Woke encroachment should alarm everyone, regardless of lifestyle. The UK was once a free society in which citizens were free to have an opinion and share it, free to practice their religion, and free to assemble in order to do so. No one held anyone else by the throat and demanded that he or she embrace certain values.
It would not be tolerated, for instance, if Christians demanded that everyone in a pluralistic society live according to scriptural rules and only express views that were consistent with Christianity. Yet that is exactly what is happening under the banner of the Left’s new woke religion. Everyone must accept woke views, with no further discussion about the matter; otherwise there will be consequences, such as those that the Rev. Dr. Bernard Randall, who served as a chaplain at Trent College in England, is now experiencing. Randall “told students during a 2019 sermon that they don’t have to identify the way some LGBTQ activists say they should.” The outcome: he was labelled a “terrorist,” even though most of his speech focused on addressing the issue of “how Christians should respond when they are having an agenda or ideology pushed on them that conflicts with their religion.”
See a report HERE. Reverend Randall’s full speech can be read at Christian Concern.
Randall is now “suing Trent College in England, where he served five years as a chaplain, for discrimination, harassment, victimization, and unfair dismissal.” He was reported to the government’s counter-terrorism watchdog by Trent College “as a potentially violent religious extremist,” even though he is no threat whatsoever. His case is consequential, and is causing backlash:
This is the end goal of the Left: to criminalize religion and speech. Don’t allow it. Fight it everywhere. Every time.
“A UK school chaplain was fired and reported as a terrorist for questioning LGBT activists. He will appeal a legal ruling against him.”
https://t.co/6W222yyCtZ— Bart Marcois (@bmarcois) February 28, 2023
Randall’s case will have a tremendous impact upon religious freedom in the UK and beyond, and religious freedom, at least for Christians, has already been on a downward trend.
Although persecution is generally associated with physical violence, there are stages; Christianity is unmistakably under persecution in the West. Under a definition of “secular persecution,” persecution watchdog Open Doors describes it this way:
This type of persecution describes radical efforts to eliminate Christian expression from public life. Most often, this comes in the form of pressure from authorities and communities and is usually non-violent.
In Communist countries, the state is the sole authority. In Islamic states, the Sharia is divine and must be obeyed. Increasingly in woke Western societies, woke tenets are being tyrannically forced upon citizens as dogma, while Christian beliefs have become a target. It is noteworthy that the woke will not, meanwhile, condemn Islam for its tenets regarding homosexuality.
Many Leftists come from a Christian background and have become vocal antagonists of the religion. Any aspect of Christianity that opposes their dogma must be purged and smeared as “hate.” For example, since Christianity regards homosexual activity as sinful, some of these activists feel personally rejected by the Church, as their very identity is rooted in their sexuality or gender. Some take their rage to the next level by labeling and targeting those Christians who express disagreement with their lifestyles, while blatantly ignoring the far harsher treatment of homosexuality in Islamic teaching.
Other woke activists may be motivated by a specific agenda (such as Muslim Brotherhood operatives and those of Black Lives Matter), Leftist identity politics or money, as some woke organizations, including some government agencies, pay generous sums to activists to spread woke dogma under the umbrella of “anti-racism.” Other activists may be completely brainwashed.
Note how proponents of the “Islamophobia” subterfuge have successfully managed to make the assumption widespread in free societies that hurt feelings constitute a crime, yet the feelings of Christians are ignored, even though Christians do not demand that anyone adhere to their doctrines.
An escalation is evident in the case of Reverend Randall, who is being called a “terrorist” for simply telling students that they do not have to adhere to the view of the LGBTQ+ community. He is now branded as a radical and physical danger to society, as well as a threat to the well-being of his students.
Christians have become increasingly marginalized. The next step could well be violence, since the peaceful Randall was reported as a “potentially violent religious extremist.” Not too long ago, it was unimaginable that a Christian academic who simply points out basic rights to his students could be dubbed a “terrorist.” To stop genuinely “potentially violent religious extremists” requires surveillance and stripping them of their freedoms and that is precisely the hope of Trent College in labeling Randall.
Christians do not preach subjugation and violence. Islamic supremacists and jihadists do, yet they have essentially a free hand in the UK and elsewhere.
Namer says
This man is 0bviously not a terrorist, yet the School and Gov’t are making him out to be worse than bin laden. In the meantime, real terrorists are knowingly being imported into the country and treated as royalty. Britain deserves this for continually reelecting the same people. Wait until the real terrorists take control of the British Government and these useful idiots will find out what happens to people like them when they are no longer needed.
British Bull dog 1950 says
.👍👍 Yes they will .
somehistory says
What does a terrorist do? creates fear and sometimes, terror. The fools who have allowed themselves to be deluded and blinded by satan, are in “fear” of the Truth, so they must destroy anyone who tells the Truth.
somehistory says
“Deion Sanders Sparks Religious Freedom Debate at Colorado”
“The Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter of complaint to the university on Jan. 24 citing what it claims are “constitutional concerns with new football coach Deion Sanders’ promotion of religion and potential religious coercion through the football program.”
It states that the FFRF’s mission is to protect “the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism.”
There is a lot more in the article on Newsmax
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/sanders-colorado-prayers/2023/03/02/id/1110766/?ns_mail_uid=8c2217ac-9501-4936-ab4c-37dd1cc061c2&ns
somehistory says
“No Religion Renders Religious Freedom Meaningless”
https://www.newsmax.com/starparker/religious-freedom-torah-synagogue/2022/09/21/id/1088407/
Michael V. Wilson says
So, once again, “Great” Britain turns out not be be so great after all. I seem to recall – correct me if I’m wrong – that people used to flee in sailing ships to get away from religious persecution in England. They came here and eventually we had to fight a war to get free from the Redcoats. Now, history is repeating itself. Perhaps we should make a concerted effort to let persecuted Christians in England know that America wants them and welcomes them.
BRITISH BULL DOG says
Mr Wilson. I will go to America anytime!. 🙂👍👍
Bob Stevens says
35 years ago, I attempted to emigrate to the USA….. I was informed by an officer of the relevant Immigration office that it would be at least 12 years, living in the USA ,before ,I could qualify, for a green card because I was a “White Anglo Saxon Protestant”
OLD GUY says
Funny how an Islamic leader in the UK can preach the murder and violence against non-Muslims and the gay community with no repercussions. Nice to be a protected class.