before”.
2. Divisions between communities have been deepened by the Government’s “schizophrenic” approach to tackling multiculturalism. While trying to encourage interfaith relations, it has actually given “privileged attention” to the Islamic faith and Muslim communities.
3. The Church of England has been sidelined. Instead, “preferential” treatment has been afforded to the Muslim community despite the fact that it makes up only three per cent of the population.
4. Britain remains overwhelmingly a Christian country at heart and moves to label it as a multi-faith society suggest a hidden agenda.
5. Public funds have been used to fly Muslim scholars to Britain, legislation on forced marriage has been shelved, financial arrangements to comply with Islamic Law have been encouraged. Yet none of this has produced any “noticeable positive impact on community cohesion. Indeed,” the report goes on, “one might argue that disaffection and separation is now greater than ever, with Muslim communities withdrawing further into a sense of victimhood, and other faith communities seriously concerned that the Government has given signals that appear to encourage the notion of a privileged relationship with sections of the Muslim community.”
6. The Government is wrong to see faith as the cause of a divided society.
Of course, one has to note from the outset that the Church of England is more the wounded liberal Establishment at prayer than the forthright, awakening defender of an imperilled Christian nation. It still adheres firmly to the pluralistic faith-society, the la-la “why can’t we all love one another” ideology. But this is kumbayah with an oddly refreshing note of menace - at least as far as this useless, fearful, screwed-up Government is concerned.
The day that menace finds its proper target amid the golden crescents of England’s northern towns and cities will be really something.
Just one more ball to find.
Posted by ben tillman on Sun, 08 Oct 2006 23:31 | #
Refreshing news.