Speaking to Christian Today, Rev Katei Kirby, CEO of the African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance (ACEA) expressed her opposition to the bill.
“It is clear to us at the Evangelical Alliance and the ACEA what the government wants to do is a good thing, but the wording of the legislation proposed could do more harm than good. It has been left open to interpretation and of course misinterpretation, and this prayer protest ...is to say to our government and the country that we cannot lay down and let this happen to us but we want clearly to protect the freedom of speech in this country,” said Rev Kirby.
The ACEA leader revealed her concerns of the affects on the Christian communities if the bill is passed, “As Christians we are saying it will affect our freedom to preach and teach objectively the gospel and challenge other faiths in the meantime.”
Also supporting the coalition to halt the religious hatred bill at the rally, was Michael Ovey, Professor of Doctrine at Oak Hill College, and also a former civil service lawyer who used to draft government legislation.
Ovey stated, “The problem is the way it (the religious hatred bill) operates it is likely to restrict those that preach the gospel in a way that could be seen as offensive to others.”He also told Christian Today, “Another problem is that if you preach the gospel then you are in danger of committing a criminal offence. Of course this is not the government’s intention and they assure us of this, but when you see the words on the page and think how they operate then that is the way it tends to go.”
One of the organisers of the event, Rev George Hargreaves, leader of The Christian Party, said to Christian Today, “First the problem with the bill is that it already exists in the Public Order Act and the Aggravated Religion Act. There are already the laws necessary in place to take care of the threat this bill is supposed to take care of. The laws are already there and people have been convicted by those laws.
“It is also unworkable. Preachers, comedians, actor and even parliamentarians will...be affected.”
Rev Hargreaves concluded, “Our weapons are not bombs but they are mighty through God and so we are here praying above all for His will to be done.”
The protest rally took place on Oct. 11th, 2005 from 1pm till 4pm, the same day the Bill was put before the House of Lords for a second reading.
Andrew Clark (Christian Today)
