Journalist for Life
Eunice and Owen Johns, 62 and 65, have just last month been ruled by the highest British court to be unsuitable as foster parents. They’re renowned as wonderful people, they do extraordinary outreach in their own English midlands black community, they give large amounts of their time and money to charity, and they have successfully and selflessly cared for 15 children in the past. But something vile and sinister apparently hides in their character. They are Pentecostal Christians and do not approve of homosexuality.
They are in great pain and anguish over the decision, but the real suffering will be experienced by the needy kids who will remain without parents, and this is what concerns the Johns more than anything. It doesn’t seem to concern the people who prosecuted and persecuted these good people at all. All this in the war to silence and punish those horrible Christians who will not do what they’re told, in Britain, Europe and here in Canada.
A homosexual Anglican minister with a tiny congregation was – no surprise there – chosen by the massively influential BBC radio to be the objective commentator on the case, both in Britain and on their world service. In other words, hundreds of millions of people heard his opinions on the issue. He and his male partner have adopted a child. The painfully biased BBC interviewer explained, “let’s not call it mainstream, but let’s say traditional Christianity does not favour homosexuality.”
It’s like calling love or truth traditional rather than mainstream. Christians can interpret Christianity but they cannot contradict it. Once they do, they are no longer Christians. You don’t have to be Christian, but if you are you have to, well, be one and believe. If you vote Liberal and work for the Liberals, for example, you’re not a Tory. Simple really.
The interviewee then explained that Eunice and Owen Johns were being exploited and used by extremists (untrue), that Christians used to regularly burn homosexuals to death (untrue), and that while he and his friends were open-minded (untrue) they could not allow people who may be kind, good, generous, and honest to raise children if they have any reservations about homosexuality.
There’s liberal decency and good old tolerance for you.
The fellow then said in rather sinister tones that he was now on the local committee that decided who should be allowed to foster children. It is difficult to explain just how threatening and gruesome all this was. Never were the rights and needs of children discussed, but only the feelings and desires of homosexuals who want to raise children and the sensitivities of homosexuals who do not want any child raised by someone who does not approve totally of their way of life.
It is a self-evident truth that nobody should be allowed to foster or adopt children if they are hateful. Like, for example, our bullying friend in Wales who has such extreme views about authentic and faithful Christians. Look, there are doubtless people calling themselves Christian who are unkind to gay people, just as there are doubtless all sorts of people calling themselves something who do not live up the standards of that religion or belief. The thousands of Christians I have met in the past 25 years, however, are routinely loving and caring individuals who believe everybody to be precious but, if the subject does arise, would explain to their children that while gay people are to be cherished, homosexual activity cannot be affirmed.
Which will probably annoy a lot of people out there. So what? We disagree. Just as, I am sure, there are adoptive parents who will tell their children that Christians are silly and judgemental and that homosexuality is fine. They might also tell them that pre-marital sex is okay. Will we now disqualify people from adopting if they urge their children to remain celibate until marriage? Think about this for a moment. At one time we would have laughed at the idea that gay couples would be allowed to foster children but not Christians.
In the United Kingdom many Roman Catholic adoption agencies have been forced to close because the government demanded they give children to same-sex couples. These agencies tended to deal with inner-city children who were in desperate need of loving parents. Not any longer. Yet more victims in a campaign that ceased to be about equality long ago and is now about unconditional and brutal victory. React with love and understanding, but please in the name of God, children, family and justice, react.