Last week saw the House of Lords reject the potentially restrictive crime of religious harassment in the Equality Bill. However, in the aftermath of this the Evangelical Alliance has warned that the government is still likely to insist on its reinstatement into the House of Commons.
The Equality Bill aims to create a single Commission for Equality and Human Rights (ECHR), to include disability, race, gender, and for the first time, religion and faith.Since the Equality Bill was first proposed there have been many concerns raised and it has been general opinion among faith groups that the Bill has been quickly drafted without in depth thought about the consequences of the legislation.
The Christian Institute has summed up its views to the Bill by stating, “We have a number of concerns about the Equality Bill. Although well-intentioned, the introduction of a ban on religious discrimination could have a profound affect on the British way of life.
“For example, we are concerned that the Bill could result in the banning of Bibles and the enforcement of secularism in the UK. Hospitals and hotels that allow the placement of Bibles could be targeted under Part 2 of the Bill, which outlaws religious discrimination in both public and private sectors.”
The statement added, “There is a real risk that the non-discrimination provisions, rather than benefiting the Christian faith, will undermine our Christian heritage. We are used to hearing about absurd cases from the United States where atheist activists and the ACLU are campaigning for the removal of Christian symbols on public property (including seeking to remove crosses from cemeteries).
“There is, however, no federal law in the US on religious discrimination in the private sector. The Equality Bill outlaws religious discrimination in both the public and the private sectors.”This Bill is yet another piece of Government legislation that has been rushed in without proper consultation.
Don Horrocks, Head Public Affairs Evangelical Alliance
