Anglican bishop: UK Govt imposing a new morality

Briefing. Note the bishop's sadness at the passing of 'benign secularism': having given up on the idea of having a Christian society, we can't complain if an alternative world view is adopted. The UK has got to be either Christian or, simply, something else.

From CFNews: Gordon Brown's government is like the seven-headed, 'demonic beast' of Revelation, bent on imposing its 'moral agenda' (which is opposed to 'longstanding Christian morality'), on British society, according to an Anglican bishop. The Labour government's policies, especially their support of the homosexual political agenda and the Human Fertilisation and Embryo Bill, are a move away from a benign secularism, said the Rt. Rev. Graham Dow, bishop of Carlisle.

Speaking at a meeting at the Church of England's General Synod on the release of the book, 'God, Gays and the Church', Bishop Dow said, 'I happen to believe that our government is moving into the realm of imposing its morality and it is therefore becoming a Revelation 13 government rather than a Romans 13 government.'

The bishop was citing St. Paul's letter to the Romans in which Christians are admonished to be good citizens and obey the lawful commands of the Romans. 'Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.'

But, Revelation 13, regarded by Christians as a prediction of the apocalypse and the end of the world, says, 'And I saw a beast coming up out the sea, having seven heads and ten horns: and upon his horns, ten diadems: and upon his heads, names of blasphemy.' Biblical commentators say that the seven heads of the beast are a metaphor for 'the whole company of infidels, enemies and persecutors of the people of God, from the beginning to the end of the world'.

The chapter goes on, 'And he opened his mouth unto blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints and to overcome them.'

Bishop Dow called on those present to continue defending Christian doctrine. 'The challenge is to be brave and bolder than we have been, keeping the issue in the public domain, not falling into the trap of being aggressive. We will be called homophobic constantly.'

In a later statement, Bishop Dow said, 'By way of clarification I would want to say that the government has certainly been 'God's instrument for good' (Romans 13), for example in the promotion of the equality and in social inclusion, in its support for poorer nations and its emphasis on the environment.

'However in the last year or two it has been imposing its own moral agenda in a way that is contrary to longstanding Christian morality and the significant voice of Christian churches.'

In addition to the imposition of the homosexual doctrines on Britain, the bishop mentioned the Labour government's Human Fertilisation and Embryo Bill and the refusal to allow Catholic adoption agencies to function according to their moral conscience.

He added, 'The underlying point is that I and many others are critical of the government's promotion of legislation about the structure of society and about lifestyles which has as its moral basis only that choice and complete licence are good.

'Further, when the government speaks and acts as if the only possible moral basis is that which it promotes, it is acting as if it is god. Hence the terms of my criticism of it.'

In his foreword to the book, 'God, Gays and the Church', Michael Scott-Joynt, the Bishop of Winchester, warned that the Church's integrity had been 'gravely undermined' by its acceptance of homosexuality and criticised the 'public advocating and vaunting of behaviour contrary to the teaching of the Church of England.'

The book, 'God, Gays and the Church' may be purchased online from the Latimer Trust at this website:
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