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British Multicultural society does not include Christians.

Under the guise of moving towards a secular state and a multicultural society, the Christian faith has come under increasing attack in Britain. Ordinary Christians are being discriminated against in the workplace and in public. Examples include a nurse who was suspended for offering to pray for a patient, a teen who was prohibited from wearing a chastity ring in school, a British Airways employee who was prohibited from wearing a cross and a university Christian group that was banned for requiring that members attest to their belief in God. Even former Prime Minister Tony Blair recently let slip that aides warned him to suppress any instinct to bring his faith into public view.

Christians are complaining that instead of a swing towards a secular and multicultural society other faiths are being treated more favorably, primarily Muslims. Some Christians have complained that it is a case of political correctness gone mad. While Muslims can wear a hijab, Christians cannot wear a cross. When Muslims are allowed to pray five times a day in the workplace, Christians cannot even have a simple cross in their prayer rooms. While foot baths for Muslims are being installed in public places, the government voices it’s concerns that the public domain should remain neutral. With Muslim taxi drivers being allowed to refuse fares with alcohol or seeing eye dogs and Muslim store clerks refusing to ring up pork and alcohol sales the government talks of multiculturalism and a secular state. I might add that must the same is taking place in the United States. It is not solely a problem in Britain.

If Britain truly wants a secular state, that is not achieved by bending over backwards for every Muslim demand while at the same time denying Christians the simple right to wear an expression of their faith in the workplace. Simon Barrow, co-director of the theological think tank Ekklesia said that Christians should also be mindful of how they would feel if roles were reversed. He asks, “How would a Christian feel if, for example, a nurse offered them an Islamic prayer?” As a Christian I can answer that by saying that I would be profoundly grateful to anyone who would offer me a prayer, whether it was Islamic or any other religion that believed in God.

I have nothing against Muslims being afforded rights in both the public and private sectors based on their religious beliefs.  But Christians and other religious groups should be afforded those same rights. I do not favor a secular society. Religion has much to offer and should not be shunned and frowned upon. People should not have to hide their religion in fear of offending someone.   Barrow goes on to state that, “People are nervous about overenthusiastic public expression of belief of any kind. There is a great desire for people not to tread on one another’s toes.” If desiring not to tread on one another’s toes results in suppression of peoples rights to express their religion, then I say it is not worth it. What ever happened to “live and let live?” I guess that has been replaced by “political correctness.”

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