Forums > Social Discussion > Christian Voice - The most dangerous group in the UK?

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nearly_all_goneSILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
1,626 posts
Location: Southampton, United Kingdom


Posted:
Written by:

They have taken on Jerry Springer: The Opera, the BBC and are now are planning to tackle abortion clinics. So who are Christian Voice?

Plenty of people have things to say about Christian Voice. John Cryer, MP, called them "fundamentalist thugs". The moderator of the United Reformed church calls them "a disgrace".

Their controversial protests against the "blasphemy" of Jerry Springer: The Opera involved publishing the home phone numbers of BBC executives. They also persuaded cancer charity Maggie's Centres to turn down a £3,000 donation from the show, threatening demonstrations.

Now they are planning to take on abortion clinics. So who is behind this group?

They are a small protest network, led by Stephen Green who describes himself as ex-Anglican and ex-building trade.

The heart of his mission is to return Britain to the 1950s. Back then, he says, it was a Christian country. Ever since, it has been turning away from God and sinking into immorality. Mr Green says he can cite 57 laws that have corrupted Britain in that time.

The "blasphemy and profanity" exemplified by Jerry Springer: The Opera are only two of his concerns. Others include familiar evangelical targets such as divorce and homosexuality; he has a particular concern over gay police. Less obvious enemies include globalisation, GM crops and the EU ("an antichrist totalitarian regime").


This kind of treatment is exactly what our Lord Jesus Christ said that those who follow him should expect
Stephen Green
He is currently angered by the royal wedding, which he condemns, whether in church or registry office.

"Colonel and Mrs Parker Bowles should have been divorced for adultery, but they weren't because that would have been too embarrassing," he says. "So in the eyes of God they are still married."

He likens Christian Voice to John the Baptist who preached against the incestuous marriage of King Herod.

"We're saying to the Prince of Wales: 'You cannot have your brother's wife.' This woman is still married to someone else."

Mr Green has been leading Christian Voice for more than a decade, without causing much of a stir, and became its first full-time employee only 15 months ago.

He is cagey about membership figures, but indicates that they are more than 600. By way of comparison, the Evangelical Alliance lobby group represents about a million Christians.

Notoriety

The new prominence of Christian Voice seems to be largely a matter of good luck and good timing, although depending on your position it may be the influence of the good Lord.

It had previously led anti-blasphemy campaigns targeting the BBC, the Sunday Mirror, Peter Tatchell, and the play Corpus Christi.

But in complaining about Jerry Springer, it had an enemy that caught the imaginations and consciences of a large number of Christians, so it was able - by a viral e-mail and letter campaign - to mobilise the phones of many people not usually connected with Christian Voice.

Mr Green has then multiplied the impact of that campaign through the offence caused by his choice of soft targets. First Christian Voice gained major media coverage when it was reported that BBC executives received death threats after he published their home numbers.

Now the cancer charity Maggie's Centres has turned down a donation from the opera, and Christian Voice is heard loud and clear again.

The publicity that came to Christian Voice over the reported death threats was obviously unintended, but Mr Green is clearly eager to capitalise on his notoriety, using it to get his anti-abortion protest on the front pages.

Yet, when I suggest to him that Springer has been good for Christian Voice, he is ambivalent. He does not seem to have been inundated with money and new members, but has had plenty of threats and abuse over the phone. (Mr Green's website is, to be fair, as free with his own phone number as he was with others'.)

"This kind of treatment is exactly what our Lord Jesus Christ said that those who follow him should expect," he says.

On the other hand, when I tell him of John Cryer's statement that Christian Voice are "fundamentalist thugs", he seems rather to relish this kind of persecution.

'Disrepute'

"He ought to wash his mouth out with soap and water," he declares. "He should withdraw those comments or resign. He brings politics into disrepute."

But he talks neither in anger or sadness - he laughs heartily and seems to be enjoying himself.

Mr Green disapproves of teaching about other religions in school and especially the celebration of Diwali.

