The Church in a dilemma

This is Michael Elliott with family and friends at Saturday's Battle for Britain fundraising social in Cumbria. Michael (stripped shirt) is one of our candidates on the North West list for the European Elections. Yesterday I received some superb photos taken during the evening by a professional photographer and no doubt many of these will appear in various leaflets, newspapers and on local websites in the coming months.

Freedom deadlines are hanging over me yet again so it's a truncated blog this morning. Our 'Jesus Poster' made both today's issues of the Daily Telegraph and The Scotsman. Those political church leaders who like to manipulate the Gospel to suit their own ends seem to be having a bit of trouble with this one. And I think this story could run on a little because the media quite likes to see sanctimonious clergy struggling with biblical interpretations.

And just this minute there has been another offering on the subject from Ekklesia which IS the political church. There appears to be some dissension in the ranks as to what Jesus would have said about the poster. Enjoy their dilemma here.

Four elections on Thursday and the word from Yorkshire is that our vote is holding up quite well in both Leeds and Halifax in the face of huge campaigns from Labour and the Tories. I hope to get some more info from all four contests during the day.

Inciting violence against the BNP

I REGARD myself as a Christian. I was baptised, confirmed, married in a church, go to church at Easter and Christmas and try to uphold traditional Christian values.

But this morning, once again, I'm ashamed of those 'men of the cloth' who claim to be Christians yet whose attitude to the British National Party has prompted the sort of violence against BNP members that was seen over the weekend in Leigh.

The Church of England, when it banned BNP clergy was in fact declaring an open season on BNP members. It was giving a green light to those who oppose the BNP to persecute any members and supporters of the Party both by discrimination at work and by physical attack on the street.

The appeal above probably incited someone to attack Tony Ward with a claw hammer. And it was the ban of BNP clergy orchestrated by Vasantha Gnanadoss (below) that has given the impression that members of the BNP are 'beyond salvation'.


Some might take these as too strong words, so let me tell you more.

Alistair Barbour was out canvassing in Castle Ward in Carlisle just after the Synod's ruling on the BNP. He called upon a local vicarage and was met by a vicar who was beside himself with anger when he saw Alistair's rosette.

"You are the anti-Christ," he said. "The BNP is the Devil Incarnate that has been sent to cause carnage on earth."

I kid you not. A vicar who the following Sunday got up in his pulpit and preached to a congregation who were hanging on his every word 'as gospel', believed that a BNP candidate was the anti-Christ and that the BNP was the Devil Incarnate.

If such an attitude is not inciting violence against the membership of the British National Party, I don't know what is.

ADD ON: It's just gone mid-day and I have received this link which shows that not all churches are against the British National Party. What a great report for the April issue of Freedom.