The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #122449 Message #2686686
Posted By: Emma B
24-Jul-09 - 07:23 AM
Thread Name: BS: So why has the BNP gained votes?
Subject: RE: BS: So why has the BNP gained votes?
What wiki has to say -
"Taking its name directly in imitation of the Muslim Council of Britain, the Christian Council of Britain was set up by concerned British Christians of various denominations with assistance from members and supporters of the BNP in April 2006.
BNP web editor Steve Blake who runs an IT consultancy registered the URL christiancouncil.org.uk on behalf of the CCB and provided a basic template for the fledgling organisation's website.
The Observer reported on April 16, 2006 that Clive Potter, another member of the BNP was to be the president of the CCB.
Rev. Robert West, a former Conservative district councillor and a founding member of the Christian Council of Britain defected to the BNP in May 2006.
The CCB is opposed to female ordination and leadership and the ordination of gay men.
The Council believes that there is a 'godly importance of race and nation'
The Christian Council of Britain has been criticised by a number of mainstream British Christian organisations who claim that 'Christian belief is incompatible with any political party or philosophy that is based on hatred or treats people as inferior because of their race, beliefs or for any other reason' and argues against the CCB's theological views on separation of races."
A stement from the Methodist church spokesperson
"I am outraged that the BNP and its allies are using Christianity to further their agenda of segregation and division.
I think most Christians will be deeply affronted by this and want to speak out against such misguided extremism. We reaffirm our earlier statements that Christian belief is incompatible with any political party or philosophy that is based on hatred or treats people as inferior because of their race, beliefs or for any other reason
The CCB has claimed that the Bible justifies its support for the BNP's repatriation policy.
But the Revd Ken Howcroft, Coordinating Secretary for Conference and Communication, said "this was a way of interpreting scripture that was used to justify apartheid in South Africa, the banning of mixed-race marriages and the setting up of homelands. The South African Council of Churches condemned this interpretation, and some of the churches that did support this interpretation later formally repented.
In Galatians, Paul writes 'In Christ there is no Jew or Gentile,' and this makes it clear that there is no Christian basis for racial discrimination or separation."
A letter in my local newspaper