Page 28 - Simon Calvert News Today

Pexels The Presbyterian Church in Ireland has set out its opposition to a ban on so called conversion therapy, which it says could criminalise the ordinary work of churches. MLAs Doug Beattie and John Stewart have tabled a motion calling for the NI Executive to ban conversion therapy “in all its forms”, which is being debated today. Concerns have been expressed that broad legislation would criminalise ordinary Christian activity including preaching, prayer and pastoral care. ‘Conflated’...

Church sues over multimillion-pound Trust for religious discrimination 44 minutes ago Stirling Free Church An evangelical church is accusing Scotland’s largest charitable trust of religious discrimination after it cancelled a rental agreement over the church’s views on same-sex marriage. Stirling Free Church had a contract to use premises owned by the multimillion-pound Robertson Trust for its Sunday services. But when trust chairwoman Shonaig Macpherson learned of the agreement, the contr...

Court blasts Blackpool Council for discriminating against Christians Court blasts Blackpool Council for discriminating against Christians 3 minutes ago billygraham.org Blackpool Council has been criticised by a judge after she ruled that it discriminated against Christians by banning bus adverts for the Lancashire Festival of Hope with Franklin Graham. The adverts, which simply displayed the message ‘Time for Hope!’, were controversially removed by the Council and Blackpool Transport Servi...

Improved version of flawed Scots hate crime Bill set to become law Improved version of flawed Scots hate crime Bill set to become law 12 Mar 2021 nikolaev The Scottish Government’s deeply controversial hate crime Bill is set to become law after it was passed in Holyrood. The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill will create a new offence criminalising the ‘stirring up of hatred’ against certain groups, and concerns remain that it will impact free speech, including private conversat...

MPs are set to debate a petition which calls on the Government to ban conversion therapy.

CofE refuses to bless radical home wedding plans CofE refuses to bless radical home wedding plans 5 Mar 2021 Sandro Crepulja The Church of England has refused to bless radical plans for home weddings proposed by the Law Commission. Last year, the Commission – which advises the Government – recommended that pubs, hot air balloons, rivers and lakes would be suitable locations for weddings to take place, if officiated by a state-recognised individual. It also said weddings could take place in...

The Scottish Justice Committee has launched an extremely short 96-hour public consultation on the Scottish Government’s controversial hate crime Bill.

Govt announces tough new measures on uni free speech Govt announces tough new measures on uni free speech 17 Feb 2021 Buro Millennial The Government has announced a range of tough new measures to ensure that free speech is not restricted at universities. After an increasing number of students, staff and academics have been silenced or no-platformed, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson warned of a “chilling effect”, leaving people feeling they cannot freely express themselves. Places of h...

Letter to MSPs on Scotlands Hate Crime and Public Order Bill The decision to withdraw amendments on freedom of expression at the eleventh hour will have a chilling effect 10 Feb 2021 Dear MSP, We the undersigned have serious concerns about Part 2 of the Scottish Government’s Hate Crime and Public Order Bill, and increasingly so in light of recent parliamentary deliberations. Over the last year, there has been a robust debate about Part 2 of the bill, which outlines new offences on the stirr...

becketcook.com The Christian man whose testimony was branded “conversion therapy” has told The Christian Institute such claims are ‘confused’. Becket Cook, a former Hollywood set designer, first made the news in 2019 when he explained how he left his gay lifestyle behind him when he became a Christian. His interview with The Gospel Coalition was shared online by NI public official and former MLA Nelson McCausland last week. Activists quickly accused Mr McCausland of promoting “conver...