My comments, and those of other faith leaders, urging people not to vote for the BNP at the European elections next Thursday have been reported in this week's Ilford Recorder. The church magazine article referred to can be read by clicking here. In it, I wrote:
"Just as, at Pentecost, God poured out his Spirit on old and young, men and women, so we see a diversity to our congregation here at St John’s and also among the Churches of Redbridge. That diversity is given to us so that we can proclaim the message of God to people of every ethnicity, age, gender, disability, sexuality and religion. And we need the Holy Spirit’s power, gifts and enabling to make that happen.
As the Early Church grew and as God’s message spread there were people who tried to restrict this wonderful new diversity. In the same way today, there are those in our society, like the BNP, who want to place restrictions on this diversity. The BNP are currently trying to convince people that they are persecuted like Christ. This is the ultimate irony because their message is the absolute reverse of all that Jesus taught and lived out in his ministry and death. In the coming European elections we must clearly reject the racist policies of the far-right in order to reflect and live in the diversity of Pentecost."
Click here for the national line on the issue as reported in this week's Church Times. For up-to-date information on the HOPE not hate campaign, which celebrates modern Britain and exposes the extremism behind the BNP, click here.
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The Staple Singers - Slippery People.
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