Britain….the western Iran??????
A storm has started to develop in Britain after comments made by Scotland’s Cardinal Keith O’Brien. Asked whether institutionalised anti-Catholicism existed in Scotland he didn’t need to check statistics…the answer was most certainly a ‘Yes’!
His Eminence later wrote to his fellow Scot, Gordon Brown, to complain about the ‘Act of Settlement’ which he pointed out to be “an outstanding example of bigotry and sectarianism in the United Kingdom”. The ‘Act of Settlement’, drawn up in the time of William of Orange, bars the way of Catholics to the British thrown. His Eminence spoke of such an act as a reference point to which anti-catholic bigots turn for state support. In an article written for ‘The Irish Catholic’ the cardinal went on to say that such an act ‘constitutes nothing more than “state-sponsored sectarianism”‘. This while the peoples of Northern Ireland struggle to end a ‘civil gorilla war’ which has ravaged the area since the passing of the act concerned.
Archbishop Sean Brady, Primate of All Ireland, spoke of how a lasting peace can never come to fruition in ‘the north’ if religious intolerance does not end. In the words of the Archbishop: “there are people who will talk to us about reconciliation and peacemaking but not ecumenism.” It has been pointed out that as religious intolerance is at the heart of the problem historically peace can not come about if such intolerance continues.
We’ve also recently seen the end of Tony Blair’s career as Prime Minister. It has since emerged that he waited to consider a conversion to Catholicism until he left public office in Britain. How can this sort of thing be allowed to happen in a western nation such as Britain which, supposedly, stands for equality and human rights.
Until now the excuse for not repealing the ‘Act of Settlement’ could have been that it wasn’t ‘on the table’ and it could be claimed that the nation was still committed to the freedoms expected of western nations. Thanks to Cardinal O’Brien this excuse is no longer valid. The newly ‘crowned’ Prime Minister has responded by refusing to repeal the Act and in so doing has re-validified it. If such a law as this was introduced today there would be an outcry in the international community yet when, as now, it is acknowledged as valid after 300 years there isn’t a word….not even from within the Commons. Now that’s a problem. If British parliaments are comfortable with such an act today then what does that say of anti-Catholic feeling in Britain?
For a nation which claims to be a kind of Theocracy with its head as a supposed representative of God what does this fiasco say about what is accepted amongst Christians? Islamaphobia is becoming more of a problem every day in Britain but what connects Christian communities is the core belief that ‘Jesus is Lord’. Is this how Christians are to treat each other?……..certainly not!
Thursday, July 12th, 2007 and is filed under Prayer & the Christian life.
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