Christians urged to act on freedom issue

UEA education lecturer Ralph Manning and his Norwich church Surrey Chapel, are urging local Christians to act quickly to oppose the Sexual Orientation Regulations which are going before Parliament this week.

“This is a freedom of conscience issue;” said Ralph, “which could effectively criminalise Biblical teaching.”

“These proposed laws threaten the religious freedom of Christians to take a Biblical view of gay rights. They could affect what teachers are allowed to teach, how doctors authorize IVF treatment, how adoption agencies make decisions on children’s future and even what preachers teach in church,” said Ralph.

He is urging Christians to take immediate action and ask their MP to be present in the Commons and vote against the regulations during the ‘deferred division’ on Monday March 19th between 12:30 and 2:30pm.

Ralph is also asking them to:

Ask your church to affirm the Declaration on SORs drafted by “Affinity – the Church-centred partnership for Bible-centred Christianity”. This is to be found at http://www.affinity.org.uk/.

Sign the e-petition which has been set up by “Christian Concern For Our Nation”, a website set up by the Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship, who understand, perhaps more than anyone, the legal consequences arising from the regulations. This petition is addressed to HM The Queen, in her role of “defender of the faith”, and ultimately the signatory of all legislation. The petition can be found at http://www.christianconcernforournation.co.uk.

Email the Prime Minister’s office with your own message. You can do this by using the website http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page821.asp.

Email Rt Hon Ruth Kelly whose office is responsible for the SORs. Her email is kellyr@parliament.uk.

Email your MP, calling upon them to vote against the legislation in the ballot. You can find you MP’s email address from http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/alcm.cfm. Ask them to sign Ann Widdecombe’s Early Day Motion asking for the SORs to be discharged.

On Monday 19th during office hours, telephone the House of Commons Switchboard on 0207 219 3000 and ask to speak to your MP in person. Leave a message if they are not there and call again. You could also try calling their constituency office and leave a message there.

The vote in the House of Lords will still take place during the evening of Wednesday March 21. Please contact any member of the House of Lords you may know or who lives in your area.

Here is a link with the latest information. http://www.christianconcernforournation.co.uk/sor/16mar7.php

Lady O'Cathain (pictured above) has tabled a motion to reject the Regulations in the House of Lords.

By courtesy of Network Norwich, 21/03/2007