Nevertheless, he has some admiration for Sikh protests in Birmingham against the play Behzti, but says Christian Voice "don't throw stones through theatre windows".

Would he draw the line at breaking the law? Green answers thoughtfully: "Yes... unless the law contravenes the law of God."




Any opinions? It seems religious fundamentalism and zealotry is gaining popularity daily..

What a wonderful miracle if only we could look through each other's eyes for an instant.
Thoreau


psycotic_furbyBRONZE Member
Hehe, you said 'Member'
105 posts
Location: Lydiate, nr Liverpool, United Kingdom


Posted:
 Written by: mcp

I think there should a law against propaganda strong enough to change peoples minds. Anti-meme laws. And then we could prosecute advertisers and marketeers. Result! ubbrollsmile

I think there should be a fundamental right not to have to dredge through crap just to remain yourself. Why do I have to put up with people constantly trying to convert me to their point of view? I'm sick of it. And I'm sick of those andrex puppies. Sell outs.



If such laws were in place, then how could we convince people who put so much stock in their imaginary friends, to the point that laws are made to protect them and an entire nation's morals are based on what they say, that they're wrong, and should embrace godless hedonism?

The Andrex puppies however should be shot. A lot.

Eww, Liza Minelli...

The communists gave my mother a job, teaching sculpture to limbless children.


Tao StarPooh-Bah
1,662 posts
Location: Bristol


Posted:
you're only allowed to wish the andrex puppy dead if you're willing to shoot him yourself...just look at his little face.....


Non-Https Image Link

I had a dream that my friend had a
strong-bad pop up book,
it was the book of my dreams.


FireTomStargazer
6,650 posts

Posted:
 Written by: Doc Lightning


 Written by: FireTom


In a democracy, everyone has the pristine right to vent their thoughts and philosophies.(...)

IMHO even right (and left) -wing extremists have the right to articulate what (garbage) is inside their brains.




There's a line. I believe it was Ben Franklin who said that "My right to swing my fist stops at your nose."

The instant your "self-expression" steps in front of my rights, you've crossed that line. And what I see fundamentalists doing, whether Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu (yes, they exist, and they're just as ugly as the others) or otherwise, crosses that line.



I fully agree, thanks for this addition.

May you be so kind and explain to me where the right for self expression, of for say "Christian voice" steps in front of YOUR doorstep and collides with your personal rights, Doc?

the best smiles are the ones you lead to wink


Tao StarPooh-Bah
1,662 posts
Location: Bristol


Posted:
 Written by:


May you be so kind and explain to me where the right for self expression, of for say "Christian voice" steps in front of YOUR doorstep and collides with your personal rights, Doc?



that's a really good question....in fact i guess that's THE question. are cristian voice intruding on people's rights?


well i would say the minute they stopped a cencer charity taking much needed money for reasons that weren't their own conciences, took that aid away from people who are serously ill, that's when they crossed the line imo.

I had a dream that my friend had a
strong-bad pop up book,
it was the book of my dreams.


spinningstarletSILVER Member
enthusiast
271 posts
Location: Bradford *rolls eyes*, United Kingdom


Posted:
ditto

i would say that they way they are "forcing" (i use this term lightly) their views on others - ie the charity - is the moment they collide with others personal rights, in this example the charitys personal rights (not EVERYONE's).

that make sense?

psycotic_furbyBRONZE Member
Hehe, you said 'Member'
105 posts
Location: Lydiate, nr Liverpool, United Kingdom


Posted:
Also groups like Christian Voice, and the Christian Institute, regularly attempt to prosecute people for 'religious hatred' for criticising them, and yet distribute leaflets expressing extremely homophobic and hateful views, and defend what they do as 'freedom of speech'.

Eww, Liza Minelli...

The communists gave my mother a job, teaching sculpture to limbless children.


The_Pirate_Dyke_BoyHOP Lord of the Pirate Admiralty
1,079 posts
Location: Canterbury, UK


Posted:
[censored] man, wtf eh?

im religious, i feel i have a very personal relationship with God, but [censored], i feel like everyone has the choice to do what they want. thats the whole point. if you really want to make God happy, then you do what he asks. seems easy enough. ill do my [censored] my way, and the rest of you do what you want.

why cant we just all be cool with that? whats with the preachy "i know better than you" bollox? bet this guys like 4ft tall with a chode. swear it always come back to that [censored]

D.B.
X x X x X

Ship off the starboard! sound general quarters! noise and light discipline! man the cannons! GET ME THE RUM!

Master of the Free Hug Program


[Nx?]BRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,749 posts
Location: Europe,Scotland,Both


Posted:
man, what a shocking thread!

ok, well not really, its not the first time someone with extreme viewpoints has come along and been blasted from the sky by everyone else, neither is it the first time that said person has completely ignored all arguments (maybe becasue they cant argue them) and stuck to thier guns regardless.

my candidates for debating team winners are NYC, who made me laugh out load about 10 times (one time more than he posted) and MCP, who cuts to the point like no-one else, and is funny.

is it a co-incedence that they both have three letter anackrynomim (no i cant spell it) names?

Am i going offtopic ? you be the judge.

the thing about the cristionbotheringgroup, or whatever its called, is that they have thier opinion and then act on it to try and convince everyone else that its right and therefore change the world. In this way they are just as nieve as upandover, the world is changed by massive shifts in peaples opinions and actions, but not as a result of any one argument, paradime shifts happen slowly and becuse of the situation as a whole. I dont see any of thease groups, be they terrorists, politicians buisness or fundemental cristians as being a threat, just overall manifestations of the movement of life.

as for the abotion arguments, other peaple who are girls have put it as good as it gets, just like to give maus a squeeze for being brave enough to be the only person with actual experiance and actually talking about it.

the 'if you aborted this would never have happened' argument has to be the most stupid bit of non logic I ever heard, you just cannot use might-have-beens as an argument against anything, it suprised me no-one picked up on it, sure the holes are obvious but the basic premis is bogus, no-one can ever tell what might or might not have happened if something was changed in the past. Have you never heard of chaos theory, sheesh. It goes to show that what peaple said about not thinking for yourself, or plain not thinking.

and what was really shocking was brit joe! fucin hell man, i never had you pegged for being so intolerant. the point about the diffrence between what you post on here and what you find unaceptable in public is a great one, like all the self-rightious, your a hippocrite.

and thats what it comes down too, Peaple who want to take away the freedoms of others are always complaining that they dont get to live in the world that they want. And they NEVER seem to see the inherant contradiction.

good thread, i love flame wars.

T wave

This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate
-><- Kallisti


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
 Written by: FireTom


May you be so kind and explain to me where the right for self expression, of for say "Christian voice" steps in front of YOUR doorstep and collides with your personal rights, Doc?



Well, Christian Voice specifically doesn't, of course, being in the UK and all.

But Right-Wing extremist groups amass vast followings that vote against any rights for gay people, including the same discrimination protections that other minorities enjoy.

They also insist on (and occasionally succeed in) instituting teacher-led Christian prayers in public schools, the teaching of creationism, banning abortion (to various degrees of maternal risk), banning birth control, banning stem cell research, banning gays from adopting and raising children, and other sorts of activities that do remove some basic rights from people who aren't in line with their beliefs.

So I would say that, say, Jerry Falwell's 700 Club and other such "Moral Majority" groups have done me a bit of damage in the rights department.

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


StoutBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,872 posts
Location: Canada


Posted:
Tom , you don't find this thread a celebration of tolerance and diversity ?

mcpPLATINUM Member
Flying Water Muppet
5,276 posts
Location: Edin-borrow., United Kingdom


Posted:
I love being intolerant. I think if more people were intolerant of these christian bigots, then the world WBABP (Would be a better place). They think they can get away with all the evil stuff they do, just because the new testiment is all fluffy and plays nice.

It'd be great to give them a taste of their own medicine. See how they like demonstrations outside their meeting building (so called 'churchs') people spitting before they pass in the street. Take the vote away from them. Have groups campaigning against them. Have editorial articles in 'the sun' denoucing them. See how much they like it, and afterwards they might have learned some tolerance. Bastards.

Obviously I realise that not all christians are bad, but then not all of nazi germany was bad. You've got to break the controlling stupidity to release the sane people underneath it's yoke.

In other news, the pope is going to flex his cosmological and theological powers and get rid of limbo. https://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13509-1897480,00.html
After that, he's going after purgatory and then when he gets into his stride, Hell. "We're all goin' to heaven boys! Whayy!"

"the now legendary" - Kaskade
"the still legendary" - Kaskade

I spunked in my friend's aquarium and the fish ate it. I love all fish. Especially the pink ones. They are my bitches. - Anon.


[Nx?]BRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,749 posts
Location: Europe,Scotland,Both


Posted:
Stout, you talking to me?

i would do if the views were more diverse, but seeing as there are only about 2.5 viewpoints on offer here, the liberal, the conservative and brit joe, i cant really celebrate its diversity....

tolerance? maybe, i think real tolerance would be not to bother replpying to the bible bashers and just smile affectionatly and say 'awww, lambs!'

T wave

This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate
-><- Kallisti


mausBRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
4,191 posts
Location: Sihanoukville, cambodia


Posted:

Non-Https Image Link

????

sorry....couldn't resist.

wink

StoutBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,872 posts
Location: Canada


Posted:
Nx, yes I was talking to you, or more like my sense of appreciation for irony was.

Yes, real tolerance would at least ignore the Christian/conservative viewpoint, and to take it a step further, tolerance would at least try to understand that viewpoint, rather than condemning it straight off the top.

Christian Voice seems to mainly concern themselves with being homophobic, and maybe you recognized the gay community's catch phrase ( celebrate diversity ) when I applied it to attitudes expressed on this thread.

As to the Brit Joe input, yes there are conservative gays, just as there are liberal Christians. It's all part of what makes life just that much more interesting.

NYCNYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA


Posted:
 Written by: stout



Yes, real tolerance would at least ignore the Christian/conservative viewpoint, and to take it a step further, tolerance would at least try to understand that viewpoint, rather than condemning it straight off the top.




And then you can be tolerant when abortion is banned in the UK. And then you can be tolerant when it becomes illegal for gays to talk about the fact they are gay. And then when the government becomes a puppet of the religious right you can be tolerant when the 10 commandments go up in courthouses and judges are looking to Christian law to make legal decisions.

You know deep down y'all just want to be American.

ubbangel

Is being tolerant of opression really another form of intolerance? Can I coin a phrase "Passive Intolerance" whereby allowing intorerance to happen is really as bad as propetuating it yourself?

Just thinking out loud...

Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]


StoutBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,872 posts
Location: Canada


Posted:
Do you figure I'm being unreasonable by expecting people to display attitudes that they demand of others? I'll entertain the notion, but it'll be difficult considering I prefer people to show me by their actions rather than tell me with their words, but I'm weird that way, I think it's a sincerity thing.

They're thinking of banning abortion in the UK ? I wouldn't know, I don't live there, but locally there's no talk of banning abortion.

They're thinking of going back to pre Stonewall days with the gays? I'll keep that in mind when I'm reading the NO MEN sign outside the front door of the local lesbian bar.

The 10 Commandments? well even as an atheist, I think those are a good idea, for any society to live by, they just make sense. I'm not fussed about where they're purported to come from.

Christian law actually exists??,,Is that anything like Muslim law ? you know with the stonings, beheadings etc. if so, then we do have somthing to fear there

I wondered when the Christian right would wake up to the fact that they could use Liberal hate crime legislation to their advantage.

Passive Intolerance ? That's exactly what I'm NOT practicing on this thread, and neither is Tom [ Nx ]

I'm just trying to find out where that brave new world that the Liberals promised us a decade ago, went, and where all these "noecons" came from.

[Nx?]BRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,749 posts
Location: Europe,Scotland,Both


Posted:
nice point NYC,

I think my point is there will always be diffring forces of change, of ideology at work, that thease forces will always fight one another, even when one side proports to be the 'tolerant' side. That neither side tends to recognise itself and its opposite as being part of the same thing, and that win or lose it is simply a manifestation of real system wide change.

so, thats the external viewpoint, from the internal, objective view, I recon you gotta do what you gotta do, and if something seems wrong to you, you should say so, because that how it works, win or lose.

T wave

This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate
-><- Kallisti


mcpPLATINUM Member
Flying Water Muppet
5,276 posts
Location: Edin-borrow., United Kingdom


Posted:
 Written by: stout


I'm just trying to find out where that brave new world that the Liberals promised us a decade ago, went



It went the way of all things that protest against human nature without actively fighting it. It's all well and good to say "Oh we should just all accept one another" and another thing to get people to learn how to do that, and then to do it. This is not a rant against you, but frickin' all talk no action liberals.

This is probably wildly off topic, but I think it's best not to be a pacifist when somebody is torturing you to death. Same way I think we should use force against these gimps who're poluting our mental environment.

"the now legendary" - Kaskade
"the still legendary" - Kaskade

I spunked in my friend's aquarium and the fish ate it. I love all fish. Especially the pink ones. They are my bitches. - Anon.


NYCNYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA


Posted:
 Written by: stout



Christian law actually exists??,,Is that anything like Muslim law ? you know with the stonings, beheadings etc. if so, then we do have somthing to fear there




Got it. Love Christains, Hate Muslims. wink

Naw, seriously, there are some very scary Christian groups out there. (Just like there are some very scary libral groups out there.) I don't think that 'tolerance' means allowing those groups to opress others.

I can't see myself saying that we should have tolerance for those Christian groups that bomb abortion clinics. Nor do I think we should have tolerance for Muslim groups that bomb buildings.

When a group, religious or not, opresses another... that is intolerance. And if you examine the end product, allowing intolerance to opress is no different than opressing.

When people start gaining rights to other people's body (such as limiting reproductive rights or legislating homosexuality) it becomes opressive to those people.

Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]


StoutBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,872 posts
Location: Canada


Posted:
mcp, points well received. smile

NYC, I was actually serious about the Christian law question, I should have researched it, my bad. It's my understanding that some sexual acts that we perform as a matter of course up here in Canada are still illegal in some US states, is this what's meant by Christian law? I remember watching an episode of cops a few years back and some guy was getting arrested for "impersonating a woman". Not that we're a country of transvestites up here, but it is legal.

So it's more of a punitive style of intolerance I'm witnessing here, more of a " defensive" style, then? OK I can accept that, and even agree with it if I mentally put myself in the shoes of those who are being oppressed by Christian Voice.

It's really a matter of perspective,with a dose of altruism. I can do that. biggrin

Maybe I cut people too much slack for their belief systems. on second thought, maybe I cut conservative Christians too much slack. Chalk it up to me witnessing, first hand, too many of their "good works" No sarcasm intended.

IgirisujinSILVER Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,666 posts
Location: Preston, United Kingdom


Posted:
 Written by: UmbiliciformCraterOnFace



So what happens if the person you marry changes into something you dont like over time? umm

What happens if they are no longer the person you married?



Are you still forced to stay with them even if they no longer have the qualities that you first saw in them, just because you said "I do" instead of "I dont"?



 Written by: Upandover

Amen, well at least the entire world hasn't gone to hell in a handbasket



ubblol

You havent read many of Brit_Joes other posts have you?

You do know that he should actually be cast into the seventh circle of hell according to Christianity as he is gay?





God dosent pick and choose who he loves and who he dosent, thats a horrible thought.



(too many posts, and too much cutting and pasting and saving of posts in word pad to quote multiple people lol)



SKULLY:: Oh come off it, the only graphic word I used in that post was expell, and I posted it in a thread about anal sex, whats the point in dancing around the houses at that point so late in too an allready adult thread. Its not kissing in public im against anyway, its groaping and french kissing (often with noises attached and roaming hands!)



mcp:: Thats such a cop out.

Chief adviser to the Pharaoh, in one very snazzy mutli-coloured coat

'Time goes by so slowly for those who wait...' - Whatever Happend To Baby Madonna?


mcpPLATINUM Member
Flying Water Muppet
5,276 posts
Location: Edin-borrow., United Kingdom


Posted:




God CAN pick and choose who he condemns. He's GOD, he can do what he likes! ubblol He's already done it, it's in the bible. He hates gays, doesn't mind gang rape, and you shouldn't do any work on a sunday. And you should love your neighbour. Shame prince charles isn't your neighbour.



Plus joe, I never EVER what to hear you mention that you're gay, that you kiss or do anything further with men, or that you even have a sexual life in a post on HOP ever again, because frankly that disgusts me and I don't want to have to put up with it on a public forum. And I know you don't want to be a hypocrite joe, not that you aren't one already, but I think you should try harder not to be one now that it's all so clear.



I mean what is hop coming to? People putting those little love smileys in their posts to each other, camping out in each others intro threads and having imaginary picnics, if I wanted to see that, I'd go to the hello kitty forums. hmmm hello kitty... ubblove

"the now legendary" - Kaskade
"the still legendary" - Kaskade

I spunked in my friend's aquarium and the fish ate it. I love all fish. Especially the pink ones. They are my bitches. - Anon.


StoutBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,872 posts
Location: Canada


Posted:
Doesn't God "love the sinner, but hate the sin"? Meaning He loves gays, but just hates "the act"

NYCNYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA


Posted:
 Written by: stout


mcp, points well received. smile

NYC, I was actually serious about the Christian law question, I should have researched it, my bad. It's my understanding that some sexual acts that we perform as a matter of course up here in Canada are still illegal in some US states, is this what's meant by Christian law? I remember watching an episode of cops a few years back and some guy was getting arrested for "impersonating a woman". Not that we're a country of transvestites up here, but it is legal.




Perhaps I'm incorrectly using the word "law"... I'm referring to folks using the bible and it's interpretations.

And transvestitism is absolutely legal here. It must have been some other charge. If the guy was trying to cash a check as a woman or something I could see it being fraud...

Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]


StoutBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,872 posts
Location: Canada


Posted:
Ah yes, bible interpretation, that's one subject where a little knowledge is more dangerous than no knowledge. And after all that about Galelio over on the ID thread, I'm really wary of even trying it. That's why I posted the question above, does God truly hate homosexuals as people, or just hate the act(s)?

spinningstarletSILVER Member
enthusiast
271 posts
Location: Bradford *rolls eyes*, United Kingdom


Posted:
I always thought that in my understanding God gave the act of sex in order that we pro-create (bear with me...) and that gay/lesbian sex does not give this option (naturally) and That is why...

But then that is what my RS teacher told me.
*shrug*

ado-pGOLD Member
Pirate Ninja
3,882 posts
Location: Galway/Ireland


Posted:
And what about dolphins?

They have sex for pleasure too....

Love is the law.


UCOFSILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales


Posted:
But dolphins are evil though....

devil

spinningstarletSILVER Member
enthusiast
271 posts
Location: Bradford *rolls eyes*, United Kingdom


Posted:
hey! i didn't say neciserally (sorry i can never spell that) that i agree or that it was right...



just that that is what my understanding is of the whole homophobia thing in the church.

tbh i don't have a problem with homosexuality in the slightest!
EDITED_BY: toobie (1160469856)

mcpPLATINUM Member
Flying Water Muppet
5,276 posts
Location: Edin-borrow., United Kingdom


Posted:
dolphins also go in for a good bit of gang rape thou.

"the now legendary" - Kaskade
"the still legendary" - Kaskade

I spunked in my friend's aquarium and the fish ate it. I love all fish. Especially the pink ones. They are my bitches. - Anon.


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