Hi guys:
I know that a lot of people on this forum are from the U.K., so I have a question: Franklin Graham (son of the famous Evangelical preacher Billy Graham) has solicited money from U.S. sources to " . . . finance religious freedom in the U.K…"
I know any number of people from the U.K., and I have never perceived any sense of religious oppression. In fact, I would argue (as far as practicality is concerned) that the United Kingdom–by some criteria–actually has more religious freedom than the United States.
Why do outsiders need to pour money into the U.K. to interfere with its politics and culture for religious freedom? What is Graham talking about? (See snip below).
It does seem that he had some ads removed, and got an official apology after he sued . . . but I hardly think that qualifies as Nazi-esque religious oppression.
Have things changed in the U.K. recently?
I suspect it’s because their idea of “religious freedom” is different from yours and mine.
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I’m sure you’re correct.
It’s really wonderful that in my country you can have all the religious freedom that you want, as long as you practice the correct religion.
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I think his idea of religious freedom involves everyone being indoctrinated or coerced into accepting and living by his religious beliefs. He will get less traction in the UK I think, which has been becoming increasingly secular for decades.
“Franklin Graham responds after UK venue canceled for ‘incompatible’ LGBTQ views”
"The son of the late Billy Graham was labeled a “homophobic hate preacher” by the Liverpool Labour LGBT Network, who wrote in a letter that they fear “Graham’s appearance may incite hateful mobilization and risk the security of our LGBTQ+ community.”
CITATION
“It is said by some that I am coming to the UK to bring hateful speech to your community. This is just not true…The rub, I think, comes in whether God defines homosexuality as sin. The answer is yes.”
Start by demonstrating a deity exists, or is even possible, and if anyone can do this, then I shall move to telling that deity to shove its homophobic bigotry up its arse, and yes, the irony was intentional.
“My message to all people is that they can be forgiven and they can have a right relationship with God. That’s Good News. That is the hope people on every continent around the world are searching for. In the UK as well as in the United States, we have religious freedom and freedom of speech.”
Then he won’t mind me using my freedom of speech, to tell him I don’t believe his superstitious spiel, or that any deity exists or is even possible. Does he think we don’t already have free speech and freedom to believe any superstition we choose, or none at all, in the UK?
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I really hope he doesn’t get any traction in the U.K… Organized religion has destroyed so much here in the U.S…
If you guys aren’t careful, Graham will be pushing for Creationism instead of science in your schools.
Under no circumstances should you underestimate this guy. He is very charismatic.
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The UK already has faith schools, paid for by the taxpayer, thank you Tony Blair and Labour party for breaking that pledge. Professor Richard Dawkins did a series of documentaries on them, it was appalling. Also by law visiting theists can teach primary children about religion, my brother-in-law was a primary school teacher, and had to sit while some woman espoused superstition to his class, he was biting his lip, but he was relieved to notice one or two of the children turn to look at him, with an expression that said, this is bullshit surely? Once the visitor had gone they had all sorts of questions, and he answered them honestly, they nearly all said they didn’t believe her claims. It’s appalling that people won’t leave a child’s education alone. If anyone wants to preach religion then they can do in church, a state funded education is not the place for proselytising, though they could be thought religion as a secular class, teaching only the facts, and the historicity and culture of various religions.
I went to his Facebook claims, and there were dozens fawning praise on him, and telling him he was welcome in the UK, and that he was needed, my guess is many of them were fake accounts. I posted on there, pointing out that we already have free speech and freedom to believe in any religions we want, or none at all, as his assertions seemed to imply we did not. A more likely inference is that he wants to abuse free speech to promote bigotry and prejudice.
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