Christian morality and a death in Pakistan

Eunice and Owen Johns

'Christian beliefs lose out to gay rights' exclaims the Daily Mail headline. 'All citizens of the UK are equal but some are more equal than others' says an angry Christian, paraphrasing Orwell. 'Once again the gay community does itself a disservice by showing only intolerance for others while demanding tolerance for themselves' writes Nick in Basingstoke. Finally, Tom Norton sums up the general tone of the 652 comments on the Daily Mail website when he says, 

'There is no moral basis for this ruling, and should be appealed. The law governing this area is wrong, and should be rewritten. The gays have no justification for arguing that their preference take precedence over traditional, Christian morality. The Gays are not in charge of this world. God is.'

What has provoked this storm? As you may have heard, an elderly Christian couple, Eunice and Owen Johns, 62 and 65, from Derby, have lost their battle to be allowed to foster children. In a landmark decision, Lord Justice Munby and Mr Justice Beatson ruled that the law protecting people from discrimination because of their sexual orientation 'should take precedence' over the right not to be discriminated against because of religious beliefs.

The couple had previously fostered 15 children before taking a break from fostering. They had applied to Derby Council in 2007 to restart fostering but despite having been described by social workers as 'kind and hospitable people', during their previous experience, felt that their application was doomed because of their belief that homosexuality is against God's laws and morals would conflict with the regulations introduced by the 2007 Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations.

In drafting the legislation the Government exempted organisations, that wished to 'practice, teach or advance' a religion. The rights of these groups were specifically protected by the legislation. Religious groups are allowed to organise their 'own affairs in accordance with the deeply held beliefs of their religion.' However, individuals alone and not acting under the auspices of a religious body were not exempt from the provisions.

In a just society individuals will be protected from the arbitrary expression of authority from governments or powerful groups in society. To a large extent an individual should be able to live their 'private' life as they wish as long as it does not compromise other peoples rights. The legislation attempts to balance the inalienable right of all people to be protected from discrimination due their race, religion or sexuality (among many things), guaranteed under the European Convention on Human Rights, with an individual's freedom of thought, conscience and religion. Reason protects faith. Of course, it's a compromise but the principle protects all of us.

Meanwhile, in Pakistan we can see what happens when a a religious morality gains power. Yesterday, yet another politician was killed. Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan's Minorities Minister and the only Christian Cabinet minister, was assassinated for urging reform of the country's blasphemy laws.The blasphemy laws in Pakistan carry a death sentence and are often used to attack minority groups, including let it be noted, Christians, who, as the lowest social class, generally have little political influence. 

As a previous post explained (bit.ly/eRQIHX), Pakistan's lower regional courts are often in the hands of powerful local interest groups and uphold the death sentences. However, despite operating within an Islamic State, Pakistan's higher Appeal Courts and its Supreme Court are still powerful enough to withstand the pressures of the extremists and provide justice by overturning the decisions of the lower courts.

There are many in Pakistan who do not want minority groups to have the same rights that they enjoy. They are not willing to compromise and are willing to use any means to impose their 'beliefs'. Defending the rights of Christians and other minorities has cost Governor Salman Taseer and now Shahbaz Bhatti their lives. In Pakistan, Christians are being sentenced to death and killed because the principles of justice and the rights of minorities are quickly being eroded. People like Tom Norton in the comfort of the UK, writing on the Daily Mail website might try and consider this before promoting the primacy of any religious morality.


I wonder what a Jedi would have to say?