To Mr Nigel Farage, MEP, leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party:
Dear Mr Farage, The Coalition for Marriage, supported by former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey, has now attracted more than 100,000 signatures for its petition against the redefinition of marriage in the United Kingdom. But due to the fact that politically correct ideology has now captured the UK Parliament, a bill introducing same-sex marriage will very likely become law by the next General Election.
The Fixed Term Parliament Act means that even if the UK Coalition Government dissolves before the General Election, such a measure would still have the necessary majority. A parliamentary alliance between politically correct Conservatives, Labour supporters of same-sex marriage and Liberal Democrats would ensure its success by 2015.
The British electorate ought to be offered a real choice at the next General Election on this central social issue and indeed in elections prior to 2015. If UKIP were to make a clear commitment to preserve and if necessary restore the current legal definition of marriage, then the British people would be offered that choice.
No credible potential governing party can afford to take a libertarian view on marriage. It is a public institution, with crucial bearing on the nurture of children and therefore on the future of a sovereign nation state.
The fact that within the European Union it is the newer member states from Eastern Europe which tend to be against homosexual rights does not mean that British political parties should not uphold traditional marriage for the good of society.
British people can uphold marriage in a British way, adhering to our traditional virtues of toleration and respect for freedom under the rule of law.
British children have the God-given right to know that marriage is between a man and a woman.
British children have the God-given right, unavoidable circumstances in a fallen world excepting, to be brought up by a married father and a mother.
It is noteworthy that the last UK Prime Minister with a robust Judaeo-Christian worldview, Lady Thatcher, upheld the institution of heterosexual marriage as a fundamental bedrock of democratic civilisation.
The teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ, who blessed the God-created institution of man-woman marriage, is intrinsic to the values that allowed parliamentary democracy to flourish in Britain. Political correctness has been corroding those values.
The bid to change the legal definition of marriage in the UK is an assault on the Christian values undergirding the precious combination of freedom and order that we British people have been privileged to inherit.
In presenting itself as a party for the independence of our greatly Christian-influenced nation, UKIP has a moral responsibility to take a stand for Britain’s stable democratic future by taking a stand for traditional marriage.
Yours sincerely,
Julian Mann
Update Wednesday March 7th: Mrs Jill Mans of Anglican Mainstream has kindly alerted cc to today's UKIP press release declaring the National Executive's opposition to the move to legislate for same-sex marriage.
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A very well expressed and timely challenge to UKIP.
ReplyDeleteWhether politicians recognise it or not, this is IMO a priority issue above all others, and likely to mark a watershed in the life our churches, nation, and possibly in the shorter term, our political parties.
If SSM passed through Parliament via the connivance of the three main parties which are broadly in support, then I doubt if any future administration of any political colour would repeal an SSM marriage law. (on a combination of mistaken "equality" and political correctness grounds, given the sycophantic appeasement of the powerful "gay" lobby).
This challenge ought to provoke Mr Farage and his party to 'declare an interest' on this issue by supporting the unique and God given status of marriage, identifying with Christians and non Christians alike in their opposition to SSM, and not least, to expose the hypocrisy of a party which declared that "being family friendly was “seriously Conservative”.
It will be interesting to see whether UKIP will now make that "clear commitment to preserve and if necessary restore the current legal definition of marriage"
But you previously informed the youth group that UKIP has already indicated it won't oppose the redefinition of marriage despite their protestations about political correctness undermining traditional values
ReplyDeletehttp://cranmercurate.blogspot.com/2012/01/ukip-shirks-battle-for-traditional.html
UKIP cannot be relied on to uphold Christian values. I think their candidate here wants unrestricted abortion.
It seems their being "libertarian" trumps their rhetoric about "traditional values". And in this age, libertarianism means a do-as-you-please liberalism with no underlying moral foundation or guidelines.
But let's hope they change policy, perhaps seeing an opportunity to gain traditional-values votes that Mr Cameron seems content to lose.
Nigel Farage has been married twice. Lady Thatcher married a divorcee. Hardly examples of biblical propriety.
ReplyDeleteNice try, cc. Don't think it will work. My son was at the UKIP conference last year, and, as Philip says in these comments, they are "libertarian" before they are "traditional values".
ReplyDeleteIf, however, a senior UKIPer was to oppose gay marriage, and no senior Conservative did so, would you vote UKIP?
Careful now. A senior Anglican - the Bishop of Salisbury - is in favour of gay marriage. But no doubt you will continue voting for your useless C of E.
David
http://christianityisnotleftwing.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteThis Blog supports UKIP/ opposes liberal christianity/cults/PC/ anti-democracy/ the EU & both the liberal left and the hard left. (The former being perhaps the more socially damaging.)
UKIP is most certainly not 'a Christian party'.
ReplyDeleteIt does however probably contain a much higher percentage of Christians in its ranks than any other.
(I do exclude liberal 'christians' from that viewpoint.)
I was at the UKIP conference at Southport and was simply amazed how many genuine believers were there.
We all have this problem about Faith versus Libertarian thinking.
I may or may not be typical but the former always trumps the latter.
We are right into the philosophical minefield which is 'greater and lesser evils.)
To me UKIP is - by a long way - the least unacceptable party!
http://christianityisnotleftwing.blogspot.com/
Les's comment above is very interesting, i.e. about the high number of Christians in UKIP. So it does seem Mr Cameron is losing the support of large numbers of traditional-values voters.
ReplyDeleteCC may be aware UKIP have now issued a statement opposing the redefinition of marriage (although supporting civil partnerships). Perhaps their 'libertarianism' (as well as their support of "traditional values") is a reason due to the threat posed to the liberty of those who hold the normal traditional definition of marriage. UKIP say:
“David Cameron is picking a fight with the millions of people whose religious faiths do not recognise same-sex marriages. That, in our view, is an aggressive attack on people of faith, and an act of intolerance in itself. In addition, if the government does legislate in this way, we believe that any criticism of same-sex marriage which may be expressed by someone on the basis of their faith could be classified as a 'hate crime'. That would be a grotesque assault on people's freedom of conscience."
However, as I said before, UKIP cannot always be relied on to always support Christian values as, I think, the UKIP candidate here wants unrestricted abortion. Our Conservative MP is pro-life.