The Lawyers' Christian Fellowship

Witnessing to the Gospel at home and abroad

The proposed Government Sexual Orientation Regulations

THE FINAL VERSION of the proposed SEXUAL ORIENTATION REGULATIONS (SORs), have now been published by the Government. The law is due to come into force by 30th April 2007.
The SORs can be found at http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2007/draft/20075920.htm.
Under the Regulations it will be illegal for a Christian printer to refuse to print material promoting homosexual sex, it will be illegal for a Muslim website designer to refuse to build a website for homosexual dating, and it will be illegal for a Jewish conference centre to refuse to accept a booking from a Gay and Lesbian society who wish to hold a meeting promoting homosexual practices.
Thomas Cordrey, Barrister and Public Policy Analyst at the Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship, commented that the Government did not put forward a single piece of evidence to justify the need for the Regulations, they have ignored 72% of the public who opposed their approach to this law, and they have ignored the majority of the 3000 responses to their consultation. Despite this weak basis to the law, the Government is prepared to take the landmark step of making it illegal for Christians to hold to the Bible’s clear teaching that God loves everyone and wants all people to know him, but also, that extra-marital sexual conduct (whether homosexual or heterosexual) is wrong.
Andrea Williams, Public Policy Officer at the Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship commented that whilst Christian groups have been clear from the outset that they would not in any way wish to deny the provision of basic goods and services to homosexuals, the Government have refused all calls that the Regulations should contain a simple clause that ‘no-one should be forced by this law to promote or actively condone any sexual practices which are contrary to their deeply held religious belief.
From Andrea Minichiello Williams’
website www.christianconcernforournation.co.uk,

Aim - The aim of these Regulations is to secure freedom and equality under the law for all communities in the United Kingdom.  However, the Lawyers Christian Fellowship believe that these Regulations, as currently drafted, will provoke an unnecessary and unwanted conflict between the faith communities and the gay and lesbian community.

Iplementaion - The Government have chosen to use a special Parliamentary procedure to push the Regulations through WITH NO NEED FOR ANY DEBATE OR VOTE IN PARLIAMENT AT ALL.  This ‘negative resolution procedure’ has meant that the mere elapsing of 40 days from the date of the Regulations being laid will see the SORs become law in Northern Ireland (NI) on 1st January 2007.  This in turn will set a dangerous precedent for the England, Wales and Scotland SORs which are due to come into force in April 2007.
Ruth Kelly (minister with primary responsibility for the England, Wales and Scotland SORs) has appointed the chief executive of the gay lobbying group Stonewall, as one of the ‘Equality Commissioners’ for the new ‘Commission for Equality and Human Rights’. This is the body with far reaching powers which will ensure the SORs are fully implemented – it even has power to fund court cases to ensure compliance with the Regulations. No representative of any faith group has been appointed to the Commission.

HARASSMENT - The definition of harassment relies largely on the perception of the person who claims they were harassed: all they need do is allege that someone has ‘violated their dignity’ or that someone created a ‘hostile or insulting environment’ for them, and they can take legal action

The Regulations make harassment on the grounds of sexual orientation illegal, despite the fact that

1) the consultation about the Regulations made it clear this was not the Government’s intention,

2) no mention of a harassment law was made in the questions asked of the public in the consultation and

3) the House of Lords previously argued strongly against introducing such a law.

EDUCATION - The NI SORs
1) do affect the curriculum
2) contain no exemptions for faith schools and
3) mean that a pupil will be able to sue a faith school or an individual teacher for harassment if they perceive that the teaching or promotion of marriage over homosexual civil partnership ‘violates their dignity’ as a gay student.
SERVICE PROVIDERS - Under the NI SORs
1) it will be illegal for a Christian printer in Northern Ireland to refuse to print material promoting gay sex
2) it will be illegal for an Islamic wedding photographer to refuse to attend and take publicity photographs at a gay Civil Partnership ceremony and
3) it will be illegal for a Jewish conference centre to refuse to allows its premises to be used by an organisation promoting homosexual practice.
EVENTS
1) Haringey Council threatened family centre with funding withdrawal for expressing Christian beliefs.
•    The organiser of a Family Centre for Eastern European migrants, who have settled in London, was told last month by Haringey Council that unless the Centre agreed to renounce all expression of Christianity from the voluntary services they provided, they would lose the vital funding they received from the local authority.
•    Reported in The Telegraph 12th December Haringey council later moved to defuse the row by saying it had withdrawn the threat to cut the funding.  A spokeswoman said: "The letter has been withdrawn immediately. It was not appropriate for this officer to be writing such a letter linking funding with the issues mentioned in the letter.  We have contacted this group asking them to disregard the letter and invited them to meet a senior officer to discuss the funding."
2) British Airways employee Nadia Eweida lost her appeal to wear her cross necklace at her place of work at Heathrow. The result of the internal appeal procedure followed several weeks of suspension without pay.
3) University Christian Unions are fighting for their right to preach the Gospel
•    Exeter CU was disaffiliated from the Guild, with its funds frozen, as well as losing all the privileges associated with membership of the Guild of Students
•    Edinburgh CU has been banned from teaching the “PURE” course on University facilities. This course advocates sexual purity, and teaches that sex is only appropriate within the context of a marriage
•    Heriot-Watt (in Scotland) CU been disaffiliated from the Student Association for some time because of its requirement that members sign a Statement of Faith setting out basic, orthodox Christian beliefs
•    Birmingham Universities CU been disaffiliated from the Student Association over its requirement that members sign a Statement of Faith
A recent development regarding the Christian Union cases is that MP Nadine Dorries has put forward an Early Day Motion about Christian Unions, stating that they play a vital and important part in the life of the Student Unions. The Early Day Motion states the following:
“This House notes the valuable work and support provided to students by Christian Unions on University and College campuses across the United Kingdom, notes the constructive dialogue that exists between the majority of Christian Union societies and Student Guilds/Associations on campuses across the country. This House believes that a tolerant society should respect the rights of Christian Unions to their beliefs, believes Christian Unions are entitled to the rights of freedom of expression, freedom of belief and freedom of association. This House believes the leadership of Christian Unions should not be imposed with people who do not share their core beliefs.”
 
LINKS - Lawyers Christian Fellowship
The Lawyers' Christian Fellowship - Witnessing to the Gospel at home and abroad  http://www.lawcf.org
Founded 1852 in London, as the Lawyers' Prayer Union, LCF has grown to become a national organisation with around 1,500 members at every stage of the legal profession. We have strong links with the Association of Christian Law Firms and also have many international links.  (Registered Charity No.1017695)
Our Vision - “To Influence Lawyers and the Law for Christ”
Lawyers for Christ:
•    Encouraging and equipping Christian lawyers to be effective in their lives and work
•    Leading lawyers to a personal commitment to Jesus Christ
Law for Christ:
•    Promoting Christian principles in our laws and legal systems
We Value
1) Law that is:
•    Shaped by the unchanging gospel of Christ
•    Promoting good relationships as the basis and Christian model for society
2) Lawyers who are:
•    United in Christ to proclaim the gospel that is too important to let other things divide us
•    Doing justice. Loving kindness. Walking humbly with God. (Micah 6:8)
•    Praying and living out their faith as the foundation for the public, professional and private aspects of life
Our Strategy - “To pastor, teach and empower lawyers where they are, in the workplace.”
•    To Pastor: Through a network of local and regional groups, personally encouraging on a regular basis and teaching lawyers about the theology of work and what it means to be a Christian lawyer, not just by service in church, or assisting charities and trusts, but in their everyday work, as litigators, conveyancers, commercial specialists or academics.
•    To Teach: discipling and to exploring ethical issues, such as euthanasia, human rights, genetic engineering, same sex relationships. Examining all sides of the issues in order to allow each member to come to an informed opinion on matters which will affect our society tomorrow.
•    To Empower: Giving lawyers the opportunities and outlets to use their knowledge and gifts in Christian service, including law reform working parties, pastoral support of other lawyers and teaching.

Christian Concern for our Nation     http://www.christianconcernforournation.co.uk
Christian Concern for our Nation (CCFON) recently celebrated its first birthday, and to coincide with this event, we have been reviewing its operation and the work it does. We are aware that many people who receive and act on our e-mails will know little about who we are and what we do. We therefore set out below a basic introduction to our work, and couple this with a request for vital funding: we currently only have the funds to remain operational until September 2006.
Our Mission - Christian Concern for our Nation (CCFON) is a cross-denominational non-profit making organisation born out of the work of the Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship Public Policy Unit. It is a service for non-lawyers who want to be equipped to understand, act and respond to the increasing number of legal issues impacting the Gospel and justice at the heart of our society. CCFON consists of a website and e-mail update service supported by an active team of lawyers.
The aim of CCFON is ‘to explain to all Christians the implications of any aspects of proposed or existing UK law which impact upon them and their faith, and to uphold and protect Biblical values and Biblical truth by researching and monitoring the work of the government, judges and other individuals and bodies, and by challenging decisions and proposed laws which will be damaging to those values and truth.’
We believe it is increasingly important that all Christians are kept informed about the action they can take if they wish to stand up for Biblical values and Biblical truth in our laws as a demonstration of thee character of God - His justice and His compassion. This is for the benefit of all of society.

ACTION SUMMARY - PRAY and see below for details
PETITIONS to HM The Queen and Prime Minister
Attend RALLY outside Houses of Parliament
Write to your MP
 
1) Email Petition to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (Deadline 8 Jan 07)
If you wish to sign the petition, it is available at www.christianconcernforournation.co.uk/sorpetition.php
As your subjects and as citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, we exercise our right to petition your Majesty, Supreme Governor of the Church of England and Defender of the Faith to hear our plea and to impress upon your ministers in Government the urgent need to protect religious freedom and tolerance, the requirement to treat all citizens equitably, and the importance of ensuring that there is no discrimination against Christians in this nation.
On November 4th 1952, in your coronation oath, your Majesty declared that you would 'to the utmost of your power maintain the Laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel'. We therefore call upon your Majesty to urgently consider a proposed law, formulated by your Government, known as the Sexual Orientation Regulations. The Regulations seriously affront the profession of the Gospel and the freedom of religion which this country has cherished for many generations.
The Regulations purport to eliminate discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, but have the consequence of discriminating heavily against Christians of all backgrounds and denominations who hold firm to the very Faith which you pledged to uphold in your coronation oath.
The Regulations will force Christians to facilitate and encourage the practice of homosexual relationships and will force them to support the view that homosexual relationships are of equivalent in worth and moral standing to heterosexual relationships. The Regulations will make it unlawful for a Christian to refuse to promote homosexual practice and will make it unlawful for our children to be taught the importance of marriage in any schools above the importance of practising homosexual relationships. All these activities are contrary to the 'true profession of the Gospel'. .
We appeal to your Majesty to protect our right to hold the Biblical view that a practising homosexual relationship is not of equal moral worth to the heterosexual relationship of a married couple.
We appeal to your Majesty to protect our right to live and act in accordance with this Biblical teaching.
We call on the Queen to acknowledge that Christians must have the freedom to act in accordance with the Bible and not to be forced, against their will, to behave in a way which explicitly or implicitly contravenes their faith and beliefs.
We ask that your Majesty use your power and position, according to your coronation oath, to 'cause Law and Justice, in Mercy, to be executed on all your judgments'.
Despite making many representations to Government ministers on this issue, our concerns have not been addressed. We therefore petition your Majesty, as head of state, to impress our petition on her ministers, and to demand that the Government preserve the longstanding freedom of Christians to live, both in their public and private lives, in their homes and in their jobs, according to the Bible's teaching.
Finally, we acknowledge our respect and gratitude for the Queen's wise rule during her reign and for her public and private commitment to Christianity. We draw attention to the invaluable work, dedication and support the nation has received from the prayers and actions of Christians across the United Kingdom. We urge The Queen to recognise that the freedom for Christians to act with integrity according to the Bible is of fundamental constitutional, social and religious importance.

2) Email Petition to the Prime Minister (Deadline 5 Feb 07)
If you wish to sign the petition, it is available at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/NISexOrient/
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Delay the passing into Legislation of the Sexual Orientation Regulations for Northern Ireland.

More details from petition creator - These Regulations should be withdrawn as they offend the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland across the sectarian divide. Will severely limit free speech in Northern Ireland. The School curriculum and assemblies must be entirely exempted. Could lead to Bibles being banned from Hospitals where the Word of God offers much succour. Christian Teachers could be forced out of the profession removing the bedrock of our System. They override the consciences of Christian teachers and are contrary to Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Gay rights activists have sought to ban University CUs and this will spread to schools.
 
3) Attend Rally
It has been announced that there will be an hour long SOR debate in the House of Lords (Tuesday 9th January 2007) to consider Lord Morrow’s motion to annul the Northern Ireland SORs. This is the first (and possibly only) opportunity for Peers to have an open debate about the SORs, and, because it currently looks unlikely that the House of Commons will have a full debate themselves, it is the best opportunity for the flaws with the Regulations to be discussed.
To coincide with the debate in the Lords (which is due to begin at around 7:30pm) there will be a PETITION presented to the Queen during the afternoon on the 9th January. PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION AND ENCOURAGE ALL THOSE YOU KNOW TO SIGN IT. The petition is available at www.christianconcernforournation.co.uk/sorpetition.php .  
Also set to coincide with the debate in the Lords will be a RALLY held outside the Westminster Parliament from 5:30-8pm (we pray there will be a simultaneous one held outside Stormont in Northern Ireland). We will be meeting in Old Palace Yard, opposite the St Stephen’s entrance. Please bring a torch.  This may be the only opportunity to publicly demonstrate the strength of Christian feeling about the Northern Ireland SORs.  Almost exactly a year ago thousands of Christians made the effort to travel from across the country to stand outside parliament, united in prayer and action against the religious hatred bill.  Hours later the bill was defeated by 1 single vote.  National newspapers reported on the solidarity and commitment of such a large group of Christians singing and praying together.
THIS NEW RALLY IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND UP FOR THE FREEDOM TO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE.
4) Write to your MP
Dear …………………….
Re: The Northern Ireland Sexual Orientation (SORs) regulations
(they can be found at http://www.opsi.gov.uk/sr/sr2006/20060439.htm. Their official title is “Statutory Rule 2006 No. 439 ‘The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations
(Northern Ireland) 2006’).
I am writing to you as one of your constituents.
These Regulations are due to come into force in Northern Ireland on the 1st January 2007 and expected to follow in the rest of Great Britain as a separate statutory instrument during April 2007.
There are many areas of concern regarding the Northern Ireland SORs. Firstly, in Northern Ireland the Regulations were subject to an 8 week rather than the recommended 12 week consultation period (from the 29 July to the 25 September – this includes of course the summer months where many people are away). Despite this, there was a large response to the consultation question on religion: 269 out of 287 respondents saying that exemptions should not be restricted to primarily doctrinal matters. This was by far the clearest answer (with the biggest majority) to any of the consultation questions). However, this response was ignored.
In addition, a provision was introduced to the Northern Ireland SORs making harassment on the grounds of sexual orientation illegal, despite the Government’s consultation document stating:

“During the passage of the Equality Act 2006, members of the House of Lords argued strongly that, while the concept [of harassment] sat more easily in the employment sphere, it was extremely difficult to define what constitutes violation of dignity in terms of goods or service provision […] On the basis of the complex arguments put forward we are minded to accept that it is not appropriate to legislate for harassment within these Regulations. We feel that the future Single Equality Bill will provide a more appropriate vehicle to consider harassment in terms of goods, facilities and services, and allow more time to deal with the complex arguments that have been put forward” [emphasis added]
This provision of harassment was introduced at the request of only 9 unsolicited general responses to the consultation. Harassment is a subjective matter depending on the perception of the person bringing the claim, and is therefore highly concerning. A homosexual would have a claim against a Christian individual or church if that person felt that something said or done by the Christian individual or church ‘violated their dignity’ or created a ‘hostile, humiliating or offensive environment’. Myriad scenarios could make out this dangerously broad legal test: simply explaining biblical references to homosexuality in church could be taken to constitute this.
The mere threat of legal proceedings against religious groups could have a very chilling effect on freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Another concern relating to the final Northern Ireland Regulations is that they were published before any response and findings from the consultation were produced by the Government. This is contrary to the Parliamentary guidance on conducting consultations.
It is important to note that even though there are some exemptions for churches in Regulation 16 of the Northern Ireland SORs, churches are not exempt from the harassment law.
It is the hallmark of a democratic society that people are free to live out their religious beliefs without state interference. It is an inherent part of our identity and life style for Christians and those of other faiths. It seems likely the proposals are contrary to article 9 of the European Convention on Human rights on freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
The Northern Ireland Regulations will also result in the faith community and voluntary organisations who receive any public funding having real difficulties in continuing to provide their services. If the Government make it illegal for such organisations to refuse to promote or assist homosexual practice, it will force thousands of service providers to stop providing those services – this will be to the detriment of the whole of society. The Roman Catholic Church has already said the Regulations will result in the closing of their adoption and fostering agencies if they are forced to place children with same sex couples.
I would urge you to support the prayer for annulment of these Regulations which has been laid in the Commons in order that the Regulations can in the meantime be amended to deal with the concerns set out in my letter. Please also urge all other MPs, the Prime Minister and leaders of all parties to grant time for a full, open debate and vote on the annulment motion, to address these important issues.
The Early Day Motion (EDM) (Number 317) which has been put down on the 28th November to annul the Regulations, is under the title
‘SEXUAL ORIENTATION DISCRIMINATION (S.R. (N.I.) 2006 No.439)’
The full text of the EDM is:

‘That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (S.R. (N.I.) 2006 No.439), dated 8th November 2006, a copy of which was laid before this House on the 24th November, be annulled”.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE NORTHERN IRELAND REGULATIONS ARE SET TO COME INTO FORCE ON THE 1ST JANUARY, SO SUPPORT FOR THE EDM MUST BE IMMEDIATE